SUMMER 2022 ¾Alumnus Special Feature: Lauren Giles ¾Alston & Bird Partner Spotlight: Yuri Mikulka ¾News and Accolades from Around the Firm ¾Office Updates ¾Where Are They Now? ¾New Faces Across the Firm ¾By The Numbers In this issue
SUMMER 2022 ALUMNUS SPECIAL FEATURE Lauren Giles Chief Counsel, Elavon and Associate General Counsel, U.S. Bank
SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 What do you like most about your work? What parts of your job do you find most challenging? I have a great team. When I left Alston & Bird, I ran the Elavon (a division of U.S. Bank) legal team, and I was responsible for the retail payment solutions team. I now run all of payment services, and they are a really smart and lovely group of lawyers. They are all genuinely very nice people. The culture of U.S. Bank is exactly what it seems like from the outside. There is a sort of midwestern niceness and general kindness where nobody’s rude, nobody’s unkind, and no one throws their weight around. Everyone is very egalitarian even though it’s not a flat structure, and I really like how people relate to each other. To my surprise, I enjoy management! I lead a team of about 30 people and really enjoy aspects like coaching and working on career development. It’s awesome. That does not surprise me at all. You’re very good at management and mentoring. Oh, thanks! What’s most challenging for me is that there is far more bureaucracy and process when you go to an in-house job. That may not be true in all in-house jobs, but when you go to an in-house job at a company that has 75,000 employees, it is. Many of the things that you can handle kind of quickly and directly in a law firm you have to run along established processes that may be quite lengthy, like hiring people. No matter how fast you try to move, it never moves quickly. I would say I am not as close to negotiations. I have to remind myself to step back from things, because I’m not responsible on a day-to-day basis for whatever that project or deal is. I also don’t have time to run my own Why did you choose the practice of law as your career path, and what attracted you to Alston & Bird? You know, I wish I had a good inspirational answer for why I chose the practice of law as my career. But the truth is that I graduated from college, I didn’t know what I was going to do, and I did not have an undergraduate degree that readily led to a career. So I did whatever everyone says you shouldn’t do: go to law school just because you don’t know what else to do. That is 100% what I did. As for Alston & Bird—flash forward many years. I was living in Seattle, practicing at Davis Wright Tremaine. I decided I was going to move back to Atlanta, my hometown. A recruiter called me up because she had an open position at Alston & Bird. I knew Alston & Bird had a great reputation for supporting civic-minded lawyers and people who wanted to make a difference in the community. It felt like a sort of closing the circle. Trying to live a good life, be a good person, make a difference, and here was the chance to join the firm that I’d always heard would support that. After I talked to Chris Frieden in my initial screening interview, I knew I would take the job if it was offered. Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Alston & Bird? I really loved our practice group, and I feel like there are a lot of memories there. My job is so heavily remote now that I miss how nice it was to walk into the building, walk down the hall to my office, and stick my head in various offices saying “hi” to people and having those great conversations. It made spending some long hours on things a lot easier. I miss that for sure. deals now, and that’s hard. I have a big project coming up, and it’s really interesting. I want to be super involved, but I don’t have the time. It’s hard to relinquish control of things that I would otherwise like to be really involved in, because I have too many other responsibilities. What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job? I think it’s really important for people to recognize that not all in-house jobs are created equal. Many peoplewho find the time demands at a law firm too stressful think that in-house jobs will be the answer. But in-house jobs are often much less flexible. For somebody who really values the flexibility that you get at a law firm in terms of going to a medical appointment or picking a kid up from school, if you are in-house, you’re going to have to check whether you have to take time off and, like, sign yourself out in the system. It’s important to understand not just the kind of culture and rules but the actual policies in place. Some jobs are super flexible. Some jobs are not— they need you to be in the chair from 8 to 5. Now, you’ll never have to be in the chair after 5, but you don’t have flexibility during the day. Some in-house positions are really repetitive volume work. You’re there to do the same deal a whole bunch of times with a big group of people. There could be something very exciting with that, because you’ll develop a depth of expertise, but you must be someone who wants to do that and not be bothered by the monotony. What are the issues that keep you up at night in your industry? Honestly, the only things that keep me up are not the substantive legal issues. They are management issues: someone who’s struggling in their role, interpersonal conflict onmy team, a teammember who is experiencing a serious illness in the family. Those are the most difficult things are for me. It’s caring about people. If I’m in my area of substantive legal expertise, I will figure it out. But when you’re trying to figure out how to support Lauren was recently interviewed by friend Jessica Garcia Keenum, counsel with Alston & Bird’s Financial Services & Products Group.
SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 Q: After starting your career at several large firms, what drew you to Alston & Bird? Big Lawgets a bad rap, sometimes for a good reason. I started out at a big firm, and after making partner, I left for a smaller, regional firm where I had more flexibility to develop my practice as a young working mom. When my career was at a point where I needed to return to Big Law to better represent my multinational clients who had global and diverse legal needs, I took my time to select a firm that not only had an excellent legal practice but also a strong culture and admirable leaders. Not all firms are alike. Alston & Bird has rock-solid values. My experience has proven that the firm’s leaders truly care about everyone in the workspace— whether they are partner, associate, or staff—and are thoughtful about making decisions that are not only good for business but also good for the profession. That was critically important to me. I’m proud to call myself a partner here. Q: IP litigation these days is often high stakes and high dollar. What is your #1 best practice tip when partnering with clients for matter success? Getting to know your client. My practice is to spend significant time at the outset getting to know the client, its team, culture, and business goals, which are important to achieve success in the way they define it. IP litigation can get expensive fast, and the exposure can be substantial. Launching into patent litigation, for instance, without fully understanding the client’s goals and the nuances of how their organization and the legal group works can be less than effective, especially since not every client is the same. Understanding their risk tolerance, who are the decision makers, how they define success and what PARTNER SPOTLIGHT Yuri Mikulka Partner, IP Litigation Group Yuri joined Alston & Bird’s Los Angeles Office in March 2019 as a partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation Group. an employee who has lost a parent or experienced pregnancy loss… I can’t fix those things. Those are the hard ones. What, if anything, would you like to change about the legal profession? One element I think we need to let go of as a profession is the narrow definition of success. Success only looks like equity partnership and there’s nothing else that counts as a successful legal career within a firm. This needs to change. I think we need to empower people to be more upfront to think about what they actually want to get out of this job, especially in the law firm context. What does a successful life actually look like to you, setting aside what it looked like to everyone who’s more senior than you? And we need to treat people achieving that outcome as successful, whether that means equity partnership, nonequity partnership, counsel status, leaving for another job, or going to the government. We need to treat those as successful outcomes when people have achieved what they personally desired. What is the best piece of advice you have received? My parents advised me to go to the free college close to home instead of the college where I would have to take out loans. When I was done with school, I only had graduate school debt, which was still over $100,000, but much better than it could have been. On a fun note, when I started doing ultra-long-haul travel for business, you advised me to get a facial spray! The stuff is amazing. I take it with me every time I travel. It makes it so much better when I go into a terrible airplane bathroom and come out feeling wonderfully refreshed like I’ve been to the spa. What hobbies are you passionate about aside from your profession? I’m into cycling, and there is so much to watch right now! I’m really excited because the first women’s Tour de France since the 1980s just started. I have less time now that I have a two-year-old and two stepchildren. I am back to running. I’m training for a half marathon in October. Training feels a lot different now than it did five years ago. You wouldn’t think those years make a big difference, but they do. My brother is trying to talk me into doing a snowshoe ultramarathon in February. We’re going to see about that. I need to think about the logistics of training for a snowshoe race while in Georgia.
SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 actions are critical to meeting that standard, and who will serve as witnesses are all critically important to devising the most effective strategy. While I have enjoyed keeping in touch with clients via Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls, I’m looking forward to increasing in-person visits for this reason. Q: What skills did you develop early in your career? How has that evolved throughout your career? When I started practicing law over 25 years ago, I started out as a commercial litigator. That meant I had greater opportunity to arguemotions, take depositions, and even try cases as a young associate. I also learned how to handle all sorts of cases, including securities litigation, white-collar investigations, class actions, unfair competition, products liability, antitrust, and breach of contract. I’ve been focusing on intellectual property litigation for many years now, but as I litigate those matters, I find that my earlier court and substantive experience helps me see things outside the box and cultivate creative strategies. I also studied psychology in college and spent quite a bit of time learning about human motivation and communication styles. This helps me to read people well, including judges, opposing counsel, and clients, which is important in providing effective legal counseling and succeeding in litigation. For instance, there can be the slightest shift in the witness’s facial expression or posture that can speak volumes on whether they are speaking the truth or whether there is more to their testimony. I have used those skills to secure pivotal testimony that led to dismissals of significant cases. Q: Is there a quote that motivates you? One of my favorite quotes is Maya Angelou’s: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I use this quote often to guide my personal and professional life. We are in the profession of providing service. Yet, as lawyers, we often talk more than we listen. I appreciate this quote because it reminds me of the value of listening and understanding where others are coming from, regardless of different viewpoints. My hope is to leave those around me feeling heard. Q: What is the best piece of advice you have received? “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. But when you do, learn from them.” This is what my first boss told me as I was sitting in his large partner office, nervous about taking my first deposition as a new lawyer. This is now what I advise my associates and my daughters. Taking risks in life and work can lead to extraordinary results. When a mistake is made, which is inevitable when risks are taken, it’s also important to take the time to understand what happened so you can learn a valuable lesson. Q: What hobbies are you passionate about aside from your profession? As a working mom, I don’t have too many hobbies, but one thing I enjoy is running. I travel quite a bit as part of my work, and I run wherever I go. When I was a young lawyer, a wise general counsel shared this tip with me and how much he enjoyed running through Europe. He had advanced-stage cancer at that time and passed a few years later. I have been following his advice ever since and often think about him during my runs. First thing in the morning when I arrive to a new destination, I will pick a new route to try out. This allows me to quickly learn about the location that I am staying in and see how locals really live. Since it’s early in the morning, I usually encounter shopkeepers opening their shops for the day and people walking their dogs on their morning stroll. One thing I notice is how similar people are first thing in the morning, regardless of where they live. They are all engrossed in caring for their kids, dogs, and getting to work, and it’s a wonderful sight to see. PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 Q: You serve as the Ninth Circuit representative of the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary that evaluates and ranks federal judicial nominees for their U.S. Senate confirmation hearing. What does that process entail?What aspects do you find most interesting? The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary is a 15-member committee that is tasked with evaluating every federal judiciary nominee selected by the President and formally rating them prior to their Senate confirmation hearing. We focus purely on their professional competence, integrity, and temperament, and disregard their ideology and political views. The standing committee assigns a committee member to lead the evaluation of every federal judicial nominee. This member is responsible for outreach to hundreds of judges and lawyers, for personally interviewing dozens of them, and interviewing the nominee. The time requirement is intense, and we’re usually working at warp speed to complete the work before the Senate confirmation hearing. Every evaluation allows me to learn about a fascinating person—how they got started, what inspires them, and what brought them to this point in their career. For the most part, they’re extraordinary and inspiring lawyers who are dedicated to serving the public. Serving on this committee has been an honor and one of the most rewarding things I have done to get to know the unique group of lawyers that are destined for the federal judiciary. Q: In late 2021, you became the new president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Notably, you are the first Asian woman to hold this role since the association’s founding in 1937. What is your top initiative as president? While FBA-LA started during the Great Depression and on the verge of World War II, the confluence of events over the past two and half years presented entirely new challenges: the global pandemic, the Great Resignation, the Capitol Hill siege, hate crimes, gun violence, conflict in Ukraine, and the economic roller coaster. On a day-to-day level, workload and responsibilities at home increased at unsustainable levels for many. Yet, being lawyers, we showed up, learning to quickly adjust, handling hearings, depositions, and helping our clients and colleagues, remotely out of make-shift home offices, all the while trying to stay PARTNER SPOTLIGHT healthy physically and mentally. These trying times proved how resilient we are as lawyers. Adapting to the times, I am proud to say that the FBA-LA reflected on these lifechanging events and made some noteworthy changes. For instance, in addition to our core substantive CLE programs, FBA-LA added programs that address the unique professional issues that we are facing during these unusual times, including programs on “Vanishing Women Litigators,” “Anti-Asian Hate Crimes and Incidents,” and litigating during the pandemic. Moreover, the makeup of the FBA-LA board of directors has also changed. Just as the world was closing down due to COVID-19, we opened up the virtual doors of our board meetings and began the tradition of inviting liaisons from various affinity bar organizations in California to join our board meetings. This has been a tremendous benefit to the FBA-LA chapter. Our liaisons share and contribute valuable ideas that help us meet our goal of offering programs and member benefits that reflect our diverse and culturally rich legal community. I am pleased to see that the FBA-LA board meetings look nothing like the first board meeting I attended at the downtown LA California Club some dozen years ago. As we emerge from the pandemic, I am also looking forward to the opportunity to reunite the lawyers and judges that are part of the Federal Bar Association. We’re planning our first in-person reception to introduce and celebrate the many new federal judges in California. Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement? My girls! My teenage girls are expressive, opinionated, and have an intense sense of fairness and justice, and they will let you know if things are off from their perspective. Sometimes that’s not fun as a parent, but mostly I’m grateful that they will go through life being true to their values or at least will try to do so. I am also thankful for my two teenage stepsons, who are patient, kind, and excellent listeners.
Alston & Bird Named a “Best Workplace” by Fortune for 23 Consecutive Years Alston & Bird is once again honored by Fortune magazine’s annual survey of America’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” We are the only law firm that has earned this national recognition for 23 consecutive years and are delighted to have placed in the top 20 companies for 2022. Alston & Bird Honored by GAIN with “Power of Pro Bono Award” Alston & Bird has been recognized by the Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN) with its “Power of Pro Bono Award” for exemplifying GAIN’s commitment to compassionate legal service. Accepting the award are partner Elizabeth Gingold Clark and associate Alex Ingoglia of the firm’s Securities Litigation Group and senior associate Jamie George of the firm’s Litigation & Trial Practice Group. Nathan Lee Receives 2021 Philip H. Alston, Jr. Award Nathan Lee, senior associate in the Litigation &Trial Practice Group in Dallas, has received the Philip H. Alston, Jr. Award for securing freedom for a prisoner who was convicted by a non-unanimous jury, securing a judgment against individuals who defrauded an elderly couple, and securing the return of two children in a Hague Convention case. The Philip H. Alston, Jr. Award is given annually to the Alston & Bird attorney who contributes exemplary pro bono legal service to (1) low-income individuals or organizations in matters that are designed primarily to benefit or address the needs of low-income individuals; or (2) individuals or organizations in matters seeking to secure, protect, or promote justice, civil rights, civil liberties, public rights, or other needs with broad societal implications. News and Accolades from Around the Firm Alston & Bird: A “Best Workplace for Parents” Alston & Bird has again been recognized as one of the country’s best places to work for parents. In Great Place to Work®’s 2021 survey of America’s “Best Workplaces for Parents,” Alston & Bird ranks No. 32 among the survey’s 100 top companies recognized for creating consistently positive experiences for retaining and sustaining working parents. This is Alston & Bird’s fourth appearance in the survey, having first made the list in 2016. Alston & Bird Once Again Rated as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality Alston & Bird has earned a top rating of 100 percent in the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that measures commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) workplace equality. The 2022 survey marks the 18th consecutive year that the firm has achieved a perfect CEI score, earning the distinction as one of the best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality. Law360 | The Law Firms That Keep Attorneys Happy Alston & Bird is listed as a law firm that keeps its attorneys happy as a result of a Lawyer Satisfaction Survey covering trends in work-life balance, job satisfaction, billable hours, advancement opportunities, and stress. r SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022
Office Updates X Atlanta Alston & Bird Named a “TopWorkplace” in Atlanta by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Alston & Bird has been honored again as one of Atlanta’s top 10 best employers by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In this year’s “TopWorkplaces in Atlanta,” the firm ranks No. 6 among the survey’s 22 large companies with 500 or more employees. This is the 11th time the firm has been ranked in the top 10 Atlanta workplaces. X Charlotte Assisting Survivors of Domestic Violence In early March, Safe Alliance, an organization that provides legal services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, hosted a CLE training in Charlotte for a dozen volunteers from Alston & Bird and the Honeywell legal department. Several of the attendees will be pairing up to take on direct representations as a result of the training. Founded in 1909, Safe Alliance is a UnitedWay agency providing a wide range of services to ensure safety and stability for survivors of abuse. X Dallas/Fort Worth Connecting with the Community The Dallas office recently hosted a small gathering to reconnect with some of the firm’s legal service provider organizations. Jared Slade, partner in the Litigation & Trial Practice Group and chair of the Dallas Pro Bono Committee, welcomed guests from the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, the Human Rights Initiative, and attendees from the firm. X International Alston & Bird Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Best Lawyers UK and Belgium Three Alston & Bird attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2023 editions of The Best Lawyers in theUnitedKingdom™ and The Best Lawyers in Belgium™. Ranked for the first time in The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom™ are: y Anna Nolan: Insolvency and Restructuring Law (London) y Andrew