Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that eight former associates, Audrey Y. Dupont, Andrea M. Greene, Kathryn Roe Eldridge, C. Andrew Kitchen, E. Bryan Nichols, Mitesh B. Shah, Lee L. Sheppard, and Edward S. Sledge IV have been named shareholders of the Firm. “All of these individuals have been outstanding members of our firm, and we are very pleased to have them join the shareholder ranks,” said Mark L. Drew, Managing Partner of the Firm.

Audrey Y. Dupont practices in the Firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Dupont graduated from the University of Denver College of Law in 2002 where she was a member of the Denver University Law Review and the Order of St. Ives. After graduating from law school, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable William M. Acker, Jr. in the United States District for the Northern District of Alabama. Prior to law school, Dupont received her undergraduate degree cum laude from Vanderbilt University and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver.

Andrea M. Greene practices in the Firm’s Securities Litigation practice group. She specializes primarily in the defense of brokerage firms and financial institutions against claims asserted by customers in state and federal court and in arbitration proceedings throughout the Southeast. Ms. Greene's practice also involves the defense of brokerage firms and financial institutions in connection with regulatory investigations conducted by the SEC and the Alabama Securities Commission. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Greene graduated cum laude from Cumberland School of Law in 2003, where she was Vice President of the Student Bar Association, an Articles Editor for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, a Judge Abraham Caruthers Teaching Fellow, and a member of the Curia Honoris Honor Society. Prior to law school, she graduated cum laude from Samford University.

Kathryn Roe Eldridge practices in the Firm’s Securities Litigation practice group. She specializes in the defense of brokerage firms and financial institutions against claims asserted by customers in arbitration proceedings across the country before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and in state and federal court. Ms. Eldridge is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Ms. Eldridge graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2003, where she was an Editor of the Capital Defense Journal, a member of the Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse, and Order of the Coif. She received her undergraduate degree from Centre College.

C. Andrew Kitchen practices in the Firm’s Insurance and Financial Services Litigation practice group. He represents life insurance carriers in a variety of matters in California, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Colorado, Indiana, New Jersey, and Ohio, in addition to actions here in Alabama. Over the past three years, Kitchen’s practice has centered around issues related to the secondary market for insurance. His current work includes disputes in the life settlement market and issues related to stranger-owned life insurance (STOLI). Kitchen routinely speaks to industry groups on STOLI and secondary market issues. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi State Bar Associations, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Kitchen graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2003. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, where he was on the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Honor Roll, the UGA Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll, and a member of the Gridiron Society.

E. Bryan Nichols practices in the Firm’s Environmental Litigation and Regulatory Compliance practice group. Nichols focuses his practice in the areas of toxic tort, environmental, products liability and commercial litigation. He has had a wide range of litigation experience, which includes matters in personal injury and products liability litigation, citizen suits arising under the Clean Water Act, CERCLA litigation, and mass torts involving allegations of both environmental and occupational exposures. He also provides environmental consultation for the firm’s clients considering real estate transactions, in addition to other regulatory matters. Nichols graduated magna cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2003, where he was an Internet Editor for the Alabama Law Review and a member of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board. He also graduated, magna cum laude, in chemical engineering from Auburn University.

Mitesh B. Shah practices in the Firm’s General Litigation and Products Liability practice groups. Shah’s practice focuses on representing corporations in a variety of litigation and business matters in state and federal courts throughout Alabama and the United States. He has secured favorable outcomes for insurance companies, motorcycle manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, heavy industrial manufacturers, and oil and chemical companies in a variety of fraud, contract, personal injury, and class action cases. Shah routinely represents businesses in complex commercial disputes and has handled these matters on both sides, as plaintiff and as defendant. Along with his broad civil litigation practice, Shah also advises many Indian-American business owners on a variety of business issues, including business ventures in India. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. Shah graduated magna cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2003, where he was a Senior Editor of the Alabama Law Review, a Hugo Black Scholar, and a member of Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable James H. Hancock, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama. Prior to law school, Shah received his undergraduate degree from Birmingham-Southern College where he was President of the Student Government Association and a recipient of the President’s Service Award.

Lee L. Sheppard practices in the Firm’s Real Estate, Commercial Lending and Banking practice groups. Sheppard’s broad real estate practice includes the representation of commercial lenders, buyers and sellers in the financing, acquisition, development and disposition of commercial real estate. Sheppard’s commercial lending practice focuses on all aspects of the representation of lenders and borrowers in secured and unsecured transactions, structured financing transactions and multistate transactions. He also counsels banks and other regulated financial institutions ranging from large regional bank holding companies to privately held community banks, in connection with state and federal regulatory compliance, bank-to-bank transactions and treasury management issues. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Sheppard graduated magna cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2002, where he was Editor in Chief of the Alabama Law Review, a Hugo Black Scholar, and a member of Order of the Coif. Prior to law school, Sheppard received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University.

Edward S. Sledge IV practices in the Firm’s General Litigation, Insurance and Financial Services Litigation and Products Liability practice groups. Mr. Sledge has a broad civil trial practice, representing businesses in a wide range of contract and commercial disputes. He also represents a variety of product manufacturers in personal injury and product liability matters, including medical device manufacturers, a pharmaceutical company, manufactured home producers, an oil and petroleum company, and an industrial pipe and valve manufacturer. Mr. Sledge has represented clients in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas, has litigated and tried cases in various state and federal courts in Alabama, and has handled appeals in both the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Sledge graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2003, where he was a Senior Editor of the Alabama Law Review, a member of Order of the Barristers, the Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team, the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board, the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society and the Honor Court. Prior to law school, Sledge graduated from the United States Military Academy and thereafter served as an officer in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia.