PARTNERS
Henry I. Frohsin (Partner) admitted to bar, 1967, Alabama; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. District Courts, Northern, Southern and Middle Districts of Alabama; U.S. Tax Court; U.S. Claims Court. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., 1966; J.D., 1967). Recent Publications Author: "The Axion Case: How a Rare Defense Victory May Shape the Future Of Arms Export Control Act Prosecutions and Defense Trial Strategies," BNA White Collar Crime Report, Bureau of National Affairs, with James F. Barger Jr., 2008. Presenter: "Government Investigations and Corporations: Three Recent Developments," Federal Bar Association's 34th Annual Government Acquisition Symposium, November 2006. Professional Honors & Activities Listed in Alabama Super Lawyers, 2008 (Criminal Defense: White Collar). Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Alabama. Former First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Former Alabama State Bar delegate to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference. Former Municipal Judge, City of Mountain Brook, Alabama. Board Member, University of Alabama Law School Foundation. Member: Panel of Neutrals of the United States District Court, Northern Alabama; Leadership Birmingham. Executive Board, Birmingham Committee on Foreign Relations. Former President: Birmingham Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Former Chairman: U.S. District Court, Northern District, Speedy Trial Committee. General Counsel, Camp Smile-A-Mile. Member: Alabama, Birmingham, American and Federal Bar Associations. Fellow: Litigation Counsel of America; Alabama Law Foundation. [U.S. Army, 1967-1969; Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army, HQS SUPDIST Hessen, Frankfurt, Germany, 1968-1969; Recipient, U.S. Army Commendation Medal.]. Reported Cases: Federal Circuit Cases: General Accident Ins. Co. v. High Cotton Direct Mktg., 104 F.3d 372 (11th Cir. Ga. 1996); Stonehouse Apparel Mfg. Co. v. Higgins Slack Co., 68 F.3d 486 (11th Cir. Ala. 1995); Mitchell v. Skinner, 9 F.3d 1559 (11th Cir. Ala. 1993);Triad Microsystems, Inc. v. Marsh, 862 F.2d 878 (11th Cir. Ala. 1988); United States v. White, 846 F.2d 678 (11th Cir. Ala. 1988); Porter v. Heckler, 780 F.2d 920 (11th Cir. Ala. 1986); United States v. Handley, 763 F.2d 1401 (11th Cir. Ala. 1985); Drummond Coal Co. v. Watt, 735 F.2d 469 (11th Cir. Ala. 1984); Boda v. United States, 698 F.2d 1174 (11th Cir. Ala. 1983); Porter v. Schweiker, 692 F.2d 740 (11th Cir. Ala. 1982); Porter v. Schweiker, 648 F.2d 310 (5th Cir. 1981); Citizens for a Better St. Clair County v. James, 648 F.2d 246 (5th Cir. 1981); Bush v. Lucas, 647 F.2d 573 (5th Cir. 1981); United Klans of America v. McGovern, 621 F.2d 152 (5th Cir. 1980); United States v. Johns, 615 F.2d 672 (5th Cir. Ala. 1980); Bush v. Lucas, 598 F.2d 958 (5th Cir. Ala. 1979); Porter v. Califano, 592 F.2d 770 (5th Cir. Ala. 1979); Byrd v. Campbell, 591 F.2d 326 (5th Cir. Ala. 1979); Watkins v. United States, 589 F.2d 214 (5th Cir. Ala. 1979); Swain v. Hoffman, 547 F.2d 921 (5th Cir. Ala. 1977); Craft v. United States, 542 F.2d 1250 (5th Cir. Ala. 1976); Federal District Cases: United States v. Certain Real Prop., 566 F. Supp. 2d 1252 (N.D. Ala. 2008); United States v. Certain Real Prop., 543 F. Supp. 2d 1291 (N.D. Ala. 2008); United States v. Latifi, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97554 (N.D. Ala. June 11, 2007); Pigott v. Sanibel Dev., LLC, 508 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (S.D. Ala. 2007); Kirkpatrick v. White, 351 F. Supp. 2d 1261 (N.D. Ala. 2004); Wis. Inv. Bd. v. Ruttenberg, 300 F. Supp. 2d 1210 (N.D. Ala. 2004); United States v. Ayers, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27759 (N.D. Ala. Nov. 20, 2003); AAL High Yield Bond Fund v. Ruttenberg, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25572 (N.D. Ala. Sept. 30, 2001); Southdown v. Allen (In re Southdown), 119 F. Supp. 2d 1223 (N.D. Ala. 2000); In re Vesta Ins. Group, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22889 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 23, 2000); In re Vesta Ins. Group Sec. Litig., 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22233 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 25, 1999); Laperriere v. Vesta Ins. Group, Inc., 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23619 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 19, 1998); E S Robbins Corp. v. Eastman Chem. Co., 912 F. Supp. 1476 (N.D. Ala. 1995); Mitchell v. Skinner, 796 F. Supp. 1464 (N.D. Ala. 1992); Cole v. United States, 635 F. Supp. 1185 (N.D. Ala. 1986); Key v. United States, 513 F. Supp. 756 (N.D. Ala. 1981); Burkey v. Ellis, 483 F. Supp. 897 (N.D. Ala. 1979); United Klans of America v. McGovern, 453 F. Supp. 836 (N.D. Ala. 1978); Marshall v. Local 15015, United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18701 (N.D. Ala. 1978); Proctor v. United States, 443 F. Supp. 133 (N.D. Ala. 1977); Porter v. Mathews, 428 F. Supp. 711 (N.D. Ala. 1976); Snowden v. Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, 407 F. Supp. 394 (N.D. Ala. 1975); Buchanan v. United States Postal Service, 375 F. Supp. 1014 (N.D. Ala. 1974); Emerson v. McKean, 322 F. Supp. 251 (N.D. Ala. 1971); Vulcan Engineering Co. v. United States, 16 Cl. Ct. 84 (Cl. Ct. 1988) State Court Cases: Gilbert v. Rogina Inv. Corp., 991 So. 2d 681 (Ala. 2008); King v. Campbell, 988 So. 2d 969 (Ala. 2007); Ex parte Achenbach, 783 So. 2d 4 (Ala. 2000); Ex parte Shelby Radiology, P.C., 700 So. 2d 1371 (Ala. 1997); Alabama-Tennessee Natural Gas Co. v. Southern Natural Gas Co., 694 So. 2d 1344 (Ala. 1997); Ex parte Southtrust Bank, N.A., 679 So. 2d 645 (Ala. 1996); Ex parte Pegram, 646 So. 2d 644 (Ala. 1994); Birmingham Retail Center Assoc., Ltd. v. Eastwood Festival Assoc., 1992 Ala. LEXIS 1281 (Ala. Nov. 20, 1992); Birmingham Retail Center Assoc., Ltd. v. Eastwood Festival Assoc., 608 So. 2d 340 (Ala. 1992); Spirit Nissan, Inc. v. Ogburn, 572 So. 2d 1248 (Ala. 1990); Tedescki v. Rogina Inv. Corp., 547 So. 2d 454 (Ala. 1989); Salter v. A. Fraser Pattillo, Jr., Inc., 519 So. 2d 930 (Ala. 1988); Adamsville v. Birmingham, 495 So. 2d 642 (Ala. 1986); Malone v. Malone, 854 So. 2d 109 (Ala. Civ. App. 2003); Williams v. Williams, 812 So. 2d 352 (Ala. Civ. App. 2001); Achenbach v. FB Huntsville Owners, LLC, 783 So. 2d 1 (Ala. Civ. App. 1999). Practice Areas: Litigation(100%); White Collar Crime; Complex and Multi-District Litigation; False Claims Act; Federal Tort Claims; Government Investigations; Qui Tam Litigation; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Mediation.Email: Henry I. Frohsin
James F. Barger, Jr. (Partner) admitted to bar, 2005, Alabama. Education: Furman University (B.A., 1994); University of Mississippi (M.A., Southern Studies, 1996); University of Alabama School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2005). Alabama Law Review; Alpha Epsilon Lambda; John A. Campbell Moot Court Board; Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society; Dean's Community Service Award; Public Interest Institute. Author: "The Axion Case: How a Rare Defense Victory May Shape the Future Of Arms Export Control Act Prosecutions and Defense Trial Strategies," BNA White Collar Crime Report, Bureau of National Affairs, 2008. Co-Author, with Bucy, Eubanks, & Raspanti: "Spotlight: States, Statutes, and Fraud," False Claims Act & Qui Tam Quarterly Review, 2006 and "States, Statutes, and Fraud: An Empirical Study of State False Claims Acts," Tulane Law Review, 2005. Speaker: NBI Intellectual Property Law Update, National Business Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, October 2008. Speaker: American Bar Association Export Controls and Sanctions Committee, Washington D.C., July 2008; Speaker: ABA Intellectual Property Roundtable, Birmingham, Alabama, June 2008. Guest Lecturer, University of Alabama School of Law, Spring 2008. Presenter, with Henry Frohsin: "Government Investigations and Corporations: Three Recent Developments," Federal Bar Association's 34th Annual Government Acquisition Symposium, November 2006. Member: Outdoor Writer's Association of America. Member: American Bar Association (Advisory Panel Member); Alabama Bar Association; Birmingham Bar Association; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Reported Cases: United States v. Certain Real Property, 566 F. Supp. 2d 1252 (N.D. Ala. 2008); United States v. Certain Real Property, 543 F. Supp. 2d 1291 (N.D. Ala. 2008); United States v. Latifi, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97554 (N.D. Ala. June 11, 2007); Taylor v. Sanibel, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33219 (S.D. Ala. 2007); Pigott v. Sanibel, 508 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (S.D. Ala. 2007); State of Alabama v. Abbott Labs, et al., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 80446 (M.D. Ala. 2006). Practice Areas: Litigation(100%); Complex Litigation; RICO; White Collar Crime; Government; False Claims Act; Federal Tort Claims; Qui Tam Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation; Civil RICO.Email: James F. Barger, Jr.
