Ali Awad
ATLANTA – A Georgia personal injury lawyer’s social media appeal for clients after a fatal roller coaster incident has drawn criticism from a Texas lawmaker and lawsuit reform advocates.
Ali Awad, who markets himself as “The CEO Lawyer,” urged people affected by the October 12 incident at Six Flags Over Georgia on the Goliath coaster to contact his office immediately. His post described the ride as having malfunctioned and offered representation on a contingency basis.
One person died and four others were injured in Monday’s incident. Police and state safety officials were investigating, and the reports cited no official determination of the cause.
“If you were at Six Flags in Atlanta on October 12, contact my office IMMEDIATELY,” Awad wrote on X. “If you had blood splattered on you from the incident, you have a case. If you were on Goliath when it malfunctioned, you have a case. If you were physically impacted at all, you have a case. …
“Do NOT wait for evidence to be lost. CEO Lawyer will work for you on a pure contingency, and we will make sure to hold Six Flags accountable.”
Critics immediately blasted Awad, questioning his assurances that park visitors “have a case” while investigators were still determining what happened.
Texas State Representative Jeff Leach (R-McKinney) criticized the appeal.
“Vulture lawyers like this dude prey on the injured AND the uninjured, exploiting pain, and turning human suffering into a business model,” Leach wrote in a response on X. “They’ll tell you it’s about justice. And for some it is. But for too many, it’s about one thing: padding their own pockets at their clients’ expense.
“That’s not justice. It’s greed dressed up as compassion. And it’s sick and twisted.”
The executive director of Protecting American Consumers Together also criticized the post.
“Anyone seriously injured deserves their day in court,” Lauren Zelt said. “But a lawyer declaring ‘you have a case’ before investigators know what happened, and to anyone who was merely in the park, shows how this industry treats tragedy as a lead-generation opportunity. Families shouldn’t get a sales pitch built on panic.”
The CEO of Texans for Lawsuit Reform agreed.
“Ambulance-chasing lawyers like this are why TLR exists,” Ryan Patrick said.
Awad’s firm lists eight Texas offices, including two in Houston and one each in Carrollton, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso.
Texas Rule 7.01 prohibits false or misleading communications about a lawyer’s qualifications or services. It says a statement is misleading when there is a “substantial likelihood” that a reasonable person will draw a specific conclusion about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services “for which there is no reasonable factual foundation.” The rule also prohibits statements substantially likely to create unjustified expectations about results.
Commentary accompanying the Texas rule says even a truthful statement can be misleading if it leads a reasonable person to believe action is required when none is necessary. It also says an appropriate disclaimer may, depending on the circumstances, prevent a communication from misleading prospective clients.
There is similar language in commentary to Georgia Rule 7.1.
The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire said it was conducting an “in-depth and comprehensive review” of Monday’s coaster incident.
“As this remains an open and ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide additional details at this time,” the agency said.
Witnesses told FOX 5 Atlanta they saw a rider fall from the moving coaster. State Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King told the station inspectors and investigators were examining the equipment and working with park and public safety officials. Six Flags said it was cooperating with authorities and supporting affected guests and employees.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” the company said in a statement. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones.”
Awad isn’t new to controversy.
In February 2024, critics urged Georgia State University to rescind Awad’s selection for its “40 Under 40” alumni recognition because of his social media commentary about Israel and the Israel-Hamas war. According to published reports, nearly a dozen local and national Jewish organizations expressed concern about the university’s decision to honor him.
Awad publicly rejected the accusations. At a February 14, 2024, news conference organized with the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, he said a December 2, 2023, post had been taken out of context. According to CAIR’s account, he said he had interchanged references to Palestine and Israel to illustrate rhetoric used against Palestinians.
And in January, a woman sued Awad and his law firm in a discrimination and harassment case.
Filed in the Eastern District of New York, Sarah Elshabrowy claimed an executive identified as Ahmed began treating her differently after she started wearing a hijab in January 2025. She claims he subjected her to hostile and demeaning verbal treatment that she alleged was not directed at comparable male employees. She said she reported his conduct to Awad and later to human resources, but she says the defendants terminated her employment after she began wearing the hijab and reported the conduct.
According to court documents, Elshabrowy claimed Awad compared intervening with Ahmed to “trying to control an animal.”
Awad also has participated in controversial cases as a lawyer for others.
In one example, he represented three Muslim women in a harassment dispute involving Perry Greene, the former husband of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. CAIR-Georgia announced in April 2025 the matter ended in a $75,000 settlement paid to the women’s mosque.
