FRIEDMAN - Key Persons
Chris is an active member in his community and he is the proud father of two great sons, Carter and Sam.
Dan Pickett's civil litigation practice involves the representation of clients in personal injury, construction, products liability, and premises liability matters. Dan regularly defends trucking companies and drivers, product distributors and manufacturers in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Dan advises and represents insurance carriers in coverage matters. Additionally, Dan represents underground and surface mining companies in a variety of litigation. Dan has a broad range of experience in representing municipalities, public officials, and general contractors in complex litigation in state and federal courts for the past 20 years.
In his insurance practice, Dan counsels insurance companies regarding coverage matters, claims handling procedures and contractual obligations. He focuses on defending insurance companies in bad faith and coverage litigation, as well as prosecuting declaratory judgment actions. He has experience with many insurance products, including commercial, personal, auto, and property insurance policies.
Dan is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama, as well as the United States District Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Dan is also a registered mediator with the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.
David Gordon is a shareholder in the firm and his practice is devoted to civil litigation. He handles a variety of matters, including motor carrier liability, premises liability, construction claims, contractual disputes, personal injuries, liquor liability and workers' compensation. David has also represented surface mining companies, explosives manufacturers and blasting contractors in trespass, nuisance and property damages claims.
As part of his practice, David routinely defends businesses and individuals against wrongful death and personal injury claims arising out of automobile and workplace accidents. He has experienced handling a wide spectrum of claims such as land disputes, wrongful eviction, trespass, mold exposure, funeral home negligence, and wrongful termination.
He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama.
Ethan joined Friedman, Dazzio & Zulanas, P.C. as an Associate Attorney in 2022. He will maintain a general litigation practice consisting primarily of insurance defense and environmental litigation. Ethan earned his Bachelor of Arts from The University of Mississippi in 2019. Ethan graduated magna cum laude from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2022, where he was a member of the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society.
Jim Moss's practice includes litigation covering the spectrum of civil litigation including, but not limited to, construction related matters including contract disputes and construction site injury, personal injury claims and wrongful death claims, insurance coverage disputes, premises liability, land disputes, medical malpractice defense, employment law and workers' compensation claims. He has represented mining and quarry operators as well as blasting contractors. Mr. Moss advises clients in their business operations regarding contract, employment and business related tort matters. He has represented clients in bench and jury trials in Alabama courts in cases ranging from construction defect to medical malpractice defense. Mr. Moss is admitted to practice in all State and Federal Courts in Alabama. He has represented clients in arbitration in a variety of cases. He is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
Birmingham Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Jay Friedman is a Partner at the firm. He maintains a general litigation practice with a focus on matters pertaining to environmental law and energy law. While pursuing his LL.M in Energy and Natural Resource Law at Tulane Law School, Jay worked in Tulane's Environmental Law Clinic, representing the Township of Abita Springs in a dispute that arose over hydraulic fracturing.
In law school, Jay served as the Articles Editor of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy and was selected into the Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. At Furman University, Jay was a 4-time letterman on the baseball team as a pitcher, was selected to the All-Southern Conference Academic Team, and was elected captain his senior year.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Cumberland Law School Dean 's Advisory Board
Jeff Friedman has been a long time member of the Cumberland Law School Dean's Advisory Board and serves on charitable organizations such as Cystic Fibrosis. He is a member of Canterbury Methodist Church, is married to Anise C. Friedman and is the proud father of three great children.
Jess Boone is a shareholder in the firm and has a civil litigation practice. He handles a variety of matters, including motor carrier liability, liquor liability, contractual disputes, construction claims, products liability and insurance coverage. Jess regularly defends trucking companies and drivers, product distributors, manufacturers and alcohol vendors in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.
Additionally, Jess represents surface mining companies, quarry operators, explosives manufacturers and blasting contractors. He defends these companies in litigation matters and advises them on risk management practices, operational liability and regulatory compliance.
In his insurance practice, Jess counsels insurance companies regarding coverage matters, claims handling procedures and contractual obligations. He focuses on defending insurance companies in bad faith and coverage litigation, as well as prosecuting declaratory judgment actions and subrogation recoveries. He has experience with many insurance products, including commercial, personal, property, life and health insurance policies.
He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama, as well as the United States District Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Jess is also a registered mediator with the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.
Joel Williams focuses his practice on the defense of physicians, employers, contractors, manufacturers, and other clients in medical malpractice, personal injury, worker's compensation, and other tort and breach of contract lawsuits. He also represents individuals and corporations in business, real estate and construction litigation as well as False Claims Act, insurance coverage, and fraud suits.
Mr. Williams has tried in excess of 100 jury and bench trials.
His civil practice includes representing clients in appeals to the Supreme Court of Alabama and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Williams is admitted to all Alabama trial and appellate courts, state and federal, the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Prior to joining Friedman, Dazzio & Zulanas in January 2011, Mr. Williams practiced for 28 years with Sadler Sullivan, in Birmingham. He also served as a U. S. Army Judge Advocate from 1978 to 1982. Mr. Williams received his J.D. cum laude from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1978, where he served on the Law Review. He is a cum laude graduate of Washington and Lee University, B.A., 1975.
Mr. Williams holds an AV rating by Martindale Hubbell which is the highest rating for an attorney bestowed by that organization.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Alabama State Bar Association
Kelsey is a member of the Alabama State Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association, and the Mississippi State Bar Association.
Lee Patterson is a Partner in the Firm and maintains a general litigation practice with an emphasis on environmental, toxic tort, personal injury, mining and blasting litigation and commercial transactions. Mr. Patterson routinely litigates matters in Alabama State and Federal Courts and handles appeals before the Alabama Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Patterson has also litigated matters in the states of Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas. Mr. Patterson has been selected as a Rising Star in the Alabama Super Lawyers publication.
Matt Conn's practice primarily involves the representation of businesses and individuals in a variety of civil matters in state and federal courts. Matt has experience in environmental litigation, mass torts, class actions and business disputes. Matt also has extensive experience in multi-party complex environmental litigation and environmental pollution cases. Matt has litigated some of the largest pollution cases in U.S. history, including the TVA Kingston Coal Ash Spill and the BP Oil Spill. Most recently, Matt represented the City of Rome, Georgia in a PFAS pollution case.
Matt has been admitted to practice on a pro hac basis in the states of Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee and has litigated cases in California and South Carolina. Matt has also practiced in front of the Judicial Panel for Multi-District Litigation (JPML) and represented clients in Multi-District Litigation proceedings in numerous states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
William "Will" Jones joined Friedman, Dazzio & Zulanas, P.C. as an Associate attorney in 2021 shortly after being admitted to the Alabama State Bar. His practice primarily involves various types of civil litigation.
Will attended the Cumberland School of Law at Sanford University, where he received his J.D. in 2021. While there he participated in various mock trial competitions and was on the Dean's List. While in law school Will participated in the Firm's Summer Law Clerk Program before joining the firm full-time as an Associate attorney.