Lorel Stano

Jess Nix is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Jess, 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 Jess is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Anne Marie’s practice focuses on complex litigation and has taken her to trial in venues as diverse as Alabama state and federal courts, AAA arbitrations, and the Tribal Court of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Anne Marie’s complex litigation experience includes a case for Intel Corporation involving antitrust, patent, and state competitive practice claims and multi-billion dollar claims for HealthSouth Corporation, which led to a $2.8 billion verdict against the company’s...

Michael places paramount importance on understanding a client’s business and developing tailored solutions that work for each individual client. He aims to build a trusted partnership with his clients to help navigate the difficult and ever-changing issues employers face daily. While he has had numerous victories as an attorney, Michael takes the most pride in helping his clients avoid litigation through a common sense and cost-effective approach. Through serving as interim in-house emp...

William Curtis Gwathney III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Public Finance Law. William Curtis, 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 William Curtis is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

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...

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...

Martha Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Employers. Martha, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Martha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gerald Burnett practices on a multi-regional basis in all areas of commercial real estate, tax-free exchanges, tax law and disputes, commercial transactions, timber law and wealth transfer planning. He has had substantial experience in the litigation of tax controversies, having tried jury and non-jury tax cases in eight states. He has served as lead counsel in, negotiated and closed commercial real estate transactions in eighteen states. Some of his out-of-state work includes commercial proj...

Jim Williams is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Litigation practice group, leads the Insurance Litigation team and previously served six terms on the Firm’s Board of Directors/Executive Committee. Jim also chairs the Firm’s Recruitment Committee. Jim was born and raised in Birmingham. Now in his thirty-fifth year at Dentons Sirote, formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC, Jim handles civil litigation, with a particular focu...