ADVOCATES
Accolades
Recognized by Chambers USA Guide
Members of IADC - International Association of Defense Council
10 year partnership and still the only Alabama firm to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
18 Partners Named to 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America
Eight Partners Recognized by Benchmark Litigation
18 Partners Named to 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America
12 Named to Mid-South SuperLawyers - 3 Named to Mid-South Rising Stars
Eight Partners Recognized by Benchmark Litigation
Members of American Board of Trial Advocates
10 year partnership with Teach for America Alabama working to bring quality education to every student
Christian & Small Is Pleased to Welcome 2024 Summer Associates
Christian & Small is pleased to welcome 2024 Summer Associates: Katie Applebaum, Savannah Harris, William Philpot, Eric Posas, Sam Rickert, and Stephen Snypes. Jim Pattillo, Summer Associate Partner, stated, “We are very excited to welcome this year’s summer associate class to the firm. This group of future litigators represents diverse backgrounds and experiences. I’m excited […]
FTC Issues Final Rule Banning Non-Compete Agreements
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final Rule https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/noncompete-rule.pdf banning non-competition agreements. The FTC claims the Rule promotes competition by “protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation”. In support of the Rule, the FTC Chair Lina M. Khan stated: “[n]oncompete clauses keep […]
Alabama Supreme Court Statute of Limitations Holding for Underinsured Motorist Claims
Today, the Alabama Supreme Court released an important opinion in Ex parte State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, SC-2023-0528 (April 5, 2024). The Court held “that the accrual date for a direct uninsured/underinsured-motorist claim against an insurer is the date of the accident.”Ex Parte State Farm at 16. This holding was in response to the […]
UPDATE: Many Businesses Remain Subject to the Corporate Transparency Act
On March 1, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama found the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) to be unconstitutional and granted the plaintiffs, the National Small Business Association (“NSBA”) and Isaac Winkles (a member of the NSBA and the owner of two small businesses), summary judgment on their claim that Congress […]
Breaking: The Corporate Transparency Act Ruled Unconstitutional
UPDATE FinCEN issues clarification on March 4th. On March 1, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Judge Liles Burke struck down the Corporate Transparency Act, which would have required most entities under State law to not only disclose personal stakeholder information to the U.S. Treasury but in some […]
Join Christian & Small on an Epic Journey with Noah Warren
Noah Warren is anything but your typical teenager… At age three he began cycling and was racing competitively at age 14. Today, at age 19 he is living in France and training in Cyprus to prepare for the Cape Epic race in South Africa in March. The race features 616 km/383 miles distance and \54K […]
Defending Traumatic Brain Injury Claims – Part I of III
The following is the first in a three-part series on defending cases involving traumatic brain injuries (TBI). These cases are complex because the brain is complex. Developing and executing a defense strategy for TBI cases requires a team knowledgeable in law and medicine. With thorough preparation and well-planned discovery, TBI cases can be evaluated quickly […]
Christian & Small Welcomes Partner William “Drew” A. Ellis
The law firm of Christian & Small LLP is pleased to announce that William “Drew” A. Ellis has joined as a Partner in its Birmingham, Alabama office. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Ellis focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation, real estate litigation and transactions, construction litigation, healthcare, and professional liability litigation. He routinely […]
Associate Hannah E. Black On Her Leadership Role with DRI and Why Young Lawyers Should Pursue Similar Leadership Opportunities
We recently sat down with Associate Hannah E. Black to learn about her new leadership role with DRI and why she thinks it is important for young lawyers to pursue positions of leadership early in their careers. What attracted you to DRI? As a young lawyer, I knew I wanted to get plugged in […]
Christian & Small Outside General Counsel Services: 2024 Small Business Reporting Requirements Under the Corporate Transparency Act
Our Firm provides outside general counsel services to many businesses in Alabama and Mississippi. As the new year gets off to a fast start, I thought I’d write about a new reporting and compliance requirement for certain small businesses under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The CTA is part of the larger William M. […]