Leadership

Leadership Roles
Our dedication is demonstrated by our firm's actions and the leadership roles our attorneys and other professionals undertake to promote diversity in the legal profession. Firm professionals have served in positions that include:

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law - National Co-Chair, members of the Board of Directors, Counsel
Anti-Defamation League - National Commissioner, member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the DC Regional Office
Minority Corporate Counsel Association - Sponsor
American Bar Association Task Force on Women in the Profession - Member
Former Member, American Bar Association Task Force on Minorities in the Law - Past Chair
Symposium on Increasing Number of Minority Law Clerks - Chair
Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs - Board Member
State Bar of Georgia - Founding Co-Chair of the Diversity Program, Chair and former Chairs of Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession, recipient of Commitment to Diversity Award (Bar's Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Sutherland partner Randolph Thrower)
Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association - President, Board Member
Georgia Association for Women Lawyers - Past President
Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys - Past President
Atlanta Large Law Firm Diversity Alliance - Founding Board Member
Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium, Inc. - Founding Firm and Founding Board Member

Our Leaders

Bert Adams: Bert practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters, representing both public and private companies. Bert has significant experience working with businesses engaged in chemical distribution, consumer products, emerging technologies, manufacturing, mining, construction and restaurant services. Bert is a member of the American Bar Association, a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, a member of the Board of Directors of Jerusalem House, and co-chair of the annual public service day for the legal community, ServiceJuris.
Reginald J. Clark: Reggie is regularly recognized as one of the leading corporate tax attorneys in the country. He serves on the firm's Executive Committee and heads the Atlanta Tax Practice. He presently serves as Chair-Elect of the Corporate Tax Committee of the American Bar Association's Tax Section, and he also served on a Georgia Bar task force that drafted legislation authorizing the formation of limited liability companies in Georgia. Reggie recently has been selected as one of Georgia's "Legal Elite for 2006" by Georgia Trend Magazine, and a "2007 Georgia Super Lawyer," by Atlanta Magazine.
Jennifer W. Fletcher: Jenny practices with the Litigation Group and serves as Team Leader of the Construction Industry Practice group. Jenny has served as an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel for more than 15 years and is a fellow in the American College of Construction Lawyers. She is listed in the International Who's Who of Construction Lawyers and in The Best Lawyers in America, is ranked as a "Georgia Super Lawyer" (Top 50 Female Lawyers in Georgia) by Atlanta Magazine, was named as one of "Georgia's Legal Elite" by Georgia Trend Magazine and is ranked as one of the "top tier" construction lawyers in Georgia by Chambers USA. She is a Master in the Lumpkin Inn of Court.
Lisa Combs Jern: Lisa is chair of the Labor and Employment group and has served as the firm’s Hiring Partner in Atlanta. She is currently a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the American Bar Association, a member of the American Inns of Court (Lumpkin Inn), and is a past president of the Younger Lawyers Division of the Atlanta Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Atlanta Magazine named Lisa a "2007 Georgia Super Lawyer", and she is included in the "Georgia’s Legal Elite" listing for 2006 by Georgia Trend Magazine.
Allegra J. Lawrence-Hardy: Allegra, co-chair of the Complex Business Litigation group, is Sutherland's Diversity Partner. She is past president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and chairs the Women and Minorities in the Profession Committee of the State Bar of Georgia. She also has been recognized as one of Georgia's "Top 50 Female Super Lawyers" (Atlanta Magazine 2004-2007), a "Georgia Super Lawyer" (Atlanta Magazine 2003-2007), "25 Power Women to Watch" (Atlanta Women's magazine 2005), "40 Under 40 Rising Stars to Watch" (Georgia Trend magazine 2003) and one of "Georgia's Legal Elite" (Georgia Trend magazine 2003-2007).
Giovanna T. Sparagna: Giovanna is a recognized international tax expert, professor, and author. She has held numerous leadership positions in the ABA including Vice Chair, ABA Foreign Activities of U.S. Taxpayers, and Liaison to the Young Lawyer's Division, and Chair of the FAUST Subcommittee on International Reorganizations, Acquisitions, and Dispositions. She was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America (2006).
Paul B. Turner: Paul is a partner in the Energy and Environmental Practice Group and focuses his practice on the physical and financial trading of energy commodities. Paul has been involved in the regulatory and commercial restructuring of the energy industry and the ongoing commoditization of energy in the physical, futures and derivatives markets. He also heads the firm's Energy Restructuring and Creditors' Rights practice. Paul is listed in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Derivatives Law. He is vice chairman for the ABA's Committee on Gas and Electric Marketing. Paul previously served two terms as vice chair for the Energy Bar Association's Committee on Power Generation and Marketing.
Carol A. Weiser: Carol is a member of the firm's Executive Committee and a recognized employee benefits lawyer and lecturer who has served as Chair of the Employee Benefits and Executive Committee of the ABA Section of Business Law. In addition, she was Chair of the ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits for 2001-2002.