STEPHEN M. PARHAM is a Partner in the firm’s Birmingham office where is a member of the Litigation section. In addition to his general commercial business practice, Mr. Parham is a member of the Real Property/Title Insurance Litigation practice group where he represents commercial and private property owners, developers, and builders in real estate and real property litigation, including encroachment, easement/license, contract, trespass, and riparian rights disputes. Mr. Parham also is a member of the firm's Product Liability and Casualty practice group where he defends utilities and public and private corporations against premises liability, flood control, general tort, and personal injury/wrongful death claims.

Mr. Parham has experience in a variety of legal and equitable actions in state and federal courts and has tried over a dozen cases to verdict before bench and jury in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Mr. Parham is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Alabama School of Law where he annually teaches Alabama Civil Practice and Procedure and also speaks regularly at legal and engineering CLE seminars across the state on the subjects of real property development and rights and Alabama civil procedure.

Representative Experience

• • Defended national restaurant franchise company in breach of contract and fraud claims in Dallas County, Texas state court.
  • Brought intentional interference and wantonness claims in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Circuit Court in respect to failed $30,000,000 corporate acquisition (active).
  • Negotiated successful resolution of commercial construction and development easement dispute between hotel franchisees.
  • Represented electric utility in negligence cases involving alleged flood damage to several million dollars worth of real and personal property in Elmore and Chambers Counties, Alabama (active)
  • Represented federally regulated property owner in numerous easement encroachment and trespass disputes across the state of Alabama (active)
  • Represented public utility in $15,000,000 personal injury case in Jefferson County, Alabama Circuit Court (active)
  • Represented international consulting company in breach of contract and fraud case in Bay County, Florida state court.
  • Represented automotive dealership before American Arbitration Association in various breach of contract and fraud claims.
  • Defended Alabama's largest insurance and managed care company in several ERISA preemption cases in the United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
  • Represented Texas-based commercial construction contractor in open account and breach of contract case in Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia.
  • Represented local healthcare authority/hospital in breach of physician employment, business agreement, and commercial contract cases in Talladega County, Alabama Circuit Court.
  • Defended insurance companies against fraudulent suppression and breach of insurance contract claims.
  • Counseled South Carolina company on potential litigation issues associated with start-up of business operations in Talladega County, Alabama.
  • Eddie Chambers v. Courtesy Pontiac-GMC Trucks, Inc.
  • Premier/Georgia Management Company, Inc. v. Realty Management Corporation et al.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• • American Bar Association; Member: Litigation Section, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections
  • Defense Research Institute; Member: National Trial Tactics Committee
  • Alabama State Bar; Member: Litigation Section
  • Georgia State Bar; Member: Litigation Section
  • Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
  • Birmingham Bar Association
  • Birmingham Inns of Court
    

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

• • Homewood/Mountain Brook Kiwanis Club
  • Birmingham Bar Association Scholarship Committee
  • Edgewood Neighborhood Association

NEWS

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Speaking Engagements