It’s been a busy year for trial lawyer Bobby Shannon, who parachutes in for the defense on catastrophic, high-exposure cases—often just weeks or even days before trial.

Shannon started an Atlanta outpost last June for Denver litigation firm Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell after a 27-year career at Hall Booth Smith, saying it was a better fit for his national trial practice. But in late May he joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder with associate Ciera Locklair.