Lightfoot Franklin & White is an Alabama-headquartered litigation boutique with offices in Birmingham and Houston, Texas. The firm’s standing has been cemented by unanimous peer and client review – in keeping with this, Lightfoot was the recipient of the "Alabama Firm of the Year" award for the seventh consecutive year at the Benchmark Litigation awards in 2023, a remarkable honor. An appreciative client confirms, “Lightfoot has a number of attorneys that I trust. The legal analysis and writing is top notch, and they have excellent trial lawyers.” While the firm is addressed as “the top litigation shop in [Alabama],” its reputation extends beyond the state’s borders, with additional admirers throughout the Southeast region and clients retaining the firm for national-level appointments.
While the firm’s offerings are diverse, product liability has been a notable standout, with a pronounced level of work in this particular practice.
Lee Hollis is representing Numotion against claims of strict product liability, negligence, fraud and deceptive trade practice claims related to Numotion’s marketing and allegations that Numotion failed to use pressure mapping to detect a potential issue in the seat sling of the plaintiff’s wheelchair. The plaintiff alleges breach of the standard of care occurred when a seat cushion was delivered without an assistive technology professional, eventually resulting in development of a pressure sore. Additionally, plaintiffs assert Numotion fraudulently concealed and misrepresented its capabilities to prevent these types of injuries and also engaged in related deceptive trade practices. Hollis and his team are preparing to try this case in the fall of 2023.
Jack Sharman defended the former sales manager for Pilgrim’s Pride in a criminal price-fixing trial in federal court in Colorado. The DoJ alleged that the defendants, along with others, conspired to restrain trade by rigging bids and fixing prices for broiler chicken products in violation of the Sherman Act. In August 2022, the DoJ moved to dismiss all price-fixing claims against the firm’s individual client.
Melody Eagan and Adam Peck represented Emerson Electric against claims of negligence and strict product liability, relating to a terminal connector’s design and warnings. The claims originate from a 2019 incident in which a repairman sustained first- and second-degree burns while servicing a rooftop HVAC unit equipped with a terminal connector manufactured by the client. After product and lab exams proved the Emerson’s part was not defective in design or manufacture and rather was just a victim of the motor failure of the compressor, the client was dismissed with prejudice.
Chandler Bailey, serving as lead defense counsel, defended GM in a wrongful-death and catastrophic-injury case against claims of defective design arising from an accident that occurred involving five federal agents in a 2013 Chevrolet 15-passenger van. One federal agent died after being removed from the van and the others sustained various orthopedic injuries. Plaintiffs allege the van was defective because it did not come equipped with Forward Collision Alert and/or Automatic Emergency Braking. Bailey presented evidence that the vehicle was safe as designed and manufactured and secured summary judgment on behalf of its client. In August 2022, the court agreed and held that the vehicle was not dangerous or defective as a matter of law. A client weighs in on Bailey’s behalf, addressing him as “an outstanding, young trial attorney and very smart.”
