Kathryn J. "Katy" Ottensmeyer

For more than a decade, I have worked to understand how environmental law impacts my clients. Identifying problems is only a part of what I do; what I most enjoy, and what my clients value, is finding solutions. For me, practicing law is about helping real people and businesses to succeed in an increasingly competitive marketplace. My early career as a lawyer prepared me to provide effective, commonsense guidance. I have closed asset purchases, conducted corporate due diligence, and served as...

Dan Murphy’s practice has focused exclusively on healthcare transactional and regulatory matters for the past decade. He has represented all types and sizes of healthcare providers, from publicly-traded national hospital, dialysis, and ambulatory surgery center companies, to independent surgery centers and pharmacies, physician practices, and individual physicians. In representing providers, Dan brings a holistic view to healthcare deals and compliance issues that incorporates an unders...

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...

Chris Dorough, a shareholder at Carr Allison in the firm’s Birmingham (AL) office, is a trial attorney concentrating on the defense of workers’ compensation and other associated employment and tort claims. Chris counsels and advises clients on workers’ compensation matters and has successfully defended a broad range of clients, including national, regional and local retailers, insurance companies, self-insured employers, third-party administrators, group insurance funds and ...

G. John Durward, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Family Law. G. John, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which G. John is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Priscilla K. Williams is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Insurance. Priscilla 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 Priscilla K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kris Cross is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where she is a member of the Litigation practice group. With over 20 years of general litigation experience at Dentons Sirote, formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC, Kris focuses on defending insurance companies in the area of life, disability, and ERISA litigation. Her work for insurers has included not only benefits litigation but also defensive litigation where insureds claim fraud in the marketing and sale of in...

Ed R. Haden is a partner with Balch & Bingham LLP, chairs the firm's Appellate Practice Group, and is the author of the Alabama Appellate Practice (LexisNexis) . Ed has twenty years of legal experience in the government and private sectors, has worked on over 100 appeals, and his practice focuses on appellate litigation in the Supreme Court of Alabama and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Ed specializes in knowing the written and unwritten rules and practices necessary t...

Janell M. Ahnert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Janell M., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Janell M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...