Press Release
Womble Carlyle Adds Securities Litigators Despriet and Connelly to Atlanta Team
May 10, 2010
Public Relations contacts: Kay Newman (404) 888-7497 & Bruce Buchanan (336) 728-7027
ATLANTA—Experienced securities litigation attorneys John Despriet and James Connelly have joined Womble Carlyle’s Atlanta Team.
“Complex business litigation is already an area of strength for the firm, with more than 70 lawyers on our team.” said Jim Cooley, Leader of Womble Carlyle’s Business Litigation Practice Group. “John and James will strengthen our practice, particularly in the highly specialized field of securities litigation.”
Despriet has performed considerable work as panel counsel to insurance companies on the most complex types of business cases. He is panel counsel to the largest insurer of public companies in the country, and is one of only five panel counsel in Georgia approved to defend insured officers and directors in securities class actions.
He also has considerable experience in securities-related class actions, as well as in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement proceedings, defense of derivative claims and FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) arbitration.
Connelly’s experience includes defending clients in SEC enforcement proceedings, as well as securities-related class actions.
“John and James bring decades of proven securities litigation experience to Womble Carlyle clients,” said Clint Richardson, Managing Member of the firm’s Atlanta office. “We are pleased to have them join our growing Atlanta team.”
Despriet and Connelly come to Womble Carlyle from Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP in Atlanta.
Womble Carlyle - Innovators at Law
Womble Carlyle is a full-service business law firm with a focus on innovative solutions to client needs. The firm supports the Association of Corporate Counsel in the ACC Value Challenge, which seeks to better align legal services with the needs of corporate clients.
The firm is located in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, and serves clients nationally and globally, with more than 500 attorneys in eleven offices: Atlanta, GA; Greenville, SC; Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, and Winston-Salem, NC; Washington, DC; Tysons Corner, VA; Baltimore, MD; and Wilmington, DE.
In the community, the firm is the first law firm to receive the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Corporate Leadership Award as well as the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Freedom Award.