International law firm Clark Hill is opening an Atlanta office with eight lawyers who have left local law firm Taylor English Duma for the venture.
The move was announced by Clark Hill, which said its entry into the Atlanta legal market takes effect July 29. The Atlanta office will be Clark Hill’s 29th location and its first in Georgia.
“Our long-stated growth strategy is to be where our clients need us and to deepen our talent in key practice areas,” Clark Hill CEO John Hensien said in a news release. “Atlanta has been in our sights for a considerable time. We are thrilled that our patience paid off in terms of finding the right team.”
Attorneys Bob Goldberg, Allen Nelson, Ryan Owens, Kent Webb, Manori de Silva, Steven Whitehead, Mark Florak and Christina Moore have all left Taylor English to work for Clark Hill in Atlanta. Moore, who co-chaired Taylor English’s real estate practice, is the “member-in-charge” of Clark Hill’s new Atlanta team, which is rounded out with another senior attorney, a paralegal and a legal administrative assistant.
Moore said joining Clark Hill, which has more than 700 lawyers in the United States, Mexico and Ireland, was “an outstanding opportunity that we couldn’t pass up.” Moore and several of the other attorneys who made the move from Taylor English had each spent more than a decade at that firm, where they held senior roles.
“As a group, we were looking for a firm with a national platform that wanted to establish a presence in Atlanta and has a culture with the same values as ours,” she said. “Not only did Clark Hill check those boxes, but also the firm’s dynamic leadership, international presence, and broad array of practices will enable us to provide our clients with access to more services in more places.”
The former Taylor English attorneys specialize in corporate, real estate, international and employment law. Nelson will lead Clark Hill’s fractional general counsel practice, assisting organizations with part-time or as-needed legal services.
De Silva, the former chair of Taylor English’s employment practice, said Clark Hill “eliminates barriers to easily connect clients with other services the firm has to offer both nationally and internationally.” She has become deputy chair of Clark Hill’s trans-Atlantic practice.
Marc Taylor, a founding partner and chair of Taylor English, said he appreciates the eight attorneys’ contributions to the firm and wishes them continued success with Clark Hill. He said Taylor English’s more than 150 lawyers throughout the United States “will continue to provide excellent service and value to our clients.”
“Atlanta is a vibrant, thriving market, and law firms have always capitalized on emerging opportunities,” Taylor told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “At Taylor English, we welcome healthy competition, and we remain confident in our position within the Georgia/Atlanta market.”
Clark Hill has yet to decide where its long-term physical space in Atlanta will be. It said its Atlanta lawyers will work in “a flexible office space model” for the immediate future.
On Oct. 9, Clark Hill announced it had added three more lawyers to its Atlanta office from Taylor English. Bryan Tyson, Bryan Jacoutot and Diane Festin LaRoss specialize in election-related litigation. Their work includes representing Georgia and state election officials.
“For the next step in developing our nationwide practice, it was crucial to have a firm already familiar with and engaged in this work,” Tyson said.
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