Mr. Pickering has particular experience in representing software, transaction processing and financial technology companies. In addition to his years of private practice, Mr. Pickering served as general counsel of a Nasdaq listed banking software company with domestic and international operations. In that capacity, Mr. Pickering managed securities compliance, contracting, corporate governance, employment issues, joint ventures, intellectual property licensing and protection, litigation, customer disputes, and mergers and acquisitions. He also managed the sale of the company to a strategic purchaser in London. He currently represents a variety of public and private financial technology and transaction processing companies.

 

Mr. Pickering has formed a multitude of private equity funds, represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies, represents hedge funds with regard to their investments and compliance, and has participated in several large public and private proxy contests and control disputes. 

 

In addition to his corporate experience, Mr. Pickering has extensive experience in the management of corporate governance issues, internal investigations, and litigation management. As general counsel he managed the defense of a class action lawsuit, a Nasdaq delisting action, regulatory inquiries, and an accounting malpractice arbitration. Mr. Pickering participated in a rare class action securities trial, defending the independent board of directors of a public company against multiple claims alleging violations of various securities laws for damages totaling in excess of $1 billion. 

 

Mr. Pickering serves as a director for the Business & Finance Section of the Atlanta Bar and for the Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Southeast.  He is a director of the Tulane Alumni Association and Co-President of the Atlanta Tulane Alumni Club.  He was named a Rising Star in the Atlanta legal community by Atlanta Magazine in 2005 and 2006.  Mr. Pickering is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association and the Atlanta Bar Association.