Ellen T. Mathews

Mr. Crawford is the leader of the Firm’s corporate practice and emphasizes mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, federal and state tax planning and litigation, and representation of health-care providers. He has been trial and appellate counsel in numerous federal and state tax cases, including O’Neal v. United States, 258 F.3d 1265 (11 Cir. 2001), Alabama Department of Revenue v. Sonat, Inc., 752 So.2d 1211 (Ala. 1999), and Lloyd Noland Foundation, Inc. v. City of Fairf...

Melinda Mathews is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. She serves as the co-chair of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group. Melinda helps clients navigate complex trust and estate matters to manage and preserve their wealth. She focuses on business and succession planning, estate planning for individuals and families, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, as well as probates and trusts. Melinda also taught estate planning as an adjunct...

Graham Gerhardt represents financial institutions in civil litigation throughout the country. He regularly assists clients in both the forward mortgage and reverse mortgage industries. Graham frequently litigates in federal court where he defends lenders and loan servicers accused of violating federal statutes, most commonly TILA, RESPA, the FDCPA, the FCRA, and the TCPA. He also represents clients in state court, defending against claims such as wrongful foreclosure, fraud and deceptive trad...

Ginny Cochran Rutledge is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law and Real Estate Law. Ginny Cochran, who practices law in Homewood, Alabama, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ginny Cochran is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dana B. Hill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Dana B., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dana B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Pamela Payne Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trade Secrets Law and Trademark Law. Pamela Payne, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Pamela Payne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Donald Johnson is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Tax practice group. Don counsels business owners and businesses in areas of mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, and tax and business planning. He counsels developers and investors with regard to real estate income tax planning, including capital gain planning, like-kind exchanges, opportunity zone planning, tax incentives, and debt restructurings and workouts. Don represen...

Keith Windle is chairman of the firm's Real Estate Practice Group and a member of the firm's Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. His primary areas of practice include real estate finance and development, commercial lending, foreclosure law, retail property leasing, and low-income housing investment and development. While maintaining a general real estate practice, Keith has devoted a substantial portion of his practice to representing banks and financial institutions in connection ...

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

Matt Lembke, one of five Bradley Arant Boult Cummings lawyers to have clerked for the Supreme Court of the United States, has the broad range of skills necessary to be effective in representing clients at both the trial and appellate levels. He has applied those skills for more than 16 years in dozens of high-stakes cases. Matt has extensive experience in handling appeals pending in both state and federal courts, including arguing cases in the Alabama Supreme Court and the D.C., Fifth, and El...