J. Porter Durham III

Nicole Gardner practices employment law and represents a broad range of businesses and senior executives. She provides business advice and counsel, represents clients in litigation and acts as a mediator in state and federal employment cases. Nicole has been recognized for excellence by her peers, being consistently listed in Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite,” as well as “Super Lawyers,” and “The Best Lawyers in America.” Nicole advises and coun...

Christopher E. Hannum is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Tax Law. Christopher E., who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Zimmern provides strategic leadership and practical, business-oriented advice on a broad range of mergers and acquisitions transactions, with substantial experience involving financial sponsors, large corporations, and the representation of founders and long-time owners. He also assists clients with securities and general corporate matters. Bill serves as Co-head of the firm's Corporate practice. Bill has worked for sophisticated clients across a number of industries, including in the he...

As head of the Global Services group, Mike Zeller provides his corporate transactional clients the accessibility, responsiveness, knowledge, and understanding of in-house counsel, coupled with the deep, full spectrum of the firm’s legal resources and cost- efficiencies. Mike gives his regional, national and international clients passionate, straightforward counsel in general corporate representation, mergers and acquisitions, franchising, inbound and outbound international trade. He rep...

Christopher M. Kelly

Skott Smith brings considerable experience to his clients in the areas of retail, office and mixed-use development, leasing and financing. In this capacity, Skott assists developers, owners, tenants, lenders, and investors in a variety of transactions: He recently handled the development of a downtown office tower adjacent to and part of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC He has handled the acquisition, financing, development and disposition of numerous large office, retail and resident...

Stephen Lareau is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Patent. Stephen, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Richard Simons regularly represents developers, real estate investment trusts, investors, landlords and tenants in complex commercial real estate transactions. Richard's experience includes acquisitions, dispositions, financing, joint venture formation, large-scale office, industrial and retail leasing, and advising on condominium matters, land planning and real estate components of mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Richard practiced with a firm in Columbia, South C...

Bryan Ives is co-chair of the Firm’s Corporate Transactions & Securities Group and has recently concluded a 4-year term on the Firm’s management committee and service as the Firm’s Financial Partner. Bryan has deep experience in a wide range of areas, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, taxation and corporate governance, and debt and equity financing. Bryan began his career as a tax lawyer and is a member of the American College of Tax Counsel. Using his ...

Seaira Wolf represents institutional and nonbank lenders, focusing on the origination and servicing of CMBS loans. A partner in Alston & Bird’s Real Estate Group, Seaira focuses her practice on commercial real estate finance and loan servicing. Seaira represents institutional and nonbank lenders, financial institutions, and servicers in a broad range of commercial real estate finance transactions, including commercial mortgage conduit, bridge, and construction loan originations, rep...