Download vCardEducation
- J.D., Emory University School of Law
- B.A., Louisiana State University
Bar Memberships
- Georgia
Vincent Russo
BACK
Vincent Russo represents clients in a wide range of complex business disputes, including state and federal litigation involving securities and real estate investments, contract claims, violations of fiduciary duties, trade secrets, derivative actions, and other business torts. Vincent also has over a decade of experience representing clients in highly regulated industries in a variety of government and policy matters, and he is considered an expert in election law and campaign finance in Georgia.
Vincent’s practice regularly involves issues at the intersection of law, politics, and public policy. He is the legal counsel for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s campaign and leadership committee. He has also been appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General to represent the State of Georgia in various litigation. In recent years, Vincent has been tapped to represent the Governor and the Secretary of State of Georgia in matters before the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives, including inquiries by the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. He has also represented the NRCC and the NRSC in various election cycles, and previously served as the General Counsel for the Georgia Republican Party.
In January 2019, Vincent was appointed by Governor Kemp to serve as co-Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission — a 25-member Commission created by Executive Order of the Governor to evaluate and recommend individuals for appointment to the bench. The Fulton County Daily Report selected Vincent as one of 14 attorneys to its “On the Rise” class for 2019, and James Magazine named him as one of Georgia’s Most Influential Attorneys. Vincent has also been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers as one of the top rated Business Litigation attorneys in Georgia in 2020-2023, and as a Georgia Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Business Litigation in 2017-2019.
Prior to joining the Firm, Vincent was the General Counsel for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, where he served as the chief legal counsel in the administrations of Brian Kemp and Karen Handel. During that time, he also served as the Assistant Commissioner of Securities for the State of Georgia and oversaw the state’s regulation of the securities industry, including investigations and enforcement actions under the Georgia Uniform Securities Act.
Vincent is a graduate of Emory University School of Law, where he was the recipient of the James C. Pratt Memorial Award, selected to the Order of the Barristers, and served as the Director of the Emory Moot Court Society (2005-2006). Vincent earned undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science from Louisiana State University and was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Medal of Distinguished Service.
Selected Cases and Representations Experience
- Settled executive contract arbitration in which we sued a high growth company on behalf of a former officer and director who had been terminated. Without disclosing the parties or other identifying facts due to the confidential nature of the settlement, we obtained a settlement for the executive valued at $10.75 million in cash and stock.
- Represented the Georgia Republican Party in lawsuit filed by the Democratic Party of Georgia and Stacey Abrams campaign seeking to challenge provisional ballots in the 2018 election and obtain a recount of the statewide 2018 election. The plaintiffs dismissed the lawsuit in January 2019. Democratic Party of Georgia., et al. v. Crittenden, et al. 18-CV-05181 (N.D. Ga. 2018).
- Represented Georgia Congresswoman in a challenge filed in federal court to the results of the 2017 Special Election for Georgia Sixth Congressional District and successfully obtained the dismissal of our client and the claims challenging the results of the election. Curling et al. v. Kemp, et al., 17-CV-2989-AT (N.D. Ga.).
- Represented general partner of a private equity fund in lawsuit alleging shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary duty affecting corporate control and the sale of a portfolio company. Obtained successful settlement for client, including recovery of funds misappropriated by the company’s CEO.
- Obtained dismissal on summary judgment of claims against an investment advisor in a lawsuit filed by investors in an offshore investment fund alleging, among other things, fiduciary misconduct and damages of over $30 million. Viken Securities Limited, et al., v. Dadlani, et al., 2015 WL 4610229.
- Represented individual investor of a large communications solutions provider in a shareholder dispute arising from a corporate acquisition. Obtained a successful pre-litigation settlement for our client, which included a favorable buyout of minority stock.
- Counsel for Groundfloor Finance, Inc. in public securities offerings filed with the SEC under Regulation A, and in prior public offerings filed with the State of Georgia and other state securities regulators through NASAA’s coordinated review process.
- Designed and developed compliance program for registered investment advisor and advised client’s compliance officer and directors on federal and state securities compliance matters.
- Advised and represented a leading company in the craft distillery industry with its reorganization and direct private offering of securities.
- Successfully defended the Muscogee County Board of Elections & Registration and its individual Board members in a voting rights lawsuit filed by Third Sector Development, Inc. alleging irregularities in the voter registration process and obtained dismissal of all claims against our client.
- Prior to joining the firm, Vincent advised the Georgia Secretary of State as the office’s General Counsel in the following cases, among others:
- State of Georgia v. Holder (2010) (involving preclearance under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of Georgia’s voter verification process, which also challenged the constitutionality of the VRA)
- Georgia State Conf. of NAACP v. Kemp (2011) (challenge under Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 regarding the distribution of voter registration applications at public assistance offices in Georgia)
- Green Party of Georgia et al. v. Kemp (2012) (constitutional challenges to Georgia’s signature requirements for ballot access for independent and political body candidates)
- Swann v. Handel (2009) (equal protection challenge to a Georgia law on absentee ballot delivery to jail inmates)
- Morales v. Handel (2008) (challenge to Georgia’s voter verification process under the VRA and Help America Vote Act)
Selected Publications and Presentations
- Crowdfunding in Georgia, Technology Association of Georgia Corporate Development Society (2013, 2016)
- How Intrastate Crowdfunding Will Influence Federal Crowdfunding Laws, 2015 CfPA Annual Summit in Washington, D.C.
