Jane Byford

Alex B. Leath is a partner in the firm’s Economic Development Practice Group and the Tax Practice Group. Since 1990, Alex has been involved in a significant number of the major economic development projects in the Southeast. As a result, he is one of the most trusted economic development attorneys in the region. Leading companies regularly seek him out for counsel on their relocation and site-selection matters, knowing his broad experience will serve them well. Alex has extensive experi...

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...

Robert Baugh is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he serves as chair of the Dentons Sirote Litigation practice group. Robert has been engaged in the practice of law continuously since 1982. Robert represents clients in insurance, business, and product liability cases in both state and federal courts throughout the Southeast. He has obtained favorable results for Fortune 500 companies as well as privately held companies. In addition to his litigation pra...

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.

J. Patrick Strubel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Health Care, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. J. Patrick, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Richard J. Riley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Richard J., 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 Richard J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Brett Turnbull has embraced the philosophy of keeping clients first in distinguishing himself as a leading trial lawyer. He is nationally recognized for obtaining top-dollar jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients killed or injured by the negligent and wrongful actions of others. When Brett goes before a jury, he realizes he has one job: to get justice for his clients by proving their claims and guiding the jury to award a fair and reasonable verdict. Brett has more than a decade o...

Mr. McKee began his law practice in his hometown of Florence, Alabama. He then served as the central staff attorney for the Alabama Supreme Court for several years. While living in Montgomery, he also served as a professor of law at the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law of Faulkner University. Mr. McKee moved to Birmingham in 1986 to take a full-time teaching position at the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University, where he later served as the assistant dean. In 1989, he joined the Hare...

Dan Sparks is head of Christian & Small’s Creditor & Lender Rights Practice Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of bankruptcy and business litigation involving creditors’ rights, consumer finance, lender liability and injunctive relief. Dan represents commercial lenders, debt buyers, corporations, Trustees, individuals and other secured and unsecured creditors in all aspects of commercial litigation, loan workouts, loan restructuring, asset recovery, foreclosure an...