James L. Pattillo
Christian & Small LLP
Suite 1800, Financial Center, 505 North 20th Street
Birmingham, AL 35203
United States
With over 20 years of litigation experience in both state and federal courts in Alabama and more than 70 trials to verdict, it goes without saying that Jim Pattillo is comfortable in the courtroom.
His clients include some of the largest insurers, product manufacturers, and commercial interests in the nation. His experience includes numerous seven and eight-figure cases routinely obtaining results that exceed expectations. Jim is passionate about his belief that the best results are obtained when every case is handled from the outset with the preparation and strategy needed to be successful at trial. That approach leads to the most favorable settlements and the most successful outcomes at trial. As the Litigation Practice Group Chair at Christian & Small, LLP, he instills that thorough preparation to everyone on his team.
His practice has been recognized by several legal publications including Best Lawyers, SuperLawyers, Chambers, and others. He is a leader in the development of the next generation of lawyers to represent their clients with excellence in the courtroom. He is a frequent writer and speaker on high-stakes litigation and trial practice. He has also been recognized by organizations such as the Defense Research Institute, International Association of Special Investigative Units, and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance for expertise and leadership in litigation. He speaks and writes on product liability, insurance, and trial practice for a number of organizations. He is also the author of the Southern Litigation Digest newsletter- click here to subscribe.
Professional and Community Involvement
- American Bar Association: Member
- American Inns of Court: Member
- Defense Research Institute (DRI): Member; Chair, Young Lawyers’ Section (2012)
- Alabama State Bar: Member
- Alabama Defense Lawyers Association (ADLA): Member
- Birmingham Bar Association: Member
- International Association of Special Investigative Units (IASIU): Member
- Alabama Policy Institute: Past Associate Board Member
- Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation: Past Board of Directors
- Vulcan Select Youth Sports: Chair, Board of Directors
Awards and Recognition
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Selected for inclusion by Mid-South Region Super Lawyers® in 2017-2019 in the field of personal injury defense, general; by Alabama Super Lawyers® in 2011-2014 as a Rising Star in the field of personal injury defense, general
- Listed by Birmingham Magazine among its 2012-2013 “Top Attorneys”u
- Named a 2025 Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation
Representative Experience
- Defended insurer in federal court arson trial involving innocent insured doctrine.
- Defended a global medical software company against claims under Alabama’s product liability doctrine.
- Defended motorcycle distributor in claims under the Alabama Warranty Act and Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act involving an alleged product defect in a motorcycle’s transmission and clutch manufacturing.
- Represented management group in a suit involving an alleged commission claim on the sale of a $10,000,000 USD business jet.
- Counsel for multiple insurers, including a major national personal lines insurer for bad faith, enterprise, and company litigation for claims involving significant breach of contract claims, bad faith, and extra-contractual litigation.
- More than 15 years of litigating a variety of insurance, commercial, and general liability matters
- More than 70 trials to verdict in Alabama – including over 15 trials to verdict in direct actions against insurers
- More than 100 summary judgment motions briefed and argued
- More than 20 cases argued in Alabama federal courts
Publications and Presentations
- Author, Alabama Supreme Court Statute of Limitations Holding for Underinsured Motorist Claims, Nonstop Advocates, (April 2024)
- Author, Strict Georgia Decision On Mirror Image Acceptance Discourages Settlement, (July 2023)
- Author, Pattillo and Ruiz Obtain Complete Summary Judgment on Insurance Bad Faith Claim, (May 2023)
- Author, Software Product Liability and the Alabama Extended Manufacturers Liability Doctrine, (April 2023)
- Author, What do High School Recruits Need to Know About NIL Collectives, (October 2022)
- Author, The Alabama Innocent Seller Statute, (June 2022)
- Author, Alabama Guest Passenger Statute Primer, (January 2022)
- Author, Punitive Damage Exclusions and the Alabama Wrongful Death Act, (November 2021)
- Author, Alabama Caselaw Alert: Ex Parte Alfa Mutual Insurance Company v. Kelisha Saulsberry, (November 2020)
- Author, Sticking to the Honor Code, CLM Magazine (August 2018)
- Author, Building an All-Star Lineup for Litigation, CLM Magazine (March 2015)
- Author, Making New Year’s Resolutions That Stick, CLM Magazine (January 2016)
- Author, How an Aggressive Global Litigation Strategy Combats Morning Sickness, CLM Magazine (October 2014)
- Author, Can Your Kids Get You Sued?, CLM Magazine (August 2014)
- Author, How to Cool Off a Hot Mess, CLM Magazine (June 2014)
- Author, Navigating the False Advertising Claim, CLM Magazine (April 2014)
- Author, What’s It Going to Cost? A Look at Major Drivers of Legal Expense, CLM Magazine (March 2014)
- Author, Strategies to Attack Punitive Damages Claims, CLM Magazine (January 2014)
- Author, Professional Conduct and Professionalism, CLM Magazine (December 2013)
- Author, Paying Someone Else to Do Your Work, CLM Magazine (November 2013)
- Author, Understanding the Generational Expectations of Claimants, CLM Magazine (October 2013)
- Author, Looking to the Future: A Review of Tomorrow’s Lawyers, CLM Magazine (September 2013)
- Author, Reaching the Decision Point in Litigation, CLM Magazine (August 2013)
- Author, The Role of Battle-Tested Trial Skills in Case Evaluation, CLM Magazine (July 2013)
- Author, Proper Use of Social Media Evidence in Litigation, CLM Magazine (June 2013)
- Author, Top 10 Things to Do – and Not Do – While Waiting for a Jury Verdict, CLM Magazine (May 2013)
- Author, Allocation of Fault Among Joint Tortfeasors: This Is Not Child’s Play, CLM Magazine (April 2013)
- Author, Intangibles of Case Evaluation, Part Three: Witness Credibility, CLM Magazine (March 2013)
- Author, Intangibles of Case Evaluation, Part Two: Evaluating Opposing Counsel, CLM Magazine (February 2013)
- Author, The Intangibles of Case Evaluation, Part One: Venue, CLM Magazine (January 2013)
- Author, A Roadmap for Guiding Your Insured Through Litigation, CLM Magazine (December 2012)
- Author, Preparing for Your First Deposition, CLM Magazine (November 2012)
- Author, For the Times, They Are a Changin’, CLM Magazine (October 2012)
- Author, To Subro or Not to Subro, That Is the Question, CLM Magazine (September 2012)
- Author, A Guide to Olympic Quality Mediation Results, CLM Magazine (August 2012)
- Author, How to Deal with Difficult Plaintiff’s Counsel, CLM Magazine (July 2012)
- Author, Defense Counsel as Representative of the Company, CLM Magazine (June 2012)
- Author, Evaluating Claims of Economic Loss, CLM Magazine, CLM Magazine (May 2012)
- Author, The Do’s and Don’ts of Case Reporting, CLM Magazine (April 2012)
- Author, Legal Metrics that Matter with Defense Counsel, CLM Magazine (March 2012)
- Author, Coverage Issues for Social Media Defamation in CGL and HO Policies, CLM Magazine (February 2012)
- Author, A New Year’s Guide to Effective Partnerships with Defense Counsel, CLM Magazine (January 2012)
Admissions
- Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Colorado
Practice Areas
Education
- Furman University, 1997, B.A. in Business Administration
- University of Florida, 1999, M.A.M.C.
- Samford University Cumberland School of Law, 2002, J.D.