B-Metro Issue #138

The Food Issue The Food Issue

Nick’s Empire • An Asian Current • Food + Culture Fest

Metro Birmingham Living

Culinary Dropout • The Brothers BBQ • Little Betty

Tuna Veil at Little Betty Steak Bar

Superior Automotive At Your Service

SUPERIOR AUTOMOTIVE: THEY STAND BETWEEN YOU AND A BAD-CAR DAY.

Superior creates a comfortable and welcoming place for men and women, whose Toyota and Lexus vehicles are in need of maintenance or repair.

They were the first in town to specialize in Toyota and Lexus models, and that commitment to those brands keeps the shop in the forefront of ever-changing technology and up-to-date service. Superior Automotive is able to offer top-flight service because of the skill of their mechanics and the personal commitment of owner Danny Bedgood. He has built his decades-long career on the twin standards of reliability and expertise.

There’s no kindness too small to share with a customer, no conversation that is not meaningful in building a relationship of trust and caring. It is more than just an auto repair shop; this is a community.

People start out as customers and end up being friends.

Growing Stronger Together at the J’La

Building on last year’s success, the Levite Jewish Community Center will host its 3rd annual J’la Gala to benefit our wide range of programming for children and adults. This year’s theme, “Growing Stronger Together,” celebrates the critical role The J plays every year in the lives of thousands.

Details for the evening

Tickets: $125

5-8 p.m.

Cocktail hour with open bar

Silent auction

Take a look at what we’ve been up to!

We’re growing our diverse community together: Need-based fee waivers so that no preschool student, camp participant, or member is unable to access The J’s offerings.

• Specially designed activities for our members and Veterans Affairs partners with disabilities.

• Programs that reach more than 150 under-served youth including swim lessons and community theater.

Growing our broader community together:

More than 150 people attended our “Fighting for Their Lives” educational seminar that spelled out the challenges facing transgender youth and the state of their care in Alabama.

• Some 200 area business leaders attended our seminar that discussed the rise in anti-semitism. In the wake of the horrific October 7 attack on

Plated three-course kosher dinner prepared by Chef Maureen Holt

Live auction and fund-a-need managed by C. King Benefit Auctions

Israel, we created a community “living room” where many devastated by the attack found comfort through togetherness. Along with partner organizations, we hosted a solidarity gathering in support of the victims of the October 7 attack and their families.

• Our annual Jewish Food and Culture Fest brought more than 2,000 people to our campus this spring for great food, music, and company.

We’re growing our members together:

In addition to our myriad fitness and recreational offerings, let’s not forget our knitting group — a social club that crafts hats and scarves for young cancer patients. We offer mahjong, bridge, and senior adult fitness classes to our older members. And our Thursday Family Fun Night pool parties are weekly summer highlights for many families.

The Face of the Justice You Deserve

Mintrel D. Martin, Attorney at Law

Mintrel D. Martin is a Birmingham-based personal injury lawyer who believes each client should be treated with respect, and that each person who meets with his firm should leave feeling heard and understood. He welcomes a challenge and has over 20 years of legal experience working for his clients.

Mr. Martin has successfully represented clients in incredibly complex cases. He isn’t intimidated by large law firms, and he’s even taken on some of the world’s largest insurance companies — and won. Mr. Martin has won recoveries in the millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. His firm's practice areas are focused on personal injusry, vehicle accidents and trucking accidents.

Mr. Martin’s track record and character have resulted in an impressive reputation in the legal community. He has been an expert guest on Fox 6 WVUA’s Law Call, is the recipient of Birmingham Magazine’s Best in Minority Business Award and has been listed in Super Lawyers® Magazine.

Mr. Martin understands the time-sensitive nature of legal matters, and won’t push you to the side or keep you waiting. Don’t lose out by waiting on a lawyer to call you back — instead, experience customer service that counts. Call today and get a free consultation for your personal injury, vehicle accident or trucking case.

Along with Mr. Martin's commitment to serving clients, his passion for the community has been channeled into the philanthropic work on behalf of The Mintrel D. Martin Foundation, including efforts on behalf of Susan G. Komen and Alzheimers of Central Alabama THE MARTIN LAW FIRM, LLC 505 20th Street North, Ste 625 | Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 801-6050 | www.martinfirmllc.com Orlando Office 801 N. Magnolia Avenue, Ste 300 | Orlando, FL 32803 | (407) 801-7709

Steven Allen, Jr. and Jordan Franklin photographed at Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport.

The Face of Aviation

Steven Allen, Jr. understands the legacy, responsibility and thrill of being in the aviation business. His father, Steven Allen, Sr., started the family’s aviation business, Premier Group, Inc., a half century ago. The company has been offerig aircraft sales and solutions ever since. Premier Group is Alabama’s only true aircraft dealer, buying, selling and trading all sizes and brands of aircraft using their own funding. They also specialize in complex multi-aircraft trades. The company prides itself on its ability to deliver a very simple turn key solution to even the most demanding of clients, and delivering a product in half the time of their competitors. Premier Group, owned now by Steven and wife Heather, is a unique family legacy.

The Face of Compassion and Excellence

Bernard C. Buggs, Jr. CFSP, CCO, CPC, Owner

Meet Bernard C. Buggs, Jr., the servant’s heart behind Cornerstone Funeral Services & Cremations. With a dedication to serving families during their most vulnerable moments, Bernard founded Cornerstone in 2019, driven by a vision of providing peace of mind with compassion and excellence.

Since January 2023, Cornerstone has been housed in its new state-of-the-art facility, offering a sanctuary for families to honor their loved ones with dignity and respect. With a team of highly trained staff, including retired first responders and veterans, Cornerstone ensures every family receives personalized care and attention.

At Cornerstone, families have complete autonomy to choose the perfect memorial for their loved ones, whether it's a traditional funeral, a heartfelt memorial service, or a respectful cremation. Cornerstone upholds the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.

With a commitment to fair and reasonable costs, Cornerstone prioritizes its reputation for unparalleled service above all else. Don't just take our word for it—check our Google reviews to see why families trust Cornerstone during their most difficult times.

At Cornerstone Funeral Services & Cremations, honoring legacies isn't just a job—it's a passion. Let us guide you with compassion and expertise as you celebrate the life of your loved one.

Cornerstone

Funeral

Services and Cremations

2416 Carson Road | Birmingham, AL 35215 (205) 949-9500 | Mobile: 205-917-9658 | www.cfs-c.com

FEATURES

12.Violins of Hope

Amnon Weinstein has spent the last three decades locating and restoring violins that were played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. He dedicated this important work to the more than 400 of his own relatives, all of whom were murdered in the Holocaust. By Sallie Downs

18. Batter Up

The Major League Baseball game played at Rickwood Field in June is just the latest in a long string of memories that make the nation’s oldest ballpark a treasured Birmingham icon. By Bill Caton

30. Culinary Dropout

Variety is the spice of life at Culinary Dropout at The Summit

35. BBQ Brothers

David and Joe Maluff built a barbecue restaurant business based

on exceptional customer service and great food.

38. The Empire of Nick Nick Pihakis creates restaurants based on the ideals of hospitality.

45. Little Betty

A Mountain Brook steakhouse brings a unique approach and experience to the Magic City.

50.Current

Current Charcoal Grill is a homage to the flavors, ingredients and techniques of Asian cuisine.

56.Food + Culture Fest

This September come celebrate Birmingham’s culinary and cultural vibrancy.

62.Women and the Law

Our annual listing of the top women attorneys in the metro.

Batter Up at Rickwood (page 18)

The Empire of Nick: Tasty Town (page 38)

Violins of Hope (page 12)

Food + Culture (page56)

Violins of Hope

By Sallie Downs

Amnon Weinstein has spent the last three decades locating and restoring violins that were played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. He dedicated this important work to the more than 400 of his own relatives, all of whom were murdered in the Holocaust.

Finally at last, we were ONE COMMUNITY!  Not my community, not your community…but OUR community!

Those were the sentiments spoken by Birmingham’s former Mayor, Dr. Richard Arrington, Jr. after witnessing the historic Dreams of Hope concert at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. A choir of haunting voices from Holocaust violins sang out in praise telling stories of triumph over evil.  The sanctuary overflowed with an exhaustively diverse group of people who by evening’s end were connected in heart and soul through the universal language of music.

Dr. Henry Panion, III meticulously designed this program to welcome the Founder of Violins of Hope, Amnon Weinstein, and his family to our city; and to honor with respect and great reverence the powerful responsibility these violins carry with them.

Amnon Weinstein has spent the last three decades locating and restoring violins that were played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. He dedicated this important work to the more than 400 of his own relatives, all of whom were murdered in the Holocaust. His grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins

all stayed behind in Eastern Europe while Amnon’s parents, Moshe and Golda, immigrated from Lithuania in 1938 just as the persecution of Jews was escalating in Germany.

Amnon was born in 1939 and grew up in Tel Aviv where he worked in his father’s violin workshop. In his early 20s he moved to Cremona, Italy, known for its master luthiers. He continued his training in Paris with Etienne Vatelot, one of the world’s most renown luthiers.

In 1975 he married Assaela Bielski Gershoni, daughter of Asael Bielski. The Bielski brothers were Jewish resistance fighters whose heroism saved more than 1,200 Jews by hiding in the forests. Their story was made famous in the 2008 film Defiance and the brothers were played by Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell.

In the 1980s, Amnon had his first encounter with a violin from the Holocaust. It had barely survived Auschwitz, as did its owner, having been forced to play in rain and snow.  When Amnon took the instrument apart, he discovered black powder inside, certainly fallout from the crematoria at the death camp. This moment triggered horrible memories of what had happened to his family, and he struggled in his commitment to repair the violin. Ultimately, he found the courage and strength to bring the violin back to life.

Determined to claim his lost heritage, Amnon put out a call for violins that were played by Jews in the camps and ghettos. Together with his son, Avshalom, they began systematically collecting the instruments, documenting their stories, and painstakingly piecing the violins back together in their Tel Aviv workshop. There are now more than 60 violins in the Violins of Hope collection. The artistic skills and relentless determination of father and son have made ready these damaged, weathered, and weary instruments for the most prestigious concert halls in the world. And with their newly discovered voices, a new life with great purpose.

Violins of Hope has performed all over the world including Turkey, Israel, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico and the United States. On the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz , Violins of Hope was recognized by an exhibition and concert with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Amnon also received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, one of the country’s highest honors.

When approached about coming to Birmingham, Amnon agreed without hesitation. He said he wanted the violins to be played in Birmingham so “those who helped change the story of civil rights in America can hear their messages of hope for the future of all mankind.”

Amnon Weinstein brought Violins of Hope to

Birmingham in April of 2018. He also brought his children and grandchildren, and it was a powerful educational exchange for everyone. Our community experienced four incredible days and nights of concerts, lectures and hands-on exhibits. The Weinstein family spent three days touring the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Kelly Ingram Park.

In a recent interview, Amnon and Assi were asked if there was a special Violins of Hope memory that stood out above all others, and Assi’s response was “I’ll tell you right away. To me, the most important Violins of Hope concert took place in Alabama, in Birmingham, in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.” Amnon said he would remember it all his life!  “A concert like this….in a church, the choir, the orchestra, the soloist, the conductor, the music (Jewish and Gospel)”, Amon said. “A concert like this should happen at Carnegie Hall, and I hope one day it will.”

Our community was left with much more than beautiful memories of an extraordinary time; we are enriched by lasting tangibles from Violins of Hope.

Gail and Jeffrey Bayer who co-chaired Violins of Hope Birmingham created a new Field of Interest Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. The Instruments of Hope Unity Fund is designed to develop a sustainable and permanent model for fostering civil discourse and action by addressing the most complex challenges facing this community of ours.

Alabama Public Television produced a 30-minute educational program featuring the AL School of Fine Arts Orchestra where students played instruments from the Violins of Hope collection; and Avshalom (Avshi) Weinstein spoke to the students about the history of the Holocaust and shared stories involving the violins. The production includes interviews with students and teachers and remains a powerful teaching resource.

So inspired were the masses that attended the Dreams of Hope event, Dr. Henry Panion and David Macon worked together to create a documentary that encapsulated the intoxicating evening. “Dreams of Hope” – the docu-concert tells the story of the Violins of Hope and the historic concert at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, featuring violinist Caitlin Edwards performing Dr. Panion’s composition for solo-violin on the powerfully resonate “Auschwitz Violin.”

Violins of Hope Birmingham created an enduring friendship between the Weinstein family and our community. The ultimate display of their love and high regard for our community was when the Weinsteins decided to provide Birmingham with one of their cherished violins so we could

I, along with Avshi who will carry on Amnon’s legacy of Violins of Hope, and the many people Amnon blessed during his lifetime, will honor his legacy by taking personal responsibility and doing our part in bringing beauty to the world, building tolerance through understanding, promoting justice through education, and nurturing acceptance so the people of the world who desire peace, can live in peace with security.

continue our collaboration with Violins of Hope. The “Soldiers Violin” is on display at the Alabama Holocaust Education Center in Birmingham, and it is used for educational programming and special events that align with the mission to educate the people of Alabama about the history and lessons of the Holocaust in order to create a more just and compassionate world.

I asked Amnon to bring the violins to Birmingham. I had the honor of leading the Violins of Hope effort in Birmingham and the privilege of working with an incredible group of volunteers to make it greater than I ever imagined.  Along the way, making new friends was my lasting reward, especially the relationship that evolved between Amnon and me.  At the conclusion of two years of planning and a week of implementing, and after Violins of Hope left Birmingham, I received a card from Amnon and Assi that said, “If you will it, it is no dream,” words of Theodor Herzl.

In one of our conversations after the October 7th massacres, Amnon assured me he was doing okay, as long as he could work on his violins. It kept his spirit of hope alive at a time when the Jewish people suffered their greatest loss of life in one day since the Holocaust.

On Monday, March 4th, Amnon Weinstein passed away.  His obituary appeared in notable publications around the world including in the U.S. in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. CBS Sunday Morning acknowledged Amnon’s passing along with others who were “more famous” than he.  But he was there because he made a significant contribution in creating a better world because of how he chose to live his life.  This is not an obituary but a testament to the power of every

individual whose lives are guided by purpose.

I, along with Avshi who will carry on Amnon’s legacy of Violins of Hope, and the many people Amnon blessed during his lifetime, will honor his legacy by taking personal responsibility and doing our part in bringing beauty to the world, building tolerance through understanding, promoting justice through education, and nurturing acceptance so the people of the world who desire peace, can live in peace with security.

I bear witness to those that don’t believe they can make a difference. We are the only ones who can. Do something that you feel passionately needs bettering. If you aren’t sure what that is, pay closer attention because needs are everywhere. Don’t look away. If you aren’t sure how you can help, just ask someone. If you doubt you can make a difference, just look at who has. Perhaps we can’t all be Martin Luther King, but that’s not the point. We may not get to the Promised Land, but that’s no excuse to not paving the way.

Here are some resources to get started and share with a friend:

Donate to the Alabama Holocaust Education Center to support Violins of Hope programming (www.ahecinfo.org)

Watch the docu-concert “Dreams of Hope” (just search “dreams of hope PBS”)

Learn about the “Instrument of Hope Unity Fund” (www. cfbham.org)

As my friend, Phyllis Weinstein, of blessed memory, was known to say, “Your job is what you leave at the end of the day; your work is what you leave at the end of your life.”

BATTER UP !

The Major League Baseball game played at Rickwood Field in June is just the latest in a long string of memories that make the nation’s oldest ballpark a treasured Birmingham icon.

By Bill Caton

Aerial photo of preparations for MLB game by Zack Sylvan

BATTER

PLAY PLAY

BALL BALL

When Ken Damsgard was 11 years old he and his father traveled together from Decatur to Rickwood Field to watch the Birmingham Barons play an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. That was 1953 but it might as well have been happening in 2024 as Ken reminisced about the trip at lunch on a sunny afternoon in May.

He and his wife, Ann, had just taught the last Sunday school class of 5-year-olds for the year and the conversation turned to the summer and the official major league baseball game set to be played at Rickwood on June 20. As always, the present was shaped by memory.

“I got autographs from Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Eddie Lopat and Billy Hunter,” he said. “In 1955, Dad and I drove from Decatur to Rickwood to see Jackie Robinson’s All-Stars barnstorming tour. I got autographs from Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Luke Easter, Roy Campanella and Ralph Branca.”

“I don’t remember what we ate, but I imagine it was a hot dog,” Ken, now 82, said of his childhood trips to Rickwood. “Those are special memories of my Dad doing that with me.”

We think of the 114-year-old ballpark as if it is a relic of the past. But it is more than that; it lives in us in the present through the complexity of memory that provides context to our lives.

Great athletes have played there, from Babe Ruth to Dizzy Dean to Willie Mays to Reggie Jackson. The Negro Leagues flourished at Rickwood, but then in 1962 and 1963 there was no baseball played there because segregation laws prohibited blacks and whites from playing or watching baseball together. So it is fitting that MLB scheduled the first official major league game to celebrate the Negro Leagues and attempt to rekindle waning interest in the sport among the nation’s black citizens. The 5,000 available tickets for the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants sold out in 40 minutes. An additional 3,300 tickets were to be given to members of the community.

“Our hope was to bring MLB to Birmingham to showcase

America’s oldest ballpark,” said Gerald Watkins, chairman and executive director of Friends of Rickwood. “MLB gave us the motivation to raise money to fund major improvements. The city made a tremendous commitment of $5 million. Without them it wouldn’t have happened.”

Most of the money was spent getting the field fit for the major leaguers to play on. Excavation work started in October when construction crews dug up the old field to a depth of two feet, installed an MLB-quality drainage system and in May put down special grass called Tahoma 51, which is grown on a turf farm in Georgia and is used by high profile sports teams, said Watkins. The field was pampered by an MLB grounds crew. The grass will require a lot of maintenance going forward but Friends of Rickwood says it’s prepared for that.

Donations also paid for improvements to the dugouts and for locker rooms to be refurbished to be used as medical facilities for the game. Players will be using temporary modular buildings for locker rooms and club houses. They are plush facilities with video rooms, weight rooms and showers. Even the baseballs will receive special treatment, in their own humidors.

About 100 games a year are played at Rickwood. Miles College plays home games there, as do three of Birmingham’s high schools and a lot of travel teams. Friends of Rickwood is searching for a few more marquee events. Watkins said plans are for the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to be played there in 2025 or 2026. He also hopes to the have the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament at Rickwood and to restart the Classic. They will certainly have a magnificent field to play on.

“The improvements on the field will allow us to attract

more events and build status as a tourism spot,” Watkins said. “The (June 20) game will be a three-hour commercial for Birmingham. The publicity and people coming here are going to be very meaningful to (the city). There’ll be special events.

“The event is going to be pretty spectacular,” he said, “MLB is pulling out all the stops. We will have a fan plaza on the lot next door. There will be souvenirs, food and beverages. It will have television screens showing the game and will be adorned with pennants and signs describing in detail the heroes of the Negro Leagues.”

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays was invited to attend and special preparations were made for him, but he died two days before the event. His passing brought to mind a special memory that shapes my present. Only 12 years after Ken’s last trip to segregated Rickwood with his father, I went to the library at Edgewood Elementary School in Homewood where I was a fifth grader, and checked out a biography of Willie Mays, a black baseball player in the integrated MLB from Alabama and one of my sports heroes.

