ATLANTA (November 19, 2013) – Atlanta-based law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP (SGR) has added aviation and consulting services through a new affiliate – SGR Aviation Consulting, LLC.  Under the leadership of new hire Steven A. Rossum, SGR Aviation Consulting will focus on advising airlines, other aviation businesses and companies with aviation clients, and on financial and business restructuring. The global practice represents lessors, financiers, aircraft owners and airlines in their domestic and international aircraft transactions, including direct purchases, sales, and sale and leasebacks with various types of debt financing, and leveraged and operating leases. Manufacturers of specialized aircraft and… Read more

ATLANTA (November 1, 2013) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP has been named among the “Best Law Firms” for 2014 by U.S. News – Best Lawyers ® in 20 practice areas, doubling last year’s number of rankings and including six “Tier 1” rankings. The 2014 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings recognize SGR in the following practice areas: National Rankings Land Use & Zoning Law (Tier 2) Metropolitan Rankings Atlanta Environmental Law (Tier 1) Land Use & Zoning Law (Tier 1) Litigation – Environmental (Tier 1) Patent Law (Tier 1) Trusts & Estates Law (Tier 1) Antitrust… Read more

NEW YORK  (September 13, 2013) – Six Smith, Gambrell & Russell attorneys are among this year’s New York  Super Lawyers and Rising Stars . The SGR attorneys named to the 2013 New York  Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, including their primary practice areas, are: New York Super Lawyers Stephen W. O’Connell  (Real Estate, Corporate Governance & Compliance) Eliot H. Zuckerman  (Real Estate) New York Rising Stars Sean A. Altschul  (Real Estate) Benjamin A. Gorelick  (Real Estate) James Lotito  (Construction Litigation, Construction/Surety, Business Litigation) Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are chosen through a multi-phase selection process which includes a statewide… Read more

ATLANTA (August 15, 2013) – Twenty Smith, Gambrell & Russell attorneys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America © 2014 (Copyright 2013 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which almost 50,000 leading attorneys cast nearly 5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas.  Because attorneys are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. SGR attorneys included in The Best Lawyers… Read more

ATLANTA (July 3, 2013) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that three attorneys have been named to the inaugural Hot List of Lawyers of Color (LOC).  The list is comprised of 100 early- to mid-career minority attorneys under 40 who are excelling in the legal profession. The following SGR attorneys were named to the Hot List for the Southern and Eastern Regions: Hong S. Wills (Southern Region) is Counsel in the corporate, international and aviation practices of SGR.  Ms. Wills’ practice is devoted primarily to counseling clients on corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions,… Read more

ATLANTA (July 2, 2013) – Law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the launch of its “Health Care” blog. The blog, managed by Laura Miller Andrew with SGR health care attorneys serving as regular contributors, will discuss all things health care, including health care reform, HIPAA, and compliance with health care-related laws. SGR’s Health Care Practice provides both transactional and regulatory counsel to clients, working with physician practices, hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgery centers, assisted living facilities, durable medical equipment suppliers, technology companies, and other health care-related entities. To join SGR’s Health Care mailing list,… Read more

NEW YORK (June 27, 2013) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) achieved a favorable outcome for its client, 20 East 9th Street Corp., this week in a real estate matter involving the renewal provisions of a “sweetheart” lease. The dispute, which was heard in New York State Supreme Court, involved valuable commercial space in a well-known Greenwich Village apartment building that had been converted to cooperative ownership in 1974 by the plaintiff, Ninth Street Associates, which is owned by various members of the Minskoff family. As part of the conversion of the apartment building to cooperative ownership, Ninth Street… Read more

JACKSONVILLE (June 17, 2013) – Eight Smith, Gambrell & Russell attorneys are among this year’s Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. The SGR attorneys named to the 2013 Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, including their primary practice areas, are: Florida Super Lawyers Dana G. Bradford II (General Litigation) Andrew J. Fawbush (Employee Benefits/ERISA) John P. Marino (Class Action/Mass Torts) Jeffrey P. Watson (Employment & Labor Florida Rising Stars James H. Cummings (General Litigation) Yash B. Dave (Employment & Labor) Melissa A. Dearing (Immigration/ Employment & Labor) Lindsey R. Trowell (Class Action/Mass Torts) Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are chosen through a multi-phase selection process which includes… Read more

JACKSONVILLE (June 13, 2013) – Law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of ten attorneys to its Jacksonville, Fla. office.  Previously with Fowler White Boggs P.A., the group consists of six partners, one counsel attorney, and three associates practicing in the areas of corporate law, litigation and real estate. SGR’s Jacksonville office now has a total of 31 attorneys. “We have built respected corporate, litigation and real estate practices in Florida,” said Stephen M. Forte, SGR’s Managing Partner. “The addition of these experienced lawyers will bolster our already well-established practices, giving us the… Read more

ATLANTA (May 30, 2013) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the attorneys and practices selected for inclusion in the 2013 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers USA ranked SGR in the areas of Antitrust, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory, Construction, Corporate/M&A, Environment, Intellectual Property and Real Estate for Georgia.  The following attorneys are recognized as “Leaders in their Field” in their respective areas of practice: Thomas H. Asselin – Construction Scott D. Cahalan – Construction Gregory J. Kirsch – Intellectual Property Dale Lischer – Intellectual Property J. Rodgers Lunsford III – Intellectual Property Stephen E. O’Day –… Read more