Mr. Brooks has practiced in Smith Gambrell Russell’s Public Finance group since 1998. He specializes in traditional government finance, representing Georgia cities, counties, and school districts in issuing general obligation bonds, contract revenue bonds, sales tax-backed bonds, tax anticipation notes, and annual appropriation obligations. In addition, Mr. Brooks has particular experience in local government financial incentives and tax reduction bonds (bonds for title), 501(c)(3) bonds, manufacturing facility bonds, and certificates of participation. He regularly serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, lender’s counsel, and borrower’s counsel in public finance transactions. Mr. Brooks also represents corporate trustees in initial bond issuance as… Read more
Mr. Bruckman’s practice focuses on all aspects of data privacy and cybersecurity, with emphasis on regulatory and statutory compliance, insider threats and external bad actors. He counsels businesses in various industries including healthcare providers (including HIPPA Covered Entities and Business Associates), private-sector commercial entities of all sizes, and non-profit/charitable organizations on best practices and legal requirements regarding the collection, inventory, access, use, transmission, disclosure and destruction of sensitive personal and non-personal information, including PII, PHI confidential information and trade secrets. He is a trusted advisor to privacy employees, officers, and boards of directors on compliance issues under various federal, state… Read more
Mr. Brust handles commercial and fiduciary litigation of all types, including partnership and shareholder disputes, liability defense for corporate officers and directors, title insurance defense, executive benefits and employment contract disputes, and estate and trust litigation, including fiduciary removal proceedings. His trial practice and experience is broad based, having litigated and tried cases in the federal and state courts throughout Florida. Mr. Brust earned his B.S. degree, with honors, in finance in 1986 and his J.D. degree in 1989, both from the University of Florida. After law school, he was an Assistant State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of… Read more
Mr. Bryant is experienced in commercial real estate transactions including loan, purchase and sale, property management, timber, and leasing transactions. Mr. Bryant also has substantial experience representing lenders in the negotiation and structuring of workouts involving commercial real estate loans and the foreclosure of commercial real estate, including transactions in lieu of foreclosure and the disposition of special asset collateral. Mr. Bryant received his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, in Criminal Justice from the University of Georgia. He earned his J.D. degree from the University of Georgia in 2007 where he was the Senior Notes Editor of the Georgia Law… Read more
Mr. Burch is the Head of the Firm’s Litigation Department. He handles complex commercial, real estate and title insurance litigation. Mr. Burch has helped establish several precedents in the area of commercial real estate litigation and regularly conducts seminars on this and other emerging trends in real estate law and commercial litigation. Mr. Burch has extensive trial experience in the Federal and State Courts of Georgia. He has many years of experience helping clients assess their risks and resolve their problems through trial, mediation, arbitration and negotiation. Mr. Burch has earned an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has been selected… Read more
Mr. Burge has substantial experience in commercial real estate lending transactions, corporate real estate transactions, capital markets real estate transactions, and general real estate sale, purchase, and leasing transactions. He represents several national and regional financial institutions in their real estate finance transactions in Georgia and throughout the Southeast. Mr. Burge also has particular expertise in the financing, acquisition, and management of timberland and recreational properties, including golf courses and marinas. He has represented the purchasers in several complex in-town land assemblages. In 2020, Governor Kemp appointed Mr. Burge to the Board of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia’s… Read more
Dr. Buske possesses more than 20 years of experience in the field of law, having practiced in both the United States and Germany. He focuses his practice on structured finance, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, leasing, and project financing. From the start of a project to its completion, Dr. Buske provides guidance to financiers, investors, lessors, transportation companies, and public sector agencies. Dr. Buske holds a Doctor of Law degree from Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen.
His practice concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance issues, emerging businesses, information technology and corporate finance. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Buss practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for a number of years. His expertise in business and finance provides the background necessary to manage the array of issues encountered in a transactional practice. Mr. Buss has handled merger and acquisition transactions in a wide range of industries including oil and gas pipelines, alternative energy, construction, security and information technology, insurance and medical industries. In addition, Mr. Buss has advised clients in connection with numerous technology and licensing… Read more
Mr. Cahalan has substantial experience representing owners, developers, contractors, and others in the construction industry. His practice primarily consists of drafting and negotiating construction contracts; providing advice during construction; and representing clients in dispute resolution. Mr. Cahalan has been lead-counsel on a large number of litigation, arbitration, and mediation matters involving claims for breach of contract and torts, including payment claims, differing site conditions claims, delay, acceleration, and inefficiency claims, design and construction defect claims, as well as lien and bond claims. Mr. Cahalan has drafted and negotiated a large of contracts using both industry form and bespoke contract forms…. Read more
Patrick J. Cain focuses his practice on representing and counseling employers in all aspects of the employment relationship, with particular emphasis on employment litigation. Pat also offers experience in a wide range of trusts and estates litigation matters. Pat successfully has litigated a wide range of disputes, in both state and federal court and at both the trial and appellate level, including claims for gender-based discrimination and harassment; age discrimination; disability discrimination; whistleblower; gender orientation discrimination and harassment; wrongful termination; breach of employment contract; and wage and hour disputes. Pat also deals with trade secret and confidential business information issues…. Read more
