Gary R. Kessler

Ian R. Macdonald Co-Chairs the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s International Employment, Immigration & Workforce Strategies group. He has over 25 years of experience working with employers on worksite immigration compliance (criminal and civil), employment-based immigration sponsorship and global mobility transfers to 200+ countries. Ian founded the Firm’s immigration practice in Atlanta and has led the group since joining the Firm in 2013. He focuses his practi...

Sarah Mackenzie is a partner in Alston & Bird’s Corporate & Business Transactions Group. Sarah represents private and public companies in complex mergers and acquisitions, carve-out transactions, joint ventures, inbound international business transactions, and securities offerings. Her practice also includes counseling companies on corporate governance, ongoing SEC compliance, and other general corporate matters. Sarah earned her J.D., cum laude, in 2009 from Washington and Lee ...

Vidhi Shah is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Vidhi, 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 Vidhi is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ashley Gillihan is counsel in the Atlanta office and a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation and ERISA Litigation Groups. Ashley focuses his practice exclusively on health and welfare employee benefit compliance and litigation issues for employers, health plan administrators, and other health and welfare benefit plan service providers. He also has extensive experience assisting financial institutions and insurance companies who serve as Health Savings Accou...

Amie M. Willis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Amie M., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amie M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Aaron Dixon is a partner in Alston & Bird’s Corporate & Business Transactions Group and co-leader of the M&A Practice Quality Team. Aaron represents public and private companies, private equity funds, and financial advisors in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, capital raises, strategic and venture capital investments, and other complex business transactions. In addition, he advises businesses on general corporate, governance, and contract matters. Aaron re...

STEVEN M. KUSHNER is a trial lawyer with an emphasis in business disputes, business torts and intellectual property. Mr. Kushner entered the Emory University School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1992. Mr. Kushner began trying cases with the DeKalb County Solicitor’s office prosecuting misdemeanors in 1991 as a third year law student.Since graduation, Mr. Kushner has been representing multi-national and domestic companies, as well as individuals, in commercial disputes through me...

Jacob E. Daly is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Jacob E., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jacob E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Damon Gunnels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Damon, 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 Damon is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

J. Allen Maines is a partner in Holland & Knight's Atlanta office and is a member of the firm's Litigation Section. He focuses on major commercial litigation and arbitration, including class actions, and corporate investigations. Mr. Maines has served as lead trial counsel to some of the world’s largest entities in controversies of major significance, including shareholder disputes (securities class actions, derivative claims, tender offers, proxy contests, LBOs), competitive disput...