Sharon Lynn Cook

Beth Kitchens brings leadership and focus to her work as a Healthcare lawyer. Her practice is centered on guiding her clients through the regulatory landscape and advising them on compliance and litigation matters. Beth’s proactive communication style and industry focus ensures her clients always feel their questions are being answered correctly and efficiently. Working with hospitals, healthcare systems, physicians and other individuals in the healthcare industry, Beth navigates throug...

Rick Pilch has over 24 years of experience as a commercial real estate attorney, representing a broad range of clients for projects throughout the country. He has extensive experience representing institutional clients in the development, sale, acquisition, and leasing of industrial warehouses and distribution centers, inpatient and outpatient medical facilities, office buildings, hotels, and manufacturing facilities. Rick has twice been named a “BTI Client Service All-Star,” a se...

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...

Richard Hays is the Managing Partner of Alston & Bird. Since 2008, he has led the strategic direction of the firm and played a key role in its growth and performance. Mr. Hays also chairs the firm’s Administrative Committee. The firm has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Silicon Valley, Research Triangle and Brussels. Prior to his election as the Managing Partner, Mr. Hays served as the firm’s Financial Partner and also headed the ...

Ron Coleman is an accomplished trial lawyer who thrives in big, complex cases. Throughout his 30-year career, Ron has helped his clients successfully resolve all manner of legal disputes, whether via negotiation, motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, trial, or appeal. Whether representing a plaintiff or defendant, his creative, sophisticated approach to resolving disputes is designed to help his clients reach the best possible outcomes consistent with their business goals. Ron repr...

John Nail’s practice focuses on representing clients in all levels of matters with the IRS, from examination and appeals to litigation in the United States Tax Court and Federal District Court. John has significant experience that allows him to effectively counsel clients in tax matters. He has assisted clients in matters involving disallowed deductions for charitable contributions, executive compensation, and bad business debts; employment tax compliance; state sales and use tax audits...

Eileen Scofield has over 25 years of experience concentrating on immigration law and related legal matters for U.S. and foreign-based clients. She has successfully managed over 30 Department of Homeland Security (ICE) subpoenas, audits and investigations on behalf of various clients. She has also provided advice to clients on audit response, internal processing, follow-up and conclusion. Eileen is listed in The Best Lawyers in America , most recently the 2010 Chambers USA: America’s Lea...

Kathryn Wade focuses her practice on intellectual property law. Dr. Wade has experience in domestic and foreign patent prosecution, particularly in the areas of biotechnology, disease treatment and diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical devices. She also has experience drafting opinions on patentability, invalidity, and non-infringement issues. Dr. Wade has provided intellectual property counsel to a variety of clients, ranging from start-up life sciences companies, to universities, to ...

With a background in mechanical engineering and industry experience with aerospace systems integration projects, Chris Lightner practices in Alston & Bird’s Intellectual Property – Mechanical Patents Team. Chris focuses his practice on patent solicitation and counseling, as well as on IP-driven due diligence efforts, licensing agreements, confidentiality considerations, and patent brokerage agreements. Chris prepares and prosecutes U.S. and foreign patent applications for wide...

John D. Steel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. John D., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.