Russell B. "Russ" Richards

Howard Mavity is a partner in the firm's Atlanta office. He founded and co-chairs the firm's Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management Practice Group. He draws upon his past business experience in transportation, logistics, construction, and industrial supply to work with clients as a business partner, and focuses on eliminating employee problems by commonsense management. Howard has provided counsel for over 225 occasions of union activity, guided unionized companies, and has managed appro...

John M. Hamrick is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. John M., 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 John M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rosemarie Thurston is a partner with the Financial Services & Products Group and leads Alston & Bird’s REITs & Real Estate Funds Team. Rosemarie also serves on the firm’s Management Committee. Rosemarie represents real estate companies, underwriters, real estate funds, and investment management firms in public securities offerings, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, joint ventures, and ongoing securities law compliance. Rosemarie...

Doug Scribner is a trial lawyer working principally in complex commercial litigation. He is the co-chair of Alston & Bird’s Manufacturing and Industrials Team where he focuses on the representation of manufacturers. Doug often represents plaintiffs in high-stakes commercial cases. In 2014, he was lead counsel for the corporate plaintiff in a case where the jury awarded our client more than $96 million. It was the largest Florida commercial jury verdict in 2014 and the case was featu...

Denise Weiner is a Partner in the Atlanta office of Hall Booth Smith. Denise serves as the past president of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the State Bar of Georgia and is a frequent speaker at the Southern Loss Association, Atlanta Claims Association, Southeastern Arson Seminars, Georgia Fire Investigators Association and for many national insurance carriers. She is also the past president of the Georgia Chapter of the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators. She...

Justin B. Heineman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities Regulation. Justin B., 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 Justin B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark is the Chair of the firm's Financial Services & Products Group, focusing on the representation of banks and other financial institutions, as well as real estate investment vehicles, such as REITs. Mark assists these companies with private and public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, underwritings, corporate formations and restructurings, recapitalizations, corporate governance and a host of related complex regulatory issues. In the current economic cycle, Mark has worke...

Mr. Watson is chair of the Bankruptcy Group. His practice focuses on representing secured lenders in pre-bankruptcy workouts and Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. In addition, Mr. Watson represents several national franchisors in bankruptcy cases of franchisees and is a frequent lecturer on a variety of bankruptcy related topics. He is licensed to practice in Georgia and New York and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute. Mr. Watson is listed in Chamber...

Edgar B. Callaway is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law. Edgar B., 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 Edgar B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark Williamson is a partner and chair of Alston & Bird's Wealth Planning and Exempt Organizations Group. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and practices in the areas of estate planning and federal taxation. Mr. Williamson practiced with the Milwaukee law firm of Foley & Lardner before joining Alston & Bird and has been an adjunct professor of law at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and Georgia State University in Atlanta. He was on the facul...