(Photo: John Disney/ALM)

Former Atlanta City Attorney Jeremy Berry has returned to private practice after resigning his government post as part of a mayoral cabinet shake-up earlier this year.

Berry joined Hilliard Starkey Law as of counsel last month. He said in an email that his practice there focuses on government contracts and bid protests, government affairs, campaign finance and election law and government litigation.

Prior to being tapped as city attorney by then-Mayor Kasim Reed last year, Berry was a partner at Dentons, formerly McKenna Long & Aldridge, where he worked with Hakim Hilliard.

“I have known Hakim since I started law school and worked with him when we practiced together at McKenna,” Berry said in an email. “The firm was attractive because of Hakim's and Rory [Starkey]'s previous public service in Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb, clients we shared in common, the firm's local government work and my long friendship with and respect for Hakim.”

According to the firm's website, there is, combined, more than than 70 years of combined trial, public policy and government affairs experience among the four attorneys at Hilliard Starkey. And all of its lawyers have had a stint in the city's Law Department.

Last May, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms named Nina Hickson, who was then the Atlanta Beltline's general counsel, as interim city attorney following Berry's resignation the month before. Hickson was permanently named to the post last July.