And so my experience at Rickwood was different than Ken’s, but my visits to the old park are another addition to our collective memory. My father died in 2006 but he remains with me when I remember sitting with him in the steamy Birmingham night to watch Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Vida Blue, Tony Larussa and others as clouds of tobacco smoke and bugs swirled around the lights. I don’t remember what we talked about; I only remember him sitting with me in 1967 as both blacks and whites were together in the stands and on the field.

In 1953 he was 11 years old, Ken Damsgard and his treasured autographs from Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Eddie Lopat and Billy Hunter. Two years later they saw Jackie Robinson’s AllStars barnstorming tour. He got autographs from Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Luke Easter, Roy Campanella and Ralph Branca. All these years later, they live in his memories and framed on a wall.

BALLPARK BALLPARK

Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, was the site of a special regular season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants on June 20.

The most famous former Black Baron and a legend of the game, Willie Mays, died two days prior to the game, adding a special resonance to the evening’s tribute to the Negro Leagues.

The national exposure Rickwood and Birmingham received was extraordinary, a tribute to a city, a sport, and history.

(Photos courtesy Tom Cosby)

A NIGHT at the BALLPARK A NIGHT at the BALLPARK

Scenes from the game and the Willie Mays tribute at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Kim Geidel is the head groomer at Blind Dog Biscuit Pawtique. She is a National Certified Master Groomer through The National Dog Groomers Association of America and Pet Tech CPR Certified with over 30 years of experience to offer.

Kim says, “As a child in Pittsburgh, I read books and had a shelf of little dog figurines. I was always asking neighbors if I could walk their dogs around the block. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to have any dogs. When I was married and had 2 daughters, we had every type of pet. I didnt actually learn to groom until I was 30.”

Kim has traveled the United States continuing her education and developing high standards and skills she has learned along her journey as a Master Stylist.

GROOMING SERVICES

Kim said, “My trainer was involved in showing and competitions. She inspired me to go as high as I could and truly learn to groom like an artist. I started attending every dog show in my Tri-State area to talk to breeders and groomers so I could learn how every breed should look in a show groom. After knowing the intracacies of each breed, studying anatomy and coat type, I learned to transfer that information into pet dogs.”

Kim is dedicated to refining her craft to ensure her clients get nothing but the best. Kim’s background and expertise in behavior, nutrition, and dog psychology allows her to connect with clients and build a bond with them. This advances her ability to not only do her job effectively but more important, safely! It is essential to have a connection and provide a safe place for dogs to transform into happy, well adjusted dogs. Her expertise in every AKC breed as well as mixed breeds uniquely sets her apart from the rest of the pack. She has owned , bred and shown standard

poodles for many years but now has just 4 poodles and takes pride in quality over quantity. Her super power is also calming anxious and nervous dogs.

“My joy comes from teaching people how to groom. I’m always on the lookout for a new student to take the reigns when I’m ready to retire.

DROP IN DROP OUT DROP IN DROP OUT

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE AT CULINARY DROPOUT AT THE SUMMIT

Culinary Dropout is a restaurant born from a college dropout and his culinary partners. Fourteen years and eleven locations later, Culinary Dropout drops in to The Summit for its first in Alabama location.

“We are thrilled to bring Culinary Dropout to the city of Birmingham,” said Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts founder and James Beard nominated restaurateur. “We have worked vigorously to create a dining experience deserving of the Birmingham community. We welcome guests with Culinary Dropout’s iconic hospitality and serve damn good food and drinks.”

Let’s talk about the food; the restaurant offers a diverse menu featuring classics done the Culinary Dropout way. Guests can expect signature dishes like the “famous in our own mind” House-made Soft Pretzels & Provolone Fondue, “Ma, the Meatloaf”, the crispy Fried Chicken drizzled in honey and build your own charcuterie boards piled with delectable meats and cheeses, like Hot Coppa, Prosciutto, aged Manchego, and pimento cheese. The extensive menu offers something for every tastebud, ranging from salads to sandwiches, Detroit-style pizza and so much more.

The bar is a full 360-degrees, and equipped with TVs for sports fans. Culinary Dropout’s signature cocktails and huge selection of craft and local beer are fun and friendly. The Dropouts behind the bar will mix up cocktails like the “Playboi Stache” (vanilla teasoaked vodka, passoā passion fruit liqueur, orange oil), “El Matador” (Gran Centenario Añejo, elderflower, ginger agave, orange bitters) or “Campfire Vibes” (100 proof bonded bourbon, chai jacked apple cider, Spanish vanilla, roasted five spice).

Brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant is open 11 a.m, to 11 p.m. daily with a start time at 10 on Saturdays and Sundays (closes at 10 on Sundays)

The 360-degree bar and variety of menu items are among the draws at Culinary Dropout.

BBQ Brothers

David and Joe Maluff built a barbecue restaurant business based on exceptional customer service and great food.

When you first enter the office of the Maluff Brothers the first thing you notice are the desks. Two of them; side by side both facing a wall. They split this section of the room in half, which is about the same way the brothers handle the bustling barbecue business they built out of Full Moon BBQ.

The brothers focus on what they each do well, splitting tasks like operations, accounting, marketing and PR. Sitting side by side they bounce ideas off each other, collaborating on the best way to go forward.

The brothers with a four-years age difference (David is the oldest) have been close since childhood.

They began their careers working in restaurants in Panama

City, Florida. Their whole life has been the food business. “It’s in your blood,” David says. “Our family was in the hospitality and restaurant business, so we’ve been around it our whole lives. That is our culture, feeding people and hospitality.”

Their grandfather owned a steakhouse, Joe’s Steakhouse, back in the 1950s. Their father was in the business; their mother catered Middle Eastern Food out of her kitchen.

They were looking for opportunity and the brothers found it at Pat James’ Full Moon BBQ, a local barbecue icon on the Southside of Birmingham.

“We loved the food…the product is what is key,” the brothers say.

They saw an opportunity with distinct menu items like chow-chow and the dipped chocolate chip cookies, and the overall quality of the food. They thought they could take it over and build upon a great tradition.

And that’s just what they did.

Full Moon BBQ had been in operation since 1986.  With the Maluff brothers, David and Joe, at the helm since 1997.Under their

vision, leadership and quality, the Maluffs have grown the business to 16 locations across Alabama and Mississippi, while continuing a family-owned tradition that caters to folks who know great barbeque from the rest.

The menu items have remained mostly the same, including the barbecue turkey sandwiches that convinced the brothers to buy the chain in the first place.

Labor and expenses are the big challenges in the restaurant business. The brothers say the restaurant world as a whole is struggling now. “But we can get through those challenges, you pretty much have to wait it out until the tide turns,” David says. “We do better every day.”

Along with hickory smoke and sauce, community involvement is a key component of Full Moon’s success. “We try to always be involved especially around sports,” Joe says. “We give back to the schools and the churches, the homeless shelters.”

That’s also how we grew a lot of the business, through UAB and the churches and the schools. We are involved because that is what we grew up doing. “We are always trying to give back as they gave back to us,” David says.

THE EMPIRE OF NICK AN INTERVIEW

B-Metro: When you began working in the hospitality industry, did you have a vision of what you wanted your career to be?

Nick: I did. When I was 19 years old, I was fortunate enough to get my first job at an independently operated restaurant that was a friend of my family’s. I learned a lot from that experience, including how to bartend, but most importantly, it solidified my desire to be in the restaurant business. Growing up, I would also go to Miami to visit

my cousins, and one of our favorite activities was riding our bikes past the Fontainebleau hotel and seeing chefs cooking bananas foster table-side, wearing those iconic tall chef hats. I just knew I wanted to be in this industry –I didn’t know where things would end up, but I’m so glad things happened the way it did.

B-Metro: Did you envision an enterprise like your current company?

Nick: When I was working at the now shuttered

Birmingham restaurant called Rossi’s, I kept trying to get the owner to open a second location – I always had this innate sense that growth was important. I knew there were opportunities to grow a business and see it flourish.

In 1985, we opened Jim N Nick’s BBQ, and a few years later in 1993, I was fortunate enough to team up with some partners in the multi-unit restaurant business. The partners loved what we were doing with Jim N Nick’s, and they had that multi-unit experience, which is so different than independent restaurant experience. That really got me to the next level.

Most importantly though, I believe it’s paramount to give opportunity to our young people, so they can grow, and we can grow. Developing people has become a huge priority of mine, and it’s been rewarding to watch them develop that sense of pride and ownership in their positions, which ultimately allows them to thrive. When you have growth, you don’t lose people, and if you don’t expand, people will go elsewhere. We have based our entire company on opportunity, and that creates a completely different experience.

B-Metro: You seem to create restaurants with ethnicities (Italian,

LITTLE DONKEY

Southern-influenced Mexican restaurant with a farm-to-table focus in Homewood. 2701 18th St S (205) 703-7000 thelittledonkey.com

Greek, etc.) in mind. How important are such food traditions to you?

Nick: When I started in the restaurant business in 1977, every restaurant in Birmingham was owned by independent families from all over the world. There was a big population

of Greek and Italian families in Birmingham, and there still are. When these folks would travel over from Europe, they would bring family members with them, like their nephews, and once they got established, they would then bring their spouses and their children over. It was an interesting way to grow the businesses.

JOYLAND

Burgers, fried chicken, biscuits, shakes, fries opening in Avondale Rodney Scott location

HERO

Fresh take on old favorites. Eight locations in Birmingham, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. herodoughnutsandbuns. com

Little Betty

A Mountain Brook steakhouse brings a unique approach and experience to the Magic City.

Photos by Stacy Allen

An Interview with Jamey Shirah,   CEO-

Revival Restaurant Group (Little Betty)

All of your restaurants seem quite different in style, cuisine etc. Is there a certain quality or philosophy that ties them together?