Petersen: Securitisation Law (London) Ranked for the fourth year in a row in The Best Lawyers in Belgium™ is: y Wim Nauwelaerts: Privacy and Data Security Law (Brussels) Best Lawyers is the oldest lawyer ranking service in the world. For more than 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. X Los Angeles Inner City Law Center’s Honorees On May 10, 2022, Alston & Bird was honored with the 2022 Katherine Krause Award for the firm’s many years of providing extensive pro bono legal services to people experiencing poverty or homelessness in Los Angeles. The center fights homelessness by helping countless Inner City Law Center clients to keep their homes, improve unsafe housing conditions, or move off the streets and into stable housing. X NewYork Pro Se Training to Parents and Families The NewYork office partneredwith LIFT to provide pro se training to parents and families who lack financial access to attorneys SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022
Jeffrey Adams, Corporate, 1976: Jeffrey remembers the firm’s merger of 40 years ago as if it happened last week. He remembers the day well because he also became a partner that year. Jeffrey is now retired and enjoys being a grandfather of five. Joseph Bolling, Financial Services & Products, 2014: The Bollings welcomed their second daughter, Elizabeth Mary (“Emma”), in January. Everyone is doing well, and Joe is loving girl dad life! Lonnie Brown, Litigation & Trial Practice, 1999: Lonnie was named Dean and the Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law of the University of Tennessee College of Law. Courtney Enloe, Products Liability, 2004: Courtney is now Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at 3M, where she leads the Litigation, M&A, Antitrust, EHS/Product Stewardship, and Labor & Employment legal teams. Lisa Gruber, State & Local Tax, 1995: In May, Lisa joined Amgen as Vice President, Tax. Lisa leads Amgen’s global tax function. Elizabeth Harrell, Litigation & Trial Practice, 2014: Elizabeth was recently appointed as an advisory member to the North Carolina State Bar Ethics Committee. Robert Hasty, Corporate Transactions, 2010: Robert joined Quit Genius as General Counsel. Kimyatta Holder, Health Care, 2017: Kimyatta was promoted to Legal Director, Regulatory & Privacy, and Head of Compliance at Modern Health. Cassandra Hooks, Litigation & Trial Practice, 2010: In December, Cassandra graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with an MBA. In January, she was promoted to Senior Director of Legal Affairs for Niagara Bottling. X Raleigh Durham Children’s Initiative Summer Career Exploration Alston& Bird volunteers led a résuméworkshop andmock interviews for Durham Children’s Initiative Summer Career Exploration, a day camp for Durham high school students. Students received interview tips and had the opportunity to go through two mock interviews. Program participants shared appreciation for some fun Alston & Bird swag and for the opportunity to practice some newly learned skills. X San Francisco Happy Hope Bags Volunteers assembled more than 30 Happy Hope Bags for children getting treatment at the local UCSF Children’s Hospital. The kits assembled will provide the children with a boost of hope and hours of engaging activities that will take their minds off illness or treatment. X Silicon Valley Law Foundation Partnership Alston & Bird recently renewed our pro bono partnership with the Law Foundation for Silicon Valley for 2022. Rebecca Valentino, partner in the Corporate Transactions & Securities Group, and Dana Zottola, senior associate, Intellectual Property–Patents Group, represented the firm at the foundation’s Celebration of Justice in San Jose. X Washington, D.C. Legal Aid of D.C. Award Dan Jarcho, partner in the Litigation & Trial Practice Group, received the 2022 Legal Aid of D.C. “Servant of Justice Award” for recent pro bono work, including a successful challenge to a U.S. Department of Agriculture regulation cutting food stamp benefits for nearly 700,000 Americans, a lawsuit challenging the Social Security Administration’s seizure of thousands of citizens’ tax refunds without notice, and a lawsuit filed in January alleging that the District of Columbia government deprived workers of unemployment benefits. Dan has served on Legal Aid’s board of trustees since 2004, including a term as president in 2015–2016. The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia is D.C.’s oldest and largest civil legal services organization. Since 1932, Legal Aid lawyers have been making justice real—in individual and systemic ways—for persons living in poverty. The award recognizes individuals or organizations that have demonstrated faithful dedication and remarkable achievement in ensuring that all persons have equal and meaningful access to justice. SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 Where Are They Now?
