John "Jay" Patton

David Carpenter regularly advises clients, including Fortune 500 companies, on all aspects of commercial litigation from individual disputes to major consumer class actions. He helps his clients find cost-effective solutions as an alternative to trial whenever possible. He concentrates his practice in general business and commercial litigation, with special focus on consumer and privacy class action defense, business torts and contract disputes. David has served as lead counsel and assisted i...

Neil Wilcove is a commercial litigator focusing on the construction industry in all aspects of construction disputes. Representing contractors, subcontractors, owners, architects, engineers and material suppliers, he handles such matters as payment disputes and delay claims, as well as construction and design defect cases. Neil also assists his clients in negotiating and drafting construction contracts. Further demonstration of his commitment and understanding to the construction industry is ...

Rob Stone is a partner in Alston & Bird’s Health Care Group, whose practice focuses on health care compliance and regulatory matters, primarily counseling national health care systems, academic medical centers, physician groups and other health care providers. His skills include assisting with the broad range of federal and state fraud and abuse issues, from compliance program development and review to internal and government investigations. He has extensive experience preparing, ne...

Terrell W. “Chip” Benton III is a Partner in the Atlanta office of Hall Booth Smith, and he specializes in general liability, professional malpractice and ethics, professional negligence, and medical malpractice. His primary focus is representing physicians, hospitals, and other health care workers in medical malpractice lawsuits, and he has represented physicians before the State Composite Medical Board and the State Dental Board. He also has extensive experience in handling prem...

Brent L. Wilson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Brent L., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brent L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ashton M. Bligh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Public Finance Law. Ashton M., 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 Ashton M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

M. Diane Owens specializes in products liability, employment discrimination, premises liability, environmental and toxic torts. Ms. Owens has also handled a significant number of matters involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. She practices in all state and federal courts in Georgia and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. M. Diane Owens graduated from Mercer University with an A.B. degree, summa cum laude, in 1977, and her J.D. degree, magna cu...

Stephen McCullers is an Associate in the firm’s Environmental Practice. Stephen has a diverse environmental practice, assisting clients with complying with complex environmental, health, and safety regulations. Stephen also has expertise with air and water permitting, environmental due diligence and liability, and environmental litigation. Before becoming an attorney, Stephen was a Natural Resources Specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He conducted environmental compliance ...

Craig Cleland defends employers in litigation—including in class actions—and counsels them on compliance and risk management. He is also Co-Chair of the Firm’s Class Action Practice Group. Craig has served on several Atlanta-area nonprofit boards, including as chair. He is currently on the Advisory Committee for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society as well as on the Board of the Atlanta Bar Labor and Employment Section. Craig is also named in Best Lawyers in America, Atlanta Magazi...

Laurie Webb Daniel is chair of Holland & Knight's Appellate Team. Based in Atlanta, she has appeared in appellate and trial courts nationwide, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Daniel is known for her approach to complex litigation, which combines the skills of an appellate advocate with those of substantive specialists at the start of the case to ensure that legal issues are well positioned for a favorable outcome – whether in the trial court or on appeal. As a result, in addit...