Frank Springfield

Crystal is a Shareholder in the Firm's Birmingham, Alabama office, whose practice focuses on a broad array of commercial real estate transactions and clients. Drawing on her past experience as Assistant General Counsel for a regional commercial real estate developer with approximately 15,000,000 rentable square feet under management in the southeastern United States and Sunbelt, Crystal advises clients in retail, restaurant, office and industrial and multifamily properties, including leasing,...

April Danielson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Municipal Law. April, 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 April is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Matthew Hinshaw focuses on economic development incentive package structuring and negotiation. Matthew also represents a variety of clients in general corporate and tax matters and assists nonprofit entities with tax and governance issues. He helps clients form new companies, negotiate tax incentive packages, close deals, draft legislation, manage and grow operations, and manage their relationships with local and state government officials. Matthew was privileged to represent clients on two o...

Elizabeth Neal Pitman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. Elizabeth Neal, 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 Elizabeth Neal is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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 ...

A founding member of Christian & Small, Eddie was a long time partner with its predecessor firm, Rives & Peterson, and has been trying cases in federal and state court for more than 30 years. Eddie’s experience includes retail and premises liability, transportation, product liability, pharmaceutical litigation, medical malpractice, and a variety of insurance cases. He combines his courtroom expertise and knowledge with the best technology available, efficient management of rigor...

Nancy Ball practices in the areas of trusts and estates, including estate planning and estate administration, taxation, real estate and corporate law. Nancy is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Birmingham, Inc. and the Alabama Planned Giving Council, and serves as the secretary of the Probate Section of the Birmingham Bar Association. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Nancy is the author of Navigating Estate Planning Before, During and ...

John Goodman has practiced in civil litigation since joining the firm in 1988. He tries cases in state and federal courts, and handles complex litigation in a variety of areas of the law. John's primary areas of practice involve commercial litigation (including antitrust, securities, competitive torts and contract and related disputes), class action and product liability litigation. John is the author and editor of the Alabama chapters of the Aspen publications Product Liability Desk Referenc...

Eric T. Ray is a Partner of the firm and is a member of the Creditors Rights & Bankruptcy and Litigation practice groups. Eric's practice regularly includes the representation of utilities, financial institutions, lenders and other creditors in chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, adversary proceedings and other types of commercial litigation throughout the country. Mr. Ray is experienced in all facets of creditor representation and routinely represents creditors with respect to adequate assuranc...

Stephen represents public companies from a variety of industries on corporate and securities matters, including SEC filings, securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. He also regularly advises private companies and companies preparing to go public on their corporate and securities needs. Stephen’s experience includes advising clients in connection with public and private offerings, corporate governance, joint ventures, takeover defenses, compliance with stock exchange listing ...