Garrett Dennis

Mike Vercher is a partner and former chair of Christian & Small’s Insurance and Financial Services Practice Group. For over 20 years, he has represented insurance companies and their insureds in litigation and coverage disputes. Mike also routinely represents businesses in complex mass tort, workplace exposure, construction, transportation, product liability, premises liability, breach of contract and fraud litigation. He has tried cases as lead counsel in seven different Alabama co...

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...

Kimberly R. West is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law and Insurance Law. Kimberly R., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kimberly R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

John D. Pickering is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. John D., 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 John D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kay is a member of the firm's Corporate Practice and Estate Planning/Probate Practice groups. She is listed in Alabama Super Lawyers in the Estate Planning and Probate, Closely Held Business, and Tax Law categories of law, and she has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America(r) in the fields of Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/Wright, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.). The author of numerous articles regarding tax, corporate ...

James A. Patton, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. James A., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Ralph Smith is special counsel in the Corporate Practice Group. He handles general corporate and business matters, international transactions, healthcare, higher education, and NCAA compliance. Prior to joining Jones Walker, Ralph spent 25 years in private law practice in Washington, DC, and Birmingham before joining the University of Alabama System in 2004 as general counsel and member of the Chancellor's Senior Policy staff. Ralph also served the university as a distinguished lecturer of la...

Shaun A. DeCoudres is a shareholder in the firm’s Birmingham (AL) office. His practice concentrates on transportation and automotive liability, premises liability, construction litigation, insurance and environmental law. He has tried numerous cases, both jury and non-jury, and is the primary attorney who handles pest control litigation (bed bugs, termites, etc.) in the firm. Shaun earned his Bachelor of Arts in business, magna cum laude , from Auburn University (AL), his Master of Busi...