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Lawyer Profile

Image of Steven L. Nicholas

Steven L. Nicholas

Cunningham Bounds, LLC
  • Recognized Since:
    2008
  • Recognized in:
    Bet-the-Company Litigation
    Commercial Litigation...
  • Law School:
    The University of Alabama
  • Website:
    http://www.cunninghambounds.co...
  • Location:
    1601 Dauphin Street
    P.O. Box 66705
    Mobile, AL 36660-1705
"Mr. Nicholas and his team were fully prepared for trial, brilliant in the courtroom, and very effective."

-David Sweatt (Micro-Comm, Inc.)

  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Steve Nicholas is part of an elite group of Alabama litigators known for their skill in handling Bet-the-Company cases. A big picture thinker, his work revolves around complex litigation claims including class actions and mass torts. Among his many noteworthy cases is representing thousands of businesses who filed economic loss claims in connection with the BP oil spill, an event that is deemed to be the worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States.   He has also recovered millions of dollars for consumers in class action cases against mortgage companies.

Steve’s construction practice focuses on significant claims related to large projects. He successfully represented through trial the contractor who built the largest cable stayed bridge in Alabama.  He represented the owner of the tallest building in the State of Alabama who was delayed on the construction because of design errors made by the soil engineers.  Steve has represented clients locally and throughout the Southeast on construction disputes.

To learn more about Steve's experience, click here.

  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Education:

  • The University of Alabama , J.D., graduated 1984
  • University of Georgia , BBA, graduated 1981

Bar Admissions:

  • Alabama, Alabama State Bar Association

Affiliations:

  • Alabama Association for Justice - 2nd Vice President
  • Alabama Bar Association - Member / Past Chairman, Business Torts and Antitrust Section
  • American Association for Justice - Board of Governors
  • American Bar Association - Fellow
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
  • Mobile Chapter of Inns of Court - President
  • Mobile County Bar Association - Member

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Bet-the-Company Litigation, Mobile (2018)
  • Litigation - Construction, Mobile (2013)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
 

Awards:

  • Listed, Benchmark Plaintiff
  • AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell
  • Listed, Super Lawyers

Special Focus:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Civil Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Litigation
 

Additional Information:

Recognition & Awards
  • Benchmark Plaintiff named him a "Litigation Star" in its national rankings of personal injury attorneys and for Alabama (2013-present)
  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America® (1989-present)
  • Named “Lawyer of the Year – Bet the Company Litigation” in 2013 by Best Lawyers in America®
  • Listed in Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in Alabama (2008-present)
  • AV® Preeminent™ 5.0/5.0 Peer Rating
  • Dean Leigh Harrison Award
  • Corpus Juris Secundum Award
  • American Jurisprudence Award
  • Hugo Black Scholar
 

Lawyer Client Comments

"Mr. Nicholas and his team were fully prepared for trial, brilliant in the courtroom, and very effective."

David Sweatt, Micro-Comm, Inc.

Firm Details

Image for Cunningham Bounds, LLC View Firm Profile
Cunningham Bounds, LLC
http://www.cunninghambounds.co...
 
Headquarters

Lawyer Case History

Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico | U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana | MDL 2179

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico causing the deaths of 11 workers on the rig. It also caused oil to begin pouring into the Gulf of Mexico which continued for months before the well could be successfully capped.    

The oil spill, and the inability of those who are at fault to stop the spill from continuing, damaged the fishery eco-system and caused numerous rental cancellations of condos, charter boats, and the like; and, substantial financial losses to innocent fishermen, oyster harvesters, business owners, boat owners and crews, managers and others. BP and other responsible parties should ultimately be held legally responsible for such losses.

Cunningham Bounds, LLC has filed many lawsuits in Alabama and Florida on behalf of different groups that have been damaged as a result of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and the oil spill. 

Litigation in this case is ongoing.  To date, the firm represents thousands of clients in this case.

Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc. et al. v. Caterpillar Inc. et al. | Mobile County, Alabama Circuit Court | Case No. 02-CV-2010-900126 c/w 02-CV-2010901073

The firm achieved a $46 million settlement in a product liability case involving the failure of a single marine engine.  The settlement came one week before the scheduled jury trial and six years after the engine failure.  Bender Shipbuilding entered into a contract with Seacor Marine, LLC for the construction of a series of state-of-the-art vessels, including the M/V Sherman. The contract price for the M/V Sherman was almost $27 million. While the vessel was still under construction, one of its 3516B Caterpillar marine engines threw a rod during routine testing, causing a massive fire that burned the ship to its hull.

Farley, et al. v. Residential Funding, Homeowners Loan Corp., Laredo National Bank, et al. | United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Western Division | Case No. 7:06-CV-1864

A class action on behalf of residential mortgage borrowers who alleged violations of TILA, HOEPA and RESPA in connection with the closing of their mortgage loans. Specifically, the case alleged that certain closing fees were inflated and should have been classified as finance charges under federal consumer protection laws. On April 30, 2008, the Court approved a $10,000,000 settlement of the claims, and the case was dismissed.
 
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