(Main Office)

Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler, L.L.P., one of West Alabama's largest and oldest law firms, provides a broad range of legal services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients statewide. The firm is large enough to offer diverse legal expertise yet small enough to be hands-on, with senior partners directly involved in a high percentage of cases.

The firm was officially organized in 1968 by senior partner Sam M. Phelps as a successor to Mize, Spiro & Phelps, a Tuscaloosa firm founded in the 1940s. Since its inception, the Phelps firm has evolved to include a well-balanced mix of attorneys who practice in virtually all areas of the law.

The business, tax and corporate division of Phelps, Jenkins is comprised of experienced partners and associates, most of whom hold advanced degrees in tax law from prestigious law schools throughout the United States. Attorneys in this division practice in the areas of industrial development, banking, commercial transactions, creditors' rights, business formations, sales and acquisitions of businesses, business financing, bonds and tax-exempt financing, securities, real estate development, condominium law, health care law, employee benefits and retirement plans, labor and employment, environmental law, intellectual property, tax procedure and litigation, estate planning and administration, and trusts.

Attorneys in the firm's litigation department practice in both state and federal courts. The firm's trial practice is primarily in the state courts of Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Bibb, Choctaw, Clarke, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Marion, Pickens, Sumter and Walker counties and the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of the federal court system in Alabama. Appellate work is handled in the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, the Alabama Supreme Court, the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits of the United States Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Phelps, Jenkins' concentration in the litigation area is defense oriented; however, approximately one-third of the firm's civil litigation is undertaken on behalf of plaintiffs, particularly in the areas of business and commercial litigation.

The firm's litigation division includes lawyers who have substantial expertise and experience in many different areas including: employment discrimination, medical malpractice defense, motor vehicle accidents, product liability, workers compensation, school law, family law, insurance law, real estate, local government law, and business, tax, and corporate-related litigation matters. Among Phelps, Jenkins' clients are several banking and financial institutions as well as many new and established local businesses. The firm also serves as local counsel for many national corporations. In addition to its corporate and business clients, the firm takes pride in its ability to provide, personal service to the individual or business needing advice on a one-time basis or for a single legal matter.

The Phelps firm has two partners from the litigation division who are members of the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution. These partners offer mediation services as an alternative to litigation.

Attorneys at Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler, L.L.P take great pride in the leadership roles they assume throughout the West Alabama community. Members of the firm serve in leadership positions with a variety of non-profit and governmental organizations, including: the American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama, Boy's and Girl's Club of West Alabama, Challenge 21, Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, Children's Hands on Museum (CHOM),Civil Service Board for the City of Tuscaloosa, DCH Regional Medical Center, the DCH Foundation, Friends of Alabama Public Radio, Kid One Transport System, Leadership Tuscaloosa, Riverfront Development Committee, Tuscaloosa Arts Partners, Tuscaloosa Children's Center, Tuscaloosa City Schools Education Foundation, Tuscaloosa Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the United Way of West Alabama.

Statement of Practice

General Business, Tax and Corporate Matters, including Industrial Development and Finance, Banking, Business Formation, Bonds and Tax-exempt Financing, Securities, Estate Planning and Administration, Trusts, Sales and Acquisitions of Businesses, Business Financing, Real Estate Development, Condominium Law, Commercial Transactions, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation, Health Care Law, Employer Benefits and Retirement Plans, Creditor Rights, Environmental Law, Trademark and Copyright, Labor/Employment, and Tax Procedure and Litigation. General Litigation, Employment Discrimination Litigation, Medical Malpractice Defense, Products Liability, Workers' Compensation, School Law, Family Law, Real Estate Law, Condemnation Proceedings, Local Government Law, and Business, Tax, and Corporate Related Litigation Matters.

