The latest lawyer to join Atlanta-based law firm Morris, Manning & Martin, over the course of his career, has been a competitor, then a client and now a colleague.

Howard Hirsch has joined the firm as of counsel in its Real Estate Capital Markets Group, effective Sept. 7. Hirsch, who served most recently as general counsel of Griffin Capital and previously as a chief legal officer and corporate secretary to the board of directors of Griffin Realty Trust Inc., a public REIT based in Los Angeles, joins the firm with more than 20 years of experience in REIT law. He will continue to represent his old company, Griffin Capital, in various corporate security matters.