Mallory Ulmer

Mr. Pennington is the Managing Shareholder and a founding member of the Birmingham Office of Ogletree Deakins. For more than two decades, he has represented employers in a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including administrative agency charges, federal and state court litigation, union campaigns and collective bargaining. Mr. Pennington strives to help employers achieve peaceful, productive workplaces. He helps employers avoid workplace disputes by providing management trainin...

Carolyne counsels public and private clients on a range of transactional matters, including commercial real estate, real estate-based financing, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues and other corporate matters. She advises and represents buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants and developers on acquisitions, development and leasing transactions across the country. In law school, Carolyne participated in Alabama Law’s Federal Externship Program in Washington, D.C., where she served as...

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

David Pugh is a partner in the firm's Construction and Procurement Practice Group. He is also a member of the firm's Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice Groups. David has represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, insurance companies and sureties throughout the United States. He has advised clients at every stage of a construction project: conception, planning, performance and closeout. He has drafted and negotiated contracts for several large sc...

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...

James Webb’s primary areas of practice include the representation of lenders, borrowers, developers and companies in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions throughout the United States, including lending, leasing, development, acquisitions and dispositions. In his lending practice, James represents both lenders and borrowers on acquisition, construction and permanent financing, with an emphasis on real estate secured financing. While he has experience in the representation o...

Jesse S. Unkenholz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law. Jesse S., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jesse S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Patrick H. Strong is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Patrick H., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patrick H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tracy Thompson is a partner in the firm's Birmingham office. Her practice is concentrated in the corporate and securities area and includes mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, private placements of equity and debt securities, and general corporate advice. Most of her time is spent representing clients in stock or asset purchase or sale transactions and mergers. Tracy also regularly advises clients with regard to drafting and negotiating buy-sell, partnership and operating agreements, corp...