Robert S. Given

Elizabeth H. Hutchins is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where she is a member of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group and has served on the Firm's board of directors. Her practice includes planning for the management and distribution of clients' estates to accomplish their goals and to minimize estate taxes using sophisticated estate planning tools and techniques. She counsels business owners regarding succession planning. In probate ...

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...

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...

Douglas A. Dellaccio, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Douglas A., who practices law in Homewood, Alabama, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Douglas A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal pract...

Ginny Willcox Leavens is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Real Estate. Ginny Willcox, 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 Ginny Willcox is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

M. STANFORD BLANTON serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee and is a member of the Energy Practice Group. His practice is focused on the representation of the owners, operators and purchasers of electric generating facilities, with special emphasis on nuclear development, regulation and policy. Blanton represents the owner and operator of the first new nuclear reactors ordered in the United States in thirty years on matters ranging from the formation and implementation of contracts for...

Carl Smyly was born and raised in Andalusia, Alabama. He received his undergraduate education at Birmingham-Southern College, where he was selected for membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa scholastic honorary societies and was valedictorian of his graduating class in 1979. He then earned his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982. Mr. Smyly has been assigned the highest possible Peer Review Ratings for legal ability and ethical standards in...

A. Wade Cornelius is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. A. Wade, 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 A. Wade is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jonathan P. Hoffmann is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Commercial Litigation. Jonathan P., 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 Jonathan P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kenneth D. Sansom is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Kenneth D., 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 Kenneth D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic...