Allison’s practice is devoted to medical liability defense, including personal injury and wrongful death litigation. She represents doctors, hospitals, practice groups, and other healthcare professionals against claims of medical malpractice. She also regularly advises healthcare professionals and entities about issues and regulations affecting their practices. In addition, Allison has experience handling prisoner litigation, labor & employment litigation, and other complex litigation throughout Alabama and Tennessee.
Allison currently sits on the firm’s Executive, Diversity & Inclusion, and Recruiting committees.
Professional Recognition
•Rising Star in Alabama by Mid-South Super Lawyers magazine
•Recognized as a “leading individual” in the field of Medical Malpractice Defense by Chambers USA
•Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants
•Recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as one of Birmingham’s Rising Stars in Law for 2019
Highlights
•Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a general surgeon charged with medical negligence and wrongful death in the performance of a colonoscopy.
•Obtained a defense award in an arbitration in favor of a nursing home in a wrongful death case arising from allegations involving a fall sustained by a resident.
•Successfully defended two general surgeons during a six-day trial in a wrongful death case involving the readmission of a patient to the hospital following recent hernia repair surgery.
•Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist following a four-day trial in Tennessee stemming from the ordering of post anesthesia care unit pain medication that resulted in blindness.
•Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a national cell phone company in a case brought by a former employee for race discrimination and retaliation.
•Secured summary judgment and Eleventh Circuit affirmance for a metal processing plant in a Title VII and Section 1981 race discrimination action.
•Obtained a defense verdict in favor of an anesthesiologist in a case arising out of a cervical epidural block, which led to a spinal cord injury.
•Obtained a defense verdict in favor of a surgeon in a personal injury case involving complications arising from a retained sponge following hernia surgery.
•Obtained summary judgment and affirmance with opinion from the Alabama Supreme Court in infant wrongful death action.
•Secured summary judgment in favor of radiology group in a case involving the administration of a contrast agent to the plaintiff who later developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.
•Obtained summary judgment for an Alabama municipality on a state law age discrimination claim.
Presentations and Publications
“Forging Your Own Trail - Alternative Paths to Partnership” panel speaker at the 4th Annual Southeastern Women Litigators Conference in Asheville, NC, March 21, 2025.“Getting Jurors’ Attention in the Age of Distractions,”presentation at the Medical Professional Liability Conference’s Claims Defense Forum, Washington, DC, May 8, 2024.•“2023 Healthcare Law Update,” presentation to the Birmingham Medical Group Management Association, Birmingham, AL, November 15, 2023.
•“The Impact of the Dobbs Decision on Abortion in Alabama,” presentation to the Alabama Society for Healthcare Risk Management, November 4, 2022, Birmingham, Alabama.
•“How Providers Can Navigate Medical Professional Liability Risks in a Post-Roe World,” Risk & Insurance Magazine, September 26, 2022.
•“How the Dobbs Decision Affects Medical Professional Liability,” Becker’s Hospital Review, Vol. 2022, No. 10, October 2022.
•“Peer Review and Quality Assurance Privileges in Alabama,” presentation to all Office of Counsel lawyers within the University of Alabama System, Birmingham, Alabama, August 6, 2020.
•“Quality Assurance and Peer Review Privileges in Alabama,” presented at the Alabama Society for Healthcare Risk Management Fall Education Day, Alabaster, Alabama, November 4, 2016.
•Walter W. Bates, Allison J. Adams, & Pamela Yates, “Overcoming Tensions Between Drug/Device Defendants and Treating Physicians,” IADC Drug, Device and Biotechnology and Medical Defense and Health Law Joint Committee Newsletter, February 2014.
•“Is Your Clinic Prepared? Malpractice and Employment Issues Facing Practice Groups,” presented at the Medical Group Management Association meeting, Decatur, Alabama, February 18, 2014.
•“In Case of Emergency: Is Your Clinic Ready?” The Birmingham Medical News Blog, September 2013.
•“Important Victory for Primary Payers Under the MSP,” DRI Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee Newsletter, Vol. 16, Issue 4, December 2011.
•Arnold W. Umbach, III & Allison J. Garton, “Alabama Supreme Court Clarifies Enforceability of No-Hire Agreements,” The Alabama Defense Lawyers Association Journal, October 2007.
•“Reconciling the Incongruous Demands of Therapist-Patient Confidentiality and Falsely Accused Third-Parties,” 37 Cum. L. Rev. 1, 77 (2006).
News & Insights
•Starnes Davis Florie Secures Appellate Win with Granted Petition for Writ of Mandamus
•35 Starnes Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2026
•33 Starnes Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2025
•Starnes Davis Florie Ranked a Top Law Firm by Chambers USA 2023
•STARNES DAVIS FLORIE RANKED A TOP FIRM BY CHAMBERS USA 2022
•Starnes Attorneys Adams & Bates Obtain Jury Verdict in Wrongful Death Case
•Joseph Reese and Allison Adams Secure Favorable Ruling for a Nursing Home in Arbitration
•Twenty-Six Attorneys Named to the 2020 Edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers
•THIRTY-ONE SDF ATTORNEYS NAMED TO THE 2019 EDITION OF MID-SOUTH SUPER LAWYERS
•SDF’s Allison Adams Named One of Birmingham’s Rising Stars in Law for 2019
•THIRTY-ONE SDF ATTORNEYS NAMED TO THE 2018 EDITION OF MID-SOUTH SUPER LAWYERS
•Twenty-Eight SDF Attorneys Named to the 2017 Edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers
•Twenty-Six SDF Attorneys Named to the 2016 Edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers
•Labor & Employment Practice Group Bulletin - November 2015
•Adams & Bates Secure Defense Verdict for Two General Surgeons in Med Mal Trial
•Starnes Davis Florie Labor & Employment Practice Group Bulletin - July 2015
•Twenty-Six SDF Attorneys Named to 2015 Alabama Super Lawyers
•Starnes Davis Florie Attorneys Adams and Bates Obtain Defense Verdict for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
•Thirty SDF Attorneys Named to Alabama Super Lawyers 2014
•SDF Attorneys Allison Adams and Billy Bates Co-Authored an Article in IADC Committee Newsletter
