Barbara J. Wells
Shareholder
150 South Perry Street (36104)
P. O. Box 2069 (36102-2069)
Montgomery, AL
Education:
J.D., cum laude, University of Michigan Law School, 1993
A.B., with distinction, University of Michigan, 1989
Bar Admissions:
Alabama, 1995
Illinois, 1994
Admitted to Practice
Supreme Court of Alabama
Supreme Court of Illinois
U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Judicial Clerkship
U.S. District Court Judge W. Harold Albritton, III (Aug. 1994 - Aug. 1995)
U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Fuller (Dec. 2002 - Oct. 2011)
Honors and Awards
The Best Lawyers in America - Labor & Employment Litigation; Employment Law - Management; Employment Law - Individuals
Best Lawyers - Montgomery Labor & Employment Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021
Best Lawyers - Woman Lawyer of the Year, 2016
Super Lawyers - Employment & Labor
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating Award
Boy Scouts of America District Award of Merit
Carl Gussin Memorial Prize (Outstanding Clinical Student)
Campbell Moot Court Competition Quarter and Semi-Finalist
Best Oralist Award
- Handles lead-counsel responsibility for large or complex cases from pretrial through appeal
- Repeatedly obtains favorable rulings on key motions
- Draws upon years of experience attained at the side of local federal judges to help clients formulate strategies for successful resolution of litigation
- Uses oral advocacy to effectively obtain desired result
- Advises clients
- Drafts or revises personnel policies and employee handbooks
- Conducts investigations
- Mediates disputes
Recent Trials:
Mercer v. ALDOT, obtained defense verdict after a four-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ala (2019)
Perry v. Alabama ABC Board, obtained defense verdict after a four-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the M.D. Ala (2017)
Representative Cases:
Abrams, et al. v. Stroud, et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Securities Fraud
Bailey v. DAS North America, (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
Constructions Materials, Inc. v. Christopher Hatcher, (M.D. Ala.) – Non-Compete Agreement Litigation
Crum, et al. v. State of Alabama, (M.D. Ala.) – Employment class action
Duncan v. State of Alabama, (M.D. Ala. & 11th Cir.) – Employment
Grant v. Office of the Attorney General, et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
Green v. Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Constitutional Litigation
Green v. Graham, (M.D. Ala. & 11th Cir.) – Constitutional Litigation
Green v. Mobis Alabama, LLC et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
Hollon v. DAS North America, (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
IMO US Development LLC v. Triple C Development Inc., (N.D. Ala.) – Business Litigation
Iverson v. City of Montgomery, (M.D. Ala.) – Constitutional Litigation
Leach v. Guardian Credit Union, (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
Leberman v. Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles, et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
McDade v. Alabama Dep’t of Transportation, (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
McDill v. Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles, et al., (M.D. Ala.) – Employment
Mercer v. Alabama Dep’t of Transportation (N.D. Ala.) – Employment
McKitt v. Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Bd., (M.D. Ala. & 11th Cir.) – Employment
Perry, et al. Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Bd., (M.D. Ala. & 11th Cir.) – Employment
Powell v. Doane, (M.D. Ala.) – Constitutional Litigation
Smith v. Alabama Office of Attorney General, et al., (M.D. Ala. & 11th Cir.) – Employment
Publications and Lectures
Same Sex and the City: What the Municipal Employer Needs to Know about the Supreme Court's Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage Sept. 2015 Alabama Municipal Journal, Vol. 73, Number 2
Memberships, Affiliations, and Activities
American Inns of Court, Hugh Maddox Chapter, Master Bencher
Montgomery Education Foundation, Advisory Board Member
Boy Scouts of America, Merit Badge Instructor, Troop Advancement Chair, Explorer Post Leader
2014 and 2015 Ecunchatee District Friends of Scouting Campaign Chair
Leadership Montgomery Legacy Program, Graduate, Class XXXII
Women In Training, Board President (2019-2020)
Other Professional Experience
Actress
Adjunct Professor of Law
Q & A
How are you involved in your community?
I have been very active on the boards of several charitable organizations. Additionally, I am a long-time volunteer for the Tukabatchee Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
What previous experiences influence your practice?
I tried cases in a clinic as a law student and caught the trial lawyer bug pretty hard from those early formative experiences. I also prize my clerkships for two U.S. District Court Judges for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama as having been very significant influences on my practice.
Why did you choose to work at Capell & Howard?
When I knew I was moving to Montgomery, I asked a trusted mentor who happened to be a U.S. District Court Judge to recommend a high-quality law firm that he thought might be a good fit for my interests, and he recommended Capell & Howard.
