2014 Edition Of Chambers USA Recognizes Helmsing Leach & Three Of Its Lawyers

In its 2014 edition, Chambers USA, a reference guide to the legal profession, recognizes Helmsing Leach for excellence in commercial litigation and, in addition, recognizes three of the firm’s lawyers as leaders in specialty areas of practice:  Joe Babington (commercial litigation), Jeff Hartley (bankruptcy/restructuring) and Warren Herlong (real estate).  Chambers USA uses in-depth, client-focused research to rank the leading US law firms and lawyers in a wide range of practice areas.  The guide is read by major companies and organizations throughout the US and the world.  It is also widely used by law firms for referral purposes.

Alabama Supreme Court Victory For Jim Newman Client

On December 30, 2013, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of defendant BASF Construction Chemicals, LLC in a personal injury lawsuit in which Jim Newman represented the company.  The case turned on whether BASF had assumed the duty to inspect certain construction work performed using a BASF product.  After a lengthy and thorough analysis, the Supreme Court held that the question of duty was, in this particular case, one for the trial court and that the trial court had correctly ruled in favor of BASF.

Mr. Newman represented BASF in the case from its inception in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, which granted summary judgment to the company.  After plaintiff appealed, the Supreme Court transferred the action to the Court of Civil Appeals, which reversed the trial court.  BASF then petitioned for certiorari to the Alabama Supreme Court which granted the petition and reversed the Court of Civil Appeals.

Ex parte BASF Construction Chemical, LLC (In re:  Jeannie West Crabtree and Edward Wayne Crabtree vs. BASF Building Systems, LLC), Alabama Supreme Court 1101204 (December 30, 2013).

Pipes & Herlong Among Presenters At January 2014 National Eminent Domain Seminar

Casey Pipes and Warren Herlong will make presentations at an American Law Institute seminar titled Condemnation 101: How to Prepare and Present an Eminent Domain Case, which will take place January 23-25, 2014 at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.  Mr. Pipes will co-present a paper titled Right to Take Hearings – Condemnor and Condemnee Perspectives.  Mr. Herlong will co-present on How to Attack or Defend Comparable Sales.  The seminar is being held in conjunction with the ALI continuing legal education Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation conference.  For additional information on the seminar, please click here.

Jim Newman Wins Defense Verdict At Jury Trial

Jim Newman represented defendants State Farm Fire and Casualty Company and Jeff Stauter in a case tried to a jury in Baldwin County, Alabama, this month.  Plaintiff’s claims included breach of contract, insurance bad faith, concealment and misrepresentation.  The jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants on November 15th.  Paralegal Lindsay Dunn assisted Mr. Newman at the trial.

Helmsing Leach Sponsors 2013 Baldwin County Drug Court Graduation

For a third successive year, the Firm has sponsored the graduation ceremony for successful participants in a rehabilitation program for drug offenders run by the Baldwin County Drug Court. The program gives participants an opportunity to have the charges against them dismissed or reduced. To graduate, candidates must maintain sobriety and meet other requirements. In addition to benefiting participants, the program boosts public safety through enhanced monitoring of offenders. Helmsing Leach contributed $1,000 to this year’s ceremony, which occurred on October 17, 2013.

Alan Alexander Secures Victory At Trial For Defendant Hospital

Earlier this month, Alan Alexander won a defense verdict for Providence Hospital in a trial involving the death of a two year-old child resulting from an allegedly undiagnosed arterial-venous malformation in his brain. The plaintiffs sued a physician who treated the child in the Providence emergency room, alleging that he was negligent for failing to order a CT scan or other tests that might have helped uncover the child’s brain condition. The case against Providence was based solely on an agency theory. After hearing seven days of testimony, the jury deliberated for a day and a half before rendering defense verdicts for all defendants.

Casey Pipes Provides Update On Regulatory Takings At ABA Meeting In New Orleans

Casey Pipes is the current chairman of the Condemnation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law. The committee had its Fall Leadership Meeting in New Orleans on November 8-9, 2013. Mr. Pipes attended and gave an update on regulatory takings during the Real Property division’s Hot Topics program.

Casey Pipes Invited To Join The Counselors Of Real Estate

Casey Pipes has been honored with an invitation to join the Counselors of Real Estate, an international organization of real estate advisors founded in 1953. The organization has 1,100 members worldwide, and membership is by invitation only, following a review process involving peers, clients and employers. For more information about The Counselors of Real Estate, please visit its website at www.cre.org.

Casey Pipes Gives Presentation on Alabama Condemnation Law

At an October 18, 2013 real estate law seminar at the University of Alabama School of Law, which was sponsored by the Real Property, Probate & Trust Section of the Alabama State Bar, Casey Pipes gave a presentation titled, “Inverse Condemnation and Regulatory Takings Claims in Alabama: How Recent Court Opinions Hurt Property Rights.”  To read the paper that Mr. Pipes wrote to accompany his presentation, please click here.

Sam Rosten Joins Firm As Associate

Helmsing Leach is pleased to announce that Sam Rosten has joined the firm as
a litigation associate.  Mr. Rosten received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Hampden-Sydney College in 2009 and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2012.  While in law school, he was Articles Editor for the Alabama Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board.  Before joining the firm, Mr. Rosten served as a law clerk to Judge Eric Bruggink on the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC.