Don Nelms is the leader of the firm’s Business & Finance service group, which includes teams of attorneys and professionals specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate compliance, private equity and venture capital, REITs, timber investments and corporate governance.  

Mr. Nelms concentrates his practice in corporate and financial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, lender and borrower financing transactions and securities offerings and private placements of both debt and equity securities.  He has extensive experience representing lenders in syndicated loan transactions.  Mr. Nelms advises corporate and financial institution clients on corporate governance and control issues and has completed several going-private transactions for financial institution clients. He has represented both public and private company borrowers in a variety of financing transactions, including revolving credits, term loans, project loans, mezzanine loans and acquisition financings. He has also served as underwriter's counsel on tax-exempt bond offerings.

Prior to joining Powell Goldstein, Mr. Nelms was a member of a major regional law firm in eastern North Carolina representing corporate, financial institution and healthcare clients. He also has been president of a manufacturing company in North Carolina.  Mr. Nelms has been a member of two other Atlanta law firms, where he practiced in the areas of secured lending, banking and commercial real estate.