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Biographical Information

Christine Hart is a member of the Firm’s litigation section in Mobile. Her practice consists largely of federal court litigation and she has litigated cases from the initial pleading stage through trial and appeal. She also provides counseling and training to local businesses and institutions on a variety of issues. She is admitted to practice in Alabama and California (inactive), all federal district courts in Alabama, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Christine has substantive knowledge and experience in anti-discrimination matters involving Title VII, Title IX, ADA/Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. She also has experience litigating constitutional matters involving First Amendment free speech and Fourteenth Amendment equal protection and due process. She monitors developments in the Eleventh Circuit and the Supreme Court related to federal practice, discrimination, and constitutional rights.

Christine serves as an officer for the South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program (SAVLP) Board, and provides pro bono legal services as a SAVLP Volunteer Lawyer. She also serves on the Board of Flight Works Alabama, and volunteers as the Alabama Chapter Chair for Stanford University’s Alumni Interview Program. Christine is a member of Class 15 of the Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum, and serves on the Alabama State Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession Committee and the Lawyer in Every Classroom Task Force.

Christine grew up in Orange County, California, and attended Stanford University and the USC Gould School of Law. She clerked for the Honorable Theodore A. McKee, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, shortly after she began her legal practice.

Christine lives “across the Bay” in Spanish Fort with her husband Curtis and their young son.

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar
  • California State Bar (Inactive)

Education

  • J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law, 2011
  • B.A., Stanford University, 2006

Additional Information

Civic and Professional Affiliations

  • South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program Board
  • Flight Works Alabama Board
  • Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum, Class 15
  • Alabama State Bar Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession Committee
  • Alabama State Bar Lawyer in Every Classroom Task Force

Publications and Presentations

  • “Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Leave Requirement Will Expire December 31,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (December 22, 2020)
  • “Alabama Employers Now Required to Notify Separated Employees of the Availability of Unemployment Compensation,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (July 28, 2020)
  • “Managing a Safe Return to the Workplace,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (April 28, 2020)
  • “DOL and IRS Release Guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), Effective April 1,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (March 25, 2020)
  • “Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) is Passed by the House and Senate, Will Require Employers with Fewer than 500 Employees to Provide Paid Leave,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (March 18, 2020)
  • “DOL Issues Final Overtime Rule,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (October 3, 2019)
  • “Alabama Equal Pay Act, signed by Governor Ivey on June 11,” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (June 24, 2019)
  • “Lying about Leave: Recent Cases on How to Handle Intermittent FMLA Misuse,” DRI Employment Law Committee Newsletter (May 20, 2017)
  • “Court Issues Permanent Injunction Enjoining New Department of Labor Interpretation of ‘Persuader Rule,’” Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC Employment Alert (December 5, 2016)
  • NLRB Legal Update, Alabama Council of Community Mental Health Boards, HR Annual Conference (June 10, 2015)
  • “DOL issues Final Rule revising the definition of ‘spouse’ under the FMLA” (March 2015)
  • “Equal Protection Challenge to the ADA: The Gender Identity Exclusion,” DRI Employment Law Committee Newsletter (April 27, 2015)

Awards

  • Mobile Bay Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Class of 2020
  • Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch, Labor and Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2021 – 2022, Civil Rights Law, 2022

Biographical Information

Anne G. Burrows is a member in the Firm’s Athens office. She practices in the areas of real estate, probate, estate planning, municipal, education, and commercial law. She received her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law where she was a member of the Law and Psychology Review. She obtained her B.A., cum laude, from the University of Richmond and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Mrs. Burrows previously held the position of Deputy District Attorney for Limestone County.

Mrs. Burrows is past President of the Limestone County Bar Association. She is also a member of Elkmont United Methodist Church.

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar, 1994

Education

  • J.D., University of Alabama School of Law, 1994
  • B.A., University of Richmond, cum laude, 1991

Additional Information

Civic and Professional Affiliations

  • University of Richmond Alumni Association – member
  • Limestone County Bar Association – current member and past-President
  • Elkmont United Methodist Church – current member and Chairperson, Board of Trustees
  • Athens Rotary Club – current member

Biographical Information

Roger Bates serves as the Managing Lawyer for the Firm. Mr. Bates has extensive experience in complex business and commercial litigation, including business and contract disputes, insurance and financial service products, labor and employment and healthcare-related litigation. Mr. Bates also has extensive experience in representing our clients before state and federal regulatory agencies and assisting them with governmental relations issues. Mr. Bates regularly represents secondary and postsecondary educational institutions in litigation, compliance and regulatory matters. Mr. Bates is a member of the Board of Trustees of the The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges which is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions for eleven Southern states.

Mr. Bates has tried numerous cases in both federal and state courts (both jury and non-jury), and has handled many arbitrations and meditations. Mr. Bates has served as a specially appointed Deputy Attorney General in Alabama since 1995 and often represents the State of Alabama and sub-agencies in complex and institutional reform litigation. Mr. Bates was also appointed to serve a term as the City Attorney for the City of Hoover, Alabama and he currently serves as the County Attorney for Chilton County, Alabama. 

