Arbitration Bet-the-Company Litigation Commercial Litigation Litigation - Banking and Finance Litigation - Construction Litigation - Health Care Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Qui Tam Law
Richard E. Smith
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2009 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
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 extensive litigation experience includes having tried over 170 jury trials to a verdict in over 30 Alabama counties and all three Alabama federal district courts. He obtained successful results for his clients in over 90% of those cases.
In recent years, Richard has arbitrated more than 30 cases before the American Arbitration Association, the National Association of Security Dealers, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and other arbitration panels. He has been appointed as an arbitrator, mediator, and receiver in several business litigation disputes. Because of Richard’s vast trial experience combined with his knowledge of the insurance industry, he is frequently retained as an expert to consult and testify in insurance cases dealing with bad faith and coverage disputes.
Overview
Birmingham, Alabama
- English
- Samford University, J.D., graduated 1985
- Samford University, BS, graduated 1981
- Alabama, 1985
- Alabama Defense Lawyer’s Association - Member
- Alabama State Bar - Member
- American Bar Association - Member
- American Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Birmingham Bar Association - Member
- Defense Research Institute - Member
- International Association of Defense Counsel - Member
- Samford University - Member, Board of Overseers
Birmingham, Alabama
- English
- Alabama, 1985
- Alabama Defense Lawyer’s Association - Member
- Alabama State Bar - Member
- American Bar Association - Member
- American Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Birmingham Bar Association - Member
- Defense Research Institute - Member
- International Association of Defense Counsel - Member
- Samford University - Member, Board of Overseers
- Samford University, J.D., graduated 1985
- Samford University, BS, graduated 1981
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Litigation - Construction, Birmingham (2019)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Arbitration
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Construction
- Litigation - Health Care
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Qui Tam Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Construction Law
- Health Care Law
- Privacy and Data Security Law
Special Focus:
- Commercial Litigation
- COVID-19
Awards:
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2011-2016 in the area of commercial litigation; 2014-2016 in the areas of banking & finance litigation and construction litigation
- AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Faculty member of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association Bibb Allen Memorial Trial Academy, 2008-2015
- Selected for inclusion in Alabama Super Lawyers® since 2008 in areas including business litigation, health care and construction litigation
- Named to the 2012 Top Attorney list in the area of Civil Litigation by Birmingham Magazine
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- Thompson Props. 119AA 370 Ltd. v. Birmingham Hide & Tallow Co., 897 So. 2d 248 (Ala. 2004).
Thompson Props. 119AA 370 Ltd. v. Birmingham Hide & Tallow Co., 897 So. 2d 248 (Ala. 2004).
- Blount Recycling LLC v. City of Cullman, 884 So. 2d 850 (Ala. 2003).
Blount Recycling LLC v. City of Cullman, 884 So. 2d 850 (Ala. 2003).
- Mason v. Acceptance Loan Co., 850 So. 2d 289 (Ala. 2002).
Mason v. Acceptance Loan Co., 850 So. 2d 289 (Ala. 2002).
- Baker v. Letica Corp., 785 So. 2d 1142 (Ala. Civ. App. 2000).
Baker v. Letica Corp., 785 So. 2d 1142 (Ala. Civ. App. 2000).
- Shepherd v. Summit Mgmt. Co., 794 So. 2d 1110 (Ala. Civ. App. 2000).
Shepherd v. Summit Mgmt. Co., 794 So. 2d 1110 (Ala. Civ. App. 2000).
- Shepherd v. Summit Mgmt. Co., 726 So. 2d 686 (Ala. Civ. App. 1998).
Shepherd v. Summit Mgmt. Co., 726 So. 2d 686 (Ala. Civ. App. 1998).
- Colonial Props., Inc. v. Vogue Cleaners, Inc., 86 F.3d 210 (11th Cir. 1996).
Colonial Props., Inc. v. Vogue Cleaners, Inc., 86 F.3d 210 (11th Cir. 1996).
- Chrysler Capital Corp. v. Lavender, 934 F.2d 290 (11th Cir. 1991).
Chrysler Capital Corp. v. Lavender, 934 F.2d 290 (11th Cir. 1991).
- Johnson v. Niagara Mach. & Tool Works, 555 So. 2d 88 (Ala. 1989).
Johnson v. Niagara Mach. & Tool Works, 555 So. 2d 88 (Ala. 1989).
- Tropicana Prods. Sales, Inc. v. Phillips Brokerage Co., 874 F.2d 1581 (11th Cir. 1989).
Tropicana Prods. Sales, Inc. v. Phillips Brokerage Co., 874 F.2d 1581 (11th Cir. 1989).
- Collins Co. v. City of Decatur, 533 So. 2d 1127 (Ala. 1988).
Collins Co. v. City of Decatur, 533 So. 2d 1127 (Ala. 1988).
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