Business Litigation Attorneys in Montgomery, Alabama

Business litigation arises when a corporation, sole proprietorship or other business must assert or defend its rights in court.  Though many companies have attorneys to draft documents, handle mergers and acquisitions, and so forth, those attorneys usually are not experienced trial lawyers.

As an attorney with 30 years during which he principally represented individuals in claims against businesses, Frank has a unique perspective on the defense of such litigation.  Since establishing his own firm, a number of businesses have consulted with him and enjoyed the benefit of his experience.  He knows the psychology of plaintiff’s counsel and can often predict the strategy they will pursue.  His experience is valuable both in defending a claim and in evaluating its magnitude.  An attorney with only defense experience could never offer this perspective.

Frank has substantial business litigation experience, with past clients ranging from mom-and-pop operations to multi-million-dollar corporations.  Business litigation typically involves a contract dispute, business fraud or theft of sensitive information.  The firm handles business litigation in industries such as:

• Banking
• Investment
• Securities
• Oil and gas
• Apartment properties
• Textiles
• Construction
• Food and agriculture
• Insurance

Representative cases

• A $55 million settlement for a group of individuals alleging fraud against a company selling cancer insurance policies
• A $50 million settlement for a group of individuals who claimed they were overcharged in their purchase of hearing aids
• A $30 million settlement for a group of employers who suffered financial losses resulting from antitrust activities of major workers compensation insurance companies
• A substantial settlement for the State of Alabama which claimed major oil companies were overcharging for gasoline during the Middle East oil embargo
• A multi-million-dollar settlement for shareholders claiming breach of a contract to purchase their company
• Defense of a major Wall Street brokerage house in a federal securities class action
• Defense of an apartment property manager in a claim arising from a child’s death in swimming pool
• Defense of a property management company for a claim by an individual paralyzed in a diving accident
• Defense of a large agricultural cooperative in a claim that its products caused extensive damage to a competitor’s crops
• Successful settlement on behalf of minority shareholders alleging oppression and seeking to force a buyout
• Successful defense of a motel developer against a large claimed efficiency by its banker
• Successful prosecution of a claim by a hotel and conference center developer against an international bank for wrongdoing in connection with a multi-million-dollar loan
• Significant settlement, including punitive damages, for a small trucking firm for wrongful failure to pay a claim by its international insurance carrier
• Investigation and negotiation of a multi-million-dollar class action against an agricultural cooperative by a national class action law firm.  As a result, the claimants decided not to pursue their claims.
• Appointment by the District Court as liaison counsel (Mashburn v. National Healthcare, Inc., 684 F. Supp. 660 (M.D. Ala. Mar 08, 1988))
• Participation in multi-district litigation including In Re: Taxable Municipal Bond Litigation where appointed by the trial court as lead counsel for numerous individual cases

Appellate practice

A jury verdict is not always the end of litigation.  Large verdicts or cases with important legal issues are often appealed.  Appellate counsel is retained to appeal the outcome of a trial.  Appellate practice is a specialization that requires legal adroitness, years of practice and experience, and imagination to argue effectively.

Appeals may be based on alleged errors in the court’s conduct of the case and whether the outcome of the case would have been different if handled properly.

Frank is often hired by other lawyers to handle these difficult and complex matters.

Our appellate cases have included:

