General Information
Year founded:
1893
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Overview
Content is provided by the firm.
The firm’s history dates back to 1893 through the long roots of the Alston, Miller & Gaines’ predecessor firms. The merger with Jones, Bird and Howell formed Alston & Bird on December 1, 1982. Expansion beyond Georgia began with the establishment of an office in Washington, DC, followed by the 1997 merger with Bell Seltzer Park & Gibson (Charlotte and Raleigh, NC) and Walter, Conston, Alexander & Green in 2001 (New York, NY), and the acquisition of Crews, Shepherd & McCarty LLP in 2007 (Dallas, TX). Alston & Bird’s Silicon Valley office opened in August 2008, and our Los Angeles office opened in September following the acquisition of Weston Benshoof Rochefort Rubalcava and MacCuish LLP. In 2011, the firm established our first European office in Brussels. With the opening of a San Francisco office in 2017, we extended our presence in California to three locations. Our European footprint expanded in 2019 with the opening of our London office. In 2024, we opened our Chicago office to better serve our longtime clients in the Midwest and expanded our presence in Los Angeles with our new Century City office.
TEAMWORK
Alston & Bird’s nationally recognized firm culture is based on successful teamwork and allows us to quickly access virtually any combination of skills that a client may require. The firm has been ranked for 25 consecutive years on Fortune magazine’s list of “Best Companies to Work For.” This recognition demonstrates the satisfaction of those who work at the firm and translates into resources committed to delivering high-quality work product to clients.
CLIENT FOCUS
Alston & Bird has been consistently recognized as a U.S. law firm providing superior client service in the BTI Client Service A-Team. This recognition results from interviews with approximately 240 corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 companies.
BREADTH AND DEPTH
There is simply no substitute for having someone down the hall – someone very good – who can answer a question about an FCC issue, a biotech patent, actuarial analysis, regulatory compliance, global technology outsourcing, complex litigation, or whatever the issue may be. Alston & Bird has both the critical mass and the skill combination to meet the most complex client needs. A key demonstration of our skills: 224 of our attorneys are listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Another 123 of our lawyers are listed in Ones to Watch – the future is bright at Alston & Bird.
Rankings
Alston & Bird LLP is nationally ranked in 48 practice areas and metro ranked in 62 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.
Read how Best Law Firms ranks firmsNational Rankings
Tier 1
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Metro Rankings
Atlanta
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Finance Law
Highlighted Client Comments
All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Real Estate Law
Alston & Bird is the best in the business.
Patent Law
Alston & Bird is a tremendous, full-service law firm. Its attorneys are knowledgeable and courteous. I haven't had a negative experience with any of the attorneys with whom I've engaged and would highly recommend Alston & Bird to any other person or entity that needs legal representation.
Banking and Finance Law
The Alston & Bird team provides exceptional client service, proactively anticipating client needs and heading off potential questions, and turning around work in an efficient and thoughtful manner, while providing a strong business lens and mindset to their legal expertise.
Rankings
National Rankings
Tier 1
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Securities Regulation
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Technology Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Antitrust Law
Tier 2 for Appellate Practice
Tier 2 for Communications Law
Tier 2 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 2 for Derivatives and Futures Law
Tier 2 for Health Care Law
Tier 2 for Information Technology Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 2 for Litigation - ERISA
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 2 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Copyright Law
Tier 3 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 3 for FDA Law
Tier 3 for Immigration Law
Tier 3 for Insurance Law
Tier 3 for International Arbitration - Commercial
Tier 3 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 3 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Tier 3 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 3 for Oil and Gas Law
Regional Rankings
Atlanta
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Finance Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Tier 1 for Communications Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Immigration Law
Tier 1 for Information Technology Law
Tier 1 for Insurance Law
Tier 1 for International Arbitration - Commercial
Tier 1 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 1 for Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier 1 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Litigation - Insurance
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Tier 1 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 1 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Privacy and Data Security Law
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Securities Regulation
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Technology Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Construction Law
Tier 2 for Copyright Law
Tier 2 for Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Charlotte
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 2 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 2 for Technology Law
Dallas/Fort Worth
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 2 for Oil and Gas Law
Tier 3 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 3 for Construction Law
Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Oil and Gas Law
Tier 2 for Water Law
Tier 3 for Commercial Litigation
New York City
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 2 for Derivatives and Futures Law
Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 2 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 3 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 3 for International Arbitration - Commercial
Raleigh
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 2 for Patent Law
San Francisco
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 2 for Antitrust Law
Tier 2 for Environmental Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Insurance
San Jose
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Washington, D.C.
