Gerard J. "Gerry" Durward

Samuel D. Friedman is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Real Estate and Banking and Finance practice groups. Sam’s practice primarily focuses on commercial real estate and commercial lending. Sam helps clients buy, sell, develop, lease, and finance commercial property in his commercial real estate practice, including large apartment complexes, senior living communities, hotels, office buildings, and shopping centers. In Sam&r...

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...

David Pugh is a partner in the firm's Construction and Procurement Practice Group. He is also a member of the firm's Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice Groups. David has represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, insurance companies and sureties throughout the United States. He has advised clients at every stage of a construction project: conception, planning, performance and closeout. He has drafted and negotiated contracts for several large sc...

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

Lee Birchall’s practice focuses on public finance in Alabama, where he serves as bond counsel to cities, counties, utilities, school boards, and various other types of governmental entities that issue tax-exempt and taxable securities. He also represents cities and counties in negotiations with private developers for economic development transactions. In addition to representing public bodies, Lee has experience serving as counsel to underwriters, trustee banks and commercial banks in t...

With over 15 years of litigation experience in both state and federal courts in Alabama and more than 70 trials to verdict, it goes without saying that Jim Pattillo is comfortable in the courtroom. He focuses his practice on matters involving insurance coverage and bad faith liability, business and commercial litigation, professional and product liability, class action, toxic torts, and transportation. He is a frequent speaker and writer in the areas of trial practice and technique, litigatio...

Jim Williams is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Litigation practice group, leads the Insurance Litigation team and previously served six years on the Firm’s Board of Directors/Executive Committee. Jim also chairs the Firm’s Recruitment Committee. Jim was born and raised in Birmingham. Now in his thirty-fourth year at Dentons Sirote, formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC, Jim handles civil litigation, with a particular foc...

Jesse S. Vogtle Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy and Litigation - Real Estate. Jesse S., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jesse S. is held by other top lawyer...

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.

Alva C. Caine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Alva C., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alva C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.