FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Jennifer Hayes
Executive Director
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
jhayes@adla.org
334-395-4455

Mark Debro Installed as President of Alabama Defense Lawyers Association

AUBURN, ALABAMA (JULY, 16 2026) – The Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
(ADLA) installed its 2026–2027 officers during the Association's 61st Annual Meeting, held
June 18–21, 2026, at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Huntsville attorney Mark Debro of Grace, Matthews & Debro LLC officially assumed the
office of President following the Association's Annual Membership Meeting and Elections.
Debro succeeds Bains Fleming of MMPO Defense, who now serves as Immediate Past
President.

"It is a tremendous honor and privilege to serve as President of the Alabama Defense Lawyers
Association. I am proud to represent an organization comprised of some of the finest attorneys in
our state.

As President, I am committed to advancing our mission of improving the administration of
justice and preserving the rule of law while ensuring that our Association remains a valuable
resource for defense lawyers across Alabama.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to our outgoing President, Bains Fleming, for his
exceptional leadership and dedication over the past year. His hard work and commitment have
strengthened our Association, and I look forward to building on the strong foundation he has
helped create.

I am excited about the year ahead and the opportunity to work alongside our outstanding Board
of Directors and committee chairs. Together, we will continue to strengthen our Association and
serve our members," said Mark Debro, President of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association.

2026–2027 ADLA Officers

• President: Mark Debro, Grace, Matthews & Debro LLC – Huntsville
• President-Elect: Melissa Hunter, Galloway Wettermark & Rutens LLP – Mobile
• Secretary-Treasurer: D. Kirby Howard Jr., Starnes Davis Florie LLP – Mobile
• Immediate Past President: Bains Fleming, MMPO Defense – Birmingham

About President Mark Debro

J. Mark Debro is a shareholder with Grace, Matthews & Debro LLC in Huntsville, Alabama. His
practice focuses on civil litigation, including personal injury, general liability defense, insurance
litigation, and construction litigation. Debro currently serves on the Alabama State Bar Board of
Bar Commissioners and is a past president of the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association
and Alabama Lawyers Association. A longtime leader within ADLA, he has previously served on
the Board of Directors, as District 1 Director, as Secretary-Treasurer, and as President-Elect.

About Secretary-Treasurer D. Kirby Howard Jr.

Kirby Howard is a partner with Starnes Davis Florie LLP’s Mobile office. Kirby has been
practicing law for 20 years with an emphasis on general insurance defense, including pest control
defense (termite), premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, automobile liability, and
construction defect cases. He also has experience with state-agent immunity and qualified
immunity issues through representation of counties, municipalities, and state agents such as
educators.
The ADLA's 61st Annual Meeting welcomed attorneys, judges, legal professionals, exhibitors,
and sponsors from across Alabama for four days of continuing legal education, networking, and
fellowship. The conference featured recognized speakers and timely presentations addressing
developments in civil litigation, trial practice, appellate advocacy, ethics, insurance law, and
emerging issues affecting the defense bar.
Founded in 1965, the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association remains committed to advancing
excellence in civil defense practice through high-quality education, professional collaboration,
and advocacy while promoting fairness and integrity throughout Alabama's civil justice system.
In addition to electing its officers, the Association elected four new District Directors and
installed new Young Lawyers Section leadership. These volunteer leaders will help guide
ADLA's strategic initiatives, educational programming, membership initiatives, and professional
development efforts throughout Alabama.

New ADLA Board of Directors

2026–2029 District 1 Director

Terri Olive Tompkins
Rosen Harwood PA – Tuscaloosa

Terri Olive Tompkins is a shareholder at Rosen Harwood, P.A. in Tuscaloosa. She practices in
state and federal court across Alabama. While much of her practice focuses on medical
malpractice defense and health care law, she also defends governmental employees in
employment matters and complex constitutional claims and handles general civil litigation
matters. She also counsels clients on strategies to avoid litigation. She is a former Alabama State
Bar Commissioner.

2026–2029 District 2 Director

Jansen Voss
Christian & Small LLP – Birmingham

Jansen Voss helps clients avoid problems and assists them in resolving issues both inside and
outside the courtroom. He represents a diverse range of businesses, government entities, and
professionals in high-stakes, complex personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Jansen
represents healthcare providers in medical malpractice actions and licensure board matters. His
practice includes representing municipalities and government entities, as well as advocating for
retailers, restaurants, bars, breweries, and hotels in premises liability and dram shop litigation.
He also assists clients with regulatory and licensing matters before the Alabama Beverage
Control Board and other state licensure boards.

2026–2029 District 3 Director

Katie Archer
Rushton Stakely Johnston & Garrett PA – Montgomery

Katie Archer is a shareholder with the law firm of Rushton, Stakely, Johnston & Garrett in
Montgomery. Mrs. Archer's practice area includes personal injury, medical malpractice,
construction, and general civil litigation defense. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from
The University of Alabama in 2014. She received her Juris Doctorate from The University of
Alabama School of Law in 2017. Along with serving on the ADLA board, Mrs. Archer serves on
the Board of Directors with the Montgomery County Bar Association.

2026–2029 District 4 Director

Tom Gaillard
Helmsing Leach Herlong Newman & Rouse PC – Mobile

Tom Gaillard is managing partner at Helmsing Leach Herlong Newman & Rouse, P.C., in
Mobile, Alabama. Tom maintains an active civil trial and appellate practice in federal and state
courts. His practice focuses on the defense of individuals, companies and governmental entities
in a wide variety of legal disputes. Tom has extensive experience handling claims related to
personal injury, wrongful death, medical and other professional liability, product liability, toxic
tort, pharmaceutical/medical device, governmental liability, construction, and employment law.

Young Lawyers Section Leadership

The Association also installed the following Young Lawyers Section officers for the 2026–2027
term.

Chair

Kevin W. R. Bufford
Samford & Denson LLP – Opelika

Kevin W. R. Bufford is a partner at Samford & Denson, LLP in Opelika, Alabama, where he
maintains a civil defense litigation practice focusing on medical malpractice defense and
insurance defense. He is licensed in both Alabama and Georgia. An active member of the legal
community, Kevin coaches Cumberland School of Law's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
teams. Outside the practice of law, he enjoys traveling with his wife, Valerie, and their young
daughters.

1st Vice-Chair

Ashley T. Britton
Holtsford Gilliland Hitson Howard Stevens Tuley & Savarese PC – Montgomery

Ashley is a partner in Holtsford Gilliland’s Montgomery office, where she practices various
types of civil defense primarily focusing on civil rights and government liability. Outside the
practice of law, Ashley is an active member of her community and serves on boards for
Brantwood Children’s Home and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts.

2nd Vice-Chair

Amanda Graham
Gaines Gault Hendrix PC – Birmingham

Amanda Graham is a partner at Gaines, Gault, Hendrix in Birmingham, Alabama. Her practice is
focused on advocating for the interests of her clients in first- and third-party insurance defense
cases, and cases involving personal injury, auto accidents, premises liability, and general civil
matters. As an experienced litigator practicing for just over a decade, she has taken hundreds of
depositions and takes numerous cases to trial each year, both in district, circuit, and federal
courts in venues across the state of Alabama. Many of these trials have resulted in defense
verdicts (50%), or in verdicts where the award was significantly below the amount offered prior
to trial (80%).

2026–2028 Young Lawyers Section District Directors

The Young Lawyers Section is also supported by District Directors who represent each region of
Alabama and work alongside the officers to advance leadership development, educational
programming, networking opportunities, and member engagement across the state.

District I

• Nathan Hill, Lanier Ford Shaver Payne PC – Huntsville, AL
• Whitney Lott, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP – Huntsville, AL
• Hunter Pearce, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP – Huntsville, AL

District II

• Murphy Barze, Barze Taylor Noles Lowther LLC – Birmingham, AL
• Kendall Herron, Porterfield Harper Mills Motlow & Ireland – Birmingham, AL
• Dennis Vann, Carr Allison – Birmingham, AL

District III

• Sydney Brasfield, Ball Ball Matthews & Novak PA – Montgomery, AL
• Caitlin Cobb, Capell & Howard, PC – Montgomery, AL
• Acker Holt, Ball Ball Matthews & Novak PA – Montgomery, AL

District IV

• Samantha Gunnoe, Helmsing Leach Herlong – Mobile, AL
• Ranse Hare, McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge LLC – Mobile, AL
• Katherine Peek, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC – Mobile, AL

About the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association

The Alabama Defense Lawyers Association (ADLA) is a statewide professional organization of
more than 900 attorneys dedicated to the defense of civil litigation. ADLA provides exceptional
continuing legal education, professional networking opportunities, leadership development, and
advocacy on issues affecting the civil justice system. The Association serves attorneys
representing businesses, insurers, healthcare providers, governmental entities, and individuals
throughout Alabama.

For more information, visit www.adla.org or contact the ADLA office at (334) 395-4455.