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for FDA Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA
Tier 1 for Litigation - Insurance
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Privacy and Data Security Law
Tier 1 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 2 for Antitrust Law
Tier 2 for Corporate Governance Law
Tier 2 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 2 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 2 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 2 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 2 for Securities Regulation
Practice Areas
The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
- Antitrust Law
- Arbitration
- Banking and Finance Law
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Governance Law
- Corporate Law
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Derivatives and Futures Law
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Employment Law - Management
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Equipment Finance Law
- Financial Services Regulation Law
- Health Care Law
- Immigration Law
- Information Technology Law
- Insurance Law
- International Arbitration - Commercial
- International Trade and Finance Law
- Labor Law - Management
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
- Litigation - Antitrust
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Bankruptcy
- Litigation - Construction
- Litigation - Environmental
- Litigation - ERISA
- Litigation - First Amendment
- Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Litigation - Patent
- Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
- Litigation - Securities
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Natural Resources Law
- Oil and Gas Law
- Patent Law
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Privacy and Data Security Law
- Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Public Finance Law
- Real Estate Law
- Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Securities Regulation
- Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- Tax Law
- Technology Law
- Trademark Law
- Trusts and Estates
Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
Alston & Bird LLP has 245 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in
America®.
By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Alston & Bird LLP eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings.
For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards.
Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
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Client Comments
All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Office Locations
Atlanta,
GA
One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street, Suite 4900
Atlanta, GA 30309-3424
United States
404-881-7000
Call our Atlanta, GA location at 404-881-7000
Get Directions
Get directions to our Atlanta, GA location
Charlotte,
NC
Vantage South End
1120 South Tryon Street, Suite 300
Charlotte, NC 28203
United States
+1-704-444-1000
Call our Charlotte, NC location at +1-704-444-1000
Get Directions
Get directions to our Charlotte, NC location
Chicago,
IL
321 North Clark Street, Suite 2650
Chicago, IL 60654
United States
312-702-8700
Call our Chicago, IL location at 312-702-8700
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Dallas,
TX
Chase Tower
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 2300
Dallas, TX 75201
United States
214-922-3400
Call our Dallas, TX location at 214-922-3400
Get Directions
Get directions to our Dallas, TX location
Los Angeles,
CA
350 South Grand Avenue, 51st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
United States
1-213-576-1000
Call our Los Angeles, CA location at 1-213-576-1000
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Los Angeles,
CA
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 450
Los Angeles, CA 90067
United States
213-576-2800
Call our Los Angeles, CA location at 213-576-2800
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Get directions to our Los Angeles, CA location
New York,
NY
90 Park Avenue, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10016-1387
United States
1-212-210-9400
Call our New York, NY location at 1-212-210-9400
Get Directions
Get directions to our New York, NY location
Raleigh,
NC
555 Fayetteville Street, Suite 600
Raleigh, NC 27601-3034
United States
+1-919-862-2200
Call our Raleigh, NC location at +1-919-862-2200
Get Directions
Get directions to our Raleigh, NC location
San Francisco,
CA
55 Second Street, Suite 2100
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
415-243-1000
Call our San Francisco, CA location at 415-243-1000
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Get directions to our San Francisco, CA location
Washington,
DC
The Atlantic Building
950 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004-1404
United States
+1-202-239-3300
Call our Washington, DC location at +1-202-239-3300
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Brussels,
BE
Rue Guimard 9
Brussels B-1040
Belgium
32 2 486 88 20
Call our Brussels, BE location at 32 2 486 88 20
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London,
GB
LDN:W
6th Floor, 3 Noble Street
London EC2V 7EE
United Kingdom
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Management and Personnel
Managing Partner
Richard R. Hays