Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

Managing Partner: Stephen M. Forte

International offices: 3; Domestic offices: 11

Firm Overview:

Smith Gambrell Russell (SGR) is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s nearly 350 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 50 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment law, international, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Jacksonville, FL; London, UK; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Munich, Germany; New York, NY; Southampton, UK; Springfield, IL; Tampa, FL; and Washington, D.C.

Main Areas of Practice:

General corporate, securities and taxation; general commercial and civil litigation; aviation; construction, public contracts, commercial real estate; environmental; intellectual property; international; employment law; employee benefits and executive compensation; insurance/reinsurance.

Aviation:

SGR has one of the longest standing aviation practices in the U.S. The firm represented Eastern Airlines from its inception in 1927 to its merger with Texas Air Corporation in 1986. The global transport group represents lessors, financiers, aircraft owners and airlines in their domestic and international aircraft transactions, including direct purchases, sales and sale and leasebacks with various kinds of debt financing and leveraged and operating leases. Contact: Peter Barlow

Bankruptcy:

SGR’s bankruptcy practice boasts extensive experience in non-judicial financial reorganization and bankruptcy representation of creditor and equity committees, secured and unsecured creditors, equity security holders, indenture trustees, debtors and purchasers of insolvent companies. Contact: Brian Hall

Corporate:

SGR’s corporate practice assists clients in a variety of industries in their business operations and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions. Clients range from large publicly-held corporations to small closely held companies and include general and limited partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and sole proprietorships. Contact: Thomas Hong

Intellectual Property:

SGR’s intellectual property practice counsels clients on protecting their intellectual property and on developing complete intellectual property portfolios. They advise on the patentability of inventions, the availability of trademarks and service marks, and prosecute applications for patents and registration of trademarks, service marks and copyrights. The team litigates intellectual property and unfair competition disputes and assists in the transfer, and licensing of intellectual property and technology. Contact: Gregory Kirsch

International:

The firm has a large international practice that assists non-U.S. companies in establishing and maintaining operations in the U.S. The firm also provides counsel to domestic entities seeking to expand operations internationally. Contact: Hans-Michael Kraus

Litigation:

SGR’s litigation practice handles cases ranging from bet-the-company matters in antitrust, securities and complex business disputes, including class action and major product liability cases, to litigation in specialized areas involving construction, real estate and disputes involving financial institutions and public companies. The practice has particular experience in appellate and white collar law. Contacts: Edward D Burch, Jr.; Steven Pearson

Real Estate:

Serving clients in the real estate industry and those engaged in real estate transactions incidental to other businesses, SGR’s real estate practice has experience in acquisitions, development, financing, ownership, management, leasing, and dispositions of commercial real estate. Clients include commercial banks and institutional lenders, investment banks and conduits, institutional investors, public and private companies, landlords and tenants and commercial developers. Contacts: William S. Rogers, Jr.; Michael Moynihan

Environmental:

SGR’s environmental practice represents clients in toxic tort litigation, environmental cleanup litigation, enforcement actions, hazardous waste cleanups and landfill issues and advises on environmental aspects of business and financial transactions. The team counsels on sustainability issues, addressing a range of ‘green’ issues. Clients include manufacturers, oil companies, hazardous materials transporters, real estate developers, lenders, chemical companies, insurance companies, municipalities and others. Contact: Stephen O’Day

Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation:

SGR’s employee benefits, executive compensation and ERISA litigation practice assists clients in day-to-day consulting; designing benefit plans and drafting plan documents; assisting with plan operations and corrections; providing training to fiduciary committees and benefit teams; performing vendor searches; and helping resolve conflicts through negotiations, claims procedures and litigation. Contacts: Andrew Fawbush; Don Mazursky

Insurance & Reinsurance

SGR has successfully represented a broad cross-section of participants in the insurance industry at almost every level. Whether the client is an insurer, reinsurer, agent or broker, and whether the matter is transactional, regulatory or litigation-oriented, our attorneys have the experience to provide sophisticated and commercially savvy counsel. Contact: Joseph McCullough

Offices:

United States

1105 W. Peachtree Street N.E.

Suite 1000

Atlanta, GA 30309

500 West 2nd Street

Suite 1900

Austin, TX 78701

214 N Tryon Street

Suite 2425

Charlotte, NC 28202

311 S. Wacker Drive

Suite 3000

Chicago, IL 60606

50 N. Laura Street, Suite 2600

Jacksonville, FL 32202

444 South Flower Street

Suite 1700

Los Angeles, CA 90071

2 S. Biscayne Boulevard

Suite 3000

Miami, FL 33131

1301 Avenue of the Americas

21st Floor

New York, NY 10019

201 N. Franklin Street

Suite 3550

Tampa, FL 33602

217 East Monroe Street

Suite 202

Springfield, IL 62701

1055 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

Suite 400

Washington, D.C. 20007

Smith, Gambrell & Russell International, LLP

London, UK

Birchin Court

20 Birchin Lane

London, EC3V 9DU

Munich, Germany

Palais an der Oper

Maximilianstrasse 2

Munich, D-80539 Germany

Southampton, UK

The Gallery

King’s Somborne

Hampshire, SO20 6PH UK