ATLANTA – Global law firm Reed Smith is opening an office in Atlanta with a team of 15 private equity, M&A, finance and technology partners from Morris, Manning & Martin (MMM) and Greenberg Traurig. The 37-lawyer team, which includes two counsel and 20 associates, brings a wealth of corporate, finance and emerging technology experience to the firm, establishing a strong foundation for the firm’s expansion into the Southeast region. The new team includes seven former practice group chairs and co-chairs who are thought leaders in their respective fields.

The team includes Nick Foreste, who co-chaired MMM’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice, and Scott Allen, who co-chaired MMM’s Private Equity practice. Foreste will serve as co-chair of Reed Smith’s Emerging Company/Venture Capital practice. Amie Singer, a leading private equity and emerging growth lawyer, will serve as the Atlanta office managing partner. Cindy Davis, the former chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Banking and Financial Services practice, also joins the office, along with finance partner Daniel Richards, also from Greenberg Traurig.

Key hires also include Nick Rueter, MMM’s former chair of International Transactions; Chris Maxwell, MMM’s former chair of Growth Equity and a distinguished private equity and venture capital lawyer; and Larkin Ellzey, who is highly regarded for his private equity practice. Additional private equity and emerging growth partners include Elliot Franklin, Patrick McKenzie and Justin Ward. The team also includes MMM’s former chair of Technology Transactions and AI, Matt San Roman; MMM’s former chair of Tax, Anthony Boggs; and talented Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits partners Scott Wagner and Ryan Gorman. The MMM and Greenberg Traurig teams will be joined by current Reed Smith partner Will Atherton, a financial services regulatory lawyer.

“Our firm is in growth mode. We have a proven track record of building strong teams in new markets by attracting top talent with deep roots in the community. Atlanta is a key strategic addition for our firm and our clients, and we are excited to welcome these extremely talented lawyers to Reed Smith,” said Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s global managing partner.

Reed Smith’s new Atlanta team brings a diverse range of transactional and sector experience, adding to the firm’s impressive deal sheet. “We are excited to build the foundation for Reed Smith’s new Atlanta office,” said Singer, Atlanta’s office managing partner. “We’ve been across the table from Reed Smith deal lawyers for years and were drawn to the firm’s collaborative culture and sponsor finance, regulatory compliance, and emerging technology practices. While we value our time at MMM, Reed Smith’s platform aligns perfectly with our strategic vision for our practices, and the firm’s strong presence in sectors like health care, life sciences, industrials, entertainment and consumer goods will open new doors for our clients.”

“Reed Smith features one of the broadest and most dynamic financial services practices in the industry,” added Davis. “Our clients will benefit from the firm’s global capabilities in navigating the financial markets, and we are eager to contribute to the success of the new Atlanta office.”

The majority of the Atlanta team will join Reed Smith’s Global Corporate Group, which includes more than 350 lawyers in the firm’s 32 offices across three continents. “We have continued to expand our corporate capabilities globally—particularly in the areas of private equity, M&A, finance, and technology—and this team is a perfect fit,” said Matthew Mohn, co-chair of the Global Corporate Group. “Not just because of their stellar reputation in the middle market throughout the U.S., but because they are an incredibly dynamic group that is poised to leverage the Reed Smith platform from day one.”

Over the past decade, Reed Smith has expanded its global network, following client demand to open offices in key business centers including Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami and Orange County in the United States; and Brussels, Frankfurt and Singapore in Europe and Asia.

“When we open any new office, we build around partners with national practices who have strong ties to the local market,” said Julie Hardin, Reed Smith’s managing partner—Americas. “We are launching our Atlanta office with lawyers who understand the business and legal climate in the region and who have outstanding reputations. We see Atlanta as a major player in the private equity, finance, emerging growth, and technology spaces, and we expect our new office to expand quickly around our strategic priorities. This is just the beginning.”

Reed Smith’s Atlanta partners include:

Scott Allen previously served as co-chair of MMM’s Private Equity practice. He represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in corporate transactions, including platform acquisitions, bolt-on acquisitions, sell-side transactions, and debt and equity financing. Allen also represents venture capital-backed and founder-owned businesses in a wide range of corporate matters.

