Continuity and Independence

Cunningham Bounds realizes success.

by Lindsay Mott Fletcher

Cunningham Bounds has been a part of the Mobile community since 1958. With billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, a dedicated workforce and nationally recognized practice areas, the firm has solidified its place in the local and regional legal community over the past six decades and was able to expand its services to the Atlanta area in 2023.

About Cunningham Bounds

Cunningham Bounds was founded in 1958 in Mobile by Robert T. Cunningham Sr. and Dick Richard Bounds with a purpose “to use the civil justice system to hold wrongdoers accountable and make
products, workplaces and communities safer for ordinary people.” For six decades, the firm has remained under the same continuous ownership, which is unusual in the legal world, according to attorney Steven Nicholas. He added:

“That stability matters deeply. Our values of excellence, integrity, meticulous preparation and client-first service have been preserved across generations and passed down from our seasoned partners to the younger lawyers who continue the firm’s success. We have been part of this community since 1958, and that continuity allows our employees to build decades-long careers — which directly benefits our clients. It also gives us the strategic independence to control our own decisions and resources, enabling us to take on large, complex, high-stakes cases many firms simply cannot afford to try.”

This shows in the numbers. Employees — a team of attorneys, paralegals, investigators and professional staff — at Cunningham Bounds average eight years with the firm, with 26 staff members having worked there for more than five years and four for more than 20 years. “Long tenure strengthens our litigation work — experienced staff and attorneys can anticipate issues, streamline preparation and handle complex trials more effectively,” Nicholas said.

The firm is nationally recognized for catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, product liability, medical malpractice, industrial and workplace accidents, business and commercial litigation, consumer fraud and securities fraud, as well as mass torts and complex litigation.

As a trial firm, each partner is a seasoned litigator and prepared to take a case to trial to get justice for its clients. “Our willingness and ability to take a matter to trial means we are able to obtain the best results for our clients because the insurance companies and lawyers opposing us know there is no hesitation to take the case to the courtroom,” Nicholas said.

Since 1958, the firm has seen billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, including the $12.1 billion Deepwater Horizon litigation, the $11.9 billion royalty-