- Regulation A+ — Does It Make The Grade?, 34th Annual Georgia Business Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2015)
- Election Law in the Wake of a Changed Voting Rights Act, Government Law CLE hosted by The Seminar Group (2014)
- Entertainment in Exchange for Equity: Using The JOBS Act and Crowdfunding for Entertainment Projects, 2014 Entertainment Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2014)
- The Crowdfunding Revolution: Innovative Funding Solutions in Life Sciences, Georgia Life Sciences Summit (2013)
- Funding Programs Supported by the State of Georgia, Southeastern Medical Device Association and Georgia Bio (2013)
- Securities Regulation Update from the Secretary of State, Georgia Business Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2011, 2012, 2013)
- Current Regulatory Initiatives and Priorities, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regional Member Meeting (2012)
- Coordination of Complaint Intake, Referrals and Whistleblower Programs, SEC Southeastern Securities Conference for Regulators, Investigators and Prosecutors (2011)
Civic and Professional Activities and Awards
- Appointed by Governor Brian Kemp as co-Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission
- Selected to Fulton County Daily Report’s “On the Rise” class for 2019
- Selected by James Magazine to its 2019 List of Georgia’s Most Influential Attorneys
- Selected as a Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine and Atlanta magazine for 2017, 2018, and 2019
- Appointed to the Georgia Secure, Accessible & Fair Elections (SAFE) Commission
- Conservative Policy Leadership Institute, 2016 Fellow
- Lamar Inn of Court, Master
- LEAD Atlanta, Class of 2013
- North American Securities Administrators Association, 2013 Outstanding Service Award
- The Federalist Society, Member
- Lawyer’s Club of Atlanta, Member
- Atlanta Bar Association, Member
- Bleckley Inn of Court, Barrister (2011-2013)
- Georgia Department of Revenue Industry Partners Advisory Group, Member (2016)
- Ansley Park Civic Association, Zoning Board Member
- Trees Atlanta 2017-2018 Root Ball Host Committee
- Krewe of Bacchus, New Orleans, Louisiana, Member
Vincent Russo
Attorney Bio
BACK
Vincent Russo represents clients in a wide range of complex business disputes, including state and federal litigation involving securities and real estate investments, contract claims, violations of fiduciary duties, trade secrets, derivative actions, and other business torts. Vincent also has over a decade of experience representing clients in highly regulated industries in a variety of government and policy matters, and he is considered an expert in election law and campaign finance in Georgia.
Vincent’s practice regularly involves issues at the intersection of law, politics, and public policy. He is the legal counsel for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s campaign and leadership committee. He has also been appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General to represent the State of Georgia in various litigation. In recent years, Vincent has been tapped to represent the Governor and the Secretary of State of Georgia in matters before the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives, including inquiries by the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. He has also represented the NRCC and the NRSC in various election cycles, and previously served as the General Counsel for the Georgia Republican Party.
In January 2019, Vincent was appointed by Governor Kemp to serve as co-Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission — a 25-member Commission created by Executive Order of the Governor to evaluate and recommend individuals for appointment to the bench. The Fulton County Daily Report selected Vincent as one of 14 attorneys to its “On the Rise” class for 2019, and James Magazine named him as one of Georgia’s Most Influential Attorneys. Vincent has also been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers as one of the top rated Business Litigation attorneys in Georgia in 2020-2023, and as a Georgia Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Business Litigation in 2017-2019.
Prior to joining the Firm, Vincent was the General Counsel for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, where he served as the chief legal counsel in the administrations of Brian Kemp and Karen Handel. During that time, he also served as the Assistant Commissioner of Securities for the State of Georgia and oversaw the state’s regulation of the securities industry, including investigations and enforcement actions under the Georgia Uniform Securities Act.
Vincent is a graduate of Emory University School of Law, where he was the recipient of the James C. Pratt Memorial Award, selected to the Order of the Barristers, and served as the Director of the Emory Moot Court Society (2005-2006). Vincent earned undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science from Louisiana State University and was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Medal of Distinguished Service.
Education & Memberships
Education
- J.D., Emory University School of Law
- B.A., Louisiana State University
Bar Memberships
- Georgia
Selected cases & representations
Selected Cases and Representations Experience
- Settled executive contract arbitration in which we sued a high growth company on behalf of a former officer and director who had been terminated. Without disclosing the parties or other identifying facts due to the confidential nature of the settlement, we obtained a settlement for the executive valued at $10.75 million in cash and stock.
