Family Law

• Adoption
• Guardianship
  Since the firm’s formation, Starnes Davis Florie has regularly represented the surety industry in Alabama and throughout the Southeast. The Surety Group routinely assists surety claim professionals with negotiation and resolution of claim disputes, including negotiation of takeover and settlement agreements with both public and private owners. When necessary, the group handles both defense and prosecution of claims and strives to achieve the surety’s ultimate goal – that there will be no loss! Further, the group is actively involved in probate matters on all levels, and our attorneys have represented sureties against claims of malfeasance by bonded fiduciaries in thousands of conservatorship, guardianship, and decedents’ estates.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
• Wrongful Death
  Birmingham Business Journal, in recognition of its culture of employee engagement, retention, and loyalty. And you don’t have to be a litigator to fit in. Our attorneys practice in a variety of areas, from Accounting Malpractice and ADA Accessibility to Workers’ Compensation and Wrongful Death.
• Fraud
  The healthcare industry is one of the largest sectors of the U.S. economy. Because of this, healthcare fraud is aggressively investigated and prosecuted by the federal government.
• White Collar Crimes
  “White collar” crime refers to the full range of frauds that may be committed by business and governmental professional.  It is different than “street” crime in that white collar crimes are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and not dependent on the threat or actual use of physical force or violence.  As the FBI notes, “The motivation behind these crimes is financial–to obtain or avoid losing money, property, or services or to secure a personal or business advantage.”  Examples of white collar crime include environmental crime, public corruption and ethics issues, money laundering, corporate and accounting fraud, securities and commodities fraud, mortgage fraud, banking fraud and embezzlement, fraud against the government, election law violations, fraud in mass marketing, and healthcare fraud.
• Theft
• Embezzlement
• Assault
• Identity Theft
  The firm has also handled a wide variety of consumer finance and real estate mortgage lending litigation in a number of states and has represented mortgage loan lenders, as well as brokers, in numerous fraud and lender liability actions. The firm’s attorneys have defended numerous cases involving the handling of credit card, depository, and other loan accounts, including claims involving forgery and identity theft brought against various financial institutions.  The firm has also conducted various recovery efforts on behalf of these institutions, including foreclosure and deficiency actions, and has defended wrongful collection and foreclosure actions.
• Forgery
• Money Laundering

Business and Corporate Law

• Mergers and Acquisitions
  We have also litigated private and public challenges to proposed mergers and acquisitions.  Our antitrust team seeks to mitigate litigation risk through due diligence examination of potential acquisition targets, while keeping clients abreast of changing antitrust regulations and legislation.  We also provide corporate and individual counseling and defense services in investigations and white collar criminal proceedings.
• Business Disputes
  Starnes Davis Florie has extensive experience in the defense of mining and mineral companies, ranging from small family owned businesses to integrated international corporations.  With this depth of knowledge, the firm has litigated a myriad of cases in state and federal courts involving mining accidents, blasting, surface subsidence, workers’ compensation, black lung benefits, and mineral contract disputes.  The Firm’s mining and mineral practice group is further complemented by its environmental and labor law groups, allowing it to meet the diverse needs of its clients in this highly regulated industry.  As with all aspects of the firm’s practice, we engage in a results-oriented approach tailored to each client’s specific needs.
• Business Transactions
  The attorneys at Starnes Davis Florie understand that in some situations cases deserve an early resolution, while others demand a solid defense through trial.  The firm’s attorneys aggressively approach these cases so to identify both procedural and substantive defenses.  The firm’s experience defending cases arises out of all types of underlying matters including personal injury, criminal representation, real estate, securities, and commercial transactions.  The clients of Starnes Davis Florie range from the solo practitioner to multinational firms.
• Trade Secrets
  Starnes Davis Florie understands that inventors rely on trade secret protection and enforcement to maintain their competitive edge. With job turnover increasing and with technology having made trade secret appropriation simpler, inventors must be vigilant in protecting their proprietary information, while preserving goodwill with customers, suppliers, and employees.
• Intellectual Property
  Starnes Davis Florie's Intellectual Property practice group has extensive experience handling IP litigation.   We have successfully litigated patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes for both plaintiffs and defendants. In fact, Global Law Experts named Starnes Davis Florie LLP "
• Unfair Competition
  The firm’s skilled litigators provide valuable advice and help develop policies and practices to reduce the risk of litigation. Starnes Davis Florie has helped countless businesses remain union-free, safeguard confidential information, and protect against unfair competition from former employees.
• Antitrust
  Starnes Davis Florie has developed an antitrust litigation practice with a proven record of success. The firm’s antitrust litigators represent corporations, individuals, and associations in cases involving claims of price fixing, market allocation, actual or attempted monopolization, price discrimination, tying arrangements, and other alleged antitrust violations.  Our lawyers have particular experience in the healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing industries among others.

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
  Today’s employers must navigate a maze of laws that regulate their relationship with their employees and unions. The risk of liability or becoming embroiled in expensive and time-consuming litigation is higher than ever. Attorneys with Starnes Davis Florie’s experienced Labor & Employment practice group aggressively and efficiently defend a wide range of clients against all types of employment claims, including discrimination, workers' compensation and wage and hour claims.
• Employment Discrimination
  Conduct training programs and presentations for management-level employees regarding traditional labor matters, employment discrimination and harassment, disability accommodation, occupational safety and health, and workplace diversity.
• Employment Litigation
  Today’s employers must navigate a maze of laws that regulate their relationship with their employees and unions. The risk of liability or becoming embroiled in expensive and time-consuming litigation is higher than ever. Attorneys with Starnes Davis Florie’s experienced Labor & Employment practice group aggressively and efficiently defend a wide range of clients against all types of employment claims, including discrimination, workers’ compensation and wage and hour claims.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Over the years, the lawyers of Starnes Davis Florie have handled the prosecution and defense of CERCLA contribution, cost recovery, and natural resource damage claims; litigation of Clean Water, Clean Air, Oil Pollution, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act claims; litigation of land use and water use issues—including inverse condemnation, eminent domain, boundary disputes, facility siting, water rights, and wetlands protection—and nuisance, trespass, and other common law property damage claims arising from alleged pollution or other causes.  In addition to civil enforcement matters and citizen suits, our lawyers have defended corporations and individuals accused of environmental crimes such as the illegal disposal or discharge of pollutants and related charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy.  The firm’s extensive litigation background, its mass tort experience, lends itself well to finding multi-disciplinary solutions across a wide range of local, state, and federal environmental problems.
• Construction Litigation
  Since its formation, Starnes Davis Florie has been heavily engaged in litigation of construction disputes. The firm’s Construction Litigation group currently consists of ten attorneys actively engaged in the defense and prosecution of construction claims throughout Alabama. The group’s attorneys have participated as lead counsel in a number of landmark trials which have resulted in outright victory for their clients, including trials of claims involving the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center, a multi-million dollar wastewater treatment facility on the Gulf Coast, and a complex delay and interference claim in which the client recovered a substantial award from a North Alabama utility.
• Eminent Domain
• Land Use and Zoning
• Property Damage
  Toxic tort claims arise from exposure to consumer, agricultural, and industrial products; physical processes and phenomena (for example, radiation or electromagnetism); and even other living things (genetically modified organisms or “GMOs”).  The exposures occur in diverse settings and contexts—indoors and outdoors; in homes, schools, and factories; on ships and in farms; by way of dermal contact with, or breathing or other ingestion of, vapors, particulates, fluids, or organisms; and by exposure to the products or agents themselves or to their residues, wastes, or by-products.  The exposures may be chronic or acute, may produce physical debilitation over time or immediate personal injury, and may result in property damage, or they may not cause any damage or injury at all.  Such exposures have been alleged to result in human and animal illnesses and allergic reactions; “contamination” or cross-pollination of organic crops by GMOs, including genetically modified rice, corn, and alfalfa; chemical or petroleum contamination of land and water; degradation of indoor air quality by vapor intrusion; and degradation of outdoor air quality by insufficiently controlled emissions as well as having harmful effects.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The fact that architects, accountants, dentists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, and other professionals sued for malpractice frequently call on Starnes Davis Florie to provide their defense is a testament to the firm’s reputation for widespread success in all areas of civil defense litigation. The firm’s broad-based practice includes the defense of all types of disputes including transactional, securities, personal injury, real estate, and class actions matters.  Because the firm’s attorneys are well-versed in the complexities of preparing and trying these suits, they are uniquely qualified to defend the malpractice claims that can evolve out of such complex litigation. The firm is chosen by other professionals time and again for fair, honest, and aggressive representation; such an acknowledgement speaks volumes about the skill and experience of the attorneys at Starnes Davis Florie.
• Medical Malpractice
  Best Lawyers in America lists Starnes Davis Florie as a Top Tier firm in the field of Medical Malpractice – Defendants with 19 medical malpractice attorneys...

Trusts and Estates

• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure