Joel C. Porter

David is an AV-rated attorney with a focus in commercial litigation and insurance coverage and defense. He has served as lead counsel and co-counsel in numerous jury trials in state, federal and military venues and has handled matters for clients in 60 of Alabama’s 67 counties.

Rodney A. Max is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mediation. Rodney A., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rodney A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ryan’s practice focuses on matters involving intellectual property and technology. He handles patent and trademark prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and represents clients in proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Ryan also assists clients in disputes involving patents and other intellectual property in federal and state courts. His technical experience covers a wide range of areas, and includes compu...

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...

Joseph Leavens is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Construction. Joseph, 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 Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Paul Compton has broad experience in innovative commercial financing transactions, particularly those involving tax credits (federal and state LIHTC, historic, state industrial incentive, new markets, work opportunity and CAPCO) and structured finance, and in the formation and sale of regulated financial institutions (banks, insurance companies and agencies, consumer finance companies, broker/dealers and community development entities). Paul has a strong understanding of operational and finan...

Dan Hugunine is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Corporate practice group. Dan frequently represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of product and services agreements, vendor and procurement contracts, and software licensing agreements. In addition, Dan counsels clients in many aspects of the financial services industries, addressing federal and state banking regulation, securities regulation, broker-dealer and investm...

J. Foster Clark is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Public Finance Law. J. Foster, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Foster is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Since the early 1990s, Tom Sullivan’s practice has primarily involved representation of healthcare providers. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America in the category of Health Care Law. He serves as counsel for a Medicaid managed care organization which operates the Medicaid maternity program pursuant to a federal waiver and is owned and operated by ten Birmingham area hospitals which render Medicaid funded maternity services in the Birmingham area. He represents a for profit corporatio...

Katherine N. Barr is Counsel in Dentons' Birmingham, Alabama office. She is a member of the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Special Needs Planning team. As a lawyer in the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group, Katherine advises clients in planning their estates to accomplish their goals for asset distribution to beneficiaries while minimizing their estate and income tax liabilities. Katherine handles all aspects of esta...