Balch & Bingham Welcomes Nine New Associates

Balch & Bingham is pleased to welcome nine new associates to the firm: Meredith Burgess, Raine Cook, Robert Ezell, Ames Filippini, Riley Kate Lancaster, Victoria Neal, Madi Seymour, Laura Sheffield and Jadyn Taylor. These attorneys will work across the firm’s footprint in its nationally recognized Banking & Financial Services, Corporate & Commercial, Environmental & Natural Resources, Labor & Employment and Litigation Practices.

Meredith Burgess joins the Birmingham office as a member of the Environmental & Natural Resources Practice. She received her J.D. from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin School of Law, cum laude, in 2023 and served as the executive student works editor for the Florida Journal of International Law. Meredith received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for both Conservation Clinic and Trial Practice in 2022. She advises clients on a broad range of environmental regulatory compliance issues. Her practice focuses on representing industrial clients, utilities, and other business interests in environmental matters. She also advises clients on changes to various federal and state regulations. Meredith is licensed to practice in Alabama.

Raine Cook joins the Birmingham office as a member of the Corporate & Commercial Practice. She received her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2023 and served as senior editor for the Alabama Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. Raine received third place in the 2023 Nelson Mandela International Negotiations Competition. She is a recipient of the highly regarded CALI Excellence for the Future Award for her work done as a judicial clerk in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in 2022 and also for her externship with Shipt’s in-house counsel in 2023. Raine’s practice focuses on a wide variety of corporate matters. She represents clients through all phases of commercial transactions—from entity formation, day-to-day corporate matters, and eventual dissolution. In addition to her general corporate practice, Raine advises clients in all types of energy transactions and the various legal and regulatory issues that may arise in conjunction with those transactions. She also assists clients in the areas of estate planning and trust administration. Raine is licensed to practice in Alabama.

Robert Ezell joins the Birmingham office as a member of the Banking & Financial Services Practice. He received his J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law in 2023. Prior to attending law school, Robert worked as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for a large public accounting firm. He focuses his practice on commercial lending and real estate transactions including acquisition, financing and development. Robert is licensed to practice in Alabama.

Ames Filippini joins the Birmingham office as a member of the Labor & Employment Practice. She received her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2020 and previously worked in private practice for another firm. Prior to joining Balch, Ames clerked for the Honorable Kelly F. Pate, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. She has a varied practice in civil litigation, including labor and employment, class action, and wrongful death matters. Ames is licensed to practice in Alabama and Georgia.

Riley Kate Lancaster joins the Birmingham office as a member of the Litigation Practice. She received her J.D. from Cumberland School of Law, cum laude, in 2023. Riley Kate focuses on a variety of civil litigation matters for institutional, private, and agency clients. She assists clients during all phases of litigation in both state and federal courts. Before graduating, Riley Kate was a winner of the 2023 American Association for Justice Regional Trial Advocacy Competition and a finalist at Nationals. She also received a Best Advocate Award at the Syracuse trial competition, the CALI Scholar of Merit Award for Deposition Skills, and the Ramona C. Albin Impact Award. Riley Kate is licensed to practice in Alabama.

Victoria Neal joins the Gulfport office as a member of the Corporate & Commercial Practice. She received her J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2023, with a concentration in sports and entertainment. Victoria’s practice focuses on regulatory compliance and complex commercial transactions. She advises electric public utility clients with respect to regulated and unregulated commercial transactions including small and large generator interconnection agreements, broadband franchise agreements, the development of solar facility projects, and other infrastructure related products and services. Her practice also regularly includes the provision of advice in connection with water and sewer utility regulation and transactions including the merger and acquisition of water and sewer systems throughout the U.S. Victoria counsels and supports a variety of clients more broadly in connection with general corporate transactions and compliance issues such as entity formation, corporate governance, and membership interest and asset purchase agreements. Prior to joining Balch, she worked at the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Victoria is licensed to practice in Alabama and expects to be licensed in Mississippi in 2024.

Madi Seymour joins the Gulfport office as a member of the Litigation Practice. She received her J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law, summa cum laude, in 2023. Madi received the 2023 Board Member of the Year award for the Trial Advocacy Board. She represents individuals and corporations in a range of civil litigation areas. Madi helps clients through all stages of discovery and dispute resolution. She dedicates herself to developing creative and successful solutions for clients. Madi is licensed to practice in Mississippi.

Laura Sheffield joins the Jackson office as a member of the Litigation Practice. She received her J.D. from Cornell University in 2022 and served as the article editor for the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. Laura was recognized as 2023 Alumna of the Year from the Mississippi College History and Political Science Department. Her practice focuses on labor and employment and general litigation. Laura’s previous experience as a judicial law clerk at the Mississippi Supreme Court gives her a unique perspective that allows her to better serve clients. She is licensed to practice in Mississippi.

Jadyn Taylor joins the Atlanta office as a member of the Litigation Practice. She received her J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 2023. Jadyn served as the president for the Student Bar Association for two years. She was a member of the Emory Law Mock Trial Society and also of the winning team for the William W. Daniel Mock Trial Competition. She focuses her practice on civil litigation, advising and representing clients in matters involving complex commercial litigation, property disputes, personal injury and wrongful death, and intellectual property. Jadyn is licensed to practice in Georgia.