Clifton M. Iler, Products Liability, 1991: In April, Cliff Iler was appointed Senior Assistant Attorney General and University Counsel of the University of Virginia. Cliff will serve as the university’s lead attorney and supervise a team of nine other attorneys, including three attorneys for the health system. Desirée LaSalle, Litigation&Trial Practice, 2018: Desirée and her husband, Jason, a technology support analyst at Alston & Bird, welcomed Alston & Bird twins Skylar and Leon on September 24, 2021. Herschel Patel, Finance, 2015: Herschel was promoted to Vice President in the Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate Securitization & Capital Markets Division. He now lives in Los Angeles. Ron Reid, Litigation & Trial Practice, 2003: Ron recalls being part of a call with Fraser Durrett and Dick Allison that precipitated the merger—the intent was to introduce other ingredients into their feuding real estate department—the call was unsuccessful, but the overall firm merger seems to have generally worked. Dara Redler, Litigation & Trial Practice, 1993: Dara joined H&R Block as an Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in January 2022. She also joined the BlockPAC board of directors and became the Executive Sponsor of “Belonging Council–Belonging at Block,” H&R Block’s DEI initiative. Tracey Roberts, Real Estate, 1999: Tracey is now a tenured Professor of Law after a vote by the Samford University board of trustees. Dena Rosenzweig, Corporate Transactions, 1989: Dena was appointed Chief Legal Officer of Scientific Games following the sale of the lottery business to Brookfield Business Partners. William Still, Financial Services & Products, 2013: William was appointed Senior Vice President and Senior Compliance Officer of Goldman Sachs following its acquisition of GreenSky Inc., where he served as Chief Compliance Officer. Kit Weitnauer, Bankruptcy, 1977: The Weitnauers recently relocated to Driggs, Idaho. Lindsey Yeargin, Intellectual Property Litigation, 2017: Lindseymarried her husband, Greg, on April 30, 2022 and officially became a stepmom to two sons, who walked down the aisle with her and Greg’s now 1-year-old son. Imagine you are a professional baseball player. What is your introduction/walk-up song? Welcome New Faces Across the Firm New faces who have joined the firm in the period ending June 1, 2022. Jennifer Aguilar, Senior Associate Financial Services & Products Washington, D.C. Previously: Ballard Spahr Mario Ayoub, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Washington, D.C. Previously: Phillips Lytle Stephen Blank, Counsel Financial Restructuring & Reorganization New York Previously: King & Spalding Jennifer Bonneville, Counsel Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Los Angeles Previously: Steptoe & Johnson Molly Brannan, Associate Financial Services & Products Atlanta Previously: Maynard Cooper & Gale Waylon Bryson, Senior Associate Financial Services & Products Raleigh Previously: Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Lauren Burton, Associate Financial Services & Products London Previously: MJ Hudson Kayla Butler, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Cravath, Swaine & Moore George Cahill, Partner Financial Services & Products New York Previously: Jones Day Nick Choi, Associate IP Litigation New York Previously: King & Spalding Alisha Contractor, Patent Specialist IP Patents Raleigh Previously: Dentons Caroline Dailey, Associate Financial Services & Products Atlanta Previously: Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Doug DiGirolamo, Patent Specialist IP Patents Raleigh Previously: Eva Garland Consilting Karla Doe, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Cravath, Swaine & Moore Phil Ducker, Counsel IP Litigation San Francisco Previously: Quinn Emanuel Rachel Finkel, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice New York Previously: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Irene Fraile, Senior Associate Financial Services & Products London Previously: Constantine Cannon Annie George, Counsel Finance Charlotte Previously: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Julie Gulledge, Associate Financial Services & Products Atlanta Previously: Dickinson Wright Sam Gunn, Counsel IP Trademarks & Copyright Atlanta Previously: Koch Industries Watson Horner, Associate Finance Atlanta Previously: USDC for the Eastern District of Louisiana Katie Humphries, Associate IP Trademarks & Copyright Atlanta Previously: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings JOSEPH BOLLING “Hey Joe,” Jimi Hendrix RON REID “Take it Easy,” The Eagles TRACEY ROBERTS “Feeling Good,” Nina Simone LONNIE BROWN “Protect Ya Neck,” Wu-Tang Clan COURTNEY ENLOE “Immigrant Song,” Led Zeppelin AMY KLUESNER “I Knew YouWere Waiting,” Aretha Franklin and George Michael Nataniel Arabov, Associate Real Estate Finance & Investment New York Previously: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Tyler Espy, Associate IP Patents Charlotte Previously: Dority & Manning Colby Jenkins, Partner Financial Services & Products Charlotte Previously: Moore & Van Allen Chris Kelleher, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Troutman Pepper James Hwang, Senior Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022
Matthew Kelsey, Partner Financial Restructuring & Reorganization New York Previously: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Matt LaGrone, Associate Securities Litigation Atlanta Previously: Kirkland & Ellis Neal Larson, Senior Associate IP Litigation Atlanta Previously: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner Harrison Lawrence, Patent Specialist IP Patents Atlanta Previously: Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence Kwok Lee, Patent Agent IP Patents New York Previously: Meister Seelig & Fein Jason Levin, Partner Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Los Angeles Previously: Steptoe & Johnson Dustin Littrell, Counsel Financial Services & Products Dallas Previously: Moore & Van Allen Sarah Ma, Partner Federal & International Tax Washington, D.C. Previously: Katten Muchin Rosenman Deyvid Madzharov, Associate Finance Atlanta Previously: Parker, Hudson, Rainer, & Dobbs J.P. Mahoney, Associate Financial Services & Products Dallas Previously: Conner &Winters Alexandra Marzelli, Counsel Health Care Washington, D.C. Previously: Food & Drug Administration Meghan McBerry, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice San Francisco Previously: Seyfarth Shaw Patrick McKee, Associate Securities Litigation Atlanta Previously: King & Spalding Joe McKernan, Partner Finance New York Previously: Hodgson Russ Leah McNeill, Partner Financial Restructuring & Reorganization Atlanta Previously: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner David Meadows, Partner Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Troutman Pepper Kaylan Meaza, Senior Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Troutman Pepper Tony Mechcatie, Counsel Finance New York Maria Merritt, Counsel Finance Atlanta Previously: McGuireWoods Kimberly Miller, Senior Associate Real Estate Finance & Investment Atlanta Previously: Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Chip More, Senior Associate Finance Washington, D.C. Previously: Richards, Layton & Finger Oyinkan Muraina, Associate Securities Litigation Atlanta Previously: Shearman & Sterling Sally Nicholas, Associate Financial Services & Products Atlanta Previously: Stanton Law Laura Paley, Senior Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Washington, D.C. Previously: Dentons Shaleen Patel, Associate IP Litigation Atlanta Previously: Troutman Pepper Steve Peterson, Partner Real Estate Finance & Investment Atlanta Previously: McGuireWoods Alex Peurach, Partner Litigation & Trial Practice Atlanta Previously: Troutman Pepper Michael Press, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice Washington, D.C. Previously: Clifford Chance Josh Rice, Associate IP Litigation Atlanta Previously: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner MacRae Robinson, Senior Associate Financial Services & Products Charlotte Previously: Moore & Van Allen Bryan Rodriguez, Patent Agent IP Litigation Dallas Previously: Baker Botts Hillary Sanborn, Senior Associate Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Washington, D.C. Previously: Hogan Lovells Tamar Sarjveladze, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice New York Previously: Dechert Dan Seabolt, Associate Construction & Government Contracts Los Angeles Previously: Snell &Wilmer Heather Shimer, Senior Associate Health Care Atlanta Previously: Coventry Samantha Skolnick, Associate Construction & Government Contracts Atlanta Previously: Burkhalter Law Subarkah