Bryant G. Speed

Harrison Roberts is the firm’s Managing Partner and a skilled finance attorney. He combines industry experience with business insight to create practical solutions for lenders and borrowers. He has worked with banks, credit syndicates, and institutional borrowers to negotiate, structure, and close secured lending transactions across a wide variety of industries. He also frequently helps financial institutions develop loan programs to enter new markets and reach new customers. With two d...

Jason Howard is the co-chair of Alston & Bird’s Real Estate Finance & Investment Group. Jason concentrates his practice in the real estate and finance industries. His practice includes structuring joint ventures and representing developers, purchasers, and sellers in all aspects of the acquisition and disposition of mixed-use, office, multifamily residential, and industrial projects and portfolios. He also represents both lenders and borrowers in a wide range of financing transa...

Michaela Mericle is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Michaela, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michaela is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As a pragmatic creditors’ rights and litigation partner, Brian Levy represents financial institutions, non-traditional lenders, mortgage servicers, secondary debt purchasers, and other creditors in out-of-court loan workouts and restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings, and related litigation. Brian regularly represents creditors in loan workouts, suits on notes and guarantees, enforcing rights under the Uniform Commercial Code and real estate foreclosure law, and post-judgment enforcemen...

Sean Fennelly’s clients know they can rely on him when it comes to getting deals done. As an experienced transactional attorney, his focus is on acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, and creating joint ventures, in both the real estate and corporate fields. His driven, client-centered approach enables those he represents to close deals creating lasting value. Sean has represented clients in more than one hundred acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures over the last decade, many of...

Peter N. Hall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Peter N., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter N. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Thomas Kesler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Thomas, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Alison M. Ballard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Alison M., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alison M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Hickman is head of the firm’s Health Benefits Practice, where he leads several attorneys devoted exclusively to health care reform issues under the Affordable Care Act, HIPAA privacy, health savings accounts (HSAs) and consumer-directed health care, flexible benefit plans and related health benefit issues. Mr. Hickman has worked closely with health plans, financial institutions and employers, as well as the IRS, Treasury and DOL, in addressing health benefit issues. Mr. Hickman has...

Richard Hays is the Managing Partner of Alston & Bird. Since 2008, he has led the strategic direction of the firm and played a key role in its growth and performance. Mr. Hays also chairs the firm’s Administrative Committee. The firm has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Silicon Valley, Research Triangle and Brussels. Prior to his election as the Managing Partner, Mr. Hays served as the firm’s Financial Partner and also headed the ...