Securities Regulation Corporate Law Mergers and Acquisitions Law Securities / Capital Markets Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Atlanta.
William Scott "Scott" Ortwein
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Scott Ortwein is co-leader of Alston & Bird’s global Corporate Area, which includes its Corporate & Securities, Energy, Finance, Financial Services & Products, Health Care, Real Estate, and Public Policy Groups. Scott concentrates his practice in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Scott advises boards of directors and committees of boards in their consideration of extraordinary corporate transactions as well as significant corporate governance matters, including activist shareholder concerns. He has represented more than 75 public companies in a variety of industries in corporate governance, securities compliance, public and private securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, Scott has represented public companies and investment banks in more than 75 public equity and debt securities offerings with proceeds of more than $40 billion and has been involved in more than 100 public and private company mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions with consideration of more than $30 billion.
The Best Lawyers in America© named Scott the Atlanta “Lawyer of the Year” for Securities/Capital Markets in 2014, 2016, and 2020. He is recognized as a leading corporate attorney by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities/Capital Markets. Scott received his M.B.A. and J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Scott is a former member of the firm’s Management Committee.
Overview
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MBA, graduated 1994
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., graduated 1994
- Georgia, State Bar of Georgia
- Georgia, State Bar of Georgia
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MBA, graduated 1994
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., graduated 1994
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Securities Regulation, Atlanta (2026)
- Securities Regulation, Atlanta (2024)
- Securities Regulation, Atlanta (2020)
- Securities Regulation, Atlanta (2016)
- Securities / Capital Markets Law, Atlanta (2014)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Securities Regulation
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Experience
- Represented AuthenTec, a leading provider of fingerprint security and identity solutions, in four acquisitions, its defense of a hostile takeover, and its $360 million sale to Apple.
- Represented Sally Beauty, the leading distributor of beauty supplies in North America, in four secondary offerings of common stock by one of the world’s leading private equity funds with proceeds of approximately $2 billion and five public debt offerings by the company for $2.6 billion.
- Represented Graphic Packaging, a leading provider of paperboard packaging, in its $6 billion combination with International Paper’s consumer products business and its $1.8 billion acquisition of Altivity Packaging, a portfolio company of one of the world’s leading private equity funds.
- Represented Graphic Packaging in four dispositions and ten acquisitions with consideration exceeding $1 billion, multiple public debt offerings aggregating $1.7 billion and related tender offers, a $225 million public common stock offering by the company, and six public secondary offerings of common stock with aggregate proceeds of more than $1.7 billion.
- Represented Silverpop, a leader in pinpoint marketing messaging, in its sale to IBM.
- Represented Gold Kist, the third-largest integrated chicken company in the U.S., in several transactions, including its defense of a hostile takeover and subsequent negotiated sale for $1.25 billion, a $200 million 144A debt offering, and its $600 million conversion/recapitalization from a cooperative to a for-profit company and related $150 million initial public offering of common stock.
- Represented Mohawk Industries, the largest floor covering company in the world, in its $1.7 billion acquisition of a leading producer of ceramic tile and related $700 million 144A debt financing.
- Represented a leading telecommunications software company in its sale for $4.7 billion.
- Represented BofA Merrill Lynch in two $100 million and one $75 million convertible debt offerings by Jakks Pacific, a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products.
- Represented leading international investment banks in several public offerings of debt securities and related debt tender offers by The Coca-Cola Company aggregating more than $21 billion.
- Represented BofA Merrill Lynch in its role as underwriter and financial advisor to Diamond Foods, a leader in culinary and snack nut products in its $150 million conversion/recapitalization from a cooperative to a for-profit company and related $90 million initial public offering of common stock.
- Represented a leading provider of electronic commerce and health information solutions in its multibillion-dollar spinoff of its financial payments system business.
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