Andrew R. Kirschner

Andrew R. Kirschner, a founding partner in the law firm of Kirschner and Venker, PC, passed away December 23, 2009 in Atlanta after an 18-month battle with cancer.

Andrew was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. He pursued post graduate studies at the University of Georgia School of Law, and become a member of the State Bar of Georgia and Georgia Trial Lawyers in 1974.

Andrew spent his life serving people and families who suffered from accidents and personal tragedies. He found great satisfaction in standing up for the injured. Andrew probably would have been a lawyer for free, if it were possible. His law firm’s accountant once found he had not cashed 28 weeks’ worth of paychecks which were found in his desk drawer at work. He had simply been too absorbed in the litigation battles to take the checks to the bank.

Andrew was respected as an extremely intelligent and driven attorney with an unsurpassed work ethic.  “With Andy we could turn out the work to match any law firm in Atlanta.  He had the energy of a two year old and the brain of a mainframe computer,” says Tom Venker, his partner for twenty-six years. 

He was an athlete and played football at Druid Hills High School in Atlanta.  He raced motocross for a motorcycle manufacturer while in law school.  Andrew was a pilot, but gave it up after having to approach the runway sideways looking out the pilot’s window of his plane because the windshield froze over with ice on his way to a deposition in Augusta.  He never flew a plane again.

He had a soft side many never knew.  He was a pushover for cats and dogs.  He and his wife, Jan, owned many over the years.  He is survived by his wife, Jan of twenty years.  She was a perfect mate for what some would say was a man born to argue.