Seyfarth Shaw Builds Upon Real Estate Practice with Addition of Carl E. Westmoreland, JR. as Partner in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (April 16, 2007) - - Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of America’s leading full service law firms, announced that Carl E. Westmoreland, Jr. has joined the firm as partner in the real estate practice group in the Atlanta office. Formerly, Westmoreland was a partner with Powell Goldstein LLP.

Westmoreland concentrates on real estate and development matters with particular attention to zoning and land use issues. Since the mid 1980's, his emphasis has been on local government work, primarily representing real estate developers in land use and rezoning matters. Westmoreland is a recognized authority on land use issues and is asked to speak before many legal and business groups regarding development, re-zoning and urban growth and has been a guest lecturer on land use matters at Emory and Georgia State University Law Schools, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

“Carl is a terrific addition to Seyfarth Shaw because his extensive zoning and land use expertise further enhances our ability to better serve our real estate clients regionally as well as nationally,” stated J. Kelly Bufton, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Real Estate Group. “We are pleased he has chosen to join Seyfarth Shaw.”

With more than 100 real estate attorneys across the United States - 23 in the Atlanta office - Seyfarth Shaw’s real estate attorneys counsel individuals, corporations and other business entities to maximize the value and return on their real estate investments and assets. The firm’s national coverage, extensive business and legal networks, and broad array of legal services, results in comprehensive legal advice and assistance that help clients identify emerging opportunities and challenges, and develop forward-looking strategies that meet their short- and long-term goals. Seyfarth Shaw’s attorneys comprise one of the country’s leading practice groups offering sophisticated counsel to lenders engaged in the full range of real estate transactions. Working with the lending and capital markets groups of a diverse array of financial institutions and companies, they structure and negotiate loans and other credit facilities, handle loan administration and servicing issues and represent the interests of their clients in loan defaults, workouts, foreclosures, and borrower bankruptcies.

“Based on his significant experience and knowledge, Carl is an asset to Atlanta and the national real estate group,” noted Paul P. Mattingly, managing partner of the Firm’s Atlanta office. “Carl is recognized as one of the leading land use lawyers in the Atlanta market and is extremely well regarded in both the legal community and the general business community of Atlanta. I am delighted to welcome him to the firm.”

Westmoreland received a B.A. from the University of Georgia and earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in GA and is a member of the Atlanta Bar Association, Real Property Section and the State Bar of Georgia, Local Government Section and Real Property Section. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cathedral of St. Philip, the Governing Board of the Capital City Club and is Co-Chairman of the Big Head Society for Children's Healthcare.

“I am very pleased to have the opportunity to join Seyfarth Shaw,” stated Westmoreland. “The firm’s strong and growing national real estate practice is a major incentive to join the partnership and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Atlanta and throughout the firm to expand our collective practice."

Seyfarth Shaw has over 700 attorneys located in nine offices throughout the United States including Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento as well as Brussels, Belgium. Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of business transactions, labor and employment, employee benefits and litigation. The firm’s practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country’s business community. Clients include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities. For more information, please visit http://www.seyfarth.com.

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