David F. Golden

As the managing partner of the Atlanta office, Bert Brannen mentors attorneys in the Atlanta office and helps them serve the Firm’s clients. Bert advises employers on a wide variety of union-related matters and assists them with the administration, negotiation, mediation and arbitration of collective bargaining agreements. He also counsels employers who want to remain union-free with training, preventive strategies and counter-organizing educational campaigns. Bert helps employers avoid...

Chris Baugher advises on deals involving payment systems participants and the financial technology industry. In particular, Chris regularly represents payment processors, sophisticated merchants and financial institutions in the following matters: Payment Processors Mergers, acquisitions and dispositions of operating companies, payment technology assets and credit card portfolios. International expansion initiatives, joint ventures and strategic alliances in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Merchan...

Stephen Opler concentrates his practice on the distinctive characteristics of liquidity transactions by and with entrepreneurs. Stephen helps private equity funds, strategic acquirers and entrepreneurial buyers and sellers achieve their goals by leveraging his three decades as an M&A lawyer, entrepreneur, business founder, investment banker, in-house lawyer and CPA. Buying or selling entrepreneur-owned businesses requires a unique focus on the many ways these transactions and the post-clo...

Darrick McDuffie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Darrick, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Darrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Trust, estate, business and tax planning attorney Jim Robinson takes a personal interest in the clients he represents, and is appreciated for his dedication to serving as a trusted adviser who cares about their businesses, family and goals for the future. Jim concentrates his practice on estate and corporate planning, working with families and closely held businesses on issues that range from the routine to the complex and involving succession, estate and gift, and sophisticated tax planning,...

Clients come to Sam Rutherford for his industry-recognized complex commercial litigation defense. His experience in state and federal courts throughout the country allows him to provide practical counsel for even the most complex matters. He focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on the health care, financial services, and transportation industries. Sam has represented companies throughout the country in a broad range of litigation, including claims involving ...

Calvin Garner Sanford, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Calvin Garner, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Calvin Garner is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David R. Yates is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. David R., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Martin Dozier’s broad experience advising public and private investment funds on complex securities and structuring matters includes more than $30 billion in capital-raising transactions. An active participant in investment management organizations and a frequent speaker, he provides insight to fund sponsors and investment management companies seeking to structure innovative investment fund offerings. He focuses on representing closed-end registered investment companies, including inter...

Areas of Concentration Negotiation of complex content agreements with record companies, music publishing companies, music publishing rights organizations, motion picture studios, television networks, and various independent content providers and aggregators, and related strategic counseling (including with respect to electronic sell-through, subscription, streaming, ad-supported, mobile and other cutting-edge business models) Negotiation of all varieties of agreements with musical composition...