Will Atherton is a partner at Reed Smith. He guides his clients through intricate and groundbreaking regulatory and transactional hurdles. His experience includes commercial and retail bank regulation, financial technology, and emerging trends in the financial industry, including cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and fintech.

Anthony Boggs previously served as chair of MMM’s Tax practice. He has over 30 years of experience involving transaction-based income tax advice, tax planning and structuring with respect to complex corporate transactions. He assists clients in developing tax-efficient strategies and structures with respect to U.S. and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions (including rollover and deferred consideration structuring advice), spin-offs, joint ventures, equity investments, and equity-based incentive compensation matters.

Cindy Davis previously served as chair of the Banking and Financial Services practice at Greenberg Traurig. She represents domestic and international banks, finance companies, hedge funds, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers. Her finance practice ranges from middle-market club deals to multibillion-dollar investment-grade widely syndicated credit facilities. She has represented clients on financings in virtually every type of industry, including food and agribusiness, retail, health care, media/telecom, lender finance and gaming.

Larkin Ellzey focuses on middle-market and lower middle-market mergers and acquisitions, including both buy-side and sell-side transactions. He also represents clients with respect to strategic investments, franchise relationships, and general corporate matters, including outside general counsel work for numerous companies at all stages.

Nick Foreste previously served as co-chair of MMM’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice. He advises high-growth technology companies, tech-focused private equity, growth capital and venture capital firms on various corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, and financing rounds. He is actively involved in the Atlanta technology community.

Elliot Franklin focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, finance transactions, venture capital, strategic investments and general corporate matters. He also has experience representing clients in a range of transactional and regulatory matters, including securities offerings and entity formation and structure.

Ryan Gorman counsels employers and plan sponsors regarding employee benefit plan and executive compensation designs and compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. A significant portion of his practice is dedicated to representing clients in the employee benefits and executive compensation aspects of mergers, acquisitions, financings and other types of transactions, including post-transaction benefits integration.

Chris Maxwell represents clients in middle-market M&A, private equity, venture capital, angel investing, and corporate financings. He has closed more than 500 venture capital, growth equity and M&A transactions for clients globally.

Patrick McKenzie focuses on representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies in corporate transactions. McKenzie also represents early-stage and venture-capital-backed technology companies in middle-market corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings, and general corporate matters. He counsels clients on the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, including premerger notification and reporting requirements.

Daniel Richards focuses his practice on representing domestic and international banks, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in a variety of complex financing transactions, including asset-based and cash-flow-secured and unsecured credit facilities, acquisition financings and other leveraged buyouts, and first- and second-lien credit facilities. He has represented clients in a range of industries, including health care, manufacturing, agricultural, retail, governmental services, information technology, and transportation.

Nicholas Rueter represents domestic and foreign companies, investors and funds in a variety of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity transactions and emerging company issues. He previously served as chair of MMM’s International Transactions practice.

Matt San Roman is the former chair of MMM’s Technology Transactions and Artificial Technology practices. He represents clients in complex intellectual property and technology transactions related to corporate mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing arrangements, and the development, licensing, acquisition, distribution, and exploitation of intellectual property. San Roman regularly counsels clients across industries, including software, high-tech, and blockchain, as well as on matters involving AI and open source software licensing and use.

Amie Singer advises sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as public and private strategic and emerging growth companies, on all of their transactional needs. She is known for structuring and navigating the most complex of transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, carve-out transactions and leveraged buyouts. Singer also regularly represents private companies seeking institutional, growth and other private financing options. She excels in identifying creative financing options for emerging growth companies, including strategic partnerships, joint ventures and project-based financing.

Scott Wagner counsels clients on employee benefits, retirement, executive compensation, and health and welfare plan matters. Wagner often works with clients on employee benefits and executive compensation issues involved in complex mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. He also represents management teams and key executives of public and private companies on corporate transactions and compensation matters.

Justin Ward focuses on mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, private equity offerings, entity formation, and governance. Ward has experience assisting publicly traded and privately held clients with buy- and sell-side transactions, complying with state and federal securities laws, and general corporate governance.

More about Reed Smith’s new Atlanta office can be found on the firm’s website.