Christian & Small represented a homeowner’s association that was sued by one of its members for alleged violations of its fiduciary duties and its failure to enforce various restrictive covenants. After a successful dispositive motion in the trial court, the plaintiffs appealed to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, arguing that the trial court exceeded … Read More
Texting Tangles: Why the Supreme Court Ruled a Text-Message Settlement Unenforceable The Alabama Supreme Court recently reversed a circuit court ruling that had enforced a settlement agreement negotiated entirely via text message, underscoring critical lessons about contract formation, especially in the age of electronic communication. In iWTNS, Inc. v. MotionMobs, LLC (SC-2024-0591), the Court ruled … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to welcome Kaeleigh S. Rafield as the newest associate in the firm’s Birmingham office. Her practice focuses on civil litigation, including insurance defense, creditors’ rights, products liability, and premises liability. She assists in all phases of the litigation process, from initial case assessment through trial and appeal. Kaeleigh grew up … Read More
For 25 years, Christian & Small has been a dedicated advocate for our community. In 2010, the firm reviewed the various nonprofits it supported during its first decade and decided to concentrate on one organization capable of making a real difference. After interviewing several nonprofits, the firm determined that education is the true driver of … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to announce that 11 attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers®, including three attorneys who are recognized as 2025 Rising Stars. Additionally, Sharon D. Stuart is recognized as a 2025 Top 50 Women Mid-South Super Lawyers® List. 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers Bradley R. Hightower – … Read More
Christian & Small’s legacy of advocacy in class action, mass action, and toxic tort litigation is a testament to the commitment of the people behind our cases. For Partner Sharon D. Stuart, her expertise in this practice area began with lessons learned from our firm’s founder, Tom Christian.“When I joined the firm, Tom was already … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to announce that fourteen partners are recognized in the 2026 edition of Benchmark Litigation. Recognized as 2026 Litigation Stars are Bill D. Bensinger, John W Johnson, Greer B. Mallette, Rachel J. Moore, Neal D. Moore, Jim Pattillo, Richard E. Smith, Daniel D. Sparks, Sharon D. Stuart, Michael A. Vercher, F. … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to share that Catie Almond has joined the firm as an associate in its Birmingham, Alabama, office. Catie represents clients in civil litigation, focusing primarily on insurance defense, transportation, premises liability, and dram shop matters. Prior to joining Christian & Small, Catie served as an associate at another civil defense … Read More
The integration of large language models (LLMs) like GPT-based systems into app-based platforms is accelerating. But as LLMs shift from back-end analytics to front-facing, decision-making components of gig apps, they also inherit a new set of risks—particularly product liability exposure traditionally reserved for physical products or design flaws in software systems. The Expanding Definition of … Read More
