Sirote > Our People > Allison O'Neal Skinner

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Allison O'Neal Skinner

Of Counsel
Birmingham
askinner@sirote.com
Tel: 205.918.5043
Fax: 205.212.2929
 Assistant
Connie Brasher
cbrasher@sirote.com
205.930.5235

As a mediator for Sirote, Allison assists individuals and business clients in all forms of mediation at the trial and appellate levels. Allison is registered as a trial, appellate and domestic mediator with the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution. Allison is the first in Alabama to serve as a mediator or special master for e-discovery.

  • Registered as a trial and appellate domestic mediator by the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution 
  • Admitted to practice
    • US District Court for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama
    • US Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • University of Alabama School of Law, Adjunct professor on e-discovery
  • Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner University, Adjunct Professor on e-discovery
  • Academy of Court-Appointed Masters
  • Women in eDiscovery, Alabama Chapter Chair
  • Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
    • Products Liability Committee
    • Trials Skills Seminar Committee, 1997-00
  • Birmingham Bar Association
    • ADR Section, first president
    • Women Lawyer's Section Liaison to the Alabama State Bar Women Lawyer's Section
    • Women Lawyer's Section, Distinguished Service Award, 2008
    • Young Lawyers Executive Committee
    • Women’s Section Newsletter Committee
  • Alabama State Bar Association
    • ADR Committee, appointed by Thomas J. Methvin, 2009 president, 2009-12
    • Women Lawyers' Section Auction Committee, 2009
  • As litigator, responsible for 100+ products liability cases to include product cases for domestic and foreign automotive manufacturers involving such issues as rollover, air bag systems, seat belt systems and crashworthiness, as well as cases for truck and airplane engine manufacturers
  • Handled civil litigation for insurance companies and corporations in casualty defense, premise liability, vehicular accident claims, breach of warranty, trucking, wrongful death, breach of contract, insurance coverage, construction, professional liability and general negligence
  • Most cases involved voluminous and complex discovery disputes including electronically stored information (ESI)
  • Clerked for Honorable Judge Sharon G. Yates, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals

Schools

  • University of Alabama School of Law
    JD, 1994
  • University of Alabama
    BA, cum laude, 1991

Additional Accolades

University of Alabama

  • Phi Beta Kappa

University of Alabama School of Law

  • Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society 
  • ABA Trial Advocacy Team, regional semi-finalist 1994 
  • NACDL Trial Advocacy Team, national semi-finalist, 1993 
  • Moot Court 
  • Outstanding Oral Advocate, First Year
  • George Peach Taylor Trial Advocacy Award Recipient

 

  • Junior League of Birmingham
    • Vice President
    • Recording Secretary/Governance, 2008-09 
    • Governance Director (the 88 year old organization's first to serve in this position), 2009-10
  • Leadership Birmingham, 2009-10
  • Attended Harvard/School of Government Program on "Governance as Leadership:  Reframing the Work of the Non-Profit Board"
  • Birmingham Ballet Guild, Sustainer
  • St. Stephen's Preschool, Past President


  • Author, “Mediation: An Effective Tool for Resolving E-Discovery Disputes”, The Counselor, Spring 2009
  • Author, “The Role of Mediation for ESI Disputes,” DRI E-Discovery Connection Newsletter (Spring 2009); IADC Alternative Dispute Committee Newsletter (Spring 2009);The Counselor (Spring 2009); The Alabama Lawyer (Nov. 2009)
  • Author, “How to Prepare an e-Mediation Statement,” DRI E-Discovery Connection Newsletter (publication forthcoming)
  • “The Use of Special Masters and e-Mediators in e-Discovery,” co-authored with Peter Vogel for the Texas State Bar CLE, webinar and podcast for www.ESIBytes.com
  • Presenter, “The New Alabama e-Discovery Rules in a Nutshell,” ESI Roundtable Birmingham (Feb. and Mar. 2010); Jefferson County Civil Circuit Judges (Mar. 2010); Lauderdale County Bar (Apr. 2010); Madison County Civil Court Judges (May 2010); Alabama Chapter of ARMA (May 2010); ADLA Annual Conference (June 2010); Alabama State Bar Annual Conference (July 2010); Alabama Judicial Conference (July 2010); ESI Roundtable - Huntsville (Aug.2010); Talledega County Bar (Nov. 2010); Huntsville General Counsel in Research Park (July 2010); BBA Solo Tech Seminar (Sept. 2010); Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Dec. 2010) and Walker County Bar (pending)
  • Presenter, Three hour CLE program on e-Discovery for CLE Alabama (Apr. 2010)
  • Presenter, “Hot Topics in e-Discovery,” The National Association of Lease & Title Analysis (NALTA) Annual Conference (Sept. 2010) and its Alabama Chapter (Fall 2010) and various law firms
  • Presenter, “Conflict Resolution in e-Discovery” ESI Roundtable - Birmingham & Huntsville (April & Fall 2010); Association of Corporate Counsel Alabama Chapter (May 2010); BBA Solo Tech Seminar (Sept. 2009)
  • Presenter, “How to Prepare an Opening Statement,” CLE Alabama Negotiations Seminar (Dec. 2009)
  • Presenter, “Professionalism in Mediation,” CLE Alabama (May 2010)
  • Presenter, “E-Discovery,” Medical Malpractice Insurers ExcuSummit (Sept. 2010)
  • Presenter, “C-H-CH-Changes in Discovery,” Birmingham Bar Association (Aug. 2010)
  • Presenter, “E-Discovery,” Panelist, Southeastern Business Law Institute, Cumberland CLE (Oct. 2010)
  • Presenter, “Alabama Appellate Mediation Program - An Overview,” Birmingham Bar Association (Jan. 2006 & 2007)
  • Presenter, “Tips for the Defendant’s Lawyer: Affirmative Defenses and Related Issue in Alabama Products Liability Law,” ABICLE
  • Moderator, Conflict Resolution, ABA Dispute Resolution (Nov. 2010)
  • Moderator, “E-Discovery,” Alabama State Bar Conference (July 2009)

Sirote's Skinner Accepted To Attend Harvard Executive Education Program - 5/21/2009

Sirote & Permutt attorney Allison O. Skinner has been accepted to attend the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program on “Governance as Leadership.” Read More


Sirote & Permutt Adds Five Attorneys in Litigation, Tax, Mediation and Family Law - 6/16/2008

Alabama law firm Sirote & Permutt, P.C. announces the addition of Barry Ragsdale, Rebecca Redmond, Greg Rhodes, Allison Skinner, and Steve Tandet to its professional staff in the firm’s Birmingham office. Read More