Stephen M. Forte

Stephen M. Forte is the Managing Partner and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

Mr. Forte's trial practice and experience is broad based, having been lead counsel in over 200 major adversary proceedings, including jury and bench trials, arbitrations and appeals. Much of his work in recent years has been focused on class action defense and nationwide complex litigation in the representation of financial institutions and clients in the telecommunications and transportation industries. Mr. Forte regularly litigates in state and federal courts throughout the country, and represents major airlines in litigation worldwide.

Mr. Forte has maintained a full-time practice in addition to his leadership responsibilities as Managing Partner and Chairman. He has been recognized five consecutive years in Chambers USA as one of the outstanding commercial litigators in the country and as a "dynamic trial attorney." He has been named to Georgia Super Lawyers and noted in The Best Lawyers in America® several years running for Commercial Litigation.

 Mr. Forte is a member of the Board of Directors of Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of Central Atlanta Progress, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia, National Diocesan Attorneys Association, Emory University Board of Visitors, Leadership Atlanta Class of 2004 and the International Bar Association. Prior to joining Smith, Gambrell & Russell, he was a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of Georgia for civil litigation matters.

Mr. Forte received his B.A. from the City University of New York (Phi Beta Kappa) in 1977 and his J.D. from the Emory University School of Law in 1980. He is a frequent lecturer on complex litigation and trends in the legal industry to the American and International Bar Associations.