Shirah: We’ve always taken the approach of creating something we really want to visit and enjoy. If you aren’t enjoying what you’ve created, you’ve probably got the wrong intentions. We started with sports bars in our 20’s, moved to polished casual in our early 30’s, and as we move into our next decade, we are moving into fine dining. It’s what we enjoy, and that’s an important factor when in an industry so demanding.

How would you rate Birmingham as a restaurant town?

Shirah: 11/10. Birmingham has a long-standing tradition as a leader in the dining scene of America and more recently finally received some of the recognition it deserves with the likes of Chef Stitt, Chef Hastings and Chef Evans, of past national awards. This year we had two semi finalists as well. For years, Birmingham constantly received “most underrated” articles, but it’s now getting the recognition it deserves and the

scene is exploding. We’re thrilled to be a part of that. There are very exciting times ahead for the Birmingham scene.

What are you most proud of or most enjoy personally in Little Betty’s menu?

Shirah: It’s uniqueness. Our menu is riddled with Italian influence with an Asian nod. Sure, we have outstanding steaks we serve nightly cooked over a wood-fire grill, but we are so much more. You can dance through our menu multiple ways. You can have light bites of our hamachi crudo and chicken supported by a delicious French rose, or you can go full Italian and order several fresh-daily hand made pastas and a bold red. You can truly have 3-4 different experiences on one menu. Additionally, we’ll make seasonal changes to keep it fresh, not something many steak concepts do.

Your staff seems very professional and well trained,, how important is that for your success?

Shirah: Simply put, we are nothing without our team. They drive the entire experience and their hunger to be the best is imperative to our continued improvement. Our training program is detailed and intense, but we feel the more time we invest in them, the better opportunity they have to be successful.

What drives your menu decisions at Little Betty?

Shirah: In cahoots with our local heroes, the beef, chicken, pork, and fish producers, Chef Kyle and the Little Betty kitchen crew are on a mission to serve up a taste of our region to our extended family of guests. It’s all about integrity and authenticity here.

Step inside, and you’ll see it all unfold before your eyes—our open kitchen and wood–burning hearth can be seen throughout the dining room. It’s like an invitation to be part of our culinary journey, to become one with the

Little Betty community. From the fields to your fork, we keep it real, honest, and clean. And it’s this deep care that allows our Chef to weave modern flavors and give a nod, albeit a loving one, to the traditional steakhouse playbook.

One glance at our menu, and you’ll realize Little Betty isn’t your run-of-the-mill joint. We go above, below, and beyond steak, taking you on a culinary adventure. Handcut pastas, excitement eliciting entrées, shareable starters that spark conversation, and a thoughtfully curated cocktail and wine list – that’s what you’ll find here.

CURRENT CURRENT AN INTERVIEW WITH CHEF ADAM EVANS

PHOTOS BY CALEB CHANCEY

Chef Adam Evans, in partnership with Chef Luke Joseph and owner Raymond J. Harbert, have created Current Charcoal Grill as a homage to the flavors, ingredients and techniques of Asian cuisine, including using a centuries-old approach to cooking with traditional Japanese Binchotan charcoals.

A Muscle Shoals native and 2022 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: South Award, Evans and his wife/partner opened Automatic Seafood & Oysters in Birmingham in 2019.

A native of New Zealand, Joseph worked at many restaurants in Australia before relocating to Birmingham and joining the team at Automatic Seafood & Oysters.

Their menu at Current features spear-caught fish and Gulf seafood, as well as produce from local farmers. Dish highlights include whole roasted duck, Cantonese-style crispy pork belly, a selection of raw fish and rice preparations, scallion pancakes and seasonal offerings of tempura vegetables. On the sweet

side, customers can expect a variety of Japanese shaved ice.

An array of Japanese spirits and sake alongside a curated wine selection, seasonal cocktail menu and imported Asian beers on draft comprise the bar program.

Dating back to the 1920s, Current Charcoal Grill’s interiors at 1625 Second Ave. South near Railroad Park features soaring ceilings and double-layer brick walls. Designed by Suzanne Humphries Evans, the concept’s palette is heavily influenced by the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. It incorporates touches of teal, blue and black intermixed with earth tones of clay and copper throughout.

The restaurant features Shou Sugi Ban wood paneling, a 200-year-old Chinese altar table, shibori-dyed fabrics and rice paper lanterns. Seating can accommodate up to 120, with dual bars, a 70-foot-long banquette, expansive booths and a lounge.

Current is located near The Fennec and Railroad Park at 1625 Second Avenue South, Suite A.

An Interview with Adam Evans, Current

Explain the genesis of the new restaurant concept and what parts of the menu are you most excited about?

Evans: From the start, we knew we wanted to create a restaurant that is unique and different for Birmingham. We already had this building as our starting point, and a partner allowing us the opportunity of creative freedom. From there, we kept coming back to this style of cuisine—something Luke and I both are passionate about.

I’m most excited about the Whole Roasted Duck as well as the dishes that will be coming out of the raw bar.

What are the challenges today of getting a new restaurant off the ground?

Evans: Many elements have to come together, and the timing has to be right. It’s almost impossible to plan an opening because you can’t set a firm date. It’s going to take much longer than you anticipate, even if you’re being conservative.

There are things you can do to ensure it goes as smoothly

in the hospitality industry, did you have a vision of what you wanted your career to be?

as possible, like not making the same mistakes twice. It is like everything in life though—when you’re building something out of nothing, a lot can happen. Anytime you’re building a restaurant’s kitchen from scratch, there will be delays. It’s all part of the process that I thankfully love doing.

How do you view Birmingham as a dining town?

Evans: It’s the best I’ve ever been a part of. The people are so loyal and know what good dining is because of Frank Stitt. He opened his first restaurant over 40 years ago, then

Nick: I did. When I was 19 years old, I was fortunate enough to get my first job at an independently operated restaurant that was a friend of my family’s. I learned a lot from that experience, including how to bartend, but most importantly, it solidified my desire to be in the restaurant business. Growing up, I would also go to Miami to visit my cousins, and one of our

opened several more, and now Birmingham has exceptional dining experiences. Now, if you open a restaurant, and you’re not that, it’s obvious to the community. However, if you give guests something of value, an experience where they feel they’ve been well taken care of, and there is good food, they are incredibly loyal. The community here is beyond amazing and supportive, and anybody who owns a restaurant in Birmingham would say the same thing.

favorite activities was riding our bikes past the Fontainebleau hotel and seeing chefs cooking bananas foster table-side, wearing those iconic tall chef hats. I just knew I wanted to be in this industry – I didn’t know where things would end up, but I’m so glad things happened the way

CULTURE

FOOD FEST

CELEBRATE

BIRMINGHAM’S

CULINARY AND CULTURAL VIBRANCY

Join in at Birmingham’s biggest table, September 19-22 as The Year of Alabama Food is celebrated at the city’s most exciting and newest food festivals. Live, taste and experience the cuisine, culture and character that makes Birmingham the Food Destination of the South. From live funk to fine dining, unique events serve up the perfect taste of our heritage, cuisine, traditions and unique and flavorful culture.

FOOD+Frank: The Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence | Thursday, September 19

A cocktail reception honoring the recipient of the Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence, recognizing an industry leader dedicated to culinary craft who fosters appreciation for food’s journey to our tables. Enjoy passed bites and signature drinks, as dignitaries pay tribute to the 2024 honoree Glenn Robert’s innovation and impact on the culinary industry. Roberts was selected due to his dedication to preserving and

enhancing Southern culinary traditions. He founded Anson Mills in 1998 in Charleston, South Carolina, to rematriate lost foods of the 18th and 19th century Southern Pantry. Today Anson Mills grows and produces artisan landrace grain, legume, and oil seed ingredients for chefs and home cooks worldwide and provides culinary research support for pastry chefs, bakers, brewers, and distillers through Anson Mills Research Lab.

DATE: Thursday, September 19th

VENUE: Birmingham Museum of Art

TIME: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

THE EVENT: Cocktail reception featuring curated beer, wine and a signature cocktail. Heavy hors d’oeuvres. Live music and keynote speakers

FOOD+Heritage | Friday, September 20

It’s a big fat Greek dinner in the streets! Embark on a culinary journey as FOOD+ celebrates Birmingham’s vibrant Greek community and its impact on the city’s food scene. Immerse yourself in Greek traditions as you hear their stories and traditions while savoring the Greek flavors from iconic chefs with a multi-course, seated dinner and entertainment

under the stars.

DATE: Friday, September 20th

VENUE: Streets of Pepper Place on 29th St S

TIME: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

TICKET: $125 - includes food and beverage

THE EVENT: Welcome reception with passed bites, beer, wine and a signature cocktail. Seated dinner featuring a multi-course, family-style meal with dishes from several local chefs and paired wines. Curated live entertainment in the Greek tradition.

FOOD+Market Mix at The Market at Pepper Place | Saturday, September 21

Join FOOD+Culture Festival at The Market at Pepper Place for a morning market mix of farmers, female chefs, storytellers, authors and makers. As the Market continues to celebrate the Year of Alabama Food and the month of “Women in Food,” the morning will feature female chef demos by Les Dames D’Escoffier, along with storytelling and book signings

curated by Alabama Humanities Alliance. Start your Saturday at one of the premier markets in the United States, and then stay for festivities at FOOD+Fire.

DATE: Saturday, September 21st

VENUE: Market at Pepper Place

TIME: 7:00 am – 12:00 pm

TICKET: Free to attend

FOOD+Fire | Saturday, September 21

Sloss Furnaces will light up us we host the second annual, FOOD+Fire. This daytime walk-around tasting event will

celebrate the barbecue community, live-fire cooking, and Southern tailgate culture. The event will feature top regional and national pitmasters and acclaimed chefs putting an openfire spin on signature bites and tailgate classics. The cornerstone event of the Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival, it will feature the Southern Living Tailgate Stage presented by Hellmann’s, the Coca Cola Music Stage, local and regional breweries in the Hop City Craft Beer + Wine Garden, and the not-to-be missed giant football screen in the Avadian Credit Union Tailgate Lounge.

