Steve Whitehead

Burton Dodd is a partner in the firm's Atlanta office. For more than 30 years he has successfully defended colleges and universities, independent schools, multi-national manufacturers, hospitals, professional medical groups, textile manufacturers, telecommunications corporations, and other employers throughout the United States against claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge brought in federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Burton al...

Agents and lenders rely on Chris Underwood to guide them through their complex secured lending transactions. Chris represents private credit funds, asset management firms, and commercial banks as agents and lenders in middle market cash-flow and asset-based credit facilities. He focuses his practice on complex domestic and international leveraged acquisitions, recapitalizations, restructurings, and growth and expansion credit facilities across a variety of industries, including technology, he...

Kimberly Civins has worked with wealthy individuals, families, executors and trustees for over 20 years and utilizes that expertise to assist clients with accomplishing their goals for wealth structuring and transfers. Kim concentrates her practice in: Estate planning Estate administration Trusts Tax exempt entities (including public charities and private foundations) Transfer tax (estate, gift and generation skipping transfer taxes and IRS audits) Business succession planning Federal and sta...

Richard J. Valladares is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Richard J., 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 Richard J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Spangler is a former co-chair of the firm’s Construction & Government Contracts Group and has over 25 years of experience handling construction disputes and negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts. John’s practice focuses on representing owners, contractors and design professionals in construction disputes, including jury trials, arbitrations and mediations. John has defended and prosecuted all types of construction-related claims, including delay, inte...

Duncan Douglass heads Alston & Bird’s payment systems practice and focuses on transactions, product development and regulatory issues related to retail and wholesale payment systems and products. Payment Card Services Mr. Douglass regularly counsels payment card issuers and service providers in regulatory compliance matters, in structuring card issuance programs, and in negotiating co-branding, program manager, issuer processor and sales/distribution agent agreements. He also advise...

Parker supports his clients' business objectives by leading their antitrust litigation and protecting their IP. He works with his clients to develop strategy while also protecting their budget. A Fortune 50 software company, among others, recently trusted him as lead counsel in Sherman Act, Section 1 litigation. Parker Miller assists sector leading companies in in complex civil litigation matters, particularly those pertaining to antitrust enforcement, antitrust civil litigation, and technolo...

Don Brown is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Don, 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 Don is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Allison S. Dyer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Public Finance Law. Allison S., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allison S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Shane Bartlett is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Shane, 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 Shane is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.