Emmet Bondurant is a nationally recognized trial lawyer with more than 45 years of experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He is widely known as one of the top attorneys in the United States in antitrust law, and has secured favorable results for his clients in a wide variety of other areas including patent, securities, trade secret, professional malpractice, and complex corporate disputes in both federal and state trial and appellate courts. According to Best Lawyers, who named him 2010 Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust and Bet-the-Company Litigation, “Emmet Bondurant is the go-to lawyer when a business person just can’t afford to lose a lawsuit.”

In addition to the Best Lawyers accolade, Emmet was named one of the top ten trial lawyers in the United States by the National Law Journal. He is regularly listed among the nation’s leading lawyers for antitrust and commercial litigation by Chambers USA.

Emmet’s career has included a strong commitment to community service and pro bono litigation, including death penalty, habeas corpus, reapportionment, and other civil rights and constitutional cases. He has served as President and a Director of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Chairman and a member of the National Board of Common Cause, and Chairman of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council (2003-2007).

Emmet is the author of various articles on constitutional law and local governmental issues and has spoken at numerous seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta Bar Association, Practicing Law Institute, Federal Publications, American Management Association, and University of Georgia Continuing Legal Education, on legal subjects including Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Banking Law, Evidence, Criminal Antitrust Problems, Ethics, Federal Practice and Procedure, Georgia Civil Practice and Uniform Commercial Code.

Representative Work

Reversed a $456 million judgment against client Weyerhauser on appeal. The case involved a contractual dispute over whether Weyerhaeuser had agreed to indemnify Paragon for a patent infringement claim.

Successfully defended the Hospital Authority of Albany-Dougherty County in defeating antitrust violation claims brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Georgia State Attorney General’s office. The FTC sought to enjoin the $195 million acquisition of Palmyra Medical Center by the Hospital Authority of Albany-Dougherty County. A district court judge ruled that the Hospital Authority and other defendants were immune from antitrust claims, dismissed the FTC’s complaint with prejudice, and denied the FTC’s request for an injunction to prevent closing of the $195 million all-cash deal to acquire the 248-bed Palmyra hospital. The 11th Circuit Court affirmed the ruling and allowed the acquisition to move forward. Bondurant Mixson lawyers represented the Hospital Authority in Federal Court, the 11th Circuit Court, and during the FTC’s administrative process.

Represented one of the world’s largest airlines in a variety of class action lawsuits filed around the country asserting claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.

Obtained a defense verdict for Wyle Laboratories that the National Law Journal recognized as one of the Top 10 defense verdicts of the year 2000. The firm successfully defeated the plaintiff’s claim for $150 million in damages.

Groundbreaking Cases in the Public Interest

Representing a group of voters in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District in securing a 6-3 victory at the U.S. Supreme Court. The court’s majority in Wesberry v. Sanders holds that a 1931 apportionment plan that resulted in the 5th District’s congressman representing two to three times as many voters as congressmen from the state’s other districts discriminated against voters of the 5th District, which at the time included Fulton, DeKalb and Rockdale counties.

Successfully represented lawyer Elizabeth A. Hishon before the U.S. Supreme Court under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act for sex discrimination. The court’s decision ruled that law firms are subject to federal discrimination laws, even though they are private partnerships.

Professional Activities

Member, American College of Trial Lawyers

Member, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

Member, American Law Institute

Member, American Bar Foundation

Member, American Bar Association

Member, American Judicature Society

Member, State Bar of Georgia

Member, Atlanta Bar Association

Member, Lawyers Club of Atlanta

Honors and Awards

2012 Atlanta Lawyer of the Year for Arbitration and First Amendment litigation, Best Lawyers in America

2010 Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust and Bet-the-Company Litigation, Best Lawyers in America

American Inns of Court 2011 Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Award for Professionalism and Ethics

One of Top Ten Trial Lawyers in the United States, National Law Journal

Leading Antitrust Lawyer, Chambers USA

Georgia Super Lawyer, Atlanta Magazine (received most votes from 2004-2008)

Georgia Local Litigation Star, Benchmark Plaintiff 2012

Harold G. Clarke Equal Justice Award, Georgia Indigent Defense Council

Elbert P. Tuttle Jurisprudence Award, Anti-Defamation League

500 Leading Trial Lawyers in the United States, Lawdragon

Distinguished Service Scroll Award