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Meet Our Lawyers
Our Team is Dedicated to Excellence and Personal Attention in Every Case We Handle

The SMGB Legal Team

At SMGB Law, our insight and integrity are what sets us apart and those qualities come directly from within our excellent team. We put personal care into every case we handle because client satisfaction is our priority. Our success is reflected in the connections we make with our clients and the trusted partnerships we’ve built over the years. We invite you to get to know our team members and connect with SMGB for yourself.

Jeff Schwarz sitting on a table
Partner

Scott Simpson
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Partner

Howard Glick
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Partner

Steve Burford
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Partner

Daniel Weber
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Attorney

Brian Ware
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Attorney

Spenser Templeton
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Associate Attorney

Nick Hoisington
Jeff Schwarz sitting on a table

Partner

Scott Simpson

What is one of the “defining moments” of your career?
Like most lawyers, I’ve represented clients where we charge by the matter or by the hour. But my perspective changed completely when I represented clients in the general counsel office, where I was the client paying for services directly. Paying another’s lawyer’s legal bill changes your perspective completely.

How has the practice of law changed during your career?
In one word – TECHNOLOGY. The pace of communications has accelerated through emails. We use zoom platforms and other tools now to conduct remote depositions, mediations and even trials. The days of the stuffy law libraries with hundreds of legal books is over. Everything is online now.

How do you approach a defense case?
I am relentlessly committed to outcome. When a client entrusts a defense case to me, the first and most important driver to identify is the client‘s goals for resolution. In some cases, simply getting the case over quickly, at low cost, is what matters most. In others, the restoration of reputation matters more.

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Partner

Howard Glick

How do you approach a defense case?
Do work early! At inception, it is imperative to forge a partnership with the client and gain an understanding of their business. Have a shared case action plan! Develop a strategy with the client for a successful resolution and a detailed course of action. Stand together and deliver! Partner with the client to implement the plan timely and efficiently. Through unity comes strength!   

What is something unique about your law practice?
For more than twenty years it has been my pleasure to serve as the general counsel for the Alabama Insurance Guaranty Association. I belong to a relatively small sect of attorneys that represent state guaranty associations and that deal with issues of insurance company insolvencies.

How do you add value to a representation?
It has been my good fortune to have worn many hats over the past 30 years. In construction law, I routinely represent contractors and subcontractors in a myriad of commercial and residential construction defect cases. I’ve also represented insurers, contractors, and owners in insurance coverage cases related to almost every imaginable type of insurance coverage.

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Partner

Steve Burford

What do you enjoy most about the practice of law?
I enjoy helping people solve problems. I have been practicing law for over 30 years. People come to us with problems that seem impossible, and I enjoy using experience, hard work and creativity to help a client solve problems. Each client is unique, with their own business model, culture, and philosophy.

How do you approach a defense case?
There is no substitute for hard work and experience. You must spend the time getting to know your client, investigating the facts, witnesses, and parties. It is often the details that can make a deciding difference in defending a case.

What are you doing when you’re not practicing law?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and son traveling and seeking out new experiences we can share together. The times we have spent together have been the most cherished and make all of us a better people.

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Partner

Daniel Weber

What do you enjoy most about the practice of law?
The challenge of the practice of law keeps me motivated and humble. You can practice law for decades and continue to learn new things and face new challenges you never thought you would come across. No two days are ever the same in the practice of law.

How do you add value to a representation?
I add value through superior preparation that leads to technical knowledge. If I can know the facts better than the parties and the subject matter better than the experts, I am able to provide maximum value. While some matters require more attention than others, it is important to keep track of every open matter and follow through consistently.

When you’re not practicing law, what do you enjoy most and why?
I love to play golf for many of the same reasons I love to practice law. Both have so many aspects out of your control that can cause frustration, but the feeling of success in golf and the practice of law are very similar when obtaining a favorable result in a challenging endeavor. 

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Attorney

Brian Ware

What do you enjoy most about the practice of law?
The practice of law isn’t always conducive to achieving immediate results, but the results I attain for my clients provide closure. Litigation can be intimidating when unfamiliar with the process, however, there is nothing better than informing a client that a positive result was achieved and assuring them the matter is now behind them. 

What do you enjoy most about your specific practice?
It allows me to learn so much about so many different professions, trades, and industries. This knowledge not only enhances the quality of my representation skills, but also allows me to see the world through a different lens.

When you’re not practicing law, what do you enjoy most and why?
I really enjoy staying active. Whether it is playing pickup basketball or a long walk around town with my dog, I am not stationary very long. I also enjoy keeping up with all things Auburn and attending games with friends and family.

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Attorney

Spenser Templeton

How do you approach a defense case?
While I believe that every lawyer likes to win a case, I always approach a defense case with the mindset that a win is never enough. Instead it is just as important that we achieve the overall best outcome for the client, whatever that may be.

How do you give back to the community?
One of my biggest blessings throughout my time in law school was being able to serve on the National Trial Team. Not only did it prepare me to try and litigate a case, but it also helped build the confidence needed to effectively practice law. Since graduating, I have had the honor of coaching Cumberland’s National Trial Team.

When you’re not practicing law, what do you enjoy most and why?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and scuba diving.

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Associate Attorney

Nick Hoisington

Describe one of your favorite projects in your career.
Earlier in my career, I was working on several cases that involved federal black lung claims. One morning a senior partner came to me with an awesome project: the client needed a brief on the definition of the word “year.” And how “year” was defined would decide the whole case. I have always loved issues like this one: a heated Circuit split that requires statutory cross- referencing across multiple versions of the applicable code. Yet it was the interactions with my colleagues and the client−particularly the time we spent bouncing around metaphors to support our argument−that made the project so memorable.

How do you add value to a representation?
I believe that having an impeccable litigation process is one of the most important aspects of any representation. How a case is setup and organized is central to how well a representation is executed. Because of this belief, I always ensure that each representation begins with an organizational structure and plan that fits the unique needs of the case and the client.

How do you spend your time outside the office?
My time outside of the office starts with family. My wife and I live in Hoover with our two-year-old son, and we frequent the Birmingham Zoo and the botanical gardens. We also enjoy spending time at some of Birmingham’s local breweries. On my own time, I obsessively consume NBA content
(Thunder Up!), watch as many ancient and medieval history movies as I can find, and enjoy the occasional YouTube video about black holes, bushcraft camping, or how to improve my horrendous golf swing.

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