Syafruddin, Associate Litigation & Trial Practice New York Previously: DLA Piper Logan Thore, Senior Associate Corporate Transactons & Securities Atlanta Previously: Chick-Fil-A Corporate Clifton Thorne, Patent Specialist IP Patents Charlotte Previously: A&B Patent Agent Intern Matt Turk, Associate IP Litigation Charlotte Previously: Foley & Lardner Tyler Wagner, Practice Group Staff Attorney Finance Charlotte Previously: Brown Sims Jenny Wang, Associate IP Litigation Raleigh Previously: Latham &Watkins Ryan Wheeler, Senior Associate Federal & International Tax Charlotte Previously: KPMG Eric Wise, Partner Financial Restructuring & Reorganization New York Previously: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Joon Yoo, Senior Associate Federal & International Tax New York Previously: Cahill Gordon & Reindel Olivia Underwood, Associate Health Care Atlanta Previously: Locke Lord Welcome New Faces Across the Firm New faces who have joined the firm in the period ending June 1, 2022. Welcome New Faces Across the Firm New faces who have joined the firm in the period ending June 1, 2022. SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022
FUN FIRM FACTS LEADING UP TO THE MERGER ANNIVERSARY IN DECEMBER. Going Back in Time By the Numbers – 1911 In 1911, Robert Alston would reward those who had done well during the year with $20 gold pieces at Christmastime. In 1893, when Robert Alston began practicing law, Atlanta had approximately 170 attorneys total. 1893 170 130 1982 At the time of the Alston & Bird merger in 1982, Alston, Miller & Gaines had 90 lawyers and Jones, Bird & Howell had 40 lawyers. The firm totaled 130 lawyers after the merger. In 1984, the partners voted to institute the managing partner system and chose Neil Williams as the firm’s first—at this time, the firm had 138 attorneys. 1984 The 1987 Partners Weekend primary topic of discussion was regional expansion—specifically to Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It was concluded that regional expansion should not be pursued unless service to our clients required us to do so. 1987 1992 In December 1992, entering our centennial year, the firm had 235 attorneys and 315 staff members. Over Thanksgiving weekend 1988, the firm moved from its Five Points offices to One Atlantic Center. 1988 20 138 235 315 SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022
Alston & Bird Job Postings Liz Price Alumni Chair liz.price@alston.com 404.881.7264 Jessica Starr Program Communications jessica.starr@alston.com 404.881.7933 Update Information We want to hear from you. Share what’s new with your fellow alumni. New job or title? Relocation? Family news? Let Jessica Starr know. In-House SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2022 InMemoriam This section includes notices of recent losses in our alumni community and immediate family. Richard “Skip”Thomas Fulton Skip Fulton, retired Environmental, Land Use & Natural Resources Group partner and longtime firm leader, passed away in his Brookhaven, GA home on July 28, 2022. In lieu of flowers, Skip’s family asks that donations be directed to Piedmont Hospital’s Andrew Page Pancreas Cancer Fund (give.piedmont.org/page), All Saints’ Episcopal Church (634 W. Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30308), or University Heights United Methodist Church (1267 Balsam Drive, Decatur, GA 30033). Nicholas Gibson, Sr. Nick Gibson, a longtime staff attorney with ABSR and a vital part of the Technology & Privacy practice, passed away peacefully in his Atlanta home on Sunday evening, July 31, 2022. In lieu of sending flowers, Nick’s wish was to plant trees. The family requests that those wishing to express sympathy please donate to Trees Atlanta on his behalf. Michelle Henkel We are saddened to share the sudden passing of Michelle Henkel, former Federal & International Tax partner, on May 3, 2022. Habitat for Humanity, where she served for many years, is honoring the legacy she left with so many Habitat families by hosting a build in her honor. Ralph Williams, Jr. Ralph Williams, Jr., retired Real Estate partner, died on June 30, 2022 at Piedmont Hospital, the same hospital where he was born on January 7, 1932. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (435 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308) for Prepare Ye the Way.
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