Baker Donelson Continues to Grown in Atlanta with Three Attorneys

ATLANTA (May 24, 2010) - Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, is pleased to announce the addition of three new attorneys to its Atlanta office: Mark A. Barber, Robert N. Johnson and Michael W. Horst. These attorneys are the latest to join the Firm as part of the continued expansion of its Atlanta presence. In a little more than a year, Baker Donelson has welcomed a dozen new attorneys to its Atlanta office, bringing its total number of Atlanta attorneys to more than 50.

"We're pleased to have such well-regarded and knowledgeable professionals join us as part of our continued expansion in Atlanta," says Linda A. Klein, managing shareholder of Baker Donelson's Georgia offices. "With their substantive experience and outstanding reputations, Mark, Bob and Mike ensure that we continue to broaden our offering through the addition of highly qualified attorneys who are recognized leaders in their field."

Mr. Barber joins as a shareholder and member of the Firm's Transportation and Business Litigation groups. Previously a partner with Hall Booth Smith & Slover, PC, he is a seasoned litigator who focuses on complex personal injury litigation, including motor carrier and insurance coverage litigation, construction litigation and electric line contact litigation. He helps clients in matters involving serious tractor trailer accidents and advises on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations compliance. Mr. Barber is a member of Baker Donelson's 24-Hour Emergency Response Team, a group of attorneys dedicated to providing rapid post-accident intervention and investigation. He also has considerable experience in electric utility litigation, serving as national coordinating counsel for a major insurance company on all its catastrophic electric line contact cases, and has advised electric cooperatives and their insurers in cases all over the United States. A 1984 graduate of Emory University School of Law, he is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Transportation Lawyers Association and the Trucking Industry Defense Association.

Mr. Johnson, previously a shareholder with Ogletree Deakins, joins as a shareholder in the Immigration group of the Firm's Labor & Employment Department. He has more than 20 years of experience representing U.S. and foreign-based multinational corporations in the hiring of foreign executives, managers and specialists and their transfer to the United States. Mr. Johnson, who is conversational in Japanese, also routinely advises Japanese, Swedish, British, German and Canadian companies on a wide variety of corporate, commercial, finance, securities and intellectual property matters. Recognized by Chambers USA as a leading business immigration attorney since 2007, he is a member of the Immigration Subcommittee of the Labor, Immigration & Employee Benefits division of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an Executive Board Member of the Japan-America Society of Georgia and a member of the Global Council of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Johnson is a 1988 graduate of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University.

Previously an associate with Hall Booth Smith & Slover, PC, Mr. Horst joins as an associate and member of the Firm's Transportation group. He represents motor carriers, truck drivers and their insurers and has extensive experience handling tractor trailer accident cases involving serious injury and death. Also a member of the Firm's 24-Hour Emergency Response Team, Mr. Horst is often retained within hours of a wreck to oversee the investigation of an accident. In addition to his motor carrier work, he defends a wide array of premises owners and occupiers in personal injury lawsuits. A 2001 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law, he is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Transportation Lawyers Association and the Trucking Industry Defense Association.

As the 73rd largest law firm in the U.S., Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, gives clients access to a team of more than 570 attorneys and public policy advisors representing more than 30 practice areas to serve a wide range of legal needs. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across 15 offices in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Washington, D.C.