On March 1, 2016, Shelby County, Alabama residents voted in favor of an amendment to legalize the sale of alcohol on Sundays (Ala. Const. Act 2015-43). Where Sunday sales were previously banned in Shelby County, the new amendment allows appropriately licensed retailers to sell alcohol beginning at noon. The potential impact of the amendment is … Read More
By joining Teach for America (TFA), remarkable people from all backgrounds and professions commit to teaching for at least two years in a low-income community, doing what is right for kids while developing their own leadership skills. Not only do teachers commit to the two-year period, but the program trains them to lead with their … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to announce five attorneys have been recognized in B-Metro magazine’s 2016 “Top Lawyers” issue. Among those attorneys recognized are: LaBella S. Alvis Jonathan W. Macklem Deborah Alley Smith Sharon D. Stuart Michael A. Vercher The magazine noted that lawyers included in this edition “have been chosen because of their ability … Read More
On Dec. 1, 2015, what could arguably be considered the most significant amendments in recent history to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure went into effect. These amendments alter the landscape of discovery, shorten critical deadlines, and expressly encourage the parties and judges to become more involved in the employing of the rules. Perhaps the most … Read More
Christian & Small was recently recognized by the Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program (BBVLP) as one of its “Champions for Justice” honorees. The firm achieved “Pacesetter” status by raising more than $15,000 in support for the BBVLP to aid in its mission of providing civil legal aid to low-income Birmingham citizens. For every $1 donated … Read More
In its March 1, 2016 opinion in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., the U.S. Supreme Court held that Vermont cannot compel health insurers to disclose data on the amount paid on medical claims, concluding that ERISA preempts application of Vermont’s 2005 disclosure statute and regulations. In an effort to keep health care costs under … Read More