DATE: Saturday, September 21st

VENUE: Sloss Furnaces Historic Landmark

TIME: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

TICKET: $75 – includes food and beverage tastings

THE EVENT: A walk-around tasting event. Unlimited tasting bites from ~30 top chefs and pitmasters. The Hop City Craft Beer + Wine Garden - Unlimited tasting-sized pours from 10+ breweries and 6+ wineries. Southern Living Tailgate Stage presented by Hellmann’s. Coca Cola Music Stage. Avadian Credit Union Tailgate Lounge with a giant football screen. Cash bar for additional alcohol purchases

FOOD+Funk: Grits + Grooves | Sunday, September 22

Get your groove on and your grits in! Join Grammy Award winning The Dirty Dozen Brass Band for a spirited “Sunday Funday” immersed in rich culinary tradition, celebrating Alabama’s timeless love affair with grits. Through innovative brunch dishes highlighting the versatility of this historic staple, complemented by crafted morning cocktails and live music, we toast to grits’ heritage and the essence of Southern hospitality.

DATE: Sunday, September 22nd

VENUE: Sloss Furnaces Historic Landmark, Water Tower

TIME: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm

TICKET: $75 - includes food and beverage

THE EVENT: A walk-around brunch featuring: Unlimited tasting bites from 10 brunch chefs. Unlimited craft cocktails from 5 local mixologists. Live Music by Grammy-winning The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

FOOD+Friends Dinner Series

Local restaurants will be hosting out of town guest chef friends, for one-night-only collaborative menu offerings. These dinners will not be ticketed, allowing the entire community to get a taste of FOOD+Culture Fest, and drive traffic into our local restaurants. Schedule and participating restaurants to be announced!

WOMEN and the Law

Our annual listing of the top women attorneys in the metro.

Guided by the principles of justice and fundamental fairness, Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law is committed to achieving favorable results for our clients through excellence in advocacy. Recognized as being relentless in our pursuit of justice and known for excellence in civil litigation, our practice is limited to matters involving serious injury and wrongful death, where the outcome of a case will determine a client’s future quality of life. At the heart of our success are strong personal relationships with each of our clients, relationships that endure even after the trial is over.

Glenda Cochran Associates

310 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, Suite 500, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 (205) 328-5050 | GlendaCochran.com

Honora McKeown Gathings is a founding partner of Gathings Law. Taking a personal interest in all her clients, she believes that building a relationship is an important part of building a case. She has been involved in complex litigation, including business tort litigation, toxic, environmental, and pharmaceutical tort litigation, serious personal injury, consumer class actions, products liability, fraud, and international law. Gathings has been voted AV Peer Review Rated, reaching the height of professional excellence. She has been voted by her peers as an Alabama Super Lawyer and a MidSouth Super Lawyer. She has also been recognized as one of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators’ and one of B-metro Magazine’s Top Lawyers.

GATHINGS LAW

2140 11th Ave S Suite 210 Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 322-1201 • gathingslaw.com

Allison J. Adams Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

Janell Ahnert Littler

Anastasia Allmon Farris, Riley & Pitt

Alina Arbuthnot Maynard Nexsen

Lisa Karen Atkins Ogletree Deakins, PC

Ann Knox Averitt

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Lisa Bailey Morgan & Morgan 216 Summit Blvd #300 Birmingham, AL 35243 (205) 517-6900

Tammy Baker Jackson Lewis, LLP

Joyce Baker Red Mountain Law Group 2100 1st Ave N Ste 600, Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 328-9445

Nancy Ball

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Stephanie Balzli Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys

Katherine N. Barr Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Julia B. Barber Balch & Bingham

Rachel VanNortwick Barlotta Baker Donelson

Lois Beasley-Carlisle Carlisle & Carlisle, PC

Elizabeth Beaube Maynard Nexsen

Rebecca Beers Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell

Julia Bernstein

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Sela Stroud Blanton Bainbridge, Mims, Rogers & Smith, LLP

Christina May Bolin Christian & Small, LLP

Christie Keifer Borton Maynard Nexsen

Julianne Z. Boydstun Cory Watson Attorneys

Stacey T. Bradford LIttler

Toni Braxton Burruezo & Burruezo PLLC

Whitney R. Brown Lehr Middlebrooks & Vreeland

Kitty Rogers Brown White Arnold & Dowd PC

Caitlyn Burchfield

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Courtney Burge Brown Burge & Burge .

Robin Burrell Najjar Denaburg, PC

Jennifer “Ginger” M. Busby Burr Forman LLP

Christen Butler Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Leigh Reynolds Byers

Nolan Byers, PC 200 Office Park Dr #303 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 558-9930

Devan Byrd Hare Wynn Newell & Newton

Tanita Cain The Cain Law Firm

Margaret Casey Key Greer Harrison & Casey

Hannah Cory Caldwell Cory Watson Attorneys

Hillary Campbell

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Anna M Carroll Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Tiffany Webber Carpenter Cory Watson Attorneys

Rachel B. Cash Burr Forman LLP

Elizabeth Chambers Cory Watson Attorneys

Rhonda Chambers Marsh Rickard & Bryan, PC

Pooja Chawla

Pooja Chawla P.C, Age Herald Building, 2107 5th Ave N #400, Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 757-7287

Jennifer Hoover Clark

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Glenda Cochran

Glenda Cochran Associates 310 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N Suite 500 Birmingham AL 35203 (205) 328-5050

Julia Cochrun Cochrun & Seals

Suzanna Coleman Wettermark Keith

April Collins Collins Law Group

Meryl Cowan Burr Forman LLP

Haley Cox Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Anna Craft

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Wendy Brooks Crew

The Crew Law Group 2001 Park Pl #550 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 326-3555

Judith Crittenden Crittenden Partners, PC

Kris Cross

Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Michelle I. Crunk Lloyd Whitehead Gray Monroe

Alyssa Daniels Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attys

April Danielson

Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt

Charity M. Davis

Gilchrist Davis 2 20th St N #1310 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 581-8812

Kathy R. Davis Carr Allison

Stacey Davis The Law Firm of Stacey A. Davis

Tracy Davis Hand Arendall, LLC

Yvonne Green Davis Yvonne Green Davis PC

Diandra “Fu” Debrosse DiCello Levitt

Tiffany J. deGruy

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Sara Beth DeLisle Carr Allison

April DeLuca Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Lauren C. Demoss Maynard Nexsen

Kimberly S. DeShazo Webster Henry

Heidi DiLorenzo Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys

Caroleene Hardee Dobson Maynard Nexsen

Judith Dolan Waldrep Stewart & Kendrick, LLC

Anne Knox Averitt

Anna Craft

Carolyne Jones Hess

Carly Miller

Emily Ruzic

Nancy Ball

Tiffany deGruy

Leigh Anne Hodge

Cathy Moore

Anne Marie Seibel

Julia Bernstein

Ginger Gray

Holly Hosford

Jamie Moore

Dawn Helms Sharff

Hillary Campbell

Abigail Harris

Nicole Jones

Virginia Patterson

Tracy Thompson

Jennifer Hoover Clark

Meade Hartfield

Jennifer McGahey

Laura Robinson

Anne Yuengert

TOP WOMEN ATTORNEYS

MELANIE BRADFORD HOLLIMAN

Congratulations for the recognition of your legal excellence (2016-2024)!

Estate Planning and Elder Law • Asset Protection Trusts • Settlement Trusts • Special Needs Trusts • Long-Term Care Planning • Medicaid and VA Benefits Planning

2491 PELHAM HIGHWAY, PELHAM, AL 35124 /205-663-0281 402 SOUTH BROAD ST., STE 200, SCOTTSBORO, AL 35768 / 256-259-3301 THE DOME BUILDING // 736 GEORGIA AVENUE STE 406 , CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402 / 423-654-8194 HOLLIMANLEGAL.COM

Licensed in Alabama and Tennessee

No representation is made that the

Susan Doughton Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Augusta Dowd White Arnold & Dowd, PC

Christie Dowling Baker Donelson

Helen Kathryn Downs Maynard Nexsen

Jessica Kirk Drennan Kirk Drennan Law 500 Office Park Dr #100 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 803-3500

Starr Drum Polsinelli

Carolyn L. Duncan Phelps

Victoria Dye

Morgan & Morgan 216 Summit Blvd #300 Birmingham, AL 35243 (205) 517-6900

Nancy Eady Morris, Haynes

Melody Eagan Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLP

Chelsey Mitchell Edgerly Vernis & Bowling of Birmingham

Jennifer Reid Egbe Huie

Kathryn Roe Eldridge Maynard Nexsen

Tamera K. Erskine

Webster Henry

Dawn Stith Evans Guin, Stokes & Evans, LLC

Heather Fann

Gregory Fann Turner 201 Office Park Dr #320 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 729-6685

Carmen Ferguson Slater Ferguson, LLC

Elizabeth Flachsbart Balch & Bingham

Kelli Carpenter Fleming Burr Forman LLP

Xan Ingram Flowers

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Linda Flippo White Arnold & Dowd, PC

Kira Fonteneau Barrett & Farahany

Sara Anne Ford Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Kelly Thrasher Fox Hand Arendall, LLC

Leigh King Forstman King Forstman Law LLC

Morgan Franz

Spotswood Sansom & Sansbury 505 20th St N #700 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 986-3620

Elise May Frohsin Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

Brandi B. Frederick Austill Lewis Pipkin & Maddox

Rachel Friedman Burr & Forman, LLP

Virginia F. Gambacurta Swift Currie

Neki Garrett McClinton Garrett & Associates

Honora Gathings Gathings Law 2140 11th Ave S #210 Birmingham AL 35205 (205) 322-1201

Kimberly Geisler Scott Dukes & Geisler PC

Kathryn Crawford Gentle

Crawford Gentle Law, P.C 4533 Pine Tree Circle Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 (205) 208-1800

Laura Gibson White Arnold & Dowd, PC

Amanda Graham Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Lisha Graham White Arnold & Dowd, PC

Amanda Cutshall Goozee Swift Currie

Gaile Pugh Gratton

Greene

Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

is what we do.

