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

Presentations and Publications





Christopher Conte’s Article on a Key Eleventh Circuit Bankruptcy Decision Appears in “Stream of Commerce,” the publication of the Alabama State Bar’s Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section

Posted: 28 Feb 2012
The Eleventh Circuit’s recent opinion in In re Lett, 632 F.3d 1216 (11th Cir. 2011) greatly expands the role of bankruptcy courts in approving Chapter 11 plans.  The decision essentially requires a bankruptcy court to determine independently whether such a plan satisfies the “absolute priority rule” where no creditor has objected to the plan on that ground, thereby transforming the judge from...

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Firm’s Partners At National Eminent Domain Conference

Posted: 30 Jan 2012
Warren Herlong, Casey Pipes and Chris Conte attended the annual ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Condemnation 101 conference in San Diego, California from January 26-28, 2012. While at this conference, Warren Herlong co-presented a paper on How to Depose the Opposing Appraiser. This is one of the leading eminent domain conferences in the country.

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Associate Annie Dike’s article on defending “non-delegable duty” claims in medical malpractice cases appears in the Defense Research Institute’s on-line publication, The Voice.

Posted: 19 Jan 2012
In the medical malpractice arena, more and more plaintiffs' attorneys are attempting to use "non-delegable duty" claims to establish liability against hospitals based on physician conduct.  Such claims essentially allege that a hospital's compliance with Medicare provisions prohibit it from delegating the duty to provide non-negligent care to physicians it hires as independent contractors. ...

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Christopher Conte, a partner in the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights practice group, gives presentation at December 5, 2011 foreclosure and bankruptcy seminar in Mobile sponsored by National Business Institute.

Posted: 20 Dec 2011
Mr. Conte's presentation focused on debtor and creditor issues in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases, and the elements of a confirmable Chapter 13 Plan.  Mr. Conte also covered recent developments in bankruptcy law, including the United States Supreme Court’s June 23, 2011 decision in Stern v. Marshall, 131 S. Ct. 2594 (2011) and its impact on bankruptcy court jurisdiction.

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Warren Herlong and Casey Pipes Make Presentation to the PCMA December Meeting

Posted: 09 Dec 2011
Warren Herlong and Casey Pipes made a presentation to the Petroleum and Convenience Marketers of Alabama Association at its December 7, 2011 meeting in Birmingham, Alabama concerning eminent domain and inverse condemnation issues of interest to convenience store owners and operators.  Their presentation covered such topics as the measure of damages in partial takings, applicable appraisal methodologies,...

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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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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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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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