ATLANTA and CHICAGO (April 1, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP and Freeborn & Peters, LLP announced today that they have completed their combination, effective April 1, creating a global Am Law 150 law firm operating under the Smith Gambrell Russell name. The combined firm is led by SGR managing partner and executive committee chair, Stephen M. Forte, with legacy SGR and Freeborn partners serving in other key leadership roles, including on the combined firm’s executive and compensation committees. The legacy firms – with a shared strategic vision and complementary high-value, top-tier markets and practice areas – announced on… Read more

ATLANTA (March 14, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Steven Fox has joined the Firm’s Corporate Practice as senior counsel in the Atlanta office. He joins SGR from Goldman Sachs. Previous to that, Mr. Fox was executive vice president and chief legal officer of Greensky, Inc., a publicly-held financial technology company that merged with Goldman Sachs in March 2022. Mr. Fox was also a founding partner of Rogers & Hardin LLP, the Atlanta law firm that combined with SGR in January 2021. “Steve is a highly respected attorney in the Atlanta legal community… Read more

ATLANTA (February 22, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Intellectual Property Partners James Bikoff, Bruce McDonald, Edward Pennington, and Scott Woldow have been recognized on the World Trademark Review 1000 list (WTR 1000) of the world’s leading trademark professionals of 2023. Mr. Bikoff, Mr. McDonald, Mr. Pennington, and Mr. Woldow are recognized as “Recommended Individuals” in the D.C. metro area. Additionally, SGR has been recognized bronze as a firm for prosecution and strategy and for enforcement and litigation in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Now in its thirteenth edition, the WTR 1000 is… Read more

ATLANTA (February 6, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Justice Leah Ward Sears (Ret.) has been inducted into the 2023 Lawdragon Hall of Fame. This is an annual list of lawyers who have previously been selected for inclusion on the Lawdragon 500 list. Justice Sears is recognized in the Leadership and Litigation categories. She is among 45 other legendary lawyers from public service, plaintiff, corporate litigation, dealmaking, and academia. The 2023 Lawdragon Hall of Fame will be published in Lawdragon Magazine in Fall 2023. A retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice, Justice Sears… Read more

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) represented Spirit Airlines (Spirit) as counsel in successfully concluding its 2023 aircraft sale and leaseback financing program for 17 new Airbus A320neo aircraft deliveries. Leases and other agreements were completed with Orix Aviation, Fuyo General Lease/ALM, and ICBC Aviation Leasing. SGR’s legal team included Partner Don Mitchell, along with Associate Anna Stangle, of the firm’s Global Transport Practice.

ATLANTA (February 7, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that the Firm served as legal counsel to CAIRE Inc., the leading global manufacturer of oxygen therapy and on-site generation systems, in its acquisition of MGC Diagnostics Holdings, Inc. (MGC), a global medical technology company dedicated to cardiorespiratory health solutions. Through this expansion of its time-proven portfolio of personal portable and stationary oxygen therapy solutions, and larger onsite generation solutions, CAIRE adds MGC’s well-respected brand of non-invasive cardiorespiratory diagnostic systems, accessories, and consumables for the detection, classification, and management of cardiorespiratory disease. This acquisition of… Read more

ATLANTA (February 6, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is happy to announce that the Firm served as legal counsel to technology startup Disclo, which offers a groundbreaking compliance technology and employer accommodation platform, in its $5 million Series Seed round led by General Catalyst with participation by Y Combinator, Bain Capital, Lerer Hippeau, and other prominent investors. Disclo, an Atlanta-based startup co-founded by Hannah Olson and Kai Keane, is a third-party software utilized by employers in order to manage employee disclosures within the guidelines of HIPAA and ADA regulations, which prohibit employee health information from being stored… Read more

ATLANTA (February 1, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Justice Leah Ward Sears (Ret.) has once again been named to Atlanta magazine’s 2023 Atlanta 500 as a Legend of Government & Infrastructure. The Atlanta 500 recognizes Atlanta’s top corporate, non-profit, civic, entrepreneurial, and creative leaders in eight categories: Arts, Sports & Entertainment; Business; Education & Healthcare; Government & Infrastructure; Professionals; Real Estate; Religion, Nonprofits & Advocacy; and Restaurants & Hospitality. A retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice, Justice Sears is now a partner in SGR’s Litigation Practice and serves on the Firm’s executive… Read more

ATLANTA and CHICAGO (January 24, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP and Freeborn & Peters LLP announced today that their respective partnerships have unanimously approved a combination of the two law firms. The firms – with a shared strategic vision and complementary high-value, top-tier markets and practice areas – will operate under the Smith Gambrell Russell name, effective March 1. With strong transactional and litigation platforms, the combination will result in a global firm of nearly 400 attorneys in 14 domestic and global offices, and more than $260 million in gross annual revenues. Based on those numbers, the combined… Read more

ATLANTA (January 5, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Stefan Buske, Sasha N. Greenberg, Gareth Hawes, Austin J. Hemmer, Edward J. Heppt, Mickey L. Jett, Indhira A. LaPuma, Jennifer P. Lawson, Tawny D. Mack, Erin P. McCallum, and Monica P. Witte to its partnership effective January 1, 2023. “SGR is pleased to announce the election of these 11 deserving attorneys to the Firm’s partnership,” said Stephen M. Forte, SGR’s chairman and managing partner. “They each demonstrate dedication in serving our clients, and we look forward to their continued contributions to… Read more