Stuart D. Roberts

Ralph Smith is special counsel in the Corporate Practice Group. He handles general corporate and business matters, international transactions, healthcare, higher education, and NCAA compliance. Prior to joining Jones Walker, Ralph spent 25 years in private law practice in Washington, DC, and Birmingham before joining the University of Alabama System in 2004 as general counsel and member of the Chancellor's Senior Policy staff. Ralph also served the university as a distinguished lecturer of la...

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.

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...

John H. Cooper is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Corporate practice group. As the previous managing partner of Dentons Sirote (formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC) (1999–2005; 2006–2015), John’s practice spans corporate, securities and tax law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, securities, business and succession planning, corporate finance, corporate tax, directors...

Adam K. Israel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Adam K., 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 Adam K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Paul Sykes represents businesses and individuals in a wide variety of intellectual property and technology-related legal matters. As a member of both the Intellectual Property and Competitive Practices and the Litigation Practice Groups, Paul counsels clients in the acquisition, licensing and protection of intellectual property rights, and he litigates those rights in the state and federal courts. Paul has been peer-selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyer's in America and Alabama Super Lawy...

Marc J. Mandich joined Southern Med Law in the Fall of 2019. Marc is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he attended Jesuit High School. Marc attended Louisiana State University where he earned a bachelors in finance. Marc went on to attend law school at Loyola University New Orleans where he graduated magna cum laude in 2013. During law school, Marc was the brief writer for Loyola’s Admiralty and National Moot Court Teams and received “Best Brief” in the Southeast Reg...

David Moore is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He focuses primarily on insurance coverage, commercial litigation, and professional liability. David represents individual and corporate clients in state and federal courts throughout Alabama and Mississippi. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of complex state and federal litigation, including matters involving, insurance coverage, professional liability, commercial contracts, toxic tort, products l...

Michael B. Odom is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning and Litigation - Real Estate. Michael B., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Sharon Stuart devotes her practice to civil trial work and arbitration. She focuses on complex commercial and insurance litigation, and she handles a variety of product liability cases including pharmaceutical and medical device products liability litigation as national, regional or local counsel. Her trial experience includes a wide range of business tort claims, contract disputes, commercial and insurance fraud and bad faith suits, and wrongful death cases. She has defended dozens of class ...