Alston & Bird Partner Joins Atlanta Office Of Burr & Forman
June 26, 2008
Betsy P. Collins, a seasoned litigator whose career spans more than two decades, has joined Burr
& Forman LLP as a partner in the law firm’s Atlanta office. Collins, who most recently
was a partner with Alston & Bird LLP, is a skilled trial advocate whose practice includes
insurance litigation, class action litigation, complex commercial and business litigation, and
securities litigation with an emphasis on responsibilities of directors and officers in privately
and publicly held corporations.
“We are thrilled to have Betsy on board,” said Martin Tilson, managing partner of Burr &
Forman’s Atlanta office. “Her broad litigation expertise and significant experience in
communicating with juries make her a valuable addition to our insurance and commercial litigation
groups here at Burr & Forman.”
Some of Collins’ most successful jury trials include representation of insurance clients in
matters related to unfair competition. In 2004 and 2002, she tried cases involving issues
with regard to variable annuity products, benefit structures, sales practices and pricing that
resulted in verdicts on behalf of her client for $45 million and $50 million, respectively.
Another past trial victory includes a defense verdict in 2004 on behalf of director defendants
accused of fraud by silence and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with their simultaneous
service on the boards of two public companies with conflicting interests.
Previously, Collins served as first vice president and assistant general counsel for a large
life insurance company in Birmingham.
Collins has an active litigation practice in both Georgia and Alabama. Currently, she
is contracted to write a book for the Product Liability Institute on the subject of business and
commercial insurance lines. She was named in Guide to the World's Leading Insurance &
Reinsurance Lawyers, 7th Edition, and Who's Who Legal (Insurance): Georgia 2007. She received
her J.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as associate editor
of the Alabama Law Review, and her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Judson College.
About Burr & Forman LLP
Combining a 103-year history in the Southeast, Burr & Forman LLP's experienced legal
team serves clients with local, national and international interests in several industry and
practice areas including admiralty & maritime, agribusiness, antitrust & trade regulation,
appellate, automotive, business, commercial banking & finance, class actions, commercial
litigation, condominium law, construction, creditors' rights workouts & insolvencies, economic
development, employee benefits, entertainment, environmental & land use, financial services,
healthcare, insurance, intellectual property & technology, labor & employment,
manufacturing, mergers & acquisitions, product liability, real estate development, securities,
tax law, telecommunications & media, torts, transportation and trusts & estates. Over 200
attorneys in offices in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee draw from a diverse
range of resources and expertise to help clients achieve their goals. For more information
visit the firm's Web site at
www.burr.com.
Burr & Forman’s Atlanta office of 35 attorneys also provides a broad range of
services. Specific areas of deep expertise include banking, bankruptcy, communications and
media, construction, corporate law, economic development, healthcare, insurance, labor and
employment, real estate, securities, and technology.