Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

Origins, scale and office structure

Founded in Atlanta in 1976, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has developed a substantial business law presence. The firm has offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Its Atlanta office reports more than 180 lawyers. The firm describes its total headcount as more than 200 lawyers and identifies itself as an Am Law 200 firm.

Simon Malko is the Managing Partner of the Atlanta office. Gerald Pouncey, Jr. is the firm's Chairman. The site also connects Pouncey with coverage of Atlantic Station's development in Atlanta, which adds a local real estate matter to his public record.

The stated client base includes Fortune 50 companies, technology start-ups, real estate entrepreneurs, national real estate development firms and international businesses. This mix places the lawyers in matters involving companies at very different stages of growth. It also calls for familiarity with both closely held ventures and large corporate structures.

Corporate, technology and investment matters

The firm's published work includes venture financings and an acquisition in the AI education sector. Its broader business work covers corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and technology matters. These subjects align closely with the business law category.

How venture financing usually proceeds

A venture financing usually begins with business terms recorded in a term sheet. Lawyers then review capitalization records, governance rights, investor protections and securities law issues. The parties put the agreed terms into financing documents and confirm that all closing conditions have been met. Each step can affect ownership, voting control and future fundraising.

Technology start-ups often bring intellectual property questions into that process. Counsel may review who owns software, inventions and other business assets. Existing investor rights can also affect a new financing round. For larger companies, internal approvals and compliance duties may add further layers to the transaction.

Acquisitions and corporate authority

An acquisition generally requires review of the target company's ownership, contracts, liabilities and regulatory duties. Lawyers also examine the approvals needed under governing documents and applicable corporate law. The purchase agreement then records the deal terms, closing requirements and allocation of risk.

Stephen Vaughn is a partner at the firm. Bloomberg Law quoted Vaughn in an article about corporate power questions before the Delaware Supreme Court. Such questions can turn on charter language, board authority, stockholder rights and the limits imposed by corporate statutes.

Real estate and hospitality work

Christie Hassan is a partner whose listed areas are Hospitality and Real Estate. Before joining the firm, Hassan spent 15 years at an Am Law 15 firm and an Am Law 70 firm. That background places substantial prior large-firm experience behind the role described on the site.

Commercial real estate work commonly begins with a review of the proposed transaction and the property records. Purchase contracts, title materials, survey documents and land-use rules can shape the parties' obligations. Financing terms and development approvals may also affect whether a project can close on schedule. Hospitality matters can add management agreements, branding arrangements and operating concerns.

The firm's client list names real estate entrepreneurs and national real estate development firms. Those clients may need counsel for acquisitions, development projects, financing and corporate ownership arrangements. The site's coverage of Atlantic Station also connects the firm's public material with a major Atlanta development project.

International trade, environmental and data issues

Don Cameron is Senior Counsel in International Trade. Trade matters can involve import requirements, export controls, tariffs, sanctions and the classification of goods. A typical review begins with the product, the countries involved and the proposed transaction. Records about origin, destination and end use often guide the legal analysis.

Government agencies may request documents or explanations when they examine trade compliance. Businesses can also need contract terms that assign responsibility for customs filings and regulatory approvals. International operations may place trade questions beside corporate, technology and data concerns.

Environmental matters and public programs

The firm identifies environmental law among its published topics. Brian Remler took part in a panel discussion about the Westside Lead Superfund Site. Emory University's HERCULES Exposome Research Center helped organize that program. The site also listed Wyatt Kendall as a speaker at a State Bar seminar on environmental topics.

Superfund matters generally involve site investigation, identification of potentially responsible parties and review of historic operations. Government agencies can issue information requests and direct further sampling. Technical reports help define the affected area and the substances involved. The parties may then address cleanup duties, cost allocation and agency oversight.

Privacy, artificial intelligence and data transfers

The firm publishes updates on privacy law, artificial intelligence regulation and data transfer compliance. These subjects often require businesses to identify the personal data they collect and the systems that use it. A legal review may cover notices, contracts, access controls, retention rules and cross-border transfer mechanisms.

Artificial intelligence can add questions about training data, automated decisions and responsibility for generated material. Privacy duties may also affect the design and use of AI tools. The firm's published updates place these developing business issues within its stated technology work.

Named lawyers and professional activity

Jena Emory is a Senior Associate whose public activities include legal education and litigation topics. Emory presented at an NBI continuing legal education program on trial pitfalls. Emory also moderated an American Bar Association webinar about third-party litigation funding.

Trial preparation typically requires lawyers to track court orders, evidence questions, witness issues and filing deadlines. Third-party funding raises a separate set of questions about disclosure, privilege, control and financial interests. Programs on these subjects give lawyers and clients a forum for examining how procedural and funding issues affect litigation.

The named team includes partners, senior counsel, a senior associate and other attorneys connected with specific subject matter. Their published activities cover corporate authority, environmental law, real estate, hospitality, international trade and litigation procedure. In my opinion, the named assignments and public programs provide the clearest evidence of how individual lawyers connect with the firm's stated areas of work.

Current status following the Taft combination

A notice across the firm's site states that Morris, Manning & Martin is now part of Taft. The combination began on December 31, 2025. The notice describes the combined firm as having more than 1,250 attorneys across the United States.

This change places the Atlanta and Washington, D.C. offices within a much larger national firm. The dated notice gives a clear account of the timing and current organizational status. The Morris, Manning & Martin site now directs visitors to Taftlaw.com.