Partner Sharon D. Stuart Named 2020 'Lawyer of the Year' by Best Lawyers; 17 Recognized as 2020 'Best Lawyers in America'

Christian & Small is proud to congratulate Partner Sharon D. Stuart, who is recognized in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America as “Lawyer of the Year” in the practice area of "Litigation – Insurance."
The firm is also pleased to announce that 17 attorneys have been included in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Partners who are new to the list this year are Mississippi-based Sarah Beth Wilson (Litigation-Bankruptcy) and J. Paul Zimmerman (Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law), who is based in Birmingham.
New practice areas are denoted by a [*] below.
Christian & Small attorneys recognized are:

• LaBella S. Alvis: Civil Rights Law(*); Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants(*); Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants(*)
• Bill D. Bensinger: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• James B. Carlson: Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Edgar M. Elliott IV: Insurance Law; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Transportation Law
• Retired Judge R.A. "Sonny" Ferguson Jr.: Family Law(*); Family Law Arbitration; Family Law Mediation
• Bradley R. Hightower: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• John W. Johnson II: Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance
• Jonathan W. Macklem: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Greer B. Mallette: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate
• Deborah Alley Smith: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance(*)
• Richard E. Smith: Arbitration(*); Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Construction
• Daniel D. Sparks: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Sharon D. Stuart: 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” – Litigation – Insurance(*); Appellate Practice(*); Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Securities; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Michael A. Vercher: Litigation – Insurance; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• David B. Walston: Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Sarah Beth Wilson: Litigation – Bankruptcy(*)
• J. Paul Zimmerman: Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law(*)

According to its website, Best Lawyers has published its list for over three decades and its recognition “is based entirely on peer review. [Its] methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.” Only one attorney is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.