James C. Fleming today was named vice president and associate general counsel for Southern Company. Fleming previously served as a partner for the Troutman Sanders law firm since 1985, specializing in financial issues and federal and state tax law.

“We are very fortunate to find a senior attorney of Jim’s capabilities and experience as Southern Company moves into an era that will be increasingly concerned with complex transactions,” said Steve Wakefield, Southern Company senior vice president and general counsel.

Before joining Troutman Sanders, Fleming served in private practice for 22 years and worked for six years in the Office of Regional Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service.

Fleming is an attorney and a member of the Georgia and Florida Bars. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Florida. He also earned a master’s degree in tax law from Emory University.

Fleming has served as Chairman, Section of Taxation for the State Bar of Georgia and Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service/American Bar Association Southeast Region Liaison Committee. He also served as an Adjunct Professor for the Emory University School of Law from 1979 through 1993.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the largest producer of electricity in the United States, is the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company, through its Southern Energy Inc. subsidiary, supplies electricity in 10 countries on four continents. Southern Company also provides energy-related marketing, trading and technical services and Southern LINC wireless telecommunications.