Birmingham, Ala. - Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that T. Wesley “Wes” Brinkley, Kem Marks Bryant, Bryan A. Coleman, Lauren C. DeMoss, W. Brad English, Jessica Stetler Grover, Christopher S. Kuffner, J. Ethan McDaniel, Christopher E. Smith, and Donald F. Winningham III 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 Shareholder of the firm.

T. Wesley “Wes” Brinkley practices in the firm's general corporate, fund formation and investment management, private equity and venture capital, investment adviser compliance and mergers and acquisitions practice groups. Mr. Brinkley has significant experience representing sponsors of private investment funds in the fund formation and offering process, as well as representing limited partners making fund investments. He regularly advises clients on registration, exemptions, and compliance under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Mr. Brinkley is a member of the American Bar Association, Alabama and Georgia State Bar Associations, and the Birmingham Bar Association. Mr. Brinkley received his law degree from Harvard Law School. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he graduated with honors and highest distinction. He was also a Morehead Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Kem Marks Bryant practices in the firm’s general litigation and securities litigation practice groups. Ms. Bryant focuses primarily on the litigation and trial of complex commercial cases, defending clients engaged in various health care, securities, environmental, contract, and water utility disputes. She has successfully represented investment banks, hospitals, public corporations and other clients in federal and state courts of both Alabama and Florida. For several years, Ms. Bryant has also regularly advised Alabama’s largest airport on general corporate matters relating to airport operations, capital projects, competitive bids, concession agreements, general aviation hangar leases, federal compliance, public information compliance and construction management. In addition, she provides ongoing counsel in connection with the $201.6 million terminal renovation currently underway. Ms. Bryant is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the Florida Bar, as well as the American Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association and the Magic City Bar Association. Ms. Bryant also serves on the Legal Affairs Committee of Airports Council International - North America, an advocacy organization recognized for representing the interests of governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. Ms. Bryant is a graduate of the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor. She received the degree of juris doctor from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

Bryan A. Coleman is a member of the firm’s product liability, general litigation, international trade regulation, complex litigation, compliance and investigations, government contracts and bid protests, construction litigation and immigration practice groups. Mr. Coleman has successfully represented clients in both federal and state courts. Most recently, he represented aircraft manufacturers, chemical manufacturers, national retailers, specialty-metals manufacturers, heavy equipment rental companies, construction companies and real estate developers in various litigation matters. Though his practice focuses on defense work, Mr. Coleman has handled complex commercial disputes for plaintiffs as well as defendants. Mr. Coleman also practices in the area of international trade regulation with an emphasis on defense trade. He assists companies in establishing international trade control compliance programs and conducts internal investigations of potential ITAR and EAR violations. He also advises companies on matters pertaining to economic sanctions, anti-corruption compliance and anti-boycott restrictions. Mr. Coleman is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association and the Birmingham Inns of Courts. He has been recognized by his peers as an Alabama Super Lawyer for his work in the area of Personal Injury Defense: Products. Mr. Coleman is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he was on the Dean’s list and a recipient of the Commandant’s Award. He received his juris doctor summa cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law where he was a junior editor and internet editor for the Alabama Law Review, a member of the Campbell Moot Court Board and the Jessup International Moot Court Team, inducted into the Order of the Coif, and a recipient of the Hugo L. Black Scholar Award and the Dean M. Leigh Harrison Award. Before attending law school, Mr. Coleman served in the United States Army as a commissioned officer and helicopter pilot, where he obtained instructor pilot status in the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. After graduating from law school, Bryan served as a law clerk to Judge Karon O. Bowdre, United States District Court in the Northern District of Alabama.

Lauren C. DeMoss is a member of the firm’s health care, health care – physician/hospital integration, general corporate and employee benefits and executive compensation practice groups. Ms. DeMoss assists hospitals, including the state's largest nonprofit health system, physician groups, physicians and other health care providers across the state with a wide range of matters, including the drafting of various services, employment and recruitment agreements for health care providers. She also assists entities regarding compliance with HIPAA privacy and security regulations, the Stark law, the Anti-kickback statute and other state and federal laws and regulations. She also counsels clients on corporate structure and governance issues and the development and maintenance of corporate compliance programs. In her employee benefits and executive compensation practice, Ms. DeMoss counsels clients on employee benefits and executive compensation issues, such as governmental benefit plan issues, issues under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and welfare plan structure and implementation. Ms. DeMoss is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association, the American Health Lawyers Association and the Profit Sharing and 401(k) Council. She has been recognized as an Alabama Super Lawyer for her work in the area of Health Care. Ms. DeMoss is a cum laude graduate of Rhodes College where she was on the National Dean’s List and a recipient of the Presidential Academic Scholarship. She was also a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon and the Order of Omega. Ms. DeMoss then graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law where she was a junior editor and an Alabama editor of the Alabama Law Review, a member of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board, the Jessup International Moot Court Team and the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society. In addition, she received the Judge Walter P. Gerwin Best Brief Award and the Ruben L. Wright Best Oral Advocate Award and was elected to the Order of the Barristers.

