Balch & Bingham LLP

Congratulations to Balch’s Tripp DeMoss on his reappointment to the Alabama State Bar’s Government Relations Committee and the Bench and Bar Committee! In his second term on the Government Relations Liaison Committee, Tripp will work alongside other committee members to review proposed legislation and address issues of public concern. As a member of the Bench and Bar Relations Committee Tripp will work with committee members to enhance and improve the communication, collaboration, and overall relationship between the members of the bar and the judiciary. Tripp is an attorney in the firm’s Montgomery office and member of Balch’s Litigation and Issues & Appeals Practices. He regularly represents clients in disputes before state and federal courts. Tripp also frequently assists clients with matters related to public policy and administrative law. #BalchLeads #TeamBalch Read more: https://direc.to/me6k

Defense attorneys are seeing an increasing trend among plaintiff lawyers to weaponize discovery in product liability cases. This often takes the form of overly broad discovery requests, followed by motions to compel and sanctions, creating significant challenges in litigation. In their presentation at the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) Annual Meeting, Balch Partners Jim Hollis and Dart Meadows armed attendees with insights and practical tools to help attorneys better navigate and manage these complex discovery issues, including what some refer to as "discovery terrorism." Jim and Dart are members of the Litigation Practice and the Product Liability & Casualty Litigation Practice, and routinely represent employers in high-stakes disputes across product liability, healthcare, and business litigation. #ICYMI #BalchLeads #LitigationDiscovery Read the article: https://direc.to/mbcU

Balch’s Lauren Weisman Stein shares four key takeaways for businesses, following a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that struck down the FTC’s noncompete rule.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas struck down the FTC’s noncompete rule. What is the main takeaway businesses need to know about from this ruling, and what is the appellate process ahead? In our new episode of Decision Dive, Balch’s Jason Tompkins and Adam Israel explore the recent trial court ruling in Ryan, LLC v. FTC. Jason and Adam discuss best practices for companies that utilize non compete agreements, and examine the appellate process ahead and the arguments that could be used. #NonCompetes #BalchLeads #AppellateLaw #BalchDecisionDive

The FTC’s non-compete ban, which was set to go into effect on September 4, 2024, has been blocked from being enforced by a federal judge in Texas. Balch’s Adam Israel discussed the rule and its legal challenges with American City Business Journals. In his interview, Adam explained why businesses need to stay vigilant in navigating the evolving landscape of state laws that govern noncompete agreements. "It's still very important to know what is enforceable and what is not enforceable in each state a business operates in. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation," Adam was quoted as saying. #BalchLeads #NonCompetes Read more: https://direc.to/mds6

The Supreme Court’s overturning of Chevron deference sparks a transformative shift in how courts assess agency authority. This decision recalibrates the balance of power, significantly affecting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s interpretation and execution of the Federal Power Act. In an article published today on Utility Dive, Balch’s Lyle Larson explores the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper-Bright and the implications in the energy sector. Lyle is partner in the firm’s Birmingham office and member of the Energy Practice. He is recognized by Chambers Global as a leader in the Energy and Electricity sector. #BalchLeads #ChevronDoctrine #FERC #FPA Read Lyle’s article in Utility Dive: https://lnkd.in/ehjhB9p5

Balch’s Russell Dumas was featured in Law360, discussing potential impacts of proposals to eliminate federal taxes on tips for workers in certain industries. Russell, partner in the firm’s Jackson office and member of Balch’s Labor & Employment Practice, explored where clarity would be needed in the guidelines, and ways employers would need to be even more diligent in their record keeping.  #BalchLeads #EmploymentLaw #NoTaxOnTips #TaxOnTips Read more: https://direc.to/mdwh

We are proud of our attorneys who have been honored as "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This distinguished recognition is awarded to attorneys who have received the highest peer feedback in their specific practice area and geographic region, with only one lawyer recognized in each category. Congratulations to: ▪ Scott Andress – Gaming Law (Jackson, Miss.) ▪ Phillip Buffington – Banking and Finance Law (Jackson, Miss.) ▪ Ricky Cox – Energy Law (Gulfport, Miss.) ▪ Ed Haden – Appellate (Birmingham, Ala.) ▪ Jeff Starling – Labor Law – Management (Birmingham, Ala.) ▪ Dorman Walker – Health Care Law & Labor Law – Management (Montgomery, Ala.) This recognition reflects their dedication, expertise, and the trust they've earned from their peers. We are incredibly proud to have them on #TeamBalch. #BestLawyers #LawyerOfTheYear #BalchLeads Read more: https://direc.to/mc1X

Balch’s Phillip Buffington discussed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Chevron Doctrine and the impact on the banking industry at the Alabama Bankers Association’s CEO Conference. In his presentation, Phil explained that the Supreme Court's decision eliminates the deference courts previously gave to administrative agencies' decisions and may offer banks more opportunities to successfully challenge administrative actions. #BalchLeads #AlabamaBankersAssociation #SCOTUS #ChevronDoctrine Read more: https://direc.to/mcAJ

Are you registered for our upcoming, Workplace Medical Check-Up for Employers, on September 13? Balch & Bingham's half day summit hosted at our Birmingham office will bring together employers, including human resources executives, professionals and in-house counsel, as they discuss mental health in the workplace, disability etiquette and legal updates on workplace medical issues. Balch’s Doug Kauffman shares a glimpse of what you can expect! Doug explains why employers must carefully consider ADA requirements when an employee exhausts FMLA leave, as additional leave may be necessary. He says key steps include communicating leave exhaustion, obtaining updated medical information, assessing the reasonableness of further leave, and informing the employee of their options. Learn more about this and other key medical issues relevant to all employers at our upcoming seminar. #LaborAndEmploymentLaw #BalchLeads Register here: https://direc.to/kAvo