Criminal Law

• Wrongful Death
  Mr. Chapman has successfully defended individual and corporate healthcare providers as well as manufacturers, insurance companies, and other corporate entities. He has significant experience trying complex and high-exposure matters in various state and federal courts, and typically tries numerous such cases per year. He has successfully tried to defense verdict cases involving claims of wrongful death, paralysis, brain injury, and similar issues.
• Fraud
  We also represent companies in suits involving claims of price-fixing and market manipulation; litigation between owners, architects, and contractors; securities fraud; and disputes arising out of the sale/disposition of businesses. Our lawyers have extensive experience defending banking institutions against a variety of claims, including the Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We have also represented clients seeking to establish or protect their trademarks and copyrights.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Mr. Bailey works closely with corporate counsel and is therefore familiar with corporate litigation guidelines, reporting, and budgeting requirements.  He has managed and argued complex litigation for corporate manufacturing, insurance, and financial services clients as pro hac vice counsel in federal or state cases in Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and California.  He has also represented clients in construction arbitration proceedings and has served as an arbitrator.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Our real estate lawyers represent many prominent borrowers and lenders with both local and national operations, and they are routinely involved in complex transactions involving multiple parties. Our tax/corporate lawyers represent major national, regional and local companies in mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, bond financings, tax planning and controversies, and estate planning.
• Business Disputes
  The firm has also frequently represented media clients in litigation involving defamation, access to information, taxation of newspapers, copyright and contract disputes. We are able to draw upon backgrounds in journalism to understand and meet the needs of our media clients. Whether we are providing topical legal advice outside of litigation, defending a subpoena request or defamation claim, or filing a lawsuit to enforce accountability and transparency, our media law practice works to safeguard the fundamental First Amendment rights that lie at the heart of our Bill of Rights.
• Business Transactions
  Mr. Eley joined the firm as an Associate in 2020. His practice with Rushton Stakely focuses primarily on commercial real estate and includes the representation of developers and lenders in a variety of commercial transactions. Prior to joining Rushton Stakely, he practiced law at another Montgomery firm with an emphasis on civil defense litigation on behalf of many of the Counties throughout Alabama, as well as workers’ compensation defense. Additionally, Mr. Eley has assisted in drafting successful appellate briefs for both the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and Alabama Supreme Court. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama in 2010. He received his Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law in 2013. He is admitted to practice in all Alabama State Courts, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Eley enjoys playing golf, attending live concerts, and most importantly, spending time with his family.
• Construction Contracts
  We have extensive experience representing and advising clients in a variety of real estate matters including the acquisition, financing, development, leasing and sale of malls, strip shopping centers, apartments, residential properties, agricultural, timber and recreational properties, and office buildings. The firm regularly prepares and negotiates partnership and joint venture agreements, acquisition and sales contracts, construction, operation, and easement agreements, major tenant leases, architects and construction contracts, and loan documents. In representing lenders in a wide array of commercial and real estate financing transactions, we assist and advise clients with respect to loan commitments, loan document preparation, and negotiation of pertinent documents.
• Unfair Competition
  Since our founding over 100 years ago, businesses have turned to Rushton Stakely for aggressive representation in commercial litigation. Over the years, our business and anti-trust lawyers have defended national and international corporations embroiled in litigation over business operations. Anti-trust violations, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices, contractual disputes — our trial lawyers bring to bear extensive courtroom experience in forcefully defending businesses of all types.
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Employment Litigation
  Several Rushton Stakely lawyers put their employment litigation experience to work for clients, counseling them on how to comply with a myriad of state and federal regulations in the labor and employment arena. We advise employers of all sizes on everything from individual employment decisions to company-wide measures, and we frequently draft a variety of employment-related legal documents, including employee manuals, policy and procedure handbooks, and separation agreements.
• Sexual Harassment
  Our clients have also called upon our courtroom experience to defend numerous employment claims over the years, both in court and before administrative agencies. We aggressively defend employers when litigation is inevitable and we regularly handle Title VII, sexual harassment, racial harassment, gender discrimination, disability, retaliation, and wage-and-hour claims.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Our lawyers practicing in real estate law enjoy an established reputation for excellence, skill, and diligence in the field of real estate law. We regularly represent and counsel clients on a wide range of commercial and real estate matters. Our clients in this area include many prominent borrowers and lenders with both local and national operations, including developers, banks, life insurance companies, tenants, mortgage brokers, homebuilders and realtors.
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
  For decades Rushton Stakely has been representing owners, contractors, engineers, and architects in construction disputes in both litigation and arbitration proceedings. Projects involved include state prison construction projects, county jails, public schools, aircraft hangars, as well as private homes. Rushton Stakely has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex construction litigation in Alabama through direct representation and through insurance carriers. Rushton Stakely lawyers who do construction work are familiar with the AIA General Conditions, and are familiar with competitive bid laws, state construction practices, and construction scheduling computer programs, as well as how to read blueprints and specifications.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Businesses and individuals must comply with a number of laws and regulations concerning clean air, clean water, runoff issues, and hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Our lawyers advise them on how to do it. We represent clients in obtaining Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) permits and approvals and in investigations and audits undertaken by state and federal environmental agencies. We have represented both environmental regulatory authorities and businesses subject to environmental regulations in proceedings before administrative agencies and in litigation in both federal and state courts. We frequently assist clients in analyzing and responding to environmental concerns arising out of real estate transactions.
• Easement

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Rushton Stakely’s Auto Dealer team is made of attorneys with the experience and expertise to handle any issue that presents itself in the complex and ever evolving landscape for car dealers. We represent multi-state publicly traded and privately-owned dealership groups as well as independent family owned dealerships. Since our founding over 100 years ago, businesses have turned to Rushton Stakely for aggressive representation in commercial litigation. Our aggressive team of litigators has represented auto dealers in state and federal court, as well as arbitration. Our vast trial experience combined with our traditional strength in commercial and personal injury defense gives us deep resources and a solid foundation from which to serve clients in this high-stakes field of practice.
• Medical Malpractice
  Mrs. Archer joined the firm as an associate in 2017. Her practice is devoted to civil litigation with a primary focus on medical malpractice. Mrs.... Mrs. Archer's Bio
• Auto Accidents

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Our estate planning professionals counsel with clients to determine and implement their financial and dispositive objectives. We take into account any special circumstances relating to unique family structures, charitable inclinations, and requirements of dependents who may have special needs or spendthrift issues. We address clients’ needs involving prenuptial or postnuptial agreements or other situations requiring specific planning for blended families. Within the framework of family objectives and asset consideration, our estate planners devise and recommend a plan to minimize federal estate and gift taxes, take into account special dispositive considerations, plan for generation skipping if desired, and maximize assets for the client’s heirs.
• Trusts
  A background of years in trust administration, banking, and bank holding company legal administration gives Mrs. Wells a wide range of experience in corporate mergers... Mrs. Wells's Bio

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  We exclusively limit our bankruptcy practice to protecting the interests of creditors. Our work in this field includes preparing and filing claims, analyzing and objecting to plans, and prosecuting motions to lift stays. We also handle non-dischargeable debt actions, and defend preference, fraudulent transfer, and lien avoidance claims. Our lawyers have also served as counsel for creditor committees, and we frequently team with our litigation colleagues to provide an integrated defense in bankruptcy litigation matters.
• Foreclosure
  We regularly represent all types of lenders in routine and complex residential and commercial foreclosure proceedings across the state. In addition, our attorneys practicing in this area often team with colleagues having expertise in real estate and litigation to provide lending clients with assistance in loan restructuring, forbearance, receivership and other loss mitigation alternatives.
• Tax Law
  Rushton Stakely has been one of the leading tax firms in Alabama for decades. Our lawyers are heavily involved in tax planning for individual, corporate, partnership, trust, and cooperative taxpayers, as well as for public and private foundations and charities. We work closely with a wide range of clients to analyze and evaluate the tax effects of various proposed transactions – looking at federal, state, and local taxation, including tax credit and tax benefit transactions. Our lawyers plan and draft a wide variety of agreements with planned tax results.
• Debt Collection