Brett Thompson

Brett A. Ross is a shareholder at Carr Allison and is resident in the firm’s Birmingham (AL) office. His practice focuses on transportation and in this arena, he has worked on all possible case types, including wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, cargo claims, employment matters, workers’ compensation, collections and on-site accident investigation. Brett has successfully handled more than 50 wrongful death claims in Alabama. He is also a member of Carr Allison’s accident...

Richard Smith, one of the founding partners of Christian & Small and a partner with its predecessor, Rives & Peterson, has been an integral member of the firm’s litigation group for his entire legal career. He served as the firm’s Managing Partner for five years. Richard’s practice focuses primarily on complex and corporate litigation for clients in the financial services, health care and construction industries, as well as corporate entities in other industries. His...

Joseph Leavens is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Construction. Joseph, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Lee H. Zell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) and Litigation - Securities. Lee H., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lee H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

C. Grady Moore III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. C. Grady, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which C. Grady is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

T. Scott Kelly, a shareholder in the Birmingham office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak, & Stewart, provides practical solutions for federal contractors and subcontractors across the United States to comply with the ever-changing affirmative action obligations imposed by doing business with the federal government. He advocates on behalf of his clients in compliance evaluations and administrative enforcement actions trigged by the United States Department of Labor's Office of Federal Cont...

Ralph Yeilding is Chair of the firm's Trusts and Estates Practice Group. His primary areas of practice include estate and gift tax planning, estate and trust administration, IRS estate and gift tax audits and litigation, and state court probate and trust litigation. Ralph regularly advises individuals and fiduciaries on a broad range of estate, trust and probate matters, including rendering advice concerning estate and gift tax planning, and drafting wills, trusts, family LLC's, limited partn...

Adam K. Israel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Adam K., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Herbert H. West, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Herbert H., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Herbert H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Having already established a reputation as a trial lawyer with another firm, Scott Powell came to Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton as a full partner in 1986. Since that time, his diverse practice has taken him throughout the states of Alabama, Arkansas, and Missouri as well as Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, and Louisiana. Among the types of cases he has handled include litigation under the False Claims Act for qui tam plaintiffs, class action litigation involving complex legal issues, commer...