Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP is pleased to welcome five attorneys – one of counsel and four associates – to its practice. In Atlanta, of counsel Melissa A. Baratian is rejoining the Firm’s Real Estate Development & Finance Practice, associate Bettina T. Drake is joining the Firm’s Real Estate Capital Markets Practice, associate Catherine E. Morgen is joining the Firm’s Real Estate Development & Finance Practice, Jonathan A. Waldman has recently joined the Firm’s Corporate & Commercial Litigation Practice, and Theodore E. Woodward has recently joined the Firm’s Real Estate Development & Finance Practice.

"The firm is delighted to welcome our newest attorneys," stated Louise M. Wells, Managing Partner. "Adding top-quality attorneys at varying stages of their careers in a variety of practice groups are all signs pointing to an exciting 2010 for Morris, Manning & Martin."

Melissa A. Baratian rejoins MMM after spending time with a major international law firm. Baratian has a wide variety of experience representing developers, particularly in the areas of mixed-use developments, multifamily residential developments and industrial and commercial/flex projects, as well as office and retail developments. Baratian received her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and B.A. in International and Russian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bettina T. Drake joins MMM from Atlanta’s largest law firm. Drake’s experience includes the representation of issuers in a range of corporate finance transactions and securities matters including public and private securities offerings. Drake received her J.D. from the University of Virginia and B.S. from Emory University.

Catherine E. Morgen joins MMM after previously working with another limited liability partnership. Morgen’s experience includes representing investors and developers in leases, acquisitions, dispositions and joint venture agreements, as well as representing institutional lenders, borrowers and investors, including REITs, national banks and life insurance companies in real estate finance transactions. Morgen received her J.D. from the University of Virginia and B.A. from Florida State University.

Jonathan A. Waldman recently joined the firm’s expanding Corporate & Commercial Litigation Practice. Waldman focuses on products liability. He received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and B.S. from Case Western Reserve University.

Theodore E. Woodward recently joined the firm’s Real Estate & Development Practice. Woodward routinely handles a variety of real estate matters including the drafting and negotiation of leases, loan financing, land purchases, title review, and loan workouts and foreclosures. He received his J.D. from Emory University School of Law and B.A. from Yale University.

About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

With our roots in the Southeast, Morris, Manning & Martin (www.mmmlaw.com) is a full-service law firm with national and international reach. We dedicate ourselves to the constant pursuit of our clients’ success. To provide our clients with optimal value, we combine market-leading legal services with a total understanding of their needs to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and opportunity. MMM enjoys national prominence for its green industry, healthcare, intellectual property, capital markets, environmental, insurance, mergers & acquisitions, technology, timberland and forest products, real estate, and litigation practices. MMM has offices in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah, Taipei, Beijing and Washington, D.C. and now an alliance with FGCN in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Media Contact: Terri Thornton, Thornton Communications (404) 932-4347 terri@territhornton.com