W. Hampton Morris

Our Partner Emeritus of the firm, Hampton Morris, practiced business law in Atlanta from 1976 until his retirement in December 2025. His primary focus was the representation of local privately held businesses and professional firms. He also served as counsel to national and international firms with a presence in the Atlanta area.

Hampton advised clients on a full range of business law matters, including internal ownership and governance, commercial transactions, risk management, entity choice, mergers and acquisitions, and finance and loan transactions. He frequently served as general counsel for businesses that did not have in-house counsel.

Hampton’s clients benefited from his broad experience structuring business transactions and employment relationships, and in succession planning. His practice was characterized by responsiveness, pragmatism, collegiality, and candor. He served as a trusted legal and business advisor to owners, principals, and managers of Atlanta firms and institutions, some of whom he advised for more than thirty years and whose ownership is multigenerational.

Acquisitions and sales of privately-owned businesses or firms that include, for example, a chemical manufacturer, distributorships, an insurance agency, newspaper and media holding businesses, advertising and public relations firms, a vending machine business, a private security guard and investigation firm, engineering firms, medical practices, construction businesses and firms that provide financial and investment services.

Ongoing advice to privately-held businesses and professional firms in connection with their internal operations (for example, human resources, incentive compensation, employment agreements and restrictive covenants), their ownership and partnership decision-making and the documentation thereof (for example, shareholder and operating agreements), the departure or retirement of owners and the spin-off of business divisions or professional departments, and the representation of individuals in their departures from professional or business organizations and their joining of new firms.

Representation of borrowers in complex financial transactions, including asset-based lending transactions, financing for leveraged buyouts, construction financing and permanent financing for building projects, line of credit financings and mezzanine financing.

Commercial transactions involving the sale and purchase of goods (governed by Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code), distributorship agreements, independent contractor arrangements, sub-contractor and prime contract agreements for construction-related projects, license agreements, and agreements governing professional services.

Entity start-ups and formations, locations of client offices in other jurisdictions, qualification and regulatory dealings with other jurisdictions, and termination of businesses.

Serving as special counsel to privately held businesses for the purpose of advising business owners on the sale or reorganization of their businesses or professional firms.