Ballard Spahr Expands

Ballard Spahr has expanded its litigation, real estate, and public finance capability in the Southeast with five Atlanta attorneys. Partners Han C. Choi, Ethan H. Cohen, Byung J. Pak, and Tracy S. Plott, and of counsel Isidor J. Kim represent regional, national, and international clients, including banks, financial services firms, life science and technology companies, universities, governmental entities, and manufacturers.

PRESS RELEASE

Ballard Spahr has significantly expanded its litigation, real estate, and public finance capability in the Southeast with the addition of five well-respected Atlanta attorneys, including the first Korean American elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, firm Chair Mark Stewart announced today.

Partners Han C. Choi, Ethan H. Cohen, Byung J. Pak, and Tracy S. Plott, and of counsel Isidor J. Kim have diverse practices and represent regional, national, and international clients, including banks, financial services firms, life science and technology companies, universities, governmental entities, and manufacturers. They are well known for their work with Korean businesses, a market sector that is growing rapidly in the Southeast. The new partners join Ballard Spahr from Schiff Hardin; Mr. Kim was formerly at Miller & Martin.

“Our Atlanta office is growing in size and scope, just as we planned when we entered the market with the addition of the renowned IP lawyers from Needle & Rosenberg,” Mr. Stewart said. “We recently added an excellent consumer financial services group in Atlanta. And today, we join with another talented, collaborative team of lawyers whose skills and experience will enhance what we can offer our clients. This is a great day for the Firm.”

“Our group has a range of experience and diverse practices. Ballard Spahr is a uniquely good fit for us in that it has strong national practices in public finance, banking, real estate, and litigation,” said Mr. Choi. “In addition, we share the same commitment to client service, excellence, and accountability. We were looking for a forward thinking, entrepreneurial firm with a culture of genuine respect and flexibility and we found it.”

The attorneys joining Ballard Spahr are:

Han C. Choi, partner, a transactional attorney practicing primarily in public finance. He has represented governmental entities, banks, purchasers, and trustees as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, credit enhancer counsel, and derivative products counsel in both governmental and private activity bond issues. He also has represented emerging growth companies in technology and life sciences, advising them on financing, corporate governance, joint ventures, and employment issues. He served as special assistant to then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton.

Ethan H. Cohen, partner, is a litigator who advises corporations and individuals in the securities industry. He handles a wide range of compliance and regulatory matters, including investigations and enforcement actions brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and various state securities, banking, and insurance agencies. Mr. Cohen also conducts internal investigations, handles multiparty and class action litigation and arbitration matters, and provides fiduciary counseling and litigates trust and estate controversies.

Byung J. Pak, partner, a litigator who focuses on white collar, government investigations, and corporate compliance matters. He defends individuals and companies in government investigations and prosecutions, conducts internal investigations, and advises clients in regulatory compliance matters. Mr. Pak was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives last November and serves on the Health and Human Services, Judiciary (Non-Civil), and Code Revision Committees. He served for approximately six years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, where he conducted grand jury investigations and prosecuted white collar crimes, including those involving health care fraud, bank fraud, export control violations, money laundering, and securities fraud. Mr. Pak is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Tracy S. Plott, partner, who focuses on real estate, with an emphasis on secured lending. She is experienced in asset-based financing, debt restructuring, bond financing, joint ventures, loan syndication, and limited partnerships. Ms. Plott also represents corporate and other clients in the acquisition, development, leasing, and disposition of real property.
Isidor J. Kim, of counsel, a litigator who has represented foreign and domestic clients in commercial transactions and litigation, and has advised on immigration law, employment issues, and trademark infringement matters. He is proficient in Korean and has extensive experience representing Korea-based manufacturing and distribution companies that are establishing or moving operations to the Southeastern United States.

About Ballard Spahr

Ballard Spahr LLP, a national law firm with more than 500 lawyers in 13 offices in the United States, provides a range of services in litigation, business and finance, real estate, intellectual property, and public finance. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, life sciences and technology companies, health systems, investors and developers, government agencies and sponsored enterprises, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The firm combines a national scope of practice with strong regional market knowledge.