Jennifer Burt Dean

Andy is a member of the firm's Corporate & Securities Practice Group and is co-chair of the Family-Owned Business Team. He advises public and private clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate finance transactions, proxy contests and general corporate and securities law matters in various industries, including manufacturing and distribution, professional services, retail, real estate development, banking and financial...

James has experience with both debtor and creditor representation in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation. He also regularly represents commercial lenders and mortgage servicers in federal court commercial litigation. James has represented debtors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in matters involving numerous complex issues under the bankruptcy code, including termination of employee and retiree benefits and going concern sales free and clear of clai...

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...

Gordon L. Blair is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Gordon L., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gordon L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

JEFF STARLING is the Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. His practice is devoted to the representation of employers in the following areas: Employment Litigation - Federal and State court litigation of individual, multi-plaintiff and class action claims of employment discrimination, wage and hour violations and wrongful discharge. Labor Relations - Strategic advice and legal representation in union organizing campaigns and elections, collective bargaining, strikes and p...

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...

Julia Bernstein’s practice focuses on all aspects of the representation of lenders and borrowers in secured and unsecured transactions, finance transactions involving commercial real estate, corporate finance transactions and multi-state transactions. Julia frequently issues legal opinions in connection with multi-state projects and as local counsel for transactions originated outside of Alabama secured by real property located within the state.

Matt has over 20 years of experience representing and advising management in all areas of labor and employment law, including anti-discrimination laws, wage and hour law, ERISA, OSHA, and covenants not to compete. He regularly advises clients on preventive measures, including creation and revision of policies and procedures, and represents clients in court cases in federal, state and administrative forums. Matt has tried jury, non-jury and arbitration cases and has litigated cases ranging fro...

Larry S. Logsdon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Larry S., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Larry S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mike Brown is the head of the Real Estate Litigation Team at the firm. Mike is a member of the firm’s Environmental and Toxic Tort Practice Group and the General Litigation Practice Group. Mike’s emphasis in both practice groups is on real property and land use matters. Because of this emphasis in his practice, Mike also works very closely with the Real Estate Group. For the past several years, Mike has served as an adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama School of Law wher...