- Represented the Georgia Republican Party in lawsuit filed by the Democratic Party of Georgia and Stacey Abrams campaign seeking to challenge provisional ballots in the 2018 election and obtain a recount of the statewide 2018 election. The plaintiffs dismissed the lawsuit in January 2019. Democratic Party of Georgia., et al. v. Crittenden, et al. 18-CV-05181 (N.D. Ga. 2018).
- Represented Georgia Congresswoman in a challenge filed in federal court to the results of the 2017 Special Election for Georgia Sixth Congressional District and successfully obtained the dismissal of our client and the claims challenging the results of the election. Curling et al. v. Kemp, et al., 17-CV-2989-AT (N.D. Ga.).
- Represented general partner of a private equity fund in lawsuit alleging shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary duty affecting corporate control and the sale of a portfolio company. Obtained successful settlement for client, including recovery of funds misappropriated by the company’s CEO.
- Obtained dismissal on summary judgment of claims against an investment advisor in a lawsuit filed by investors in an offshore investment fund alleging, among other things, fiduciary misconduct and damages of over $30 million. Viken Securities Limited, et al., v. Dadlani, et al., 2015 WL 4610229.
- Represented individual investor of a large communications solutions provider in a shareholder dispute arising from a corporate acquisition. Obtained a successful pre-litigation settlement for our client, which included a favorable buyout of minority stock.
- Counsel for Groundfloor Finance, Inc. in public securities offerings filed with the SEC under Regulation A, and in prior public offerings filed with the State of Georgia and other state securities regulators through NASAA’s coordinated review process.
- Designed and developed compliance program for registered investment advisor and advised client’s compliance officer and directors on federal and state securities compliance matters.
- Advised and represented a leading company in the craft distillery industry with its reorganization and direct private offering of securities.
- Successfully defended the Muscogee County Board of Elections & Registration and its individual Board members in a voting rights lawsuit filed by Third Sector Development, Inc. alleging irregularities in the voter registration process and obtained dismissal of all claims against our client.
- Prior to joining the firm, Vincent advised the Georgia Secretary of State as the office’s General Counsel in the following cases, among others:
- State of Georgia v. Holder (2010) (involving preclearance under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of Georgia’s voter verification process, which also challenged the constitutionality of the VRA)
- Georgia State Conf. of NAACP v. Kemp (2011) (challenge under Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 regarding the distribution of voter registration applications at public assistance offices in Georgia)
- Green Party of Georgia et al. v. Kemp (2012) (constitutional challenges to Georgia’s signature requirements for ballot access for independent and political body candidates)
- Swann v. Handel (2009) (equal protection challenge to a Georgia law on absentee ballot delivery to jail inmates)
- Morales v. Handel (2008) (challenge to Georgia’s voter verification process under the VRA and Help America Vote Act)
Selected Publications and Presentations
- Crowdfunding in Georgia, Technology Association of Georgia Corporate Development Society (2013, 2016)
- How Intrastate Crowdfunding Will Influence Federal Crowdfunding Laws, 2015 CfPA Annual Summit in Washington, D.C.
- Regulation A+ — Does It Make The Grade?, 34th Annual Georgia Business Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2015)
- Election Law in the Wake of a Changed Voting Rights Act, Government Law CLE hosted by The Seminar Group (2014)
- Entertainment in Exchange for Equity: Using The JOBS Act and Crowdfunding for Entertainment Projects, 2014 Entertainment Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2014)
- The Crowdfunding Revolution: Innovative Funding Solutions in Life Sciences, Georgia Life Sciences Summit (2013)
- Funding Programs Supported by the State of Georgia, Southeastern Medical Device Association and Georgia Bio (2013)
- Securities Regulation Update from the Secretary of State, Georgia Business Law Institute of the State Bar of Georgia (2011, 2012, 2013)
- Current Regulatory Initiatives and Priorities, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regional Member Meeting (2012)
- Coordination of Complaint Intake, Referrals and Whistleblower Programs, SEC Southeastern Securities Conference for Regulators, Investigators and Prosecutors (2011)
Civic and Professional Activities and Awards
- Appointed by Governor Brian Kemp as co-Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission
- Selected to Fulton County Daily Report’s “On the Rise” class for 2019
- Selected by James Magazine to its 2019 List of Georgia’s Most Influential Attorneys
- Selected as a Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine and Atlanta magazine for 2017, 2018, and 2019
- Appointed to the Georgia Secure, Accessible & Fair Elections (SAFE) Commission
- Conservative Policy Leadership Institute, 2016 Fellow
- Lamar Inn of Court, Master
- LEAD Atlanta, Class of 2013
- North American Securities Administrators Association, 2013 Outstanding Service Award
- The Federalist Society, Member
- Lawyer’s Club of Atlanta, Member
- Atlanta Bar Association, Member
- Bleckley Inn of Court, Barrister (2011-2013)
- Georgia Department of Revenue Industry Partners Advisory Group, Member (2016)
- Ansley Park Civic Association, Zoning Board Member
- Trees Atlanta 2017-2018 Root Ball Host Committee
- Krewe of Bacchus, New Orleans, Louisiana, Member