Spence Morano

 

Attorney Profile

At Work – Spence Morano is a shareholder in Leak, Douglas & Morano. He maintains a general litigation practice with a focus on high-exposure commercial disputes. He has successfully litigated cases in Alabama state and federal courts on behalf of major coal producers and royalty owners in breach of contract actions. Spence regularly represents local and out-of-state corporations in matters involving business torts, employment matters, general liability, workers compensation claims, and transactional matters. In addition to his trial work, Spence regularly practices in the Alabama Supreme Court and Court of Civil Appeals, where he has successfully represented businesses and insurers in matters ranging from premises liability to coverage disputes.

At Home – Spence and his wife, Sally Inzer Morano, live in the suburbs of Birmingham with their three children, Ann Winston, 13, Spence Jr., 11, and James, 9. The Moranos are active members of United Canterbury Methodist Church. Outside of work, Spence enjoys hunting, fishing, and attending his children’s athletic events.

Education

University of Alabama, B.A., 1998
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, J.D., 2001

Concentration

Workers Compensation
Employment Law
Commercial Litigation

Awards & Affiliations

Alabama State Bar Association
Birmingham Bar Association

Notable Cases & Clients

  • Obtained a confidential settlement on behalf of a major Alabama coal producer and royalty owner as compensation for coal that could not be efficiently mined due to the presence of a large underground petroleum pipeline.
  • Obtained the dismissal of all claims against his client, a Tennessee law firm, in a legal malpractice claim involving the procurement of a substantial out-of-state conservation easement.
  • Successfully filed and tried two TROs that allowed his client, a Texas-based corporation, to quickly recover possession of critical inventory needed to fulfill his client’s obligations to a national home and building supply corporation.
  • Represented multiple property owners who lived adjacent to a waterway polluted by an upstream sewage treatment facility in north-central Alabama. Prosecuted a lawsuit on behalf of the affected property owners against several entities involved in the management and maintenance of the sewage treatment facility. He obtained a confidential settlement in excess of the total assessed value of all properties involved.
  • Successfully tried to verdict a multi-plaintiff case filed on behalf of homeowners who claimed blasting damage against a surface coal mining operator and its blasting contractor. All claims against his clients were dismissed by the trial judge on directed verdict.
  • Served as appellate counsel in the following reported decisions, with numerous other decisions affirmed in his client’s favor without opinion:
  • Ex parte Novus Utilities, Inc., 85 So. 3d 988 (Ala. 2011)
  • Shirley Hamilton v. CSC Distribution, Inc., 10 So. 3d 589 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008)
  • Federated Mutual Insurance Company v. Abston Petroleum, 967 So. 2d 705 (Ala. 2007)
  • Federated Mutual Insurance Company v. Vaughn, 961 So. 2d 816 (Ala. 2007)
  • Ex parte National Western Insurance Company, 899 So. 2d 218 (Ala. 2004)