Mr. Bates has served on numerous committees of the Birmingham Bar Association and has lectured on a variety of topics for continuing legal education seminars. As General Counsel for the Alabama Pharmacy Association, Mr. Bates publishes a quarterly journal article on law and ethics. Mr. Bates is active in the Birmingham area community. Mr. Bates is a member of the American Bar Association, and of its State and Local Government Law and Litigation Sections. He is also a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and the Alabama Association of Municipal Attorneys. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation in recognition of his service to the community.

Mr. Bates was born in Clanton, Alabama. After being admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1982, he was a law clerk to Senior U.S. District Judge C. W. Allgood until 1983. In 1979, Mr. Bates received a B.S. degree from Auburn University, and in 1982, he obtained his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law. While attending law school he was awarded the Donald E. Corley Best Advocate Award, served on the National Mock Trial Team, and was an associate member of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy.

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar, 1982
  • United States Supreme Court
  • Alabama Supreme Court
  • Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States Tax Court
  • United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama

Education

  • J.D., Cumberland School of Law, 1982
  • B.S., Auburn University, 1979

Additional Information

Civic and Professional Affiliations

  • Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, Member, Trustee and Deacon, Former Chairman of Deacons
  • Lifetime Member Alabama Sheriffs Boys and Girls Ranches Builders Club
  • Former Member, Allocation Committee, Birmingham Area United Way

Awards

  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Rated
  • Best Lawyers In America©, Commercial Litigation, 2011—2022 
  • Alabama Super Lawyers© Business Litigation, 2008—2015

Biographical Information

Shane Black practices in the field of general civil litigation. His litigation practice encompasses a variety of areas, including commercial litigation, property law, municipal law, education law, and complex litigation. The following list of Representative and Reported Cases reflects the variety of his practice.

Mr. Black was born in Ripley, Alabama and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1997. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in 1994 from Birmingham-Southern College, cum laude. He obtained his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, summa cum laude. Mr. Black is a member of the Order of the Coif, and served as the Editor in Chief of the Alabama Law Review.

Outside of his law practice, Mr. Black serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Athens Main Street.

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar, 1997

Education

  • J.D., University of Alabama School of Law, summa cum laude, 1997
  • Birmingham-Southern College, cum laude, 1994

Additional Information

Representative Cases

  • Lambert v. McPherson, 98 So. 3d 30 (Ala. Civ. App. 2012) (affirming judgment in favor of school board in Alabama Open Meetings Act case that involved the application of that act to e-mail communications)
  • Long v. City of Athens, 24 So. 3d 1110 (Ala. Civ. App. 2009) (affirming summary judgment for municipal defendant in city drainage case)
  • City of Pinson v. Utilities Board of the City of Oneonta, 986 So. 2d 367 (Ala. 2007) (reversing trial court and finding municipal gas board responsible for payment of city’s license tax)
  • Lifestar Response of Alabama, Inc. v. Lemuel, 908 So. 2d 207 (Ala. 2004) (upholding default judgment in case dealing with identity and tradename of defaulting corporation)
  • Ex parte Leasecomm Corporation, 886 So. 2d 58 (Ala. 2003) (reversing trial court’s denial of enforcement of an outbound forum-selection clause and establishing Alabama law regarding application of the fraud exception to the enforcement of forum-selection clauses)
  • State Board of Education v. Ronald Waldrop,840 So. 2d 893 (Ala. 2002) (reversing and eliminating trial court’s entry of significant attorney’s fee award pursuant to common benefit theory)
  • Ex parte City of Tarrant, 850 So. 2d 366 (Ala. Crim. App. 2002) (reversing trial court’s dismissal of criminal case, and establishing new precedent regarding the appeal of a case from municipal court)
  • Chatham v. Blount County,789 So. 2d 235 (Ala. 2001) (reversing trial court, and extinguishing multiple railroad easements in favor of landowners)
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Awards

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent
  • Best Lawyers In America©, Commercial Litigation, 2019—2022

Biographical Information

Tracy Davis is a member of Hand Arendall Harrison Sale’s employment, healthcare, and commercial litigation teams. During her tenure at the Firm, Tracy has concentrated in a variety of litigation areas. She has extensive trial experience in large complex litigation, contract cases, and all types of employment disputes. She regularly provides counsel to state entities, health centers, and community colleges on various topics.

Outside of the law practice, Mrs. Davis is a wife and mother. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, designing and completing home renovation projects, and reading novels.

She graduated from undergraduate studies from the University of Alabama. She attended Loyola University School of Law, served as a Managing Editor of the Law Review, and graduated magna cum laude.

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar, 2000
  • Alabama Supreme Court
  • United States District Courts for Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama

Education

  • J.D., Loyola University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2000
  • B.S., University of Alabama, 1994

Additional Information

Civic and Professional Affiliations

  • Birmingham Bar Association
  • Alabama State Bar Association

Awards

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent
  • Presidential Who’s Who
  • Alabama Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2019—2021
  • Best Lawyers In America© Health Care Law, 2020—2022
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