
Samford University, Cumberland School of Law named Partner Bill D. Bensinger its 2023 Volunteer of the Year for his long-time work with Cumberland’s advocacy program.
For 15 years, he has given back to his law school by mentoring students as a coach for Cumberland’s moot court competition teams. Since 2008, he has coached teams that compete in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition at St. John’s University School of Law in New York. As a coach, Bensinger has helped students prepare for oral arguments by talking through difficult issues of bankruptcy law, organizing practice rounds with local lawyers and bankruptcy judges, and sharpening students’ presentations. He holds his teams to high standards of preparation and professionalism.
Bensinger’s teams have advanced to the octo-final and semi-final rounds and members of his teams won individual awards for outstanding advocacy. His volunteer service has enhanced his students’ law school experiences while also meeting Cumberland School of Law’s educational mission.
Bensinger graduated from Samford University in 1998 and again in 2003 with his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law. After graduating from Cumberland, he received his LL.M. in bankruptcy from St. John’s University School of Law in 2005.
Bensinger focuses his practice on commercial dispute litigation, and commercial bankruptcy and restructuring litigation. He represents debtors, trustees, creditors, franchisors, landlords, unsecured creditors’ committees, and financial institutions in a wide variety of bankruptcy matters, including preference and fraudulent transfer actions, workout transactions, and insolvency matters. Bensinger represents franchisors in bankruptcy, including matters concerning the assumption of franchise agreements, and represents landlords in bank matters concerning the assumption of commercial leases. His work on behalf of financial institutions includes general creditor’s rights litigation, collection, lien enforcement, cash collateral, relief from stay, and plan confirmation issues. Bensinger maintains an active appellate practice and has argued cases before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and 11th Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
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 a Mansfield Rule™ Participating Law Firm. 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.


