Editorial: Competition in Georgia

01 April 2007

Alston & Bird LLP takes the top spot with three nominees – more than any other firm – and in Kevin Grady it has, according to our findings, one of the state’s two leading practitioners. The firm has represented Bertelsmann, Nokia, TMobile, UPS and Verizon Communications. The “excellent” Grady served as chair of the ABA section of antitrust law in 2003 to 2004 and is “outstanding for healthcare” according to more than one source. Grady has represented clients in FTC investigations, antitrust grand juries and Hart-Scott-Rodino filings and according to our findings is the most respected practitioner in the state. 

Jones Day has further strength on the ground in Atlanta thanks to Trammell Newton’s progress in our research. Recent matters include the defence of two litigated challenges to hospital mergers as well as the favourable settlement of a nationwide consumer fraud class action in the textile industry. One prominent individual remarked “I have a great deal of respect for his practice and rate him among the best around.” Randall Allen maintains a “nice balanced practice” and emerges as another of Georgia’s heavy hitters. One prominent source noted, “every contact I’ve had has been good” while another commented he “has a very good grasp of the law and does an outstanding job in the courtroom”. Allen served as lead counsel for Mohawk Industries in a nationwide grand jury investigation of alleged price fixing in the carpet industry and was consistently recommended to researchers. Michael Kenny is a “quite exceptional litigator” with a leading reputation in antitrust. 

The “eminent” Emmet Bondurant, “one of the best litigators in the state with significant antitrust experience”, is one of two inclusions from Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP, an “excellent litigation boutique” that does both plaintiff and defence work. Bondurant was praised as “a phenomenal antitrust lawyer” – he’s “the top of everyone’s list” according to a prominent source. The “very accomplished” Edward Krugman joins Bondurant in the chapter. Rated as “an outstanding litigator”, Krugman has “a strong antitrust background” and has worked for the likes of Delta Airlines and a number of tobacco companies. The past year has seen Krugman working on claims of unfair competition, alleged violations of restrictive covenants – including covenants not to compete, non-solicitation covenants, and confidentiality agreements – and related trade secret matters. 

King & Spalding LLP can also boast two inclusions – Jeffrey Cashdan and Michael Russ. The firm’s Atlanta practice deals with all facets of antitrust work with a focus on matters of national and international importance. On the cartel defence side the firm is lead counsel for Kemira and Kemira Chemicals in actions pending in US federal and state courts, and in Canada, alleging a cartel in the sale of hydrogen peroxide. K&S serves as national counsel for Miller Brewing Company, and is currently representing it in an action against Molson-Coors in relation to the distribution of certain MBC products in Canada. Jeffrey Cashdan is “an excellent younger lawyer” who “does a panoply of antitrust work”. A “detail-orientated” lawyer, he chaired the antitrust section of the state bar of Georgia and is “extremely well regarded in the state bar”. Michael Russ is a senior partner in the firm’s general litigation practice, who also appears in the commercial litigation chapter in this publication.

Russell Wofford comes highly recommended by both clients and peers – he is one of two Kilpatrick Stockton LLP lawyers in the chapter. Rated as “really good and young” he is “working hard to build a name in the field”. His litigation practice has a strong antitrust flavour and he also does plaintiff work in addition to his defence practice. Representative matters include defending companies against claims of attempted monopolisation in the market for windshield wiper blades and price discrimination in the automotive parts market. Fellow partner Stephens Clay is a “superb lawyer – top of the list” according to one respondent. Like Wofford, he is an experienced litigator with an excellent reputation for antitrust work. Our sources “think extremely highly of him”. 

Vaughan & Murphy does not match the likes of Alston & Bird and King & Spalding in numbers but in the figure of Charles Murphy it possesses one of the leading individuals in the state. The firm has “a good reputation for criminal investigations” and Murphy is “well known for criminal antitrust work” on behalf of individuals and corporations. According to one source Murphy has “more trial experience than any other antitrust lawyer in the state”; another noted, “Chuck is an excellent lawyer who tenaciously defends his clients, and his ability to build that practice at his firm is impressive.” June Ann Sauntry practises at Troutman Sanders LLP and is rated as “a great antitrust lawyer”. A “tough and bright operator”, Sauntry was praised for her antitrust counselling. Much of this is in health care where she counsels a number of Independent Physician Associations, individual physician practices and the Richmond Academy of Medicine. Amoung other matters, she has recently worked on two price fixing cases in the building materials field and has also settled a patent infringement suit with an antitrust counterclaim in the auto auction business. 

Thomas Rhodes heads the antitrust and trade regulation group at Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP. A “creative thinker and very sharp”, Rhodes has represented airlines, producers of copper wire, sporting goods, industrial machinery and chemicals. An “experienced” practitioner he has also been active on the antitrust aspects of various mergers and acquisitions.

Tony Powers at Rogers & Hardin LLP was chairman of the antitrust section of the state bar of Georgia from 2001 to 2002 and comes recommended as “a practitioner of consummate skill”. An “extremely capable attorney”, he is one of the leaders in the state, according to our findings.

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