Campbell Partners congratulates its own, Yawanna McDonald for her recognition in B-Metro’s 2024 Top Women Attorneys. Yawanna represents clients in complex business litigation as well as estate and trust litigation.

Tenacious Approach

Campbell Partners is a full-service law firm distinguished by its tenacious approach to business litigation and corporate law.

Paula Greenway Greenway Bankruptcy Law, LLC

Gentle Ext Listing updated.indd 1

Ginger Gray

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Wendy Hartley Gregerson

Attorney at Law 5501 Highway 280, Jared Square, Suite 301 Birmingham, AL 35242 205) 980-5550

Facing a divorce or a high tax debt is difficult. Choosing the right attorney does not have to be. At Crawford Gentle Law, P.C., tax resolution and family law are the only areas of law we handle, and we do it well. For 20 years, Kathryn Crawford Gentle has been devoted to helping clients navigate emotional and stressful situations created by tax liability, divorce, and family law issues. Her tax experience and knowledge has become a key skill in resolving complex cases.

Kathryn Crawford Gentle Crawford Gentle Law, P.C. 4533 Pine Tree Circle, Vestavia, AL 35243 (205)-208-1800 www.cglaw-pc.com

Deborah Gregory Crittenden Partners

Sandi Eubank Gregory

Gregory Fann Turner 201 Office Park Dr #320 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 729-6685

Anna Curry Gualano LIttler

Kelly G. Gwathney Balch & Bingham

Kim Hager Maynard Nexsen

Susan Han

Red Mountain Law Group 2100 1st Ave N Ste 600, Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 328-9445

Jennifer Hanson Bainbridge Mims Rogers & Smith

Jessie Keating Hardy

J Hardy Family Law 200 Office Park Dr #310 Mountain Brook, AL 35223 (205) 545-7445

Kathryn Harrington Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Abigail Harris

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Anna L. Hart Hart Law LLC

C Meade Hartfield

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

THE CREW LAW GROUP, PC BIRMINGHAM’S

FAMILY

LAW ATTORNEYS

Negotiation when possible. Litigating when necessary.

The firm of Crew Law Group, P.C., is comprised of highly distinguished attorneys and staff who bring creativity and compassion to the practice of matrimonial and family law. The firm addresses the most complex of issues, both financial and custodial, with a novel approach. Passionate in their beliefs, Crew Law Group, P.C. welcomes a challenge, no matter the issue.

Wendy Crew is Board Certified in Matrimonial and Family Law. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Chair of the Alabama Chapter. She is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the incoming president of the USA Chapter. She is also a founding member of the Family Law Section of the Alabama State Bar, past chair and Lawyer of the Year. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, one of only 100 in the United States and the only member in Alabama.

Christina has been an integral part of the firm since 2013 and is very active in the legal community. She is a member of the Alabama State Bar, Alabama Family

Law Association, Birmingham Bar Association, BBA Women’s Lawyer Section, BBA Scholarship Committee and Birmingham Bar Future Leaders Forum. Christina is past and current Co-Chair of the Birmingham Bar Family Law Section, Co-Chair of the Alabama Family Law Association’s Annual Divorce of the Beach, and on the Board of Directors of Hand in Paw. Because of her commitment to both the Bar and service to the community, she was chosen to be a member of the BBA Future Leaders Forum in 2021 and received the Birmingham Bar Outstanding Service Award in 2022. The two have been published nationally in the Alabama State Bar Family Advocate and Wendy Crew has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, and USA Today for her legal opinion on various matters.

THE CREW LAW GROUP

Wendy Crew and Christina Vineyard.

Charity M. Davis was born in Birmingham and has always been a person of integrity and high moral standards. Charity was honored to be featured in B-Metro’s Top Women Attorneys 2022 and 2024, and was also named as a Rising Star for Super Lawyers in 2017 and 2018, and awarded Best of the Birmingham Bar by the Birmingham Business Journal. Other awards include National Black Lawyers 2024. Attorney Davis, who was a judicial candidate in 2024, has received a certificate as Mediator through American Arbitration Association. She is determined and dedicated to giving her clients excellent legal services.

Charity M. Davis was born in Birmingham and has always been a person of integrity and high moral standards. Charity was honored to be featured in B-Metro’s Top Women Attorneys 2022 and 2024, and was also named as a Rising Star for Super Lawyers in 2017 and 2018, and awarded Best of the Birmingham Bar by the Birmingham Business Journal. Other awards include National Black Lawyers 2024. Attorney Davis, who was a judicial candidate in 2024, has received a certificate as Mediator through American Arbitration Association. She is determined and dedicated to giving her clients excellent legal services.

PRACTICE AREAS

:

Divorce, Child Custody, Rule Nisi Petition, Personal Injury, Employment Law

PRACTICE AREAS: Divorce, Child Custody, Rule Nisi Petition, Personal Injury,

LAW OFFICE OF GILCHRIST DAVIS,LLC

LAW OFFICE OF GILCHRIST DAVIS,LLC

The Financial Center, 505 20th Street North, Suite 815 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-581-8812 • gilchristdavis.com

The Financial Center, 505 20th Street North, Suite 815 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-581-8812 • gilchristdavis.com

No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is

Rima Hartman Bressler, Amery & Ross

Alicia Haynes

Haynes & Haynes

Wakisha E. Hazzard

The Hazzard Law Firm, LLC

Karen Hennecy

Parker Hennecy, LLC 500 Office Park Drive, Suite 100 Birmingham, Alabama 35223 205-803-1100

Tracy N. Hendrix Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Carolyne Jones Hess

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Leigh Anne Hodge

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Amanda C. Hines Rushton Stakely

Daisy Holder Daisy M. Holder Attorney at Law

Sarah E. Hoffmann Balch & Bingham

Melanie Bradford Holliman

Bradford & Holliman, LLC 2491 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 (205) 663-0281

Caylan M. Holland Carr Allison

Caroline U. Hollingsworth Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Alyson M. Hood The Bloomston Firm

Holly Hosford

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Ashley Hugunine Baker Donelson

Emily Hornsby Morris Haynes

Maridi Huggins Maridi Huggins Law

Stephanie Hunter Hunter Law Firm, PC

Elizabeth Huntley Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Elizabeth Hutchins Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Angie H. Ingram Angie Ingram Attorney at Law

Laura Jackman Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt

Heather Jamison Burr & Forman LLP

Marissa Jamieson The Rose Law Firm LLC

Benita Jenkins Law Office of Benita Jenkins

Sarah S. Johnston

Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Sheena Johnson Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Abbott Marie Jones Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Nicole Jones

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Elizabeth Kanter Carr Allison

Denise Killebrew Baker, Donelson

Katie M. Kimbrell Balch & Bingham

Annette Kinderman Phelps

Rachel King Vella & King

Grace L. Kipp Maynard Nexsen

Sammye Kok Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Meggie R. Krombach Carr Allison

The Growth of Gregory Fann Turner

Founding partners and Top Women Attorneys Sandi Gregory and Heather Fann formed Gregory Fann Turner in 2021, utilizing extensive experience both personally and professionally with family law matters to manifest a very intentional vision of providing healthy long-term solutions for families in transition.

Sharing that vision and bringing a robust mediation practice to the firm, Brian Turner joined in 2023, and the firm now additionally provides services via associates Amanda Duncan, Rebecca Boykins, Julia Simmons, and Hayley Williams. The team thus now combines over ninety total years of experience to provide novel approaches to divorce, post-divorce, and other family law matters including paternity, adoption, and dependency cases, and family planning documents such as cohabitation and preand post-nuptial agreements.

The firm’s leaders value continuing education and leadership in the field, Sandi Gregory having recently served as Chair of the Alabama State Bar Family Law Section. They further recognize the importance of modern options like parenting coordination and collaborative law as well as

Congratulations to Top Women Attorneys 2024

Sandi Gregory and Heather Fann

traditional negotiation and mediation, to avoid unnecessary emotional and financial harm wherever possible, while also standing ready and able where necessary to litigate to ensure fair treatment. The firm values diversity and advocates for parents, spouses, grandparents, and children regardless of age, race, gender, or gender identity, and welcomes unprecedented local issues related to LGBTQ+ parentage and other emerging issues. Heather Fann has been an active member of the Family Law Institute of the national LGBTQ+ Bar since being invited as a result of her work on a historic U.S. Supreme Court victory for samesex parental rights in 2016.

Gregory Fann Turner’s lawyers well know that the peace of mind and more secure future clients acquire in a maturely handled family law matter—and the expense, delay and distress they avoid—is the same peace and security they want for their children as they grow into adults. The goal in every case is therefore preserving the integrity of a changing family unit and avoiding future court intervention as much as possible.

The team at Gregory Fann Turner: Rebecca Boykins, Amanda Duncan, Brian Turner, Sandi Eubank Gregory, Heather Fann, Julia Simmons and Hayley Williams.

Jessie Hardy has been helping clients with family law and divorce related issues for more than a decade, she has practiced law in Alabama and Florida since 2010. She is passionate about domestic law and advocating for families. Her experience has been focused on contested and uncontested divorces, property division, asset valuation and/or dissipation, alimony, child support, child custody, visitation, paternity, dependency, postdivorce modification, contempt, and other family law issues.

