Bio

William Scott Ortwein concentrates his practice in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He advises boards of directors and committees of boards in their consideration of extraordinary corporate transactions and significant corporate governance matters, including activist shareholder concerns. He has represented more than 100 public companies in a variety of industries in corporate governance, securities compliance, public and private securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, Scott has represented public and private companies and investment banks in public equity and debt securities offerings and public and private company mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions with consideration of more than $200 billion. The Best Lawyers in America® named Scott the Atlanta “Lawyer of the Year” for Securities/Capital Markets in 2014, 2016, 2020, and 2024. He is recognized as a leading corporate attorney by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America® in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities/Capital Markets practice areas and was recently named a Client Service All-Star by The BTI Consulting Group. Scott is a former member of the firm’s Management Committee and recent co-leader of Alston & Bird’s global Corporate Department, which includes its Corporate & Securities, Finance, Financial Services & Products, Health Care, and Real Estate Groups. Scott received his M.B.A