Alston & Bird

Alston & Bird
Name	Alston & Bird
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Founded	1893
Offices	13
Attorneys	800+
Practice areas	Corporate, Litigation, Intellectual Property, Tax, Employment, Healthcare, Energy, Financial Services
Key people	Former leaders and notable partners
Website	(omitted)

Alston & Bird is an American law firm founded in 1893 with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The firm provides legal services across corporate transactions, complex litigation, tax, intellectual property, healthcare, and financial services matters. Known for representing clients in banking, energy, media, and technology sectors, the firm has developed a national platform with international reach through cross-border work and strategic alliances.

History

Alston & Bird traces roots in 19th-century Atlanta alongside institutions such as Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, The Coca-Cola Company, Southern Railway (U.S.), and the post-Reconstruction legal environment. Over the 20th century the firm expanded during eras marked by the New Deal, the rise of Federal Reserve System regulation, and the postwar growth of AT&T. In the 1970s–1990s the firm added practices addressing antitrust consequences of the Clayton Act, securities matters under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and tax controversies related to the Internal Revenue Code. In the 21st century Alston & Bird grew through lateral hires and office openings in cities connected to finance and technology hubs like New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Strategic moves paralleled regulatory developments such as reforms following the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-era responses to the 2008 financial crisis, and healthcare changes tied to the Affordable Care Act.

Practice Areas and Notable Work

The firm fields teams in corporate mergers and acquisitions influenced by precedents from cases like United States v. Microsoft Corp. and transactions shaped by Hart–Scott–Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Its securities and capital markets work intersects with matters under the Securities Act of 1933 and engagement with institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard Group. In intellectual property the firm handles patent litigation reminiscent of disputes in the style of Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. and trademark matters touching brands comparable to Nike, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. Tax attorneys advise on federal issues involving the Internal Revenue Service and international matters connected to treaties like the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement for multinational clients including ExxonMobil and General Electric. Healthcare and life sciences teams represent providers and payors adapting to regulations from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and litigation akin to high-profile matters involving Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson. The litigation practice engages complex civil litigation in venues such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and state supreme courts including the Georgia Supreme Court.

Offices and Global Presence

Headquartered in Atlanta, the firm maintains offices in major U.S. legal centers: New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Charlotte, North Carolina, Dallas, Raleigh, Nashville, Houston, Silicon Valley proximate markets, and international liaison arrangements tied to cross-border work with firms in London, Frankfurt, Paris, Tokyo, and Beijing. The office network supports industries anchored in regional hubs such as finance in New York City, technology in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, entertainment in Los Angeles, and energy in Houston. Collaborative relationships extend to multinational corporations, regional banks like Wells Fargo and Bank of America, and global consultancies such as Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers on transactional and regulatory matters.

Notable Cases and Clients

The firm has represented clients in high-stakes litigation and transactions involving companies comparable to The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, Delta Air Lines, BB&T (now Truist), Walgreens Boots Alliance, and prominent financial institutions. Its work has included antitrust counseling in matters akin to the scrutiny faced by Visa Inc. and Mastercard, fintech regulatory advice resonant with issues at PayPal and Square (Block, Inc.), and healthcare disputes similar in profile to cases involving UnitedHealth Group or Humana. The firm’s tax, corporate, and IP representations place it in matters with private equity firms and asset managers such as The Carlyle Group and KKR, as well as technology companies navigating privacy and data security frameworks like the California Consumer Privacy Act and enforcement actions under the Federal Trade Commission.

Pro Bono, Diversity, and Community Engagement

Alston & Bird conducts pro bono work on civil rights matters, immigration cases tied to policies from the Department of Homeland Security, and nonprofit representation for organizations such as local chapters of The American Red Cross and universities like Emory University and Georgia State University. The firm has diversity and inclusion initiatives engaging affinity groups, pipeline programs connected to law schools such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and mentoring partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities including Spelman College and Morehouse College. Community engagement includes fundraising collaborations with arts institutions like the High Museum of Art and participation in civic programs coordinated with municipal bodies such as the City of Atlanta.

Awards and Rankings

The firm appears in industry rankings from publications like The American Lawyer, Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, and U.S. News & World Report. Practice teams have earned recognition for litigation, corporate, and tax work in annual lists issued by Best Lawyers and Law360; partners have been named in lists associated with National Law Journal and local business journals. Awards reflect performance benchmarks similar to accolades given to major national firms in categories honoring pro bono commitments, diversity efforts, and client service excellence.

Category:Law firms based in Atlanta