John W. Hackney

James J. McGinnis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. James J., 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 James J. 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...

Eric Nelson is a partner with Smith, Currie & Hancock and practices in the area of construction law and government contracts, representing owners, engineers, general contractors, EPC and design-build contractors, construction managers and subcontractors. Mr. Nelson’s practice primarily involves dispute resolution of construction-related claims. He has tried cases in federal and state courts throughout the county and before the various federal government boards of contract appeals. He has ...

Joshua Weeks acts as a true resource for his clients, litigating patent cases nationwide in district courts and before the ITC. His deep knowledge of the USPTO post-grant proceedings enhances his ability to challenge or defend the validity of an issued patent before the PTAB. Joshua focuses his practice on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, including patents, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property. Joshua represents clients in disputes from inception through app...

Douglas R. Spear is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law. Douglas R., 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 Douglas R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris Mangum is the head of the Global Services Committee, which oversees the international practice of Alston & Bird. He concentrates his practice on acquisitions, joint ventures and international business transactions, both outbound and inbound. On behalf of U.S., European and Latin American investors, Mr. Mangum handles acquisitions and joint ventures in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia...

David is in our Public Finance, Tax Incentives and Credit Markets Group. He has extensive experience in tax-exempt and taxable revenue bond financing. His practice focuses on debt financing for various types of senior living communities and affordable housing communities.

Erica Mason serves as regional and national employment counsel to large and medium-sized companies throughout the United States, primarily in the hospitality, retail and manufacturing sectors, as well as hospitals and physician's groups. Ms. Mason defends clients from claims of alleged racial, age, national origin, disability and religious discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation; testing and public accommodations; wage and hour disputes; and restrictive covenants disputes brought under ...

D. Clay Holloway is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Patent. D. Clay, 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 D. Clay is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...