Laura Susan (Lovoy) Burns, is a native of Birmingham, Alabama.  She is a proud graduate of St. Rose Academy, St. Bernard Preparatory, Christian Brothers University, and Cumberland School of Law.  She received her Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law in 2001, and has been admitted to practice in the State of Alabama since.  Her areas of practice include:

• Family Law
• Personal Injury
• Corporate Defense Litigation
• Domestic Relations Law
• Wills & Estates
• Divorce & Custody
• Adoptions
• Same Sex Couple Adoptions
• Same Sex Divorce
• Alimony & Alimony Termination
• Child Visitation
• Child Support
• Mediation
• Domestic Relations Appeals
• Juvenile Matters

Laura Susan is Outside General Counsel for Black Warrior Methane, and is experienced in oil & gas, and coal mining litigation

Named as one of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” in Alabama by the National Trial Lawyers Organization

Selected as a one of Alabama’s “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers Rating Service

Primary Jurisdictions of Practice:

Jefferson County, both Birmingham and Bessemer Divisions, Shelby County, Tuscaloosa County, St. Clair County

Bar Admissions:

State of Alabama

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Laura Susan lives in Mountain Brook with her husband, William A. Davis, III, and her son, Alex Burns.  Not only is she involved in the legal community, but she is also involved in her home community and the Mountain Brook School System.  She and her family attend and are members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

Areas of Practice:

• Family Law
• Domestic Relations Law
• Divorce/Custody/Visitation/Child Support
• Collaborative Law
• Mediation
• Appeals in State and Federal Courts
• White Collar Criminal Defense
• Criminal Defense
• DUI /Traffic Offenses/Drug Offenses
• Juvenile Offenses/Misdemeanors/Felonies
• Municipal Court Cases

Named as one of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” in Alabama by the National Trial Lawyers Organization

Selected as a one of Alabama’s “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers Rating Service

Selected as one of the “Top 40 Lawyers Under the Age of 40” by Super Lawyer Rating Service

Primary Jurisdictions of Practice:

Jefferson County, Shelby County, Tuscaloosa County, St. Clair County, Birmingham, Bessemer, Mountain Brook, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Pelham, Homewood, Irondale, Gardendale, Alabaster, Calera, Montevallo

Bar Admissions:

State of Alabama, 2001

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, 2001

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, 2002

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 2002

Education:

University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa

Juris Doctor, 2001

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 1998

Bachelor of Arts, 1998

Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Major:  Political Science

Minor:  English

Legal Educations Taught:

What you Should Know If Your Client’s Computer Is Seized:  The Basics of Computer Forensics (Birmingham Bar Association, 2007; Shelby County Bar Association, 2007; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Tuscaloosa, AL, 2008)

Criminal Law Update (Birmingham Bar Association, 2007)

Using Social Media in Domestic Relations Cases (Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2011)

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Alabama State Bar Association, 2001- Present
Family Law Section
Criminal Justice Section

Alabama Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service
2003 – 2011

Birmingham Bar Association, 2001-Present
Criminal Justice Section
Alternative Dispute Resolution – Executive Board, 2018
Collaborative Law Committee, 2017
Volunteer Lawyer Program Committee, 2006

Legal Aid Society of Birmingham, Board of Trustees, 2009-Present
President, 2011
Vice-President, 2010

Greater Birmingham Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, 2007 -Present

American Bar Association, 2001 – Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2006 – Present

Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2002 – Present

International Association of Collaborative Professionals, 2011-Present

Legal Leaders of Birmingham, Founding Member
Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraiser

College Choice Foundation
Advisory Board

Southern Arts Dance Foundation
Board Member

Jessica Johnson is originally from Birmingham, Alabama. After receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 2007, she received her Juris Doctorate degree from Florida State University in 2011. Following law school, Jessica joined the firm as an associate attorney, before becoming a partner in 2015. As a product of a “blended family,” and a proud member of her own “blended family,” Jessica has a unique perspective which she uses to help individuals and families in all areas of domestic relations law. Her practice is primarily focused on divorce, post-divorce issues, asset division, qualified domestic relations orders, child custody and visitation, child support, alimony, paternity, adoptions, and appellate work in the area of domestic relations law.

Jessica resides in Hoover, Alabama with her husband Matt, stepson Ethan and son Maddox. The Johnsons enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, cheering for the Crimson Tide and spending time with their boys. Jessica enjoys giving back to the Hoover community by serving on the Board of Directors for Aldridge Gardens.

University of Alabama, B.A. 2007

Florida State University College of Law, J.D. 2011

Admitted to practice law in the State of Alabama in 2011

Member of the Family Law Section

Kathryn Thompkins graduated from Auburn University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. She then went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Jones School of Law in 2013 and has been practicing law in Alabama since. Kathryn joined the firm as an associate attorney in December 2016. Her practice is primarily focused on family and domestic relations law, including divorce, post-divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, alimony, asset division, paternity and adoptions. Kathryn also handles personal injury and municipal court cases. 

Kathryn comes from a blended family, which inspired her to practice family and domestic relations law. She was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and lives in Hoover. She enjoys cheering on her Auburn Tigers, spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and meeting new people.

Judicial Externships:

• Honorable Judge Calvin L. Williams – Montgomery County Circuit Court, Domestic Relations Division          
• Honorable Judge Jacob Walker, III – Lee County Circuit Court

Bar Admissions:

• Alabama State Bar, September 2013
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, March 2014

Legal Professional Memberships:

• American Bar Association
• Alabama State Bar Association – Family Law Section
• Birmingham Bar Association – Young Lawyers Section, Women Lawyers Section
• Shelby County Bar Association

Hannah Hammitte is originally from Peanut Capital of the world, Dothan, AL. However, she’s called Birmingham “home” since graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama in 2015 at only 19 years old with a degree in journalism and history. While at the University of Alabama, she served as the News Editor for the nationally recognized Crimson White. Additionally, she wrote for the Entertainment magazine “The Tusk,” interviewing a multitude of world-renown artists, writers, and entrepreneurs. After her time spent in magazine writing and a successful stint in Birmingham’s real estate industry, Hannah pursued her lifelong dream of attending law school and is now a second-year law student at Cumberland School of Law. She currently clerks for the Honorable Judge Pat Ballard of Jefferson County’s 10th Judicial Circuit Court and for us here at Burns, Brashier, & Johnson. Hannah has participated in the 1L Negotiation Competition, the Henry C. Strickland Negotiation Competition, the Federal Haley Trial Competition, and is currently the Treasurer of Cumberland’s Bench and Bar Historical Society and leads the Family Law Team for Cumberland’s Center for Children, Law and Ethics.