Christian & Small is pleased to announce that 34 attorneys are included in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® – 27 as Best Lawyers® and seven as 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Special recognition to Kenneth O. Simon, recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in Arbitration, Daniel D. Sparks recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Sharon D. Stuart, recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in Insurance Law.
We are pleased to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2026 Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America list:
Birmingham
- *Gaby Ruiz Atkisson: Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Transportation Law
- Bill D. Bensinger – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- *Hannah E. Black – Ones to Watch: Insurance Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Transportation Law
- Edgar M. Elliott IV – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- * Willian A. Ellis – Litigation-Construction
- Kendall L. Fann – Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- David L. Faulkner, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- R.A. Ferguson, Jr. – Family Law, Family Law Arbitration, Family Law Mediation, and Mediation
- Bradley R. Hightower – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, and Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Thomas B. Humphries – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Commercial Litigation
- John W. Johnson II – Insurance Law and Litigation – Insurance
- Maggie C. Key – Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- John J. Kubiszyn Jr. – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law, and Real Estate Law
- Wilson M. Landers – Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- Greer B. Mallette – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Construction Law, Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law, and Real Estate Law
- Catherine Collins Messer – Ones to Watch: Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- Neal D. Moore, III – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Rachel J. Moore – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction
- * Carrie M. Motes – Commercial Litigation
- James L. Pattillo – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law
- * Adam M. Pflaum – Ones to Watch: Insurance Law, Litigation – Construction, and Transportation Law
- Kenneth O. Simon – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Securities, Mediation, and Municipal Law
- Richard E. Smith – Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Health Care, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Qui Tam Law
- Daniel D. Sparks – Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- Sharon D. Stuart – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Securities, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Michael A. Vercher – Commercial Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Insurance, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- M. Jansen Voss – Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, and Insurance Law
- F. Todd Weston – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- L. Jackson Young, Jr. – Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Priscilla K. Williams -Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Insurance
* indicates first year to be recognized
Mobile
- Christina May Bolin – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Worker’s Compensation Law – Employers
- Gabrielle Reeves – Litigation – Construction and Litigation – Insurance
Jackson, MS
- J. Chase Bryan – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Shauncey Hunter Ridgeway – Insurance Law
Best Lawyers has been regarded by lawyers and the public for more than 40 years as one of the more credible measures of legal integrity and distinction in the United States. Recognition by Best Lawyers signifies excellence in practice. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America recognizes lawyers earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and Ones to Watch® in America is based on comprehensive peer-review surveys and comprises more than 16.1 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. This year alone, almost 58,000 voters responded to surveys. The pure peer review methodology is at the core of Best Lawyers’ credo – “the best lawyers know who the best lawyers are.”
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™ Certified Plus 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.