Russell C. Buffkin

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Complex civil litigation with an emphasis on the defense of personal injury and product liability claims. Russell’s practice includes product liability litigation, defense of pharmaceutical and medical device companies, professional malpractice defense, maritime, environmental claims and commercial litigation. He has also dedicated a sizable portion of his practice to construction, where he has represented developers, general contractors, engineers, architects, building product manufacturers and suppliers in all aspects of construction disputes.

EDUCATION

University of Alabama Law School J.D., cum laude, 1999

Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL M.B.A., May 1996

Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL B.S. (Finance), May 1992

Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA  1987-1989

BAR ADMISSIONS

Alabama

United States District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama

United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit

Martindale-Hubbell Rating

AV Preeminent

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

Non-Competition Clauses in Law Firm Partnership Agreements: How Far Can Partnership Agreements Control Future Conduct of Lawyers, 23 J. Legal Prof. 325 (1999).

Navigating the Medicare Reporting Minefield – A Practitioner’s Guide to Settlement with a Medicare Beneficiary, The Alabama Lawyer, Vol. 71, No. 3 (May, 2010).

Construction Lien Law in Alabama (presented through Lorman in Mobile, AL – August 2006 and August 2007)

The Attorney-Client Privilege: Production Logs, Waiver, and Other Issues (presented to the Trial Attorneys of America in Chicago, IL – June 2007)

Construction Project Problems and Lien Law in Alabama (at program sponsored by Ferguson Enterprises to the Mobile Chamber of Commerce – March 2008)

Medicare Secondary Payor Act (presented to the Trial Attorneys of America in Chicago, IL – 2010)

ASSOCIATIONS & AFFILIATIONS

International Association of Defense Counsel (Product Liability and Construction Committees)

Defense Research Institute (Drug & Medical Device, Construction and Product Liability Committees)

American Bar Association (Product Liability and Construction Committees)

Alabama State Bar Association (numerous committees)

Mobile Bar Association (Civil Practice Committee)

Alabama Defense Lawyers Association (numerous committees)

Trial Attorneys of America

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Board of Trustees, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, 2006 to present

Director, Wilmer Hall Children’s Home, 2008 to present

Member, Mobile Touchdown Club, 2007 to present (Board of Directors, 2009 to present)

Director, Alabama Prepaid Affordable College Tuition and 529 Fund, 2005 to 2010

Vestry Member, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2005 to 2008

Stewardship Chairman, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2007 – 2008

Member, Senior Bowl Committee, 2005 to 2008

National Maritime Museum of the Gulf Coast, Finance Committee, 2004

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

Recipient, Outstanding Oral Advocacy in Moot Court Program, 1997

Recipient, George Peach Taylor Outstanding Advocacy Award, 1999

Bench & Bar Legal Honor Society, 1999

Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum, 2008

Distinguished Service Award – Mobile Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2010