Christian & Small is pleased to welcome 2023 Summer Associates: Christian D. Bayas, Elli Anne Bradley, Claire Epps, Ford Mozingo, Isabella Prince, and Conner Sorrells. 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 to see them grow their legal career with the summer experiences provided by the firm.”
Christian D. Bayas is currently a 2L at Samford University Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, AL. Originally from Queens, New York, Christian moved to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Morehouse College. After law school, Christian aspires to be a trial attorney. He is an active member of the nationally ranked Cumberland National Trial Team, the Career Development Advisory Board, the Black Student Association, and in numerous community service initiatives. Christian strives to be an advocate for his clients and a voice for the community.
Elli Anne Bradley is returning for her second summer with Christian & Small. A 2L at the University of Alabama School of Law, Elli Anne is a graduate of Auburn University where she was a cheerleader and earned a Bachelor of Arts in communication with a minor in business and psychology. She currently serves as a Law School Ambassador where she interacts with prospective and admitted law school students. She was on the Moot Court Team in the fall of 2022. Elli Anne is interested in civil litigation with a special interest in dram shop cases.
Claire Epps is from Huntsville, Alabama, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. While at Alabama, she took a law-related class, mostly for fun, and discovered she really enjoys learning about the law and decided to pursue her J.D. at the University of Alabama School of Law. She is a member of the Law and Psychology Review and the Moot Court Board where she continues to hone her skills as a writer and oral advocate.
Ford Mozingo is from Montogomery, Alabama, and has lived in Tuscaloosa for the last six years first as an undergrad at the University of Alabama, and now as a 2L at the University of Alabama School of Law. He is interested in practicing civil litigation and plans to stay in Alabama to practice. This is Ford’s second summer with Christian & Small and hopes to learn more about civil litigation and building relationships with clients.
Isabella “Bella” Prince is a 1L at the University of Alabama School of Law where she also obtained her undergraduate degree. Bella is interested in civil litigation but says she is looking forward to learning many different aspects of the law as a summer associate.
Conner Sorrells is a 1L at Samford University Cumberland School of Law. He is from Birmingham and graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in economics. Conner recently competed in the Williams Trial Competition in which he and his partner advanced to the “elite eight” round. He is interested in litigation work and looks forward to exploring different areas of the law and what it means to be a practicing attorney.
The summer associate program at Christian & Small provides practical hands-on experience in litigation files which is invaluable to a prospective lawyer. Summer Associates will participate in the firm’s social and business development activities, as well as have the opportunity to be mentored by various lawyers in the firm.
About Christian & Small
Christian & Small LLP represents a diverse clientele throughout Alabama, the Southeast, and the nation with clients ranging from individuals and closely-held businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. By matching highly experienced lawyers with specific client needs, Christian & Small develops innovative, effective, and efficient solutions for clients. With offices in Birmingham, metro-Jackson, Mississippi, and the Alabama Gulf Coast, Christian & Small focuses on the areas of litigation and business, is a member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms, and is the only Alabama-based member firm in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Our corporate social responsibility program is focused on education, and diversity is one of Christian & Small’s core values.
No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.


