Balch & Bingham LLP

About this office:

Governmental entities, participants in municipal and public finance transactions, and numerous foundations and trusts also are represented by the firm's attorneys.

The firm's work is divided into major practice groups, set out below. In addition to these, the firm's attorneys practice in the area of government relations at the state and national levels, with offices in Alabama's capital and in Washington, D.C.

Banking, Real Estate, Commercial and Bankruptcy: The firm represents Alabama and out-of-state financial institutions in bank and bank holding company formations, mergers and acquisitions, establishing branches, interstate banking, and compliance with state and federal regulatory matters. In the area of commercial real estate, developers, owners and mortgage lenders are represented in the many aspects of project development. The firm has played a major role in significant real estate projects throughout the State of Alabama.

The firm's bankruptcy practice area is devoted to creditors' rights, debt restructuring, workouts, debt collection and bankruptcy.

Construction: The firm has an active construction practice in which attorneys handle a wide variety of projects, including major commercial and institutional buildings, electric generating facilities, industrial plants and transportation facilities. Clients include some of the nation's largest general contractors, as well as subcontractors, architects, engineers and developers, with representation in the courts of Alabama and other states, federal tribunals, administrative agencies and in construction dispute resolution proceedings.

The firm's construction attorneys assist their clients in the negotiation and preparation of contract documents and provide advice and counseling regarding project finance, risk allocation and environmental compliance. During the design and construction process, clients are advised with respect to dispute avoidance, claim preparation and analysis.

Corporate, Tax and Finance: The firm's Corporate and Securities attorneys provide business planning and counseling services to corporations, partnerships and individuals, including structuring and restructuring business organizations and preparing agreements for corporate and partnership governance, shareholder and partnership relationships and employment arrangements. The firm assists clients with public and private securities offerings, corporate transactions and finance, project finance, intellectual property, and antitrust matters. This group also includes attorneys practicing in the following areas: (1) general taxation, including tax planning and representation in complex business transactions involving publicly traded and closely held corporations, general and limited partnerships, joint ventures, proprietorships, and charitable and other tax-exempt organizations, tax litigation, and representation before the Internal Revenue Service and state and local administrative bodies; (2) estate planning and administration, including preparation of wills and trusts and counseling and representation in gift and estate tax matters; and (3) governmental and public authority finance, in which area our attorneys serve as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel and issuer's counsel in tax-exempt and taxable financing on behalf of the State of Alabama, agencies and departments of the State, municipalities and counties and numerous public authorities, boards and corporations at the State and local levels.

Environmental and Natural Resources: The Environmental and Natural Resources group provides representation and counseling on environmental and natural resource issues to clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to large corporations. Attorneys are actively engaged in state and federal legislation processes and the related administrative rulemaking proceedings. Using their knowledge of the laws, regulations and political climate, the attorneys provide direction on compliance issues, applications for environmental permits, and the appeal and litigation defense of state and federal environmental issues.

Health Care: The firm represents a variety of health care clients, including publicly-traded and non-profit health care corporations, preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations, independent practice associations, hospitals, outpatient centers, group practices and individual providers.

Attorneys in this group advise health care clients with respect to acquisitions and financing, assist them in development of payor, capitated fee and provider agreements, and counsel and represent them in connection with staff privilege issues and Medicare/Medicaid and third-party payor reimbursement matters. The firm assists with obtaining certificates of need for federal and state licenses and monitors state and federal health care regulatory developments. In addition, the firm provides advice with respect to Medicare/Medicaid fraud and abuse regulations, maintenance of tax-exempt status, and the establishment of integrated delivery systems.

Labor and Employment: Attorneys in this group advise clients on employment and labor issues and represent clients in administrative proceedings, elections, arbitrations, and jury and non-jury trials in state and federal forums. Development of effective employment policies, testing and other employee selection procedures, employee manuals, and programs to control drug and alcohol abuse are among the services offered. Industries served by the firm's Labor and Employment attorneys include utility, construction, manufacturing, retail, banking and financial organizations as well as municipalities, school boards and universities.

Life Sciences: The Life Sciences group provides representation to a wide spectrum of life sciences companies including biotechnology, pharmaceutical an d medical device companies. Attorneys in the group advise life sciences clients in the creation, structuring and governance of the business entity. The firm assists in the preparation and negotiation of licenses, strategic alliances, joint ventures and other types of business arrangements. In addition, the firm counsels life sciences clients on all raising capital at all stages, from privately placed seed capital financings to public offerings. The firm also maintains an active litigation practice focused on protecting the intellectual property assets of our life sciences clients including patent, trademark and copyright litigation.

Litigation: Attorneys in this group handle trial and appellate practice before federal and state courts, administrative agencies and arbitration panels. Attorneys appear in courts throughout Alabama and the Southeast. The Litigation attorneys handle cases in the areas of antitrust, professional liability, consumer finance, insurance, personal injury and property damage, securities, accounting, construction, products liability, intellectual property and trade secrets, computers and technology, First Amendment and media. This group supports the litigation needs of the firm's other practice groups, including banking, health care, ERISA and managed care litigation, environmental, labor and commercial disputes.

Utility, Legislative and Regulatory: The Utility, Legislative and Regulatory practice of the firm involves legal issues associated with every energy option. In addition to being active in the field of utility regulation and rate making, these attorneys handle contract work, including drafting, negotiation and administration and have particular expertise with contracts relating to the purchase, sale and transportation of coal, natural gas and other energy resources. Attorneys are also actively involved in the drafting and evaluating of proposed federal and state legislation and regulations.