Ellen Smith

Specialties & Capabilities

• Standard Residential Closings

Languages Spoken

English

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP established its Atlanta office in 2016, marking its seventh location. What began with a small team of 4 attorneys and 1 business professional has since flourished, now boasting 49 attorneys and 27 business professionals as the office celebrates its 10th anniversary. This remarkable growth led the Atlanta Business Chronicle to rank Parker Poe as the city’s fastest-growing law firm by attorney count in 2025, demonstrating a 114% increase since 2021.

Our dedicated attorneys in Atlanta serve as outside general counsel for a diverse array of clients across multiple industries. They possess particular experience in key areas, including:

• Commercial real estate: Guiding clients through complex property transactions and development.
• Education: Providing counsel on policy, compliance, and strategic initiatives for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.
• Eminent domain: Representing clients in matters involving property acquisition for public use.
• Employment: Advising on labor laws, disputes, and human resources matters.
• Finance: Offering expertise in banking, capital markets, and financial restructuring.
• Litigation: Handling a broad spectrum of disputes, from real estate to intellectual property.
• Retail: Supporting businesses in the retail sector with their legal needs.
• Sports and entertainment: Addressing the unique legal challenges of these dynamic industries.

Parker Poe is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the metro Atlanta community. Our professionals are actively involved in numerous business, legal, and charitable groups such as 100 Black Men of Atlanta, the Atlanta Bar Association, and Hope Atlanta, where the entire Atlanta office has partnered to prepare meals and assist families facing food insecurity. The firm is committed to a client-centric approach, known as "The Parker Poe Way," which emphasizes understanding client business objectives, tailoring services, providing regular and meaningful communication, avoiding surprises, delivering quality legal counsel, ensuring availability, and offering exceptional value through a collaborative, one-firm approach.