ASSOCIATE
J. Elliott Walthall (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama. Education: Tulane University (B.A., History, with honors, 2003); University of Alabama School of Law (J.D., 2007). Professional Honors and Activities: Alabama Law Review Managing Board (Notes Editor); Yeta G. Samford III Memorial Scholarship; Birmingham Inns of Court. Recent Publications and Speaking Engagements: Co-Host ABA Intellectual Property Roundtable, Birmingham, Alabama, June 2008; Co-Author: "Major Strategies from First Steps Through Discovery" and "Relevant Legislative and Case Law Update" for the National Business Institute Seminar Trademark and Copyright Litigation, February 2008; co-authored with and presented by Ms. Patricia Clotfelter. Member: Alabama, Birmingham and American Bar Associations. Reported Cases: United States v. Certain Real Prop., 566 F. Supp. 2d 1252 (N.D. Ala. 2008); United States v. Certain Real Prop., 543 F. Supp. 2d 1291 (N.D. Ala. 2008). Practice Areas: Complex Litigation(100%); False Claims Act; Federal Tort Claims; Government Investigations; Government Tort Liability; Qui Tam Litigation; White Collar Crime; White Collar Fraud; RICO; Civil RICO.Email: J. Elliott Walthall
OF COUNSEL
Ronald R. Brunson (Of Counsel) born Birmingham, Alabama; admitted to bar, 1989, Alabama; U.S. District Courts, Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: Jacksonville State University (B.S., Accounting, 1972); Birmingham School of Law (J.D., 1989). Named, Best Lawyers in America, White Collar Criminal Defense. Adjunct Professor, Samford University, Cumberland School of Law. Former Senior Litigation Counsel for United States Attorney. Former Assistant United States Attorney top line prosecutor for white collar crime and complex fraud cases. Former Special Agent Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Former Special Deputy United States Marshal. Member: Birmingham Bar Association; Alabama State Bar; National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys (Former Member and District Representative). Special Agencies: Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Marshal Service. Reported Cases: United States v. Cleckler, 265 Fed. Appx. 850 (11th Cir. 2008); United States v. Cunningham, 194 Fed. Appx. 582 (11th Cir. 2006); United States v. Gibson, 189 Fed. Appx. 841 (11th Cir. 2006); United States v. Overdear, 99 F.3d 1157 (11th Cir. 1996); United States v. Rogers, 91 F.3d 161 (11th Cir. 1996); United States v. Aaron, 63 F.3d 1112 (11th Cir. 1995); United States v. Peters, 985 F.2d 578 (11th Cir. 1993); United States v. Bryan, 981 F.2d 1263 (11th Cir. 1992); United States v. Cleckler, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63089 (M.D. Ala. 2006); United States v. Carmichael, 342 F. Supp. 2d 1070 (M.D. Ala. 2004). Practice Areas: Complex Litigation(100%); Government Investigations; Fraud; Criminal Fraud; White Collar Fraud; White Collar Crime; White Collar Criminal Defense; Grand Jury Practice; Tax Fraud; Criminal Taxation; Bank Fraud; Qui Tam Litigation; Civil Forfeiture; False Claims Act.Email: Ronald R. Brunson
LEGAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL
Karen A. Vest Education: Coastal Carolina Community College (Associate of Arts, with honors). Recipient, Certificate, National Association of Legal Assistants, 2003.Email: Karen A. Vest