• Successful Petition for Certiorari, oral argument and a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in Parsons Steel v. First Alabama Bank, 474 U.S. 518 (1986)
• Numerous appearances, including oral argument, before the Supreme Court of Alabama
• Significant work before the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, many of which included oral argument
• Ex parte Morrison, 13 So.3d 414, (Ala. Jan 16, 2009)
• Ex parte Medical Licensure Com’n of Alabama, 13 So.3d 397, (Ala.Civ.App. May 09, 2008)
• Townson v. Stonicher, 933 So.2d 1062, (Ala. Dec 09, 2005)
• Edward D. Jones & Co., LP v. Ventura, 907 So.2d 1035, (Ala. Feb 25, 2005)
• General Motors Corp. v. Jernigan, 883 So.2d 646, (Ala. Dec 12, 2003)
• Gardner v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 842 So.2d 1, (Ala.Civ.App. Jan 18, 2002)
• Cassels v. Pal, 791 So.2d 947, (Ala. Feb 09, 2001)
• Baker v. Letica Corp., 785 So.2d 1142, (Ala.Civ.App. Dec 08, 2000)
• Smartt v. City of Huntsville, 788 So.2d 876, (Ala. Dec 01, 2000)
• Alfa Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Thomas, 738 So.2d 815, (Ala. Apr 16, 1999)
• Holmes v. Sanders, 729 So.2d 314, (Ala. Jan 15, 1999)
• Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd. v. Golson, 725 So.2d 996, (Ala.Civ.App. Dec 04, 1998)
• Mississippi Valley Title Ins. Co. v. Hooper, 707 So.2d 209, (Ala. Oct 31, 1997)
• Foremost Ins. Co. v. Parham, 693 So.2d 409, (Ala. Mar 14, 1997)
• Burnett v. National Stonehenge Corp., 694 So.2d 1276, (Ala. Feb 28, 1997)
• Karrh v. Board of Control of Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, 679 So.2d 669, (Ala. Jun 14, 1996)
• Ex parte ReLife, Inc., 679 So.2d 664, (Ala. Jun 07, 1996)
• Hopkins v. BP Oil, Inc., 81 F.3d 1070, (11th Cir.(Ala.) Apr 26, 1996)
• Pirnie v. Pirnie, 675 So.2d 400, (Ala. Feb 09, 1996)
• Adams v. Robertson, 676 So.2d 1265, (Ala. Dec 22, 1995)
• Four Way Plant Farm, Inc. v. National Council on Compensation Ins. (NCCI), 894 F.Supp. 1538, (M.D.Ala. Jul 25, 1995)
• Ex parte Chrysler Corp., 659 So.2d 113, (Ala. Apr 21, 1995)
• Leverso v. Lieberman, 18 F.3d 1527, (11th Cir.(Ala.) Apr 15, 1994)
• United Ins. Co. of America v. Cope, 630 So.2d 407, (Ala. Dec 03, 1993)
• McGowan v. Chrysler Corp., 631 So.2d 842, (Ala. Nov 19, 1993)
• Sutton v. Epperson, 631 So.2d 832, (Ala. Oct 29, 1993)
• Smith v. Duff and Phelps, Inc., 5 F.3d 488, (11th Cir.(Ala.) Oct 22, 1993)
• Sears, Roebuck and Co. v. Harris, 630 So.2d 1018, (Ala. Sep 10, 1993)
• Strength v. Alabama Dept. of Finance, Div. of Risk Management, 622 So.2d 1283, (Ala. Jun 18, 1993)
• Reynolds v. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., 989 F.2d 465, (11th Cir.(Ala.) Apr 28, 1993)
• Alfa Mut. Ins. Co. v. Northington, 604 So.2d 758, (Ala. Jun 12, 1992)
• Ford New Holland, Inc. v. Beaty, 602 So.2d 1198, (Ala. Jun 12, 1992)
• General Motors Corp. v. Johnston, 592 So.2d 1054, (Ala. Jan 24, 1992)
• Georgia Cas. and Sur. Co. v. White, 582 So.2d 487, (Ala. May 31, 1991)
• Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. v. Thornton, 579 So.2d 619, (Ala. May 03, 1991)
• Alabama Power Co. v. Turner, 575 So.2d 551, (Ala. Jan 11, 1991)
• Brooks v. Alabama State Bar, 574 So.2d 33, (Ala. Dec 07, 1990)
• Hellums v. Reinhardt, 567 So.2d 274, (Ala. Jun 29, 1990)
• Line v. Ventura, No. 1070736, 2009 WL 1425993

Wills and estates litigation

The orderly transfer of a decedent’s assets, the care of loved ones, and the way assets are controlled and disposed should be executed without conflicts.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Frank M. Wilson offers estate litigation services to those who have disputes involving wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships and estates.  The practice represents cases involving estate representatives who are charged with improperly conducting their fiduciary duties.

Contact us for a complimentary consultation

The law office of Frank M. Wilson proudly serves Montgomery, Bullock and Macon counties in Alabama