W. Brad English is a shareholder in the firm’s Huntsville office. Mr. English is a member of the general litigation, estate, trust and fiduciary litigation, general corporate and tax practice groups. As a litigator, Mr. English regularly represents businesses in litigation regarding trade secrets, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements and other employment and post-employment issues. He also frequently represents clients in litigation regarding the windup and dissolution of businesses and shareholder disputes. In addition to his focus on business and shareholder disputes, Mr. English maintains an active estate and tax litigation practice, and has litigated contested estate and tax controversies across the Southeast. He also frequently advises clients on general corporate matters, acquisitions and tax issues, and is often engaged to advise potential franchisees in considering franchise opportunities. Mr. English is a member of the Alabama State Bar Association, the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute and the Alabama Defense Lawyers’ Association. He is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell. Mr. English graduated magna cum laude from Auburn University before attending the University of Alabama School of Law. While in law school he was a Senator and Vice President of the Student Bar Association and a member of the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society. Mr. English also received his LL.M in Taxation, with honors, from the University of Alabama School of Law.

Jessica Stetler Grover practices in the firm’s estate planning and estate, trust and fiduciary litigation practice groups. Ms. Grover advises clients with respect to their estate planning needs and prepares wills, trusts and other documents to implement their plans. She also assists fiduciaries with issues relating to the administration of estates and trusts, and represents both individual and corporate fiduciaries in litigation matters and pre-litigation dispute resolution. Ms. Grover is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. She has been recognized as an Alabama Super Lawyer for her work in the area of estate planning and probate. Ms. Grover graduated cum laude from Davidson College where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. She then received her juris doctor summa cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law where she was an Articles Editor for the Alabama Law Review and a member of the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team and the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board. In addition, she was a Hugo Black Scholar, a recipient of the Dean M. Leigh Harrison Award and elected to the Order of the Coif. Following law school Ms. Grover was a judicial clerk for the Honorable James H. Hancock, United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Christopher S. Kuffner is a shareholder in the firm’s Huntsville office. He practices with the firm’s general litigation, labor and employment, intellectual property and technology, and intellectual property litigation practice groups. Mr. Kuffner's litigation experience includes disputes related to contracts, business torts, business acquisitions, property damage, commercial and residential construction projects, warranties, commercial lease agreements, real estate, intellectual property, estates, collections and corporate oppression/squeeze-out actions. Mr. Kuffner also regularly represents and advises clients in employment matters, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Section 1981, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Alabama Workers' Compensation Act and employment/non-compete/non-solicitation agreements. Mr. Kuffner is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association. He has been recognized as a Rising Star by Alabama Super Lawyers. Mr. Kuffner graduated magna cum laude from Auburn University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. He then received his juris doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he was a Senior Editor of the Alabama Law Review.

J. Ethan McDaniel is a member of the firm’s class action litigation, complex litigation, general litigation, and insurance and financial services litigation practice groups. Mr. McDaniel has represented business clients in putative nationwide class actions, putative class arbitrations, and individual matters ranging from corporate governance, commercial disputes, trademark litigation, and trade secrets litigation to alleged RICO violations. On the insurance side, he regularly represents insurers across the country in individual and multi-party litigation involving insurance sales practices, STOLI matters, coverage disputes, and bad-faith claims. He also advises clients on insurance compliance issues. Mr. McDaniel has represented the firm's clients in at least fifteen states, and has been named a Rising Star by Alabama Super Lawyers Magazine. Mr. McDaniel attended Vanderbilt University where he was a Varsity Football Letterman and a recipient of the James Robins Memorial Scholarship. He then graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law where he was an Articles Editor and a member of the Managing Board of the Alabama Law Review, a recipient of the Dean M. Leigh Harrison Award and elected to the Order of the Coif.

Christopher E. Smith is a shareholder in the firm’s Huntsville office where he is a member of the general litigation, complex litigation and construction litigation practice groups. Mr. Smith's litigation experience includes disputes related to contracts, business torts, business acquisitions, shareholder disputes, commercial and residential construction projects, warranties, commercial lease agreements, real estate, estates, and various corporate related matters. He also regularly represents clients on matters relating to the formation, financing and ongoing representation of emerging and established businesses, and counsels clients regarding mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financing, and other general corporate matters. Mr. Smith is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association. He was recently named a Rising Star by Alabama Super Lawyers Magazine. Mr. Smith received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama before graduating summa cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Smith was a Senior Editor of the Alabama Law Review, a Dean M. Leigh Harrison Scholar, a recipient of the Hugo Black Scholar Award and elected to the Order of the Coif.

Donald F. Winningham III is a member of the firm’s general litigation, securities litigation, insurance and financial services litigation and white collar criminal practice groups. Mr. Winningham’s practice covers a wide variety of matters, including contractual disputes, products liability and mass torts, business torts, and life insurance litigation. He also specializes in the defense of brokerage firms and other financial institutions against claims asserted by customers. Mr. Winningham is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. He was recently named a Rising Star by Alabama Super Lawyers Magazine. Mr. Winningham graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Martin before attending Washington and Lee University School of Law where he was a staff writer for the Washington and Lee Law Review. During law school, Mr. Winningham also served as a student clerk to the Honorable G. Steven Agee, Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.