Meet the Savannah Law Firm Team

J. Patrick Connell has practiced law in Savannah, Georgia, for 18 years. Patrick obtained a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia and worked as a city planner for three years prior to attending Georgia State University’s School of Law. Patrick’s background and his strong belief in the primacy of private property rights has driven him to develop a specialized practice in real estate transactions, land use planning and zoning law, government permitting, and real estate development. Patrick also has significant experience litigating and trying cases, which enables him to successfully assist his clients before state and federal courts when their property rights are wrongfully infringed. Patrick is General Counsel for the Tourism Leadership Council, the leading trade organization for the hospitality industry in Georgia. Patrick advises the Council on legal and policy matters and frequently provides its members with legal advice on transactional and regulatory matters. Patrick believes in giving back to the community. He participated in (2014) and co-chaired (2015 & 2016) the Savannah Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year Campaign, where he helped the Savannah LLS team raise over $1,500,00.00 for LLS research and patient assistance initiatives over a three year period. He is currently a board member of the Savannah Technical College Foundation and the East Savannah Community Housing Committee. He formerly served on the boards of the Habersham YMCA, the Savannah Downtown Business Association, the Savannah Bar Association, the Young Lawyers Division of the Savannah Bar Association (President), and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia (Executive Council). Patrick is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia. He was named a Generation NEXT (Savannah Magazine) award recipient in 2014 and a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year from 2012-2017. He and his family are active members at Wesley United Methodist Church. A lifelong musician, Patrick has frequently donated his talents to support charitable causes across Savannah over the years.

Khara-Beth Harbin obtained her BFA from NYU in 2003. The youngest child in a family of all realtors, Khara-Beth worked as a realtor in Maryland with her family’s brokerage for five years before she moved to Savannah in 2009 to start a family and begin her real estate paralegal career. Over the last 15 years, Khara-Beth has worked for a title company, lenders, and multiple law firms handling all aspects of residential and commercial closings. Khara-Beth has cultivated strong personal and professional relationships with mortgage lenders, realtors, underwriters, developers, contractors, home builders, design professionals, appraisers, and government officials throughout her career, and she is widely regarded as one of the best real estate paralegals in the Savannah area because of her knowledge, attention to detail, professionalism, and people skills. Khara-Beth is an active supporter of Calvary Day School, where her children attend. A lifelong animal lover, Khara-Beth also supports non-profit organizations involved in animal rescue and relocation.