Balch & Bingham Elevates Two Attorneys to Partner in Birmingham

Balch & Bingham is pleased to welcome Irving Jones and Michael Taunton into the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2023. 

Irving Jones is a member of the Litigation Practice, focusing on internal investigations for clients operating in highly regulated industries and litigating products liability, casualty, and medical malpractice matters. He represents corporate and utility clients across the southeast in both federal and state courts. Irving is also a leader in the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. His many leadership positions include chairing Balch’s Susan B. Livingston Boot Camp in 2021 and 2022 and becoming the firm’s inaugural participant for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder Program. Irving was recently selected to participate in the Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum, which includes a select group of qualified, promising attorneys, and he is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as a One to Watch, a recognition honoring outstanding professional excellence in private practice. He received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi and is licensed in Alabama and Mississippi.

Michael Taunton is a member of the Issues & Appeals Practice and he represents financial, business, and municipal clients before the Alabama Supreme Court, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, the Eleventh Circuit, and has experience representing clients in an amicus capacity before the Sixth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Michael is also experienced in handling all aspects of discovery and motions practice, both at the federal and state trial court levels, and has significant experience with legal ethics and privilege matters. He handles a wide range of matters for clients at both the trial and appellate levels, including challenges to loan foreclosures; allegations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA);commercial and banking contract disputes; complex shareholder disputes; municipal tax and bond issues; intellectual property matters and disputes; and general commercial disputes, including antitrust, restrictive covenant, and unfair competition claims. Michael is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as a One to Watch, a recognition honoring outstanding professional excellence in private practice. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School and is licensed in Alabama. 

With more than 90 attorneys who handle a wide variety of disputes, Balch’s Litigation and Issues & Appeals Practices include attorneys with a deep breadth of experience across many industries.  Balch attorneys regularly serve as national and regional counsel, representing clients in federal and state courts across the country, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Balch’s Litigation Practice is nationally-recognized by Chambers USA, U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” and Benchmark Litigation.

“Irving and Michael have proven to be leaders in their practice areas, demonstrating the highest level of talent, work ethic and commitment to our clients and to the communities we serve,” said Stan Blanton, managing partner. “As new partners, they will continue to provide excellent client service and will be in a better position to provide leadership to our younger lawyers.”