Nicholas "Nick" Briggs

David Hymer is an accomplished trial lawyer who has 40 years of experience trying and arbitrating high-stakes disputes for a variety of corporate and individual clients across many disciplines. That broad-based trial experience gives him a unique perspective, enabling him to team with his clients to develop strategies that will guide them through complex and challenging disputes while staying focused on achieving his clients’ objectives. David’s practice concentrates on complex bu...

Ralph Yeilding is Chair of the firm's Trusts and Estates Practice Group. His primary areas of practice include estate and gift tax planning, estate and trust administration, IRS estate and gift tax audits and litigation, and state court probate and trust litigation. Ralph regularly advises individuals and fiduciaries on a broad range of estate, trust and probate matters, including rendering advice concerning estate and gift tax planning, and drafting wills, trusts, family LLC's, limited partn...

Howard Neiswender is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Family Business team. Howard provides comprehensive wealth planning for individuals and business owners. His representative work includes the use of innovative tax-planning strategies and working with business owners to coordinate their business and personal planning. Howard also works with Unit...

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

James has experience with both debtor and creditor representation in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation. He also regularly represents commercial lenders and mortgage servicers in federal court commercial litigation. James has represented debtors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in matters involving numerous complex issues under the bankruptcy code, including termination of employee and retiree benefits and going concern sales free and clear of clai...

Daniel James Ruth is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Tax Law. Daniel James, 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 Daniel James is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Anne Knox Averitt has extensive experience in labor and employment matters and commercial litigation. She works in the Birmingham office and represents clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses in a number of industries, including retail, automotive, natural resources, manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, communications, construction, and financial services. She also handles cases before arbitrators, administrative law judges, and federal and state court ju...

Chris Grissom practices primarily in the areas of state and local tax planning, LLCs, federal and state tax disputes, and state and local tax and non-tax incentives. Through his tax controversy, planning and incentives work, he deals with a wide variety of industries, including pulp and paper, software technology, automotive, finance, telecommunications, and textile manufacturers. In his tax practice, Chris regularly counsels many of the Fortune 500 on Alabama tax matters. He also conducts mu...

Melisa Zwilling is a shareholder with Carr Allison and is a resident in its Birmingham (AL) office. Her practice focuses on labor and employment, insurance defense and Medicare compliance. Melisa has published countless articles and spoken at numerous conferences and seminars across the United States. For her outstanding legal work, she earned an AV Preeminent ® rating from the national lawyer ranking service Martindale Hubbell ® and has been selected as one of The Best Lawyers in Ame...

Katherine N. Barr is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. She is a member of the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Special Needs Planning team. As a lawyer in the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group, Katherine advises clients in planning their estates to accomplish their goals for asset distribution to beneficiaries while minimizing their estate and income tax liabilities. Katherine handles...