{"id":5575,"date":"2025-05-01T06:23:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T06:23:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/daily-report-set-to-present-2025-southeastern-legal-awards\/"},"modified":"2025-05-01T06:23:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T06:23:53","slug":"daily-report-set-to-present-2025-southeastern-legal-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/daily-report-set-to-present-2025-southeastern-legal-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Report Set to Present 2025 Southeastern Legal Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Daily Report and Law.com are pleased to recognize the winners and finalists for the 2025 Southeastern Legal Awards, honoring attorneys and firms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee. This is the third year the awards have been presented to include not only Georgia but expanded to recognize the best in legal talent in neighboring states.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>These annual legal awards give us a chance to recognize some of the region\u2019s greatest attorneys and firms, along with the rising stars of the industry. The attorneys we\u2019re honoring are talented litigators, dealmakers, visionaries, pioneers and irreplaceable mentors deserving of recognition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>The honorees will be recognized at a gala on May 1 at The Whitley in Atlanta. Following are the winners who were announced in March and the finalists, including Attorney of the Year and Law Firm of the Year, at the dinner. The winners will be announced in several categories. Each link below leads to Q&amp;As and additional information about each winner and honoree.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Law Firm of the Year Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!---->  <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>The Law Firm of the Year award recognizes the firm that has demonstrated a broad spectrum of achievements in the past year and talent depth while receiving the greatest level of support for awards in total categories. Following are Q&amp;As with the finalists: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Attorney of the Year Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Daily Report each year recognizes the attorney who&#8217;s had the biggest impact on the law or legal community or done the most &#8220;to advance the cause of justice&#8221; during the previous year. The winner in this category will be named during the awards dinner. Following are links to Q&amp;As with each finalist:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!---->  <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Daily Report each year recognizes several lifetime achievers\u2014attorneys whose work and talents have contributed significantly to the Southeastern legal community and helped countless others do the absolute best for their clients and for their communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Our distinguished leaders represent some of the most successful and respected legal minds from throughout the Southeast. Following are Q&amp;As with all of this year&#8217;s honorees:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Best Legal Innovation Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>The Daily Report will recognize these finalists and name a winner for the 2025 Best Legal Innovation award, which recognizes firms that have helped advance the industry through technological insight and forward thinking. All the honorees will be recognized, and the winner will be announced during the awards ceremony. Following are Q&amp;As with each finalist:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>The Best Mentors Award recognizes the best in caring leadership to countless attorneys who have grown and prospered under these nominees&#8217; guidance. Great mentors leave a lasting legacy for us all to look up to and follow. Below are Q&amp;As with the finalists:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc2050-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-sandra-brown-greenspoon-marder\/\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Sandra Brown, Greenspoon Marder<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-david-cox-bass-berry--sims\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">David Cox, Bass, Berry &amp; Sims<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-christina-graham-morris-manning--martin\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Christina Graham, Morris, Manning &amp; Martin <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-jodi-westbrook-flowers-motley-rice\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Jodi Westbrook Flowers, Motley Rice <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-robert-friedman-king--spalding\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Robert Friedman, King &amp; Spalding<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-kristine-roberts-baker-donelson\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Kristine Roberts, Baker Donelson<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/23\/best-mentor-finalist-michael-stewart-bass-berry--sims\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Michael Stewart, Bass, Berry &amp; Sims<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Diversity Initiative Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Daily Report will present the 2025 Best Diversity Initiative Award to the firm that has embraced successful diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The winner will be announced during the awards presentation. Following are Q&amp;As in this category.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>In-House Counsel of the Year Finalists\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Daily Report&#8217;s 2025 Best In-House Counsel Award recognizes several attorneys who take it upon themselves to prepare the next generation of legal talent. All the honorees will be recognized and the winner announced during awards ceremony. Following are links to Q&amp;As with the finalists:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Legal Innovators Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>The finalists in the Legal Innovators category have helped move their firms forward through technological insight and forward thinking. All the honorees will be recognized and the winner announced during awards ceremony. Following are links to Q&amp;As with the finalists:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Managing Partner of the Year Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The Managing Partner of the Year award recognizes the leaders in the field of law who have earned deep appreciation from their colleagues and clients and for being a shining model in the field of law. The winner in this category will be announced during the awards dinner. Following are links to Q&amp;As with the finalists:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Most Effective Dealmakers Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The Most Effective Dealmaker award recognizes the attorneys who work not only for quantity or dollar volume but also for getting repeat business and achieving their clients\u2019 goals so that both sides sign with strength on the dotted lines. The winner in this category will be named during the awards dinner. Following are Q&amp;As with finalists:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Daily Report has presented On the Rise awards since 2002, recognizing Georgia&#8217;s\u2014and for the past two years the Southeast&#8217;s\u2014top lawyers 40 and under. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/28\/southeastern-legal-awards-on-the-rise-honorees\/\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Visit here for a slideshow <\/a>featuring their photos and information about their firms, practice areas and educational backgrounds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in Alabama Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-f93f25f5-25bc-11f0-9fc2-89d5153c21ef\">\n<li>Amaobi J. Enyinnia, Lightfoot, Franklin &amp; White<\/li>\n<li>Warner Hornsby, Beasley Allen Law Firm<\/li>\n<li>Wyatt Montgomery, Beasley Allen Law Firm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in Georgia Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc205a-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li>Alexandra C. Apple, Troutman Pepper Locke<\/li>\n<li>Sarah Brewerton-Palmer, Caplan Cobb<\/li>\n<li>Gino Brogdon, Miles Mediation &amp; Arbitration<\/li>\n<li>Dan Englander, Kilpatrick Townsend &amp; Stockton<\/li>\n<li>Bryan Jacoutot, Clark Hill<\/li>\n<li>Karan Jhurani, Fish &amp; Richardson<\/li>\n<li>Matthew Sellers, Bondurant Mixson &amp; Elmore<\/li>\n<li>Elaine Tapp, Alston &amp; Bird<\/li>\n<li>Alyssa Walker, Eversheds Sutherland<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in Mississippi Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc4760-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li>William Graves, Morgan &amp; Morgan<\/li>\n<li>Ira Rushing, Tully Rinckey<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in North Carolina Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc4761-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li>Michael Fulks, Akerman<\/li>\n<li>Zachary Higbee, Alston &amp; Bird<\/li>\n<li>Kelsey Kingsbery, Alston &amp; Bird<\/li>\n<li>Barrett Morris, Moore &amp; Van Allen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in South Carolina Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc4762-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li>Megan Early-Soppa, Spencer Fane<\/li>\n<li>Laura Stemkowski, Motley Rice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>On the Rise in Tennessee Honorees<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-b3fc4763-25c7-11f0-ad65-7d1bd56e89f3\">\n<li>Leigh Anne St. Charles, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight<\/li>\n<li>Al\u00e9 Dalton, Bradley Arant<\/li>\n<li>Brian Irving, Bass, Berry &amp; Sims<\/li>\n<li>Nicole Sims, Burr &amp; Forman<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Most Promising Newcomer Finalists<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Selected from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/dailyreportonline\/2025\/04\/28\/southeastern-legal-awards-on-the-rise-honorees\/\" target=\"_blank\" link-data=\"{\" cms.site.owner=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">On the Rise honorees<\/a> is this group of finalists for this year&#8217;s Most Promising Newcomer. Following are links to Q&amp;As with these honorees. The winner will be announced during the awards presentation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<h2><b>Litigation Departments of the Year<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p>Daily Report will honor the following firms for their excellence in a variety of practice areas. Several winners have already been announced. All of the nominees will be recognized during the awards, and winners in some categories will be announced. Following are the names of the winning firms and the categories for which they will be honored during the awards event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>General Litigation Finalists<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-5e64b1f1-25d3-11f0-9d04-c3b12d4c6e26\">\n<li>Beal Sutherland Berlin &amp; Brown<\/li>\n<li>Bondurant Mixson &amp; Elmore<\/li>\n<li>Dentons<\/li>\n<li>Eversheds Sutherland<\/li>\n<li>Greenberg Traurig<\/li>\n<li>Krevolin &amp; Horst<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice Insurance Winner: <\/b>Akerman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice Intellectual Property Finalists: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-5e64d900-25d3-11f0-9d04-c3b12d4c6e26\">\n<li>Alston &amp; Bird <\/li>\n<li>Duane Morris<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice Labor &amp; Employment Winner: <\/b>Seyfarth Shaw<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice Personal Injury Finalists: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-5e64d901-25d3-11f0-9d04-c3b12d4c6e26\">\n<li>Conley Griggs Partin<\/li>\n<li>Spaulding Injury Law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice Products Liability Finalists<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-5e64d902-25d3-11f0-9d04-c3b12d4c6e26\">\n<li>Greenberg Traurig<\/li>\n<li>King &amp; Spalding<\/li>\n<li>Lightfoot, Franklin &amp; White<\/li>\n<li>Motley Rice<\/li>\n<li>Nelson Mullins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/p>\n<div data-v-1c1aa57e=\"\">\n<p><b>Specialty Practice White-Collar Finalists:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\" id=\"rte-5e64d903-25d3-11f0-9d04-c3b12d4c6e26\">\n<li>Bass, Berry &amp; Sims<\/li>\n<li>King &amp; Spalding<\/li>\n<li>Womble Bond Dickinson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <!----> <!----><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily Report and Law.com are pleased to recognize the winners and finalists for the 2025 Southeastern Legal Awards, honoring attorneys and firms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2052,5746,136,5747,1351,406,4953],"class_list":["post-5575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawyers","tag-awards","tag-daily","tag-legal","tag-present","tag-report","tag-set","tag-southeastern"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5575"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5575\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}