Rusty Conner focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and related strategic matters, with a particular emphasis on financial services companies. Having worked on more than 250 transactions with an aggregate deal value in excess of $100 billion, Mr. Conner has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions of both public and privately held entities, including joint ventures and strategic alliances. He also represents both underwriters and issuers in a variety of securities offerings and private placements. As part of his practice, he regularly advises boards of directors on corporate governance matters and legal and fiduciary duties in the context of strategic decisions.

Mr. Conner is a frequent author and speaker on matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, including deal design and structure, and fiduciary duties of boards of directors. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of banking law, corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions law.

Mr. Conner serves on the Boards of Ford's Theatre, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of the Virginia College Savings Plan.

Mr. Conner serves as Managing Partner of the Washington, DC office and as a member of the Executive and Policy Committees of DLA Piper.

Mr. Conner comes to DLA Piper from Alston & Bird LLP, where he had practiced since completing law school and served as chairman of the firm's executive committee, co-head of the firm's corporate practice, and partner-in-charge of the firm's Washington, DC office.