Select Matters
- Nationwide defense of bankruptcy-related FDCPA claims: Lead national counsel for debt buyers in more than 200 matters, including nine class actions, involving FDCPA claims based on proofs of claim filed in Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. Argued issues of first impression in multiple courts, creating circuit split that culminated in a favorable decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. (Midland Funding, LLC v. Johnson, 137 S.Ct. 1407(2017)); Nelson v. Midland Credit Management, Inc., 828 F.3d 749 (8th Cir. 2016), petition for cert. filed, No. 16-757 (U.S. Dec. 12, 2016); Torres v. Asset Acceptance, LLC, 96 F. Supp. 3d 541 (E.D. Pa. 2015), appeal docketed, No. 15-2132 (3d Cir. May 13, 2015); Ash v. Midland Credit Management, Inc., No. 15-90071 (Bankr. M.D. Tenn. Jan. 5, 2016, appeal docketed, (B.A.P. 6th Cir. Jan. 25, 2016))
- Challenge to FERC license: Successfully moved, as intervenor, for dismissal of appellate challenge to FERC hydroelectric license on basis that petitioners failed to properly invoke jurisdiction of court of appeals under the Federal Power Act (Smith Lake Improvement & Stakeholders Ass'n v. Fed. Energy Regulatory Comm'n, 809 F.3d 55. (D.C. Cir. 2015))
- Class action based on dam operation: Obtained summary judgment, which was affirmed on appeal, on basis that class action alleging that operation of a dam violated lakefront property owners’ riparian rights was improper collateral attack on hydroelectric license, and therefore outside the courts' jurisdiction (Otwell v. Alabama Power Co., 944 F. Supp. 2d 1134 (N.D. Ala. 2013), aff’d, 747 F.3d 1275. (11th Cir. Apr. 1, 2014))
- Clean Water Act jurisdictional requirements: Successfully argued, in case of first impression, that citizen suits cannot plead into an exception to the statutory notice requirements (Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Inc. v. Black Warrior Minerals, Inc., 734 F.3d 1297. (11th Cir. 2013))
- Medicare Act preemption: Successfully argued for the Alabama Supreme Court to grant a mandamus petition presenting the issue of whether a healthcare provider may file class action under state tort law claiming that the insurer wrongfully failed to provide coverage and payment for Medicare-covered services (In Ex parte Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ala., 90 So. 3d 158. (Ala. 2012))
Publications
News
Speaking Engagements
Credentials
Education
- Cornell University, J.D., 2005, magna cum laude; Managing Editor, The Legal Information Institute
- Erskine College, B.S., 2002, Biology, cum laude
Courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, 2006
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 2016
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2012
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, 2008
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama, 2008
Bar Admissions
- Alabama, 2007
- District of Columbia, 2007
- New York, 2006
Professional Affiliations
- ACA International, Inc., Member Attorney Program Committee
- Alabama State Bar, Appellate Practice Section, Chair
- American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Consumer Litigation Committee (Co-Chair, Class Action Subcommittee), 2015-2018
- American Bar Association, Consumer Litigation Committee - Co-Chair, 2018-2021
- Alabama State Bar, The Alabama Lawyer Board of Editors, 2013-2019
Awards & Accolades
- Birmingham Business Journal, Rising Star Lawyer, 2017
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2014-present
- Benchmark Litigation, Rising Stars, 2016
- Benchmark Litigation, Under 40 Hot List, 2017-present
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Appellate Practice
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Honorable Karon Bowdre