Jessie is a member of the State of Florida Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, Birmingham Bar Association, American Bar Association, as well as the Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Project, Junior League of Birmingham, and serves as a Second Saturday Attorney Presenter. She is also active in the Family Law Sections of the American and Alabama State Bar Associations and currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Alabama State Bar Family Law Section.

Attorney Jesilyn Davis is an associate attorney at J. Hardy Family Law. Jesilyn received her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 2018 and she graduated from Cumberland School of Law in Spring 2022.

Amber Ladner Bradford Ladner, LLP

Hanna Lahr Burr & Forman LLP

Jayna Partain Lamar Maynard Nexsen

Cynthia G. Lamar-Hart Maynard Nexsen

Ambria L. Lankford Ken Perry Law Firm, LLC

Rachel Lary Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Kristen Ann Larremore Holland & Knight

Amorice Law Huie

Brandy Lee

Red Mountain Law Group 2100 1st Ave N Ste 600, Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 328-9445

Laura Montgomery Lee Crittenden Partners, PC

Meredith Jowers Lees Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell

Shelly Lewis Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Heather Leonard Heather Leonard, PC

Debra Taylor Lewis Balch & Bingham

Kelly Rushin Lewis Jones Walker

Margaret Loveman Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Amanda Lowe Wettermark Keith

Yvonne Norris Maddalena Jackson Lewis, LLP

Hope Marshall White Arnold & Dowd, P.C

Claire Martin Maynard Nexsen

Cynthia A. Martin Massey Stotser & Nichols, PC

April McKenzie Mason Burr & Forman LLP

Ellen T. Mathews Burr & Forman LLP

Melinda Mathews Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Deborah A. Mattison Wiggins Childs Quinn & Pantazis, LLC

Diane Maughan Phelps

Stephanie Houston Mays Maynard Nexsen

Jane Mauzy Marsh Rickard & Bryan, PC

LaBella McCallum McCallum, Hoaglund & McCallum, LLP 905 Montgomery Hwy Suite 201, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 (205) 824-7767

Emily McClendon White Arnold & Dowd, PC

Elizabeth Davis McCoy Huie

Jennifer McGahey

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Yawanna McDonald

Campbell Partners 505 20th St N #1600 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 224-0750

Maloree G. McDonough Vernis & Bowling

Gina McDonald Gina H. McDonald & Associates,

Angie Godwin McEwen

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Jennifer Justice McEwen Maynard Nexsen

Virginia T. McKibbens Maynard Nexsen

Candis McGowan Wiggins Childs Quinn

Law Firms Represented on the Top Women Attorneys List

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys

Angie Ingram Attorney at Law

Austill Lewis Pipkin & Maddox

Bainbridge Mims Rogers & Smith

Baker Donelson

Balch & Bingham

Barrett & Farahany

Beddow, Erben & Bowen PA

Bradford & Holliman, LLC

Bradford Ladner, LLP

Bradley

Bressler, Amery & Ross

Burge & Burge

Burr Forman LLP

Burruezo & Burruezo PLLC

Butler Snow

Campbell Partners

Carlisle & Carlisle, PC

Carr Allison

Christian & Small, LLP

Cochrun & Seals

Collins Law Group

Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, LLP

Cory Watson Attorneys

Crawford Gentle Law, P.C

Crittenden Partners, PC

Daisy M. Holder Attorney at Law

Dentons Sirote

DiCello Levitt

Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Dummier Young LLC

Elizabeth Shaw Attorney at Law

Everly Law

Farris, Riley & Pitt

Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Gathings Law

Gilchrist Davis

Gina H. McDonald & Associates,

Glenda Cochran Associates

Greenway Bankruptcy Law, LLC

Gregory Fann Turner

Guin, Stokes & Evans, LLC

Hand Arendall, LLC

Hare Wynn Newell & Newton, LLP

Hart Law LLC

Heather Leonard, PC

Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Holland & Knight

Huie

Hunter Law Firm, PC

J Hardy Family Law

Jackson Lewis, LLP

Jones Walker

Ken Perry Law Firm, LLC

Key Greer Harrison & Casey

King Forstman Law LLC

Kirk Drennan Law

Law Office of Benita Jenkins

Law Offices of Wendy A. Reese, LLC

Lehr Middlebrooks & Vreeland

Leitman Siegal & Payne, PC

Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLP

Littler

Lloyd Whitehead Gray Monroe

Maples, Tucker & Jacobs, LLC

Maridi Huggins Law

Marsh Rickard & Bryan, PC

Massey Stotser & Nichols, PC

Maynard Nexsen

McCallum, Hoaglund & McCallum, LLP

McClinton Garrett & Associates

Morgan & Morgan

Morris, Haynes

Moses & Moses, PC

Najjar Denaburg, PC

Nolan Byers, PC

Ogletree Deakins, PC

Parker Hennecy, LLC

Parnell Thompson LLC

Peeples Law

Phelps

Polsinelli

Pooja Chawla P.C,

Powers Injury Law

Pritchett Environmental & Property Law, LLC

Red Mountain Law Group

Ronilo Law LLC

Rubio Law Firm

Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell

Rushton Stakely

Salter Ferguson, LLC

Scott Dukes & Geisler PC

Shine Law Firm

Slater Ferguson, LLC

Snow & Nichols LLC

Southern Environmental Law Center

Spotswood Sansom & Sansbury

Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

Summer G. Walker, PC

Swift Currie

Tedrow & Myers Immigration Law Group

The Bloomston Firm

The Cain Law Firm

The Crew Law Group

The Hazzard Law Firm, LLC

The Law Firm of Stacey A. Davis

The Reiss Firm, LLC

The Rose Law Firm LLC

The Zwiebel Law Firm, LLC

Tiffany & Bosco, P.A.

Vella & King

Vernis & Bowling

Waldrep Stewart & Kendrick, LLC

Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt

Waller Law

Waters Sullivan

Webster Henry

Wendy Hartley Gregerson Attorney at Law

Wettermark Keith

White Arnold & Dowd PC

Wiggins Childs Quinn & Pantazis, LLC

Wilkinson Law Firm PC

Yvonne Green Davis PC

Pooja Chawla, P.C.

120 19th Street North, Suite 2015 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 757-7287

Facebook: @attorneychawla

Twitter: @Itweetpc LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-chawla-esquire

Pooja received her J.D. from Birmingham School of Law in 2009 and has built a successful solo practice in family law and appellate work. She has been successful in presenting oral arguments with the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. A native of New Delhi, India, Pooja has resided in Birmingham, Alabama, for over 22 years. Pooja serves in many capacities with City and State Bar Associations and Birmingham Bar Foundation. She has been invited as a guest speaker for her local and legal communities.

In the past 8 years, Pooja has made the following achievements and recognitions:

• Top Family Law Attorneys, B-Metro

• Top Flight Attorneys, B-Metro

• Birmingham’s Top Women Attorneys, B-Metro

• Top Birmingham Attorneys, Birmingham Magazine

• Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Star

• Outstanding Leadership, Birmingham’s South-Asian Community

• Registered Mediator Roster with Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.

• Marquis Who’s Who in America, Honored Listee

• Marquis Top Lawyer

& Pantazis, LLC Calle Mendenhall Farris Riley & Pitt

Lori B. Metrock Maynard Nexsen

Carly Miller

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Carole G. Miller Bressler, Amery & Ross

Shannon Miller Jackson Lewis, LLP

Tracy Miller Hand Arendall, LLC

Gail L. Mills Burr & Forman LLP

Laura E. Montgomery Crittenden Partners

Cathy Moore

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Jamie Moore

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Rachel J Moore Christian & Small, LLP

Anne Moses Moses & Moses, PC

Sylvion Moss

Red Mountain Law Group 2100 1st Ave N Ste 600, Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 328-9445

Carrie M. Motes Christian & Small, LLP

Grace Robinson Murphy Maynard Nexsen

Laura W. Murphy Burr & Forman LLP

Diane Murray Tiffany & Bosco, P.A.

Amy Myers

Tedrow & Myers Immigration Law Group

Rhonda S. Nabors Ogletree Deakins

Paisley Newsome Maples, Tucker & Jacobs, LLC

Sybil Vogtle Newton Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

April Nichols Snow & Nichols LLC

Brooke Everley Nicholson Everly Law

Brooke M. Nixon Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, LLP

Frances Nolan

Nolan Byers, PC 200 Office Park Dr #303 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 558-9930

Lynne Stephens O’Neal Leitman Siegal & Payne, PC

M. Beth O’Neill Maynard Nexsen

Britton O’Shields King Simmons, PC

Amber Osborne Wettermark Keith

Lana Olson Lightfoot, Franklin & White

Kathryn J. Ottensmeyer Maynard Nexsen

Lynnlee Wells Palmer Jackson Lewis

Lorrie Maples Parker

Parker Hennecy, LLC 500 Office Park Dr Suite 100 Birmingham, AL 35223 (205) 803-1100

Virginia Patterson

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Julie Pearce Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Laura Peck

Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Candace Peeples

Peeples Law

2956 Rhodes Cir S, Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 403-5577

Ashley Reitz Peinhardt Hare Wynn Newell & Newton, LLP

LABELLA MCCALLUM

McCallum, Hoaglund & McCallum, LLP

For nearly 40 years, LaBella McCallum has had a passion for trying cases that can’t be settled out of court. An award-winning litigator, LaBella was recently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as 2021 Lawyer of the Year in the field of Professional Malpractice Law Defense.

Practical experience, passion and integrity are at the heart of her practice. She has the ability to evaluate a case quickly and can work to resolve the matter early but can also try the case if it is not settled or dismissed. Clients value getting an accurate evaluation of their case. LaBella is not afraid to take a case to court, whether it be federal or state. She is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy and the International Academy of Trial Advocates,

LaBella’s practice focuses on medical malpractice defense, liquor and premise liability, aviation, coverage and other general insurance defense work. Her professional liability work includes hundreds of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and employment liability claims, medical malpractice defense, construction/architect liability, and Civil Rights liability alleging violations under 42 U.S.C. 1983.

