Before you even
walk in the door,
you can tell
this is a different
kind of law firm.

Where the details
still matter.

About Us

Spain & Gillon is one of the oldest law firms in Birmingham, and in the State of Alabama. Initially representing corporate and insurance clients, the past eight decades have led to expanded practice areas. Today, Spain & Gillon is a full-service law firm providing a broad complement of legal services for its clients.

Spain & Gillon is involved in general civil law practice, which is divided into two major sections - Litigation and Corporate. The Litigation section has broad experience in insurance defense (life, health, and casualty), medical malpractice, products liability, employment law, ERISA, workers' compensation, and government law. The Corporate section provides a wide range of experience in commercial and general business work, banking activities, municipal and administrative law, personnel and labor law, trust and estate law, employee pension and retirement plans, corporate administration, general business and tax planning for manufacturing, distributing, service and professional business entities, securities, real estate sales development and loan closings, condemnation, zoning, land use and redevelopment matters, mortgage and bond financing, loan restructurings and workouts, and mortage foreclosures.

In addition, the firm offers Arbitration and Mediation services, with two attorneys listed by the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.

The firm was founded in 1912 by Phares Coleman who left his practice in Montgomery to come to Birmingham. In 1918, Frank E. Spain joined the firm as partner, and in 1925, John W. Gillon became affiliated with the firm.

Former members of Spain & Gillon have become state and federal judges and in-house counsel for corporate clients.

The firm currently consists of lawyers licensed in all Courts in Alabama, all Federal Courts in Alabama and the United States Supreme Court. The firm utilizes the latest technology including a firm wide computer network, worldwide e-mail and internet access. The use of legal assistants, a full time network administrator and state-of-the-art computer technology allows the firm to provide excellent legal services while remaining conscious of the growing concern regarding legal fees and expenses. Every effort is made to maximize efficiency without compromising the quality of services rendered.

Spain & Gillon is located in the business and financial center of downtown Birmingham. The Zinszer Building, which is home to the Firm, was built in 1888 and is one of the last surviving cast iron front, Italianate Victorian buildings in Alabama. Once threatened with demolition, this National Registry Building provides a striking setting and an appropriate environment for the practice of law.