Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, continues the expansion of its Atlanta office with the arrival of Leslie A. Dent, who was chair of Paul Hastings’ Atlanta employment law practice for the past decade. She joins as a shareholder and is the latest addition to the office since a team of four lateral attorneys joined in January. With Dent’s arrival, the Atlanta office now boasts a total of 40 attorneys. More >>

Alston & Bird has expanded its federal and international tax capabilities with the addition of Scott Harty as partner in the firm’s Atlanta office. More >>

Troutman Sanders LLP announced today that Frank A. Schiller has joined the firm’s Energy practice as a partner in the Atlanta and Raleigh offices. He joins the firm from the Raleigh office of McGuireWoods. Prior to joining McGuireWoods in 2010, Schiller served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Progress Energy.

In 1997, Schiller joined Carolina Power & Light Company, which became Progress Energy after the merger between CP&L and Florida Progress. From 1995-1997, he was Senior Counsel with Virginia Electric and Power Company, where he had primary responsibility for matters related to FERC compliance and regulation and wholesale power marketing. He began his career at Hunton & Williams, where he practiced from 1987-1995. More >>

Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that Elizabeth B. Davis has joined the firm’s Environmental Law Department as a partner in the Atlanta office. Davis focuses her practice on environmental and product liability matters.

Davis provides a broad spectrum of support to her business clients. As a former assistant regional counsel with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, she has experience with regulatory compliance, permitting, enforcement defense and litigation. Davis counsels clients and litigates in virtually all aspects of federal and state laws related to hazardous waste, underground storage tanks, water, air, pesticides, toxic substances, and occupational safety and health. More >>

Troutman Sanders LLP announced today that Keith J. Barnett has joined the firm’s Government Investigations, Compliance and Enforcement Practice as a partner in the Atlanta office. He joins the firm from Sutherland Asbill & Brennan.

Barnett is a seasoned compliance and government enforcement lawyer with more than a decade of experience representing clients before government regulators, including the CFPB, CFTC, FDIC, and SEC, as well as industry regulators, such as FINRA. His practice is focused, in particular, on matters involving enforcement actions by the CFPB. He advises banks and nonbanks in connection with CFPB examinations and civil investigative demands from the CFPB. He also represents companies in class action lawsuits alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Barnett has co-authored a book entitled A Practice Guide to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Regulation, which was published by Westlaw. He lectures extensively on trending topics in the financial services industry. More >>

Alston & Bird has advised the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power) on $1.8 billion in financing to support MEAG Power’s share of constructing two advanced nuclear reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, GA.

The nuclear units are the first to be licensed and under construction in the United States in more than three decades. More >>

Locke Lord LLP added formidable components to its Atlanta office today with the hiring of leading Intellectual Property lawyer Tim Xia and patent litigator Bryan Harrison as Partners. Also making the move to Locke Lord are 12 members of the Intellectual Property group Xia led at Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP that includes an associate, four patent agents and seven staff.

“Tim, Bryan and this IP team are substantive additions to our Atlanta office and greatly enhance our Intellectual Property resources Firm-wide for clients in need of the highest quality of service in dealing with all the complex IP issues in today’s global economy,” said Neil Dickson, Managing Partner of the Firm’s Atlanta office. “We are excited and pleased that Tim and Bryan decided that Locke Lord is the best place to continue their highly regarded practices and welcome Tim, Bryan and the IP team into the Locke Lord family.” More >>

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP announced that Steve Berson has joined the firm’s corporate practice as a partner in the Atlanta office. He brings more than 30 years of experience in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities and technology. He has also advised companies on a range of SEC, stock exchange, corporate governance and executive compensation matters.

Berson’s client base includes middle-market companies and the investment banks and financial institutions that serve them. He also works with venture-backed companies and the investors that fund them. Before practicing in Atlanta, he practiced law in New York and Silicon Valley. Throughout the course of his career, he has worked on hundreds of M&A, venture capital, private equity and technology transactions, as well as more than 100 public offerings, including more than 30 initial public offerings. More >>

BakerHostetler has made a significant expansion to its Atlanta office with the addition of a 32-member team from McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. The incoming group adds 27 attorneys to BakerHostetler’s national Healthcare Industry team and includes lawyers who concentrate on healthcare-related litigation, real estate, transactional, and regulatory matters. The team now totals more than 80 attorneys nationally. Also joining the Atlanta office from McKenna are five corporate attorneys.

The new Atlanta group comprises 12 partners, 5 counsel and 15 associates. More >>