Corporate
We advise domestic and global, public and private companies in a variety of strategic transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures, strategic alliances, transactions and general contract negotiations. Our Atlanta Corporate Practice spans the additional areas of corporate finance, distress and commercial contracts. We have extensive experience across industries, including paper and corrugated packaging, aviation, manufacturing, retail, food and beverage, technology, automotive, energy, travel, health and beauty, and financial services. A significant portion of that experience is in representing non-US companies in their operations, financial transactions and acquisitions in the US, and in representing global companies in transactions and other matters across multiple jurisdictions. In addition, we often work with private equity groups, representing them in buying and selling portfolio companies, or negotiating with private equity groups on behalf of clients.
Litigation
We have litigated successfully complex commercial cases in state and federal courts across the country, including appellate courts and administrative and arbitral forums. We work to resolve wide-ranging disputes and high-stakes litigation across various industries and sectors, representing companies in consumer and business disputes, and business interests in both negotiations and litigation with state and local governments.
Our products liability litigation experience includes automobiles, airplanes and machinery and mass tort and consumer fraud actions involving asbestos, medical devices, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, as well as tobacco and agricultural products, among others. In addition to complex commercial cases, we also serve as defense counsel in class action and other bet-the-company litigations, and are often called upon in developing strategically-focused motions practice and solutions for negotiated resolution. We offer clients particular expertise in defense litigation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and other statutory consumer claims, and regularly serve as lead counsel in individual and class action litigation across the country. Our goal is to ensure that litigation and dispute resolution are always addressed in our clients' business interests and strategies.
Labor and Employment
Blending experience with innovation before courts and government agencies, our labor and employment lawyers work proactively to resolve disputes efficiently. As an employer, we can represent you across the full spectrum of employment-related legal issues, and we are at the forefront of strategic employment and labor relations issues that may affect you.
Public Policy
Built on a strong foundation that integrates the practice of law with public policy expertise and unique strategic advocacy skills, our Southeast US Public Policy Practice tackles complex challenges with creative and results-driven solutions. Often, and effectively, employing complementary public policy strategies at federal, state and local levels, we take a fulsome and tailor approach to analyze, develop and implement our public policy campaigns. Our multidisciplinary team of public policy practitioners and lawyers have the political acumen, commercial savvy, intimate knowledge of the Southeast region, and technical understanding of the law to help clients navigate the evolving policy and regulatory landscape in order to advance and achieve their business objectives, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Based in Atlanta, our Southeast Policy Team comprises leading figures in Georgia politics and business, benefiting from the experience and insights of a former longtime US Congressman for Georgia, a former senior City of Atlanta official, and a former head of government relations for one of the world’s largest multinational technology companies. In addition, the team includes a former US Secretary of Transportation, as well as other colleagues who remain deeply engaged with various policymakers and stakeholders in the southeastern US and nationally.
International Dispute Resolution
We represent US and international clients, including governments, developers, manufacturers, design firms, contractors and subcontractors, in construction and construction law disputes in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Our practice includes arbitration, mediation and litigation for projects including international airports, highways, mass transit systems, commercial and residential developments, and oil and gas facilities. Our arbitration experience includes matters under the ICC, ICE, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, MA and ad hoc arbitrations.
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
Our lawyers, who include a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), work with clients to protect the privacy and security of consumer information by identifying the legal, regulatory and legislative issues that have substantive impact in the management of data in the information ecosystem. We monitor, counsel and advise clients on the development and implementation of privacy compliance policies, information security programs and data breach response protocols to identify privacy and cybersecurity risks both before and after a breach has occurred.
We help clients strengthen vendor agreements to protect customer information and craft consumer-facing marketing strategies to comply with federal regulations promulgated by the FCC and the FTC. In addition, we advise on best practices and risk mitigation techniques in privacy and data security and provide strategic compliance counseling related to federal and state consumer protection and privacy laws. These include the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), CAN-SPAM Act and a patchwork of other federal privacy statutes and their state analogs.
Public and Project Debt Finance
We advise municipalities, public issuers and authorities, nonprofit corporations and investment banking institutions on a wide range of transactions. In particular, we have a depth of experience on public and project debt finance for infrastructure construction, airport, toll road and surface transportation, mixed-use multifamily housing, and water and sewer utility sectors.
