Todd A. Stewart

James M. Dedman IV is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Insurance. James, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which he is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. James represents manufacturers, transportation companies, insurance companies, hospitality companies and other busin...

With two decades of experience as a practicing attorney, Karin McGinnis, CIPP/US, is known as a true business partner when litigating and providing counsel to her clients. Well versed in employment, privacy, and general commercial litigation, Karin helps clients navigate a range of complex issues. In addition to employment and privacy matters, Karin has successfully litigated a wide range of matters, including lawsuits involving trade secret misappropriation, defamation, violations of noncomp...

Lauren Biek is a member in the Financial Services group. She has extensive experience representing financial institutions in domestic and cross-border financing transactions. Lauren’s practice primarily focuses on representing commercial and investment banks in leveraged lending transactions, including acquisition financings, recapitalizations, ESOP financings and other secured and unsecured lending transactions. She has experience in a wide variety of industries, including transportati...

Representing buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers and underwriters, Rick Hazlett brings strategic insight to parties in various financing transactions. Rick focuses his financial services practice on lending, letter of credit and leasing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities and tax-exempt finance. He is often engaged to advise on complex business and finance transactions, and regularly advises corporations and other businesses on acquisitions, securities and other corporate matters.

Mike Connor is a partner in the firm’s IP Litigation Group. He is a recent co-chair of the firm’s national Intellectual Property Practice and a past chair of the national IP Litigation Group. He handles patent infringement and other IP disputes and counseling. Mike has experience in technologies such as cardiovascular implants and other medical devices, mobile telephony, high speed computer networks, financial services, diagnostic imaging, music downloads, robotics, textile machin...

Robert Burrow practices in the financial services group. Robert has represented banks, financial institutions, and corporate clients in the structuring, negotiating and documenting of senior debt financing arrangements, including secured and unsecured, single bank and syndicated credit agreements, multicurrency and cross-border financing facilities, and leveraged acquisition financings. Robert has worked on financings for companies in various industries, including healthcare, technology, manu...

Seaira Wolf represents institutional and nonbank lenders, focusing on the origination and servicing of CMBS loans. A partner in Alston & Bird’s Real Estate Group, Seaira focuses her practice on commercial real estate finance and loan servicing. Seaira represents institutional and nonbank lenders, financial institutions, and servicers in a broad range of commercial real estate finance transactions, including commercial mortgage conduit, bridge, and construction loan originations, rep...

Elizabeth R. Gift is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Elizabeth R. practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized Elizabeth R. Gift since 2022. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Elizabeth R. Gift is held by other lawyers.

Ryan Smith is co-head of the Investment Team and a member of the Management Committee. For over 20 years, he has built a practice that represents clients on a variety of complex leveraged financings, senior and junior capital lending transactions, private equity and other equity investments, and corporate transactions. Ryan’s primary focus is in finance and equity investment transactions. As counselor to lenders and passive and controlling stakeholders, he represents a variety of financ...

As the child of divorced parents, Jennifer has seen firsthand the stress the legal system can have on a family. She was fortunate in that her parents had a strong support system to include other family members and their respective attorneys, making the divorce process smoother and more manageable. More than twenty years later, Jennifer’s own children enjoy the benefits of having a large, blended, loving extended family comprised of grandparents, great grandparents, multiple aunts and un...