Christopher C. "Chris" Yearout

Emily Ruzic advises leading natural gas pipeline companies and other infrastructure clients on issues involving location, land acquisition, construction, and operations. Currently, she is advising on multiple large-scale pipeline projects in the Southeast, including serving as the lead outside lawyer on several significant projects for one of the country’s largest energy companies. Emily also regularly litigates land and operational issues, including disputes over survey access, eminent...

Brandon Hughey is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. While he has advised clients in many aspects of federal and state taxation, Brandon’s practice currently focuses on partnership taxation and the representation of lenders and investors in connection with affordable housing transactions using tax credits under Section 42 and 47 of the Internal Revenue Code and housing and historic state tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, tax-exempt loans, MTEBs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt, HOME loan...

Since 1993, Mr. Warren has represented employers in the employment and labor law field, with an emphasis on litigation prevention counseling and employment litigation defense. Mr. Warren has served as lead counsel in numerous bench and jury trials at the state and federal level and on state and federal appeals. He became a founding member of Ogletree Deakins’ Birmingham office in 1997. Mr. Warren’s litigation prevention counseling includes areas such as training employees and supe...

Mike Brown is the head of the Real Estate Litigation Team at the firm. Mike is a member of the firm’s Environmental and Toxic Tort Practice Group and the General Litigation Practice Group. Mike’s emphasis in both practice groups is on real property and land use matters. Because of this emphasis in his practice, Mike also works very closely with the Real Estate Group. For the past several years, Mike has served as an adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama School of Law wher...

Rusty has extensive experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate and tax law. Rusty works with closely held and family businesses on business planning and taxation, including their formation, operation and sale. He is recognized as being highly knowledgeable in tax issues related to estate and succession planning, trusts and probate.

Kelly Lewis is a partner in the tax practice and leads the tax credit finance team. For the majority of her practice, Kelly has focused exclusively on representing investors and lenders in LIHTC transactions across the country. Kelly focuses on all aspects of the representation of lenders and investors in connection with affordable housing transactions, including the use of traditional construction and permanent financing, federal and state tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, tax exempt loans, MTE...

Kenneth D. Sansom is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Kenneth D. practices law in Birmingham, Alabama Best Lawyers has recognized Kenneth D. Sansom since 2014. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition refle...

Wood Herren concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate transactions, federal, state and local taxation, exempt organizations, emerging businesses, health care organizations and industrial development. He is also regularly involved in transactions for the purchase, sale, lease and exchange of private aircraft. Wood advises clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including structuring, financing, and negotiation of business acquisitions and dispositions, entity conversions, join...

Douglas L. McWhorter was graduated with a B.A. from Samford University in 1967. He also holds an MBA from Samford University from 1978. In addition, he was graduated from law school at Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, in 1973. He also holds an LL.M. degree from the University of Mississippi from 1976. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He has been a member of the Alabama Bar Association since 1973. He practices with the firm of Dominick, Feld, Hyde P.C. in Birmingham, Alabama, in ...

Partner Brad Hightower has been practicing law since 2002, and focuses his practice on commercial and bankruptcy litigation. He routinely handles complex issues that arise in business reorganization, restructuring and liquidations. Prior to joining the firm, Brad interned with the Executive Office of the President in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for supplying science and technology articles to the White House website. Brad also completed a two year clerkship with the Honorable Margaret...