Lanier’s successful litigation practice has included representation of nursing home operators and other health care providers, automobile and other manufacturers, construction and engineering firms, restaurant and hospitality operators, insurers, and personal injury defendants. He has also practiced in the areas of commercial litigation and business disputes.
In addition to his practice, Lanier serves as an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at The University Alabama School of Law and is Chairman of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission.
Honors & Recognitions
- 2021 Birmingham Bar Association President
- Alabama Super Lawyers (2009-17)
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America (2011–17 and 2019-25, Commercial Litigation; Employment Law - Management; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; 2025, Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants)
- Chambers USA-America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2024, Product Liability: Automotive - USA - Nationwide)
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
- Mid-South Super Lawyers (2009-19, Personal Injury Defense: Products)
- B-Metro Magazine, Top Flight Lawyer
- Benchmark Litigation (2019, Product Liability)
Community & Professional
- Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
- Alabama Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Birmingham Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Magic City Bar Association
Presentations
- "Defending the Damages Only Case," DRI Medical Liability and Health Care Law Seminar
- "Voir Dire Strategies in Complex Products Cases," ABA Emerging Issues in Motor Vehicle Product Liability Litigation Seminar
Practice Areas
Education
Juris Doctor: University of Alabama School of Law, 1992
Bachelor's Degree: B.S. in Economics: University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1989
