Kate Smith (from left), Sarah Hawk, Roz Hall and Terra Martin of Polsinelli, Atlanta. (Photo: John Disney/ALM) Kate Smith (from left), Sarah Hawk, Roz Hall and Terra Martin of Polsinelli, Atlanta. (Photo: John Disney/ALM)

Polsinelli has recruited an immigration law team for its Atlanta office led by shareholder Raazia “Roz” Hall, who was most recently at Jackson Lewis. 

Two associates are also joining the team: Katherine “Kate” Smith, who came from Alston & Bird after a hiatus to care for her newborn, and Terra Martin, who joined from Duane Morris in Boca Raton, Florida.

With immigration shareholder Sarah Hawk, who joined in February from Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, that makes Atlanta a hub for the firm's immigration practice.

“Immigration issues are top-of-mind for so many businesses and individuals right now,” Hall said in a statement. “Coupling an understanding of immigration law and practice with how immigration issues can impact clients' businesses is an attribute in which Polsinelli excels.”

Polsinelli represents employers and individuals in visa procurement, compliance and other matters. “We are a full-service immigration group and are continuing to expand our team with some of the most experienced immigration attorneys in the country,” said Jeffrey Bell, who heads the practice, in a statement. He added that Polsinelli is seeing “strong demand for immigration support around the country.”

With Hall, Smith and Martin, Polsinelli's Atlanta office, launched in 2014, has 31 lawyers, and half—15 of them—are women. The firm earned Gold Standard certification in 2017 for the third year in a row from the Women in Law Empowerment forum for its level of women in firm leadership.

“Since joining Polsinelli in 2015, I have personally and professionally benefited from the collaborative nature of the practice at the firm and am looking forward to working with the new immigration team of attorneys joining us in Atlanta,” said Atlanta managing partner Brian McEvoy, who heads the firm's government investigations practice.

Corporate attorney Larry Shackelford has joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough as a partner from Shackelford Law Firm.

Shackelford has extensive experience with community banks as well as with public-private partnership (P3) projects. He was one of the original 17 lawyers who helped establish Nelson Mullins' Atlanta office in 1992. He left in 1996 and has practiced with several large firms in Atlanta.

“We are pleased that Larry has opted to join our firm and help us continue to grow our Georgia-based community bank and financial services practice,” said Neil Grayson, who heads the corporate and financial regulatory team, in a statement. Grayson added that the firm has “had a long-term relationship with Larry.”

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein has added Ellen Smith as a partner in its two-year old Atlanta office from Holt Ney Zatcoff & Wasserman. Smith handles commercial real estate transactions for developers, owners and operators, including residential care facilities. She is also experienced in land use and zoning issues. Smith is a member of the executive committee for the Council for Quality Growth and on the board of the Georgia Wireless Association.

Troutman Sanders has hired Diane Scheffler as chief operating officer from Thompson & Knight in Dallas. Scheffler served as Thompson & Knight's COO for more than 15 years, after spending 13 years as a business manager to the executive committee at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She will oversee Troutman's finance, human resources, development and diversity, IT, marketing and client services functions from the firm's Atlanta office. Scheffler holds an MBA in finance from New York University and a B.S. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.

Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle has added two new associates, Alexis Garcia and Hayley Settles. Both advise clients in a range of family law issues including divorce, child support modification and protective orders. Garcia was a summer associate at the firm last year and has a law degree from Vanderbilt University. Settles joined from Atlanta Family Lawyers and earned her law degree from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, where she advocated for domestic violence victims. She continues to support abuse survivors by volunteering with the Division of Family and Children Services.

Burr & Forman has added associate Nafela Hojeij to its labor and employment practice from Stokes Wagner. Hojeij represents employers in employment disputes as well as labor matters such as union avoidance. She holds a law degree and an MBA from Georgia State University.

Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers has added two more attorneys, Christopher Gifford as a senior attorney and Brianna Tucker as an associate. Gifford joined the workers' compensation practice from the Law Offices of Benjamin Y. Gerber, where he represented plaintiffs. Tucker joined the litigation practice after clerking for Judge Philip Smith of Forsyth County Superior Court. With their hires, Swift Currie has added 27 lawyers so far this year, giving the litigation defense firm a total of 140 lawyers.

Deborah Koslin has joined family law firm Levine Smith Snider & Wilson as an associate from Meriwether & Tharp. She has practiced family law exclusively since 2013 after beginning her legal career at King & Spalding, representing financial institutions.

Bondurant Mixson & Elmore has voted in Naveen Ramachandrappa as a partner, effective Jan. 1. He focuses on appellate litigation, class actions and other complex litigation.

The Atlanta Bar Foundation is throwing a party this Thursday evening to benefit its youth programs that features Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumors at the Park Tavern. General admission is $25 and VIP admission is $75, which includes a reception before the show. Proceeds benefit the group's Summer Law Internship Program and Minority and Diversity Clerkship Program as well as local pro bono service providers. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for VIP ticket holders and at 7 p.m. for general admission. Park Tavern is located at 500 10th St., N.E. Tickets are available through www.atlantabar.org/events