Representative Clients:

Industrial/Manufacturing: Brose Tuscaloosa, Inc.
ISE Innomotive Systems U.S., Inc.
Oxford Automotive
Ox Bodies, Inc., Recticel North America, Inc.
ZF Industries, Inc.
Alabama Precision Mold, L.L. C.
Johnson Controls
Hummel Formen GmbH
Eberspaecher Formenbau GmbH
ARD Logistics
Assembly Partners
Bridgewater Interiors, LLC.
Mid-States Asphalt
Black Warrior Roofing
Levelator, Inc. Food Processing & Food Service: Peco Foods, Inc.
Alabama Catfish
Harvest Select Catfish
Jack Marshall Foods
The R.L. Zeigler Co. Timber, Forestry & Paper & Natural Resources: Cahaba Pressure Treated Forest Products
Cahaba Timber
J.D. Cahill
Dixie Pulp & Paper
Macon Forest Products
Vernon Milling Co.
Holman Lumber Co.
Cottondale Wood Products
Hinton Lumber Co.
Tusco Wood Products
Barksdale Warrior Paper Company, Inc. Construction & Construction Materials: Ready Mix USA
DCA Ready Mix
Block USA
Couch Ready Mix USA
Blue Star Concrete
Mid-States Asphalt
Black Warrior Roofing
Southeastern Asphalt Products
United Roofing
Terra First
Harrison Construction
Amason & Associates, Inc. Banking and Financial: The Bank of Tuscaloosa
South Trust Bank
First Federal Bank
AmSouth Bank
Compass Bank
Regions Bank
Regions Mortgage
Bryant Bank
Equiprime
Accucheck
Credit Bureau Systems. Real Estate Development: NorthRiver, Inc. Randall Family, L.L.C.
Roland Pugh Construction
Gipson Companies
Capstone Village, Inc. Transportation: Norfolk Southern
Welborn Transport
Cummings Trucking
Digby Truckline, Inc.
Tuscaloosa Executive Aviation. Publishing: Randall Publishing
Anderson/GEMCO News
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
Boone Newspapers, Inc.
Wick Communications, Inc.
Walls Newspapers Consultants, Inc.
Shaw Newspapers. Automotive Dealers: Locklear Automotive Group
Quality Automotive Group
Tuscaloosa Toyota
Landmark Oldsmobile/Hyundai
Barkley Pontiac Cadillac GMC
Chrysler-Jeep of Tuscaloosa. Service/Retail: Vulcan Oil
A & M Oil Co.
Armstrong Oil Co. Governmental/Administrative: City of Tuscaloosa Board of Education
Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc.
Tuscaloosa County Sales Tax Board
Challenge 21
Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama
Tuscaloosa City Schools Education Foundation
Educational Building Authority of the City of Tuscaloosa
City of Northport. Healthcare: DCH Health Care Authority
DCH Northport Medical Center
DCH Regional Medical Center
Indian Rivers Mental Health Center
Pickens County Medical Center
Restore Therapy. Insurance: Alabama Reassurance Corp
Aetna Insurance Co.
Aetna Life & Casualty
Alabama Hospital Association
Trust Fund
Allstate Insurance Co.
American Auto Insurance Co.
American International Insurance Group
American Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
Auto Owner's Insurance Co.
CNA Insurance Companies
Carolina Casualty Insurance Co.
Champion Insurance Co.
Cincinnati Insurance Co.
Coastal Insurance Group
Continental Insurance Cos.
Crum & Forester Insurance Cos.
GAINSCO
Great American Insurance Cos.
Gulf Insurance Cos
Hanover Insurance Cos.
Horace Mann Insurance Cos.
Integon Life Insurance Corp.
Market Insurance Group
North American Indemnity Cos.
Northern Assurance Company of America
Pennsylvania National Mutual Insurance Group
RISCORP
St. Paul Insurance Cos.
United Service Auto Assn.
United National Group
Western Casualty & Surety Co.
Universal Underwriters Group.

Rate Information

Fixed Hourly Rates

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Persons accessing this site are encouraged to seek independent counsel for advice regarding their individual legal issues.

Address

1201 Greensboro Avenue (35401) P.O. Box 020848
Tuscaloosa, AL 35402-0848, (Tuscaloosa Co.)

Phone

Phone: 205-345-5100
Fax: 205-758-4394 (Litigation)
Fax: 205-391-6658 (Business)
Fax: 205-391-6663 (Real Estate)

Website

http://www.phelpsjenkins.com

Office Hours

Monday: 08:00 AM - 05:30 PM
Tuesday: 08:00 AM - 05:30 PM
Wednesday: 08:00 AM - 05:30 PM
Thursday: 08:00 AM - 05:30 PM
Friday: 08:00 AM - 05:30 PM

MEMBERS OF FIRM

Sam M. Phelps (Partner) born Grove Hill, Alabama, January 18, 1932; admitted to bar, 1958, Alabama. Education: Auburn University (B.S., 1953); University of Alabama (LL.B., 1958). Omicron Delta Kappa; Farrah Order of Jurisprudence; Phi Kappa Phi; Phi Alpha Delta. Listed in Best Lawyers in America. Former Chairman, DCH Healthcare Authority. Former Member, Civil Service Board of City of Tuscaloosa. Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers.Email: Sam M. Phelps

James J. Jenkins (Partner) born Anderson, South Carolina, May 24, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, Alabama and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama; 1972, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 2000, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama. Education: University of Alabama (B.A., 1964; LL.B., 1967). Phi Alpha Delta. Registered Mediator, Alabama State Court. Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar; Defense Research Institute; International Association of Defense Counsel; Alabama Defense Lawyers Association; Alabama Law Foundation (Life Fellow). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Business Litigation; Employment Law; Employment Litigation; Medical Malpractice Defense.Email: James J. Jenkins

Johnson Russell Gibson, III (Partner) born Troy, Alabama, April 26, 1947; admitted to bar, 1974, Alabama; U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits. Education: University of Alabama (B.A., 1971; J.D., 1973). Phi Delta Phi. Law Clerk, Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 1973-1974. Chairman, Civil Service Board of Tuscaloosa. Legal Counsel, West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, 2001-2002. Legal Counsel, Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. Registered, Alabama State Court Mediator Roster. Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar; Alabama Association of School board Attorneys; Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. [Capt., JAGC, Alabama Army National Guard, 1974-1978]. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Business Litigation; Insurance Defense; School Law.Email: Johnson Russell Gibson, III

Randolph M. Fowler (Partner) born Birmingham, Alabama, July 3, 1949; admitted to bar, 1975, Alabama. Education: University of Alabama (B.A., 1971; J.D., 1975). Phi Beta Kappa; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Delta Phi. Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Banking Law; Commercial Transactions; Real Estate Law and Litigation.Email: Randolph M. Fowler

Farley A. Poellnitz (Partner) born Tuscaloosa, Alabama, December 5, 1957; admitted to bar, 1984, Alabama; 1987, U.S. Tax Court. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., 1980; J.D., 1984); Boston University (LL.M., in Taxation, 1985). Phi Delta Phi. Associate Editor, American Journal of Tax Policy, 1982-1983. Past Division Chairman and Board of Directors, West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Past President, Tuscaloosa Estate Planning Council. Legal Counsel, Tuscaloosa City Schools Education Foundation, Inc. Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Tax Law; Corporate Law; Business Acquisitions and Sales; Real Estate Development; Bond Finance; Probate; Estate Planning.Email: Farley A. Poellnitz

A. Courtney Crowder (Partner) born Birmingham, Alabama, February 10, 1958; admitted to bar, 1983, Alabama; U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., 1980; J.D., 1983). Omicron Delta Kappa; Mortar Board; Chairman, Jasons. Member, Board of Directors, West Alabama Chapter of American Red Cross. Member: Alabama State Bar; American Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute; Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Business; Employment; Banking Litigation; Medical Malpractice Defense; Insurance Defense.Email: A. Courtney Crowder

Bruce H. Henderson (Partner) born Memphis, Tennessee, January 3, 1958; admitted to bar, 1983, Tennessee; 1996, Alabama, U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama, U.S. District Court, Western and Middle Districts of Tennessee, U.S. District Court, Southern and Northern Districts of Mississippi, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Rhodes College (B.A., English, 1980); University of Memphis School of Law (J.D., 1982). Member: Human Relations Committee, Business Council of Alabama; Registered Mediator, Alabama State Court Roster; Leadership Tuscaloosa Class of 2005-2006; Board of Directors, President, and Assistant District Governor, Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa; Board of Directors and President, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of West Alabama; Tuscaloosa Human Resource Professionals; Alabama Press Association; Inland Press Foundation. Member: Tuscaloosa County, Tennessee and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar; Alabama Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Employment Litigation; Labor and Employment Law; Business Litigation; Alternative Dispute Resolution.Email: Bruce H. Henderson

Stephen E. Snow (Partner) born Birmingham, Alabama, February 1, 1968; admitted to bar, 1993, Alabama. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., 1990; J.D., cum laude, 1993); University of Florida (L.L.M., in Taxation, 1994). Member: American Bar Association; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Tax Law; Business Planning; Estate Planning; Bond Finance; Probate; Health Care Law.Email: Stephen E. Snow

W. David Ryan (Partner) born Tuscaloosa, Alabama, December 4, 1967; admitted to bar, 1993, Alabama; U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Alabama (B.A., 1990; J.D., 1993). Member: Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society; John A. Campbell Moot Court Board. Adjunct Professor, Trial Advocacy, University of Alabama School of Law. Member: Alabama State Bar; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: School Law; Employment Litigation; Medical Malpractice; Personal Injury; Wrongful Death.Email: W. David Ryan

Jessica Medeiros Garrison (Partner) born Stuttgart, Germany; admitted to bar, 2001, Alabama and U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., 1997; J.D., 2000). Former Public Affairs and Legislative Affairs Director for State of Alabama Attorney General William H. Pryor, Jr. Former Law Clerk, Judge L. Scott Coogler, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court. Served with former State of Alabama Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Student Government President, University of Alabama, 1996-1997. Member: Business Council of Alabama Board of Directors; Progress Pac Board of Directors; DCH Foundation Board of Directors; Board of Directors and former Chairperson of the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama; United Way of West Alabama Board of Directors; Family Counseling Service Board of Directors; Tuscaloosa Preservation Society Board of Directors; Farrah Alumni Society Board of Trustees; Leadership Tuscaloosa Class of 2001-2002. Member and Chair, Tuscaloosa County March of Dimes-March for Babies Event, 2008. Previously served on: Kid One Transport System Board of Directors; Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Advisory Council; Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority Strategic Planning Committee. Recipient, Tuscaloosa Business and Professional Women's Organization's Young Careerist Award in 2002. Member: Tuscaloosa County Bar Association; Alabama State Bar; National Association of Bond Lawyers. Practice Areas: Real Estate Transactions; Business Acquisitions; Financial Transactions; Economic Development Incentives; Bond Financing; Commercial Law.Email: Jessica Medeiros Garrison

Clay A. Tindal (Partner) born Pensacola, Florida, March 8, 1976; admitted to bar, 2001, Alabama, U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of Southern Mississippi (B.S.B.A., 1997; M.B.A., 1998); University of Alabama (J.D., 2000). Member: Tuscaloosa County and American Bar Associations; Alabama State Bar; Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Business Litigation; Medical Malpractice.Email: Clay A. Tindal

Terri Olive Tompkins (Partner) born Tuscaloosa, Alabama, November 13, 1973; admitted to bar, 1999, Alabama; 2001, U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (B.A., magna cum laude, 1995; J.D., 1999). Phi Beta Kappa. John A. Campbell Moot Court Board. Member, Alabama Law Review. Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Alabama, 1999-2000. Assistant Alabama Attorney General, 2000-2002. Member: Tuscaloosa County Bar Association (President, 2009-2010); Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Medical Malpractice; Employment Law; Insurance Defense.Email: Terri Olive Tompkins

ASSOCIATES

Robert G. Upchurch (Associate) born Meridian, Mississippi, November 6, 1978; admitted to bar, 2005, Alabama and U.S. District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama; 2006, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: The University of West Alabama (B.S., 2002); University of Alabama (J.D., cum laude, 2005). Member: Alabama Law Review, 2004-2005; John A. Campbell Moot Court Board; National Tax Moot Court Team. Member: Tuscaloosa County Bar Association; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Employment Law; Insurance Defense.Email: Robert G. Upchurch

Charlye Spiegel Adams (Associate) born Tuscaloosa, Alabama; admitted to bar, 2006, Alabama and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama. Education: University of Alabama (B.S., cum laude, 2000; M.A., 2001; J.D., 2006). Member: Tuscaloosa County Bar Association; State Bar of Alabama; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Law; Labor and Employment; Commercial Law.Email: Charlye Spiegel Adams

Stephen C. Bridgers (Associate) born Tuscaloosa, AL; admitted to bar, 2007, Alabama. Education: Auburn University (B.S., Economics, 2004); Northwestern University School of Law (LL.M., Taxation, 2008); Wake Forest University School of Law. Member: American Bar Association; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Tax Law; Corporate Law; Business Planning; Probate; Bond Finance; Estate Planning.