A Young Boy Wearing A Suit And Tie Smiling At The Camera

12 years of experience

bbrannan@ggh-law.com

205.980.5888

205.980.1098

Education

B.A., University of Mississippi, magna cum laude (2007)
J.D., University of Alabama School of Law (2010)

ABOUT

Bernie is an experienced trial lawyer who represents clients in a broad range of personal injury, business, contract, and insurance coverage litigation in the state and federal courts of Alabama. His clients come from multiple industries and range from Fortune 500 businesses to individuals. He has litigated in most of the sixty-seven counties of Alabama and has tried cases to verdict in thirteen different venues.

Outside of his law practice, Bernie is active in his community. He currently sits on the Regional Advisory Council for Make-A-Wish Alabama and is a yearly participant in the Alabama Trailblaze Challenge. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

He spends his spare time in the outdoors and/or being consistently disappointed by the Ole Miss Rebels, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Blackhawks. He and his wife, Jessica, live in Mountain Brook with their German Shepherd Dog Layla.

Practice Areas

Bernie’s primary area of practice is general litigation with an emphasis on the insurance industry. He represents insurance companies in first-party extra-contractual, bad faith, and coverage litigation as well as their insureds in

Catastrophic personal injury
Automobile/trucking accident
Workers’ compensation
Employer liability
Construction litigation

Reported Cases & Notable Trials

Notable Trials

Hall v. Leach; Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama; CV-13-902138
Obtained defense verdict in disputed liability motor vehicle accident involving a glare defense.
Moore v. Mitchell; Circuit Court of Marshall County, Alabama CV-10-900341
Obtained defense verdict in disputed liability motor vehicle accident on contributory negligence.
James v. Robinson; Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama, Bessemer Division; CV-13-900104
Plaintiff claimed medical bills totaling close to $19,000.00 in a disputed red light case where she elicited testimony from four witnesses corroborating her story that she had the right of way. The jury returned a verdict in the amount of $3,000.00.
Landrum v. Leopard; Circuit Court of Blount County, Alabama; CV-10-900076
Obtained defense verdict for dump truck driver who was temporarily blinded by sunlight in his side mirrors and did not spot traffic stopping in front of him until it was too late to avoid an accident.
Callins v. Childress; Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama; CV-13-901917
Plaintiff claimed to have required a meniscus repair surgery as a result of three-car motor vehicle accident in which our client was clearly at fault. The jury returned a verdict in the amount of $1,000.00.
Parker v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company; District Court of Jefferson County, Alabama; SM-2014-688
Plaintiff claimed that his automobile insurance policy covered the cost of a complete engine replacement necessitated after a coolant hose valve was damaged in a single-car accident. Following a bench trial, the court entered a final judgment in the amount of $3.01, the replacement cost of the damaged valve.
Alison Stanley v. Charles Jeffries; Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama; CV-13-904064
Obtained defense verdict in disputed liability motor vehicle accident involving alleged aggravation of pre-existing injuries for the plaintiff.
Unree Foster v. Michael Carter; Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama, Birmingham Division; CV-15-900929
Obtained a defense verdict in a motor vehicle accident with causation disputes and a skidding defense.
Justin Brandon v. Pamela Little; CV-15-900042
Obtained favorable verdict in a clear liability case involving a disputed lost wage claim by the plaintiff in which the plaintiff failed to mitigate his damages.
Auto-Owners Insurance Company v. United Way of East Central Alabama, No. 1:20cv00454 (N.D. Ala. 2020) (Obtained judgment on the pleadings for insured in declaratory judgment action concerning availability of property damage coverage for water damage loss caused by a ruptured water main.)

Honors & Awards

Professional

Former Law Clerk to The Honorable J. Scott Vowell, Presiding Judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama
Associate Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Recognized as Second ‘Most Prolific Attorney’ in Alabama, 2016 by the Alabama Jury Verdict Reporter
Received 2021 and 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch’ recognition for Insurance Law, Litigation Construction, and Personal Injury Litigation for Defendants
Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” Civil Litigation: Defense, 2017-2021
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association

University of Alabama School of Law

CALI Award for Excellence, White Collar Crime
George Peach Taylor Award for Trial Advocacy (2009, 2010)
American Association for Justice National Trial Team
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Trial Team

University of Mississippi

Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors Scholar
Academic Excellence Nonresident Scholarship
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Sigma Chi Fraternity

Courts & Professional Associations

Professional Associations

Alabama State Bar
Birmingham Bar Association

Courts

Admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama

Bar Admissions

Alabama 2010

Speeches & Publications

Co-presenter, Alabama Cuba Initiative: “Health, Agriculture and the Environment: Legal Complications in U.S. and Cuban Shared Interests,” University of Alabama (October 12, 2010)
Presenter, ADLA Bibb Allen Memorial Trial Academy: “Direct Examinations of Lay Witnesses,” Cumberland School of Law, Samford University (August 9, 2018; August 8, 2019; and August 12, 2021)
Presenter, Litigation Counsel of America 2019 Fall Conference & Celebration of Fellows: “Avocado Toast with a Side of Entitlement: Engaging the Unengaged Millennial,” Bluffton, South Carolina (October 25, 2019)