Mark L. Gaines

JEFF STARLING is the Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. His practice is devoted to the representation of employers in the following areas: Employment Litigation - Federal and State court litigation of individual, multi-plaintiff and class action claims of employment discrimination, wage and hour violations and wrongful discharge. Labor Relations - Strategic advice and legal representation in union organizing campaigns and elections, collective bargaining, strikes and p...

Trisha Osuch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Trisha, 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 Trisha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Herbert H. West, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Herbert H., 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 Herbert H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Katie T. Powell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Katie T., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katie T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jacob Kiser is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Jacob, who practices law in Homewood, Alabama, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jacob is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephen B. Porterfield is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he leads the Dentons Sirote Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy team and also serves as Dentons Sirote's General Counsel. Stephen handles a wide variety of commercial litigation matters that routinely arise in bankruptcy proceedings or involve other creditors' rights or creditor liability issues. He tries cases in both state and federal courts, representing creditors and trustees in insolv...

Shaun A. DeCoudres is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance. Shaun A., 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 Shaun A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rick Brown provides a full range of services related to the traditional labor and employment law practice. His services related to the avoidance of unionization range from advice concerning all aspects of employee relations and the formulation of policies and practices to legal advice during and after union organizational efforts, union decertification drives and union deauthorization proceedings. Rick's involvement with union organizing includes clients located throughout the country in manu...

Jane Mauzy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jane, 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 Jane is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A founding member of Christian & Small, Eddie was a long time partner with its predecessor firm, Rives & Peterson, and has been trying cases in federal and state court for more than 30 years. Eddie’s experience includes retail and premises liability, transportation, product liability, pharmaceutical litigation, medical malpractice, and a variety of insurance cases. He combines his courtroom expertise and knowledge with the best technology available, efficient management of rigor...