Smith, Gambrell & Russell (abbreviated SGR; also known as Smith Gambrell) is an international law firm originally founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1893. As of 2024, it has offices in eleven cities in the United States: Atlanta; Austin; Charlotte; Chicago; Jacksonville; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Springfield; Tampa; and Washington, D.C. It also has three offices in other countries: one in London, England, one in Southampton, England, and one in Munich, Germany.[1][2]
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Offices | 14 |
| No. of attorneys | Almost 400[1] |
| Key people | Stephen M. Forte (Managing Partner, Executive Committee Chairman) |
| Date founded | 1893 |
| Founders | Alexander & Victor Smith |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | sgrlaw |
History
editSmith, Gambrell & Russell was founded in 1893, originally under the name "Alexander & Victor Smith", by two Atlanta lawyers named Alexander Smith & Victor Smith. In 1909, Alex Smith Jr. joined the firm, which was then named Smith, Hammond, & Smith. In 1939, E. Smythe Gambrell became a partner at the firm Gambrell & White. In 1948, Harold L. Russell became a named partner at this firm, which by then had been renamed Gambrell, Harlan, Barwick & White. Meanwhile, the law firm Smith, Hammond, & Smith had also been renamed multiple times; by 1949, it had been renamed Smith, Partridge, Field & Doremus. In 1966, this firm, now named Smith, Ringel, Martin & Lowe, merged with Cohen, Kohler, Barnwell & Chambers to form Smith, Cohen, Ringel, Kohler & Martin. In 1984, Smith, Cohen, Ringel, Kohler & Martin merged with Gambrell & Russell to form Smith, Gambrell & Russell.[3]
Recent mergers
editIn recent years, Smith, Gambrell & Russell has undergone multiple additional mergers. For example, on April 1, 2022, it entered the Chicago market for the first time by merging with Figliulo & Silverman, a Chicago-based law firm which focused on business and real estate disputes.[4] Similarly, the following year, Smith Gambrell merged with Chicago-based law firm Freeborn & Peters. This increased Smith Gambrell's size from about 290 attorneys to about 400, and from 12 offices to 14.[2] The resulting firm was estimated to have global annual revenues of approximately US$260 million.[5][6] However, though this merger did not prevent Smith Gambrell's revenues from continuing to rise in 2023, it also led to a decrease in the firm's profits for 2023 compared to previous years.[7] In 2024, SGR announced another merger, this one with ABL Law, a Jacksonville, Florida-based firm aimed at middle-market companies.[1][8]
Notable partners
editNotable partners at Smith Gambrell include judge Elizabeth L. Branch, who was a partner at the firm before being confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in 2018,[9] and Leah Ward Sears, a current partner at the firm who was formerly Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.[10]
Recognition
editSmith, Gambrell & Russell has been repeatedly named to U.S. News's Best Law Firms list, as well as the American Lawyer's Am Law 200 list of highest-grossing law firms in the United States.[11][12]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Smith Gambrell Russell Continues Strategic Growth with Third Combination in Last Two Years". SGR Law (Press release). 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ a b Osakwe, Chinekwu (2023-01-25). "Atlanta, Chicago law firms merge as legal industry tie-ups gain steam". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "The Firm". SGR Law. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "Smith Gambrell Sees Revenue and Profit Spike, Combines With Chicago Firm". Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ Southerland, Randy (2023-11-01). "What Smith, Gambrell & Russell gained in merger with Chicago's Freeborn & Peters". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Yamanouchi, Kelly (2023-01-25). "Atlanta-based Smith, Gambrell & Russell merges with Chicago law firm". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Spigolon, Thomas (2024-04-24). "Smith Gambrell Sees Revenues Grow, Profits Fall Amid 2023 Merger". Law.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ La Plante, Mauricio (2024-02-21). "Boutique Jax law practice merges with fast-growing international firm". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ Tucker, Katheryn Hayes (2018-02-27). "Senate Confirms Former Smith, Gambrell & Russell Partner as New 11th Circuit Judge". Law.com. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ Tucker, Katheryn Hayes (2021-03-16). "Sears to Lead Federal Judicial Nominations Commission". Law.com. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ "U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® Recognize SGR on the 2023 "Best Law Firms" List". SGR Law (Press release). 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ "Smith Gambrell Russell Advances on 2023 Am Law 200 List After Record Year". SGR Law (Press release). 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2024-08-13.