Cari Dawson, partner in the firm’s Litigation & Trial Practice Group, has been selected for the 2024 National Bar Association Commercial Law Section (NBA CLS) Cora T. Walker Award. This award celebrates a National Bar Association member with a long-standing history of supporting the Commercial Law Section and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession.
In bestowing the award, the NBA CLS recognized Cari’s commitment as a role model for Black attorneys entering the legal profession through private practice and seeking to thrive at “Big Law.” She is a long-time member of the Section and served on the NBA CLS Executive Committee from 2014 to 2021. Cari has practiced complex commercial litigation for 30 years at Alston & Bird and currently serves as co-chair of Alston & Bird’s Class Action & Multidistrict Litigation Team. Cari has served on the firm’s Associates, Hiring, Pro Bono, and Diversity committees, mentored countless attorneys of all backgrounds, and was the second Black woman to be elected partner at Alston in 2000. Cari has a winning record defending Fortune 500 companies as lead counsel in high-profile cases nationwide and regularly serves as national coordinating counsel, lead settlement counsel, and pre-litigation strategic counselor for clients in crisis.
The National Bar Association’s Commercial Law Section is focused on serving the community, expanding the pipeline of African Americans entering the legal profession, and creating business development opportunities among its members and beyond.