John A. Lentine

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...

Chris is a lifelong resident of Birmingham. He graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 2008 with a degree in English. During his time at Birmingham-Southern he was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity and earned the Robert Hewlin-Jackson Award for Scholastic Achievement. Chris attended Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and graduated in 2011. During his time at Cumberland, Chris was a Senior Member of the Trial Advocacy Board, was honored as a member of the Dean’s Lis...

Bruce Ely’s more than 40 years of experience have allowed him to handle projects as diverse as serving on the recruiting teams that successfully induced both Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai to locate their first U.S. manufacturing plants in Alabama to representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, the Alabama Department of Revenue and local taxing authorities. His practice focuses on three concentric areas: representing taxpayers in federal, state and local administrative and jud...

Colin H. Luke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Colin H., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Colin H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Alicia Bennett is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law. Alicia, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alicia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

J. Alan Truitt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Natural Resources Law. J. Alan, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Alan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Preston Neel is a shareholder of Dentons Sirote in Alabama. He is a member of the Corporate practice group and advises clients across multiple industries in the areas of business and tax law, including mergers and acquisitions, tax planning, and general corporate representation. He also has extensive experience providing financial services litigation and regulatory compliance assistance to banks and nonbanks offering mortgage, unsecured small dollar, and business purpose loan products and bro...

Adam K. Israel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Adam K., 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 Adam K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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.

There’s a lot that goes into it, but to really succeed in this profession, I’ve come to believe these three qualities are 90% of it: courage, humanity, and humility. Courage. You must be unafraid. Following a particularly nasty trial, my wife summed up my job: “They are schoolyard bullies. They’ve already bullied your client once, and now they want to use the trial to do it again. But you walk up, stand next to them, put your hand on their shoulder, steel yourself, and...