Alston & Bird today announced that its partners have selected William H. (“Bill”) Jordan to serve as the global law firm’s Managing Partner starting in January 2027. Bill succeeds Richard Hays, who has served in the role since 2008 and decided last year to transition out of the role in January 2027.
“I’m proud of all that we have accomplished over the past 18 years, and I am even more bullish about our firm’s future under Bill’s leadership,” said Richard. “We have assembled an incredibly talented group of lawyers working with the best clients across industries. Bill brings fresh energy, proven leadership, and commitment to our firm’s core values of collaboration and transparent governance.”
During Richard’s tenure, Alston & Bird was one of only 12 Am Law 50 firms to average double-digit growth in revenue and profitability over the last five years. Since Richard’s election as Managing Partner in 2006, the firm has substantially grown in New York, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C. while expanding its geographic footprint by opening four offices in California: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Century City; establishing its European presence in London and Brussels; and entering the Dallas and Chicago markets. The firm also continued to be recognized on the nation’s premier list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” and is the only law firm to receive that recognition for 27 consecutive years.
“I’m honored and humbled to have my colleagues’ trust as we build on our legacy and embrace vast opportunities for innovation, including AI and other technology,” said Bill. “As we move forward into an exciting new era, we are guided by Alston & Bird’s longstanding dedication to excellent client service, deep industry knowledge to solve our clients’ most complex legal problems, and seamless collaboration across our practices and offices.”
Since joining Alston & Bird after graduating from Emory University School of Law in 1995, Bill has held numerous leadership roles. He currently serves on the firmwide executive management team and co-leads the firm’s 400-lawyer Litigation Area. In 2001, Bill was called to government service – taking on a series of senior roles in the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Division and the Associate Attorney General’s office, where he supervised litigation and investigations nationwide – before returning to Alston & Bird in 2004. Bill has drawn on his public service experience to represent companies and executives in their most sensitive and important litigation and government investigations, including matters in every federal judicial circuit and across the country. He has worked extensively in health care, technology, and numerous other sectors.
Alston & Bird is a leading international law firm with core practices spanning corporate M&A, finance, and advisory work; complex litigation; intellectual property; and tax. Industry practices include financial services, technology, health care, manufacturing, life sciences, and energy. With a relentless focus on excellence in client service and teamwork, Alston & Bird has built a global reputation for its outstanding culture since its founding in 1893.