BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – November 12, 2014 – Craig A. Alexander, a partner in the Birmingham office of RumbergerKirk, has been appointed Vice Chair of the Membership subcommittee of the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Lawyers ‘Professionalism and Ethics Committee.

DRI is the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel. The organization is committed to:

• Enhancing the skills, effectiveness, and professionalism of defense lawyers;
• Anticipating and addressing issues germane to defense lawyers and the civil justice system;
• Promoting appreciation of the role of the defense lawyer; and
• Improving the civil justice system and preserving the civil jury.

DRI’s Lawyers’ Professionalism and Ethics Committee addresses such issues as:privacy and the use of electronic information, the off-shoring of legal research, innovative fee agreements, multi-state practices and the trend toward multi-state licensing arrangements, conflicts of interest, and the effect of market forces on the blurring of the definition of the unauthorized practice of law.  In addition to these ethical issues, the committee also examines the alarming decrease in civility and professionalism in the profession that has resulted in an unprecedented number of sanctions, including sanctions for  abusive discovery, rude and insulting behavior at depositions, and refusals to grant extensions or otherwise accommodate other lawyers.

Craig Alexander primarily represents clients in the areas of commercial litigation, professional liability, and labor and employment. He also has substantial experience in personal injury and wrongful death, banking and mortgage servicing, and product liability litigation. As lead counsel, he has tried over 40 jury cases to verdict and more than 100 non-jury cases to judgment. Alexander also handles professional responsibility matters, including the representation of attorneys in disciplinary proceedings.

Outside of his litigation practice, Alexander serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama School of Law and participates in the Volunteer Lawyers Program of the Birmingham Bar Association.  An active member of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, Alexander earned a juris doctor degree from The George Washington University School of Law.

RumbergerKirk provides litigation and counseling services in a wide range of civil practice areas including product liability, commercial litigation, construction, real estate, intellectual property litigation, securities litigation, labor and employment law, bankruptcy, insurance coverage, professional liability and administrative law. Offices are located in Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Tallahassee and Birmingham, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.rumberger.com.