ATLANTA (January 22, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the attorney that has been selected to the 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. The SGR attorney in the Los Angeles office selected to the 2020 Super Lawyers list and his specified area of practice: John D. Pettker (Estate Planning & Probate) Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70… Read more

ATLANTA (January 22, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that the firm served as legal counsel to Astra Group, Inc. (Astra), a leading provider of general contracting and related construction services throughout the Southeast, in its sale to Equix, Inc. (Equix), a provider of professional, technical and construction services across North America. With more than 25 office locations throughout the U.S., Equix is comprised of multiple companies with a cohesive mission of providing comprehensive infrastructure services to customers in North America. Astra offers a complementary portfolio of services which will continue Equix’s growth as… Read more

ATLANTA (January 15, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of W. Collins Brown to the firm’s Atlanta office. Mr. Brown is a partner in SGR’s Tax Practice with a focus in wealth and estate planning for businesses and individuals. He joins SGR from the Atlanta office of James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP. SGR Partner and Tax Practice Head Laura Wartner commented, “We are pleased to welcome Collins to the firm. He brings significant experience in tax and wealth planning to SGR.” As a member of SGR’s Private Wealth Services, Collins Brown works primarily with business owners,… Read more

ATLANTA (January 10, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that the firm served as legal counsel to Strategic Management Decisions (SMD), a leading health care HR consulting and predictive analytics company, in its acquisition by Press Ganey Associates, a pioneer and thought leader in patient experience measurement and performance improvement solutions. Using proprietary technology, SMD enables health systems to optimize their talent acquisition and talent management efforts and realize measurable improvements in key HR performance metrics. The acquisition of SMD complements and extends Press Ganey’s Workforce and Engagement Solution with analytic insights that pinpoint… Read more

ATLANTA (January 6, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce firm client, the Adecco Group, has completed the $612 million sale of Soliant Health, its U.S. healthcare staffing business, to Olympus Partners. SGR served as legal counsel to the Adecco Group in the transaction which closed on December 31, 2019. The sale is part of the HR solutions partner’s strategy to concentrate on globally scalable brands and digital solutions. Soliant Health joined the Adecco Group in 2009 through the MPS Group acquisition and has since experienced strong growth. The sale to private equity firm, Olympus… Read more

ATLANTA (January 2, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of Michael R. Glanzman, Gregory K. Smith, and Svetlana Zagorina to its partnership effective January 1, 2020. “We are pleased to elect these three deserving attorneys to the firm’s partnership,” said Stephen Forte, SGR’s chairman and managing partner. “They have contributed to the success of the firm through their exemplary service to SGR’s clients. We are also proud of each of them for their dedication to serving the community at large.” Michael Glanzman is a partner in the New York Construction and Litigation… Read more

ATLANTA (December 17, 2019) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of Anthony L. (“Tony”) Cochran and Thomas D. (“Tom”) Bever to the firm’s Atlanta office and its partnership. Messrs. Cochran and Bever join SGR from their former Atlanta firm, Chilivis, Cochran, Larkins & Bever LLP. The addition of these two skilled litigators re-establishes SGR’s White Collar Criminal Defense Practice. Counsel Sarah T. Gordon and Associate Emily C. Ward also join SGR effective January 6, 2020. SGR Chairman and Managing Partner Stephen Forte commented, “Tony and Tom are highly regarded by anyone familiar with… Read more

ATLANTA (December 1, 2019) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce attorneys Bill Long and Greg Smith have been recognized as Georgia Trend’s 2019 Legal Elite. The Legal Elite is a list of Georgia’s top attorneys in the state selected from 16 different practice areas, as nominated and chosen by their peers. Mr. Long is a Partner in SGR’s Intellectual Property Practice. His practice focuses on patent and other intellectual property and technology-related disputes. Mr. Long counsels clients on a variety of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret issues, including intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, and licensing issues…. Read more

ATLANTA (November 26, 2019) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Managing Partner Stephen Forte has been appointed a Director at Large of the TerraLex Board of Directors. Mr. Forte serves as one of the 29 members of TerraLex’s Board of Directors that meets twice per year at TerraLex Global Meetings. SGR was invited to be a member firm of the elite international network of 150 law firms in 2017. “I am honored to have been appointed to the TerraLex Board of Directors, said Stephen Forte, Managing Partner and Chairman of SGR’s Executive Committee. “I… Read more