Smith Anderson Welcomes Six Associate Attorneys

Raleigh, N.C. – Smith Anderson, the largest business and litigation law firm headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area, announces that six new attorneys have joined the Firm as Associates. The Firm welcomes Andrew P. Atkins, Alexander M. Bowling, Lauren H. Bradley, Alexander Horn, David M. Ruff and Deborah R. Tarwasokono.

Andrew Atkins practices within the Firm’s Construction and Commercial Litigation practice groups. He represents owners, contractors and developers in multi-party disputes involving public and private commercial projects, as well as has regular involvement with commercial, contract and business-related disputes. Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Andrew served as a Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Mark Martin, Supreme Court of North Carolina. He also practiced at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, United States Department of the Treasury (OCC). While in law school, Andrew served as Institute Editor of the North Carolina Banking Institute Journal. He graduated from the University of North Carolina with a B.A. in Political Science and Economics, with highest distinction, and earned a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, with high honors, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.                

Alex Bowling practices in the areas of securities law, corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions. His practice focuses on public offerings and private placements of securities, corporate governance and compliance matters, and general corporate representation.  While attending law school, Alex served as the North Carolina Issue Editor and a Staff Member for the North Carolina Law Review. He graduated from the University of North Carolina with a B.A. in History, with distinction, and earned a Masters in Teaching. He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, with high honors, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Lauren Bradley focuses on complex contract disputes, product liability defense and government contracting.  Prior to joining Smith Anderson, she completed a clerkship for the Honorable Cheri Beasley at the North Carolina Court of Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court. Additionally, Lauren interned for the Honorable Martha A. Geer at the North Carolina Court of Appeals and for the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. While in law school, she served as a Comments Editor and Staff Member for the North Carolina Law Review and authored North Carolina’s Arrested Development: Fourth Amendment Problems in the DNA Database Act of 2010. Lauren graduated from the University of North Carolina with a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology, with highest distinction, and earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, with high honors, and was elected to the Order of the Coif. 

Alexander Horn joins Smith Anderson after practicing with Nixon Peabody in Boston where he advised public and private companies, banks, finance companies, investment funds and other investors in a broad range of debt financing transactions, including syndicated and single-lender credit facilities, leveraged buyouts, and mergers and acquisitions.  Prior to his time at Nixon Peabody, Alex worked in the securities lending division of State Street Bank in Boston, assisting with legal and regulatory compliance matters.  During law school, he was a legal intern in the Boston area office of the FDIC and served as a summer clerk for the Hon. Lorraine M. Weil, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut.  Alex graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts with a B.A. and earned his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law where he also served as executive editor of the Connecticut Journal of International Law. 

David Ruff joins Smith Anderson’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Venture Capital practice groups after practicing at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in New York.  He represents a broad range of domestic and international, public and private companies in a variety of transactions and across industries. He advises in public offerings of equity securities and SEC compliance matters; represents clients in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private placements, joint ventures and venture capital transactions; and counsels clients in outsourcing and other strategic partnership agreements. David graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish, cum laude, and earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, with honors. 

Deborah Tarwasokono  focuses her practice on private equity and other financing transactions, tax, and other commercial and corporate matters. Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Deborah worked at a privately-owned investment firm based in Hong Kong. She graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina with a B.A. in Economics, magna cum laude, and earned a law degree from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, with honors.

About Smith Anderson

Since our founding in 1912, Smith Anderson has grown to more than 120 attorneys and is the largest law firm headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area.  We serve clients ranging in size from large public companies to emerging growth businesses, providing a full range of legal services to assist our diverse and dynamic group of national and international clients in accomplishing their goals. Many of our lawyers previously practiced with prestigious national and international firms and have attended some of the nation’s leading law schools. As a result, the wide breadth of knowledge and experience of our attorneys makes us well-positioned to handle some of the most complicated and sophisticated litigation and business matters that our clients face. For more information, please visit www.SmithLaw.com.