Mr. Speer¿s practice is concen¿trated in the areas of corporate and securities law and mergers and acquisitions. He is a graduate of Duke University and the Duke University School of Law. He is a frequent lecturer and panelist at the seminars sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute, American Bar Association subcommittees on banking and business law, and the Georgia Bar Associ¿ation in the areas of corporate and securities law, leveraged buy¿outs, and professional liability of accountants. Mr. Speer is a member of the Federal Regulation of Securities and Small Business Committees of the Section of Corporation, Banking, and Business Law of the American Bar Association, and a member of the Securities Subcommittee of the Corporate and Banking Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. Mr. Speer is a partner of the Atlanta law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy.