Laurence McDuff joined Adams and Reese in 2003 when the firm merged with Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville. He has practiced law in Birmingham since 1995. A member of the Litigation and Banking and Finance teams, Laurence is also the Team Leader of the Health Care Litigation team. He focuses his practice on health care and business disputes.
Laurence represents hospitals, physicians and other medical service providers in litigation matters and dispute resolution. He is a persuasive advocate who has successfully argued cases before the Alabama Supreme Court, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and numerous trial courts and regulatory agencies.
In the area of business litigation, Laurence represents clients in a variety of commercial disputes including securities, banking, finance, corporate governance, and shareholder litigation. Laurence has extensive experience in state and federal courts and has obtained favorable rulings in both trial and arbitration proceedings.
His other significant contributions include:
- Defending a hospital which had removed a physician from its medical staff due to quality of care concerns. Not only did the hospital prevail against the doctor’s lawsuit, Laurence also persuaded the court that the doctor should pay all of the hospital’s attorney fees. This was the first reported case in Alabama in which attorney’s fees were awarded under the Health Care Quality Improvement Act. Chalal v. Northwest Med. Ctr., 147 F. Supp. 2d 1160 (N.D. Ala. 2000).
- Successfully handling a significant case of first impression in the banking industry. In Pinigis v. Regions Bank, 977 So. 2d 446 (Ala. 2007), Laurence persuaded the Alabama Supreme Court that there is no “bad faith” exception to the Uniform Commercial Code’s time limits for reporting forged checks.
- Representing bond insurers in a dispute over $3.2 billion of defaulted sewer warrants issued by Jefferson County, Alabama.
- Handling cases before Alabama’s Certificate of Need Review Board and similar health care regulatory agencies. Some reported appellate cases in this area include Health Care Authority of Athens and Limestone County v. Statewide Health Coordinating Council, 988 So. 2d 574 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008); and State Health Planning and Development Agency v. Baptist Health System, 766 So. 2d 176 (Ala. Civ. App. 1999).
- Helping a hospital client create a comprehensive legal and public relations strategy to win state approval for a new open heart surgery program. Although the initial legal victory was overturned on appeal, the strategy resulted in settlement and permanent approval for the open heart surgery program. Brookwood Health Servs. v. Baptist Health System, 936 So. 2d 529 (Ala. Civ. App. 2005).
Before starting law school, Laurence walked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, which runs 2,178 miles from Georgia to Maine. He also enjoys bicycle touring and once rode coast-to-coast from Oregon to Florida. Laurence's greatest joy is his amazing wife Jodi and their three children.
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