LaBella has been a member of the Alabama State Bar since 1984, and a bar commissioner for nine years. A

magna cum laude graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, she has an AV rating by MartindaleHubbell and is a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Membership in these organizations is reserved for only the most experienced trial attorneys. Away from the office, LaBella is an avid horseback rider. She has competed in hunter/jumper and dressage disciplines and has won many equestrian competitions. When she is not working or riding, she enjoys her most favorite hobby of chasing six grandchildren.

Nolan Byers

A boutique family law firm, Nolan Byers, PC was founded in March, 2013 with the goal of providing clients with strong support to deal with what comes next. With a combined thirty years of experience, Frances Ross Nolan and Leigh Reynolds Byers have learned that family law matters always involve both an emotional and legal process. They empower their clients to face these challenges and address the things they value most. Having seen the negative effects of cookie cutter divorce agreements and onesize-fits-all litigation, Nolan Byers provides a customized approach tailored to the specific needs, goals and interests of each individual client and in every case, they apply their experience and expertise to achieve the best possible outcomes for their clients.

Kathryn Perreault Bressler, Amery & Ross

Beth Neal Pitman Holland & Knight

Denise Pomeroy Dominick Feld Hyde, PC

Maibeth J. Porter Maynard Nexsen

Katie T. Powell

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Andrea Powers Baker Donelson

Jennifer Powers Phelps

Jessica Powers Powers Injury Law

Marie Prine Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC

Rebecca Pritchett Pritchett Environmental & Property Law, LLC

Taylor A. Pruett Cory Watson Attorneys

Fran Quarles Quarles Law Firm, LLC

Frances King Quick Maynard Nexsen

Wendy Reese Law Offices of Wendy A. Reese, LLC

Sandra Reiss The Reiss Firm, LLC

Lynn Reynolds Baker, Donelson

Anastasia Allmon Riley Farris, Riley & Pitt

Danielle N. Roberts

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Brandy Robertson Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Laura Robinson

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Lindsay Ronilo Ronilo Law LLC

Jennifer Rose The Rose Law Firm, LLC

Leslie Rubio Rubio Law Firm

Ginny Rutledge Tiffany & Bosco, P.A.

Emily Ruzic

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Nicole Saia Crittenden Partners

Karen Salter Salter Ferguson, LLC

Rachelle E. Sanchez Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Miriam Biffle Santo

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Mary Samuels Balch & Bingham

Adrienne Denise Scott Ken Perry Law Firm, LLC

Jennifer Devereaux Segers Huie

Anne Marie Seibel

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Melinda Eubanks Sellers Burr & Forman LLP

Dawn Helms Sharff

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Elizabeth Shaw Elizabeth Shaw Attorney at Law

Judy Bateman Shepura Dominick Feld Hyde

Lauren Shine Shine Law Firm

Elizabeth B. Shirley Burr & Forman LLP

Morgan & Morgan is America’s largest personal injury law firm and, with an office in the heart of downtown Birmingham, we offer our clients big firm resources with a small firm feel. Victoria Dye and Lisa Bailey are members of the Birmingham litigation team with over 20 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the State of Alabama.

Throughout their careers, Victoria and Lisa have achieved success for their clients in and out of the courtroom in a wide variety of matters, including trucking accidents,

boating accident, auto accidents, and wrongful death claims. Both Victoria and Lisa actively direct each phase of their cases from initial investigation to conclusion— including settlement, trial, or appeals— and they are dedicated and driven to fight for success on behalf of every client in every case they pursue. Since 2019, Morgan & Morgan has proudly served clients in and around the Birmingham community. To learn more or contact our firm, please visit our website: www.forthepeople.com/ birmingham.

216 Summit Boulevard, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35243 • (205) 517-6900 www.forthepeople.com/birmingham

From left: Victoria Dye and Lisa Bailey.

Top Women Attorneys Victoria Dye and Lisa Bailey

Morgan & Morgan

Sylvion Moss, Susan Han, Joyce Baker, and Brandy Lee are owners of member law firms of Red Mountain Law Group, an innovative network of seven firms representing individuals and businesses in a variety of matters. The firm’s clients benefit from the efficiency, value, and commitment of a small firm, while having access to the high caliber counsel, resources, and expertise of a larger, traditional law firm. Joyce Baker, of Baker Law, LLC, represents businesses of all sizes in transactional and commercial matters. Susan Han, of Nettles Han Law, LLC, represents individuals and entities in real property litigation and employment law matters. Brandy Lee, of the Lee Law Firm, LLC, represents plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation. Sylvion Moss, of Law Works, LLC, provides counsel to individuals and businesses in real property litigation and transactional matters. Together they have over 75 years of combined legal experience and are dedicated to providing efficient and quality legal counsel.

Tanya Shunnara Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Leirin Sides Vernis & Bowling

Jessica Housch Silinsky Carr Allison

Susan Silvernail Marsh Rickard & Bryan, PC

Lindsey Simmons King Simmons, PC

Tracy H. Slaughter Waller Law

Jeanie Sleadd Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Angela Cameron Smith Burr & Forman, LLP

With over 35 years experience in the legal profession, Wendy Hartley Gregerson specializes in family law and criminal law. Additionally, she also has experience in wills, trusts and automobile accidents. Wendy is a member of the Shelby County Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. She was previously named to the Top Women Attorneys; is a recipient of the Client Choice Award for AVVO; and was selected in B-Metro Magazine’s Top Lawyers.

Wendy Hartley Gregerson

5501 Highway 280, Jared Square, Suite 301 Birmingham, AL 35242 (205) 980-5550

Kristin Waters Sullivan Waters Sullivan

Malia Tarrt Farris, Riley & Pitt

Klari Tedrow Tedrow & Myers Immigration Law Group

Sarah Payne Thomson Leitman Siegal & Payne, PC

Martha Thompson Balch & Bingham LLP

Mary Thompson Parnell Thompson LLC

Tracy Thompson

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Dana Latham Thrasher Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, LLP

Jennifer Smith Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb, LLC

Pamela Payne Smith Balch & Bingham

Tammy Smith Wettermark Keith

Tempe Smith Hare Wynn Newell & Newton, LLP

Natasha Snow Snow & Nichols LLC

Sarah Stokes Southern Environmental Law Center

Sharon Stuart Christian & Small, LLP

Jennifer Fox Swain Littler

Emily Tidmore

Spotswood Sansom & Sansbury 505 20th St N #700 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 986-3620

Christina Andreen Tidwell Southern Environmental Law Center

Temple Trueblood Wiggins Childs Quinn & Pantazis, LLC

Sara Turner Baker, Donelson

Mallory Ulmer

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys

Amie A. Vague

Lightfoot Franklin & White, LLC

Tracy Owen Vella Vella & King

India Vincent Burr Forman LLP

Christina Vineyard

The Crew Law Group 2001 Park Pl #550 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 326-3555

Caroline D. Walker

Butler Snow 1819 5th Ave N #1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 297-2200

Summer Walker

Summer G. Walker, PC

Jennifer Wales Beddow, Erben & Bowen PA

Crystal H. Walls

Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-5100

Jeannie Bugg Walston Rushton Stakely

Kristen Peters Watson Burr & Forman LLP

Leila Watson

Cory Watson Attorneys

Latanishia Watters Ken Perry Law Firm, LLC

Cindy Self Webb Massey Stotser & Nichols, PC

Katharine A. Weber Maynard Nexsen

Stephanie Weems Massey Stotser & Nichols, PC

Katherine Suttle Weinert LIttler

Andrea Greene Wells Bressler, Amery & Ross

Helen Crump Wells Rushton Stakely

Kimberly West

Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt, LLC

Jennifer Whitworth Vernis & Bowling

Cynthia Wilkinson Wilkinson Law Firm PC

Priscilla K. Williams Christian & Small, LLP

Liz Young has a solid foundation in the legal field, having started her career in the criminal justice profession more than a decade ago by first working in law enforcement. She has been recognized locally and nationally as an experienced and effective trial attorney. Liz currently represents the largest police and fire unions in the state of Alabama and is known as a zealous advocate for first responders.

Liz Young Dummier Young, L.L.C.

Birmingham: 1400 21st Way S. Birmingham, AL 35205

Gardendale: 931 Sharit Ave., Ste 219, Gardendale, AL 35071 205-631-8004 www.dummieryoung.com

“Spotswood Sansom & Sansbury LLC has assembled a team of business litigation attorneys with unparalleled versatility, skill, knowledge, and experience. They specialize in crafting customized strategies to safeguard their client’s business interests, representing corporations of all sizes across national legal venues. The firm congratulates Emily Tidmore and Morgan Franz for their recognition as two of Birmingham’s Top Women Attorneys.”

Alyse N. Windsor

Dentons Sirote 2311 Highland Ave Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 930-510

Callie Sullins Whatley Burr & Forman, LLP

Jennifer Hanson Wheeler Maynard Nexsen

Amber Whillock Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

Kay Wilburn Dominick Feld Hyde

Amy Jordan Wilkes Burr & Forman, LLP

Sara Williams

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys

Amanda Williamson Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Kary Bryant Wolfe Jones Walker

Paige Yarbrough Crittenden Partners

Breanna Harris Young Starnes Davis Florie, LLP

Liz Young Dummier Young LLC 931 Sharit Ave Suite 219, Gardendale, AL 35071

Anne Yuengert

Bradley 1819 5th Ave N #200 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 521-8000

Jessica Zorn Farris, Riley & Pitt

Elizabeth Zwiebel The Zwiebel Law Firm, LLC

Melissa Zwilling Carr Allison

Liz young.indd 1

Emily J. Tidmore

Morgan B. Franz

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