The Lowdown: Ben Levy

Atlanta is chocked full of interesting “movers and shakers” – some bent on creativity, empire building, activism and/or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the “off the cuff” remarks as to what makes Atlanta attorney, Ben Levy, tick.

Levy is a personal injury attorney at the Wetherington Law Firm and is chairman of Friends of the IDF’s Southeast Chapter. He is a proud FIDF Scholarship donor and hopes to encourage other young professionals to get involved. Trained as a trial attorney, he relishes every opportunity to step into a courtroom and cannot imagine having a different career.

Ben credits his parents, Sue and Bob, and his grandparents for inspiring his strong Jewish identity and appreciation for both his Sephardi and Ashkenazi family history. His family’s experiences during the Holocaust have profoundly impacted his values and zest for life.

Ben’s wife, Stefanie, is a veterinarian at VCA Midtown. They have two Shelties and are avid concertgoers and travelers.

My friends would say …
I love throwing themed parties, I’m an encyclopedia of Israeli music trivia (I go to at least one concert every time I’m in Israel), and I’m a lifelong Formula 1 and GT racing fanatic. I’ve attended the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin four times, the Petit Le Mans race more than 10 times, countless vintage races, and I have driven the Nürburgring in Germany, among other racetracks.

I am happiest when …
I’m shaking my tush on the dance floor, experiencing new cultures and languages abroad, or playing with the dogs in the backyard. Memories and experiences are more valuable than things.

Best advice you received?
“If you want to be a skilled injury attorney, you need to start off doing insurance defense and take as many cases to trial as possible.” I spent years as an insurance defense lawyer, where every case in the firm got transferred to me once it was time for trial. Now, as a plaintiff’s injury lawyer for over a decade, I still prepare every case as if it will go to trial, because that’s what earns results.

I used to be terrified of …
Public speaking. I forced myself to get over it in college by campaigning for student government, and then I learned to love it after joining the mock trial team in law school. These days, telling my clients’ stories in a closing argument is the most exciting part of my job!

My favorite Jewish experience as a child …
Learning the folk dance for Yehoram Gaon’s, “Od Lo Ahavti Dai,” at Hebrew school and then performing it for Israel’s 50th birthday. That was the beginning of my love affair with Israel and Israeli pop culture.

My wife and I feel our two dogs are:
Adorable hooligans! Shelties are herding dogs, so they bark at everything that moves, but they’re the light of our lives and give us so much love every day.

One fun thing people don’t know about me …
I played high school football and was my team’s Scholar Athlete of the Year. Admittedly, I was a better scholar than athlete, but playing football taught me discipline, proper weightlifting routines and technique, and that everyone on the team has an important role.