Helmsing, Leach, Herlong, Newman & Rouse, P.C.
Skilled. Effective. Respected. Since 1976.

Firm News





Casey Pipes Panelist In Strafford Webinar

Posted: 02 Dec 2011
Casey Pipes was a panelist in a Strafford Webinar on "Eminent Domain: Redevelopment Challenges for Local Government" that took place on December 1, 2011.  Casey's topic was on local government compliance with federal aid conditions in the context of eminent domain property acquisitions.  Other panelists from New Jersey,California and Hawaii discussed similar issues of concern to local government...

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Recent Alabama Tort Reform Measures

Posted: 23 Nov 2011
Helmsing Leach attorneys Joseph P. H. Babington and Andy Stivender co-authored an article discussing the Alabama Legislature's recent tort-reform measures.  The new legislation decreases the period of repose for claims against architects, engineers, and builders, reduces the interest rate on money judgments, affects the venue of wrongful death cases, protects non-manufacturer sellers from product...

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Just Compensation in Enhancement Cases

Posted: 16 Nov 2011
The Firm represented several different land owners in different condemnation actions in Baldwin County, Alabama in which the acquiring agency took the position that the remaining property was enhanced by the project to such an extent that the land owners were only entitled to a nominal offer of $500 as compensation.  Over the past year in these cases, the Firm's clients in these types of cases have...

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Jeffrey J. Hartley, head of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights practice group, serves as panelist for CLE seminar on “Emerging Issues in Chapter 11″ at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham.

Posted: 16 Nov 2011
Mr. Hartley was participating in Cumberland's 22nd Annual Bankruptcy Law Seminar on September 30, 2011 and led a presentation on "Prepackaged Chapter 11 Plans."  He has been a regular member of the seminar faculty over the years.  His co-panelists were Judge William Sawyer, Bankruptcy Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, attorney Richard Carmody of Birmingham...

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Helmsing Leach attorney Joseph P. H. Babington gives presentation on Alabama tort reform to the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association.

Posted: 28 Oct 2011
On September 30, 2011, at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, Helmsing Leach partner Joseph P. H. Babington gave a presentation to members of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association on the 2011 Alabama tort reform measures.  The new laws decrease the period of repose for claims against architects, engineers, and builders; reduce the interest rate on money judgments; affect the venue of wrongful...

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Helmsing Leach attorneys obtain win for clients on all three major issues in recent lawsuit.

Posted: 28 Oct 2011
In David's Auto Shredding, Inc. v. Shredder Co., LLC, Slip Copy, 2009 WL 8478359 (S.D. Ala. March 24, 2009), United States Magistrate Judge Sonja Bivins agreed with Helmsing Leach attorneys Joseph P. H. Babington and D. Andrew Stivender that a lawsuit filed against their clients should be transferred to a federal court in Texas based on a forum selection clause contained in an agreement binding on the plaintiff. ...

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Alternative Billing Arrangements Seminar

Posted: 28 Oct 2011
Helmsing Leach sponsored an internal seminar on October 13, 2011, on alternative billing arrangements (ABA) to straight billable-hour fee contracts.  The seminar, presented by Jim Newman and Joe Babington and attended by 13 firm lawyers, focused on various alternative fee arrangements and how these can provide clients with greater certainty and predictability for budgeting legal fees and expenses...

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Helmsing Leach makes annual donation to United Way.

Posted: 27 Oct 2011
United Way is a network of community-based groups that raise billions of dollars annually in philanthropic contributions, which support programs benefiting local communities, including in Mobile and surrounding areas.  Every year,  Helmsing Leach encourages its attorneys and staff members to contribute.  We are pleased to announce that, this year, Helmsing Leach employees and shareholders contributed...

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Helmsing Leach’s successful petition to Alabama Supreme Court results in dismissal of medical malpractice case against hospital defendant

Posted: 27 Oct 2011
Finding that the plaintiff, who had amended his complaint to add Helmsing Leach’s hospital client as a defendant after the statute of limitations had run, had not exercised due diligence to ascertain the defendant's correct name in a timely fashion, the Alabama Supreme Court directed the trial court to grant the hospital defendant's motion for summary judgment.  Click here for the Defense Research...

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Helmsing Leach attorney co-hosts women’s networking event.

Posted: 26 Oct 2011
Helmsing Leach attorney Annie J. Dike, who is Secretary of the Mobile Bar Association Women Lawyers group, along with attorneys Lucy Tufts of Cunningham Bounds and Dottie Perry of Burns, Cunningham & Mackey, hosted a women's networking event and fundraiser on September 22, 2011.  The event featured several guest speakers, including Justice Janie Shores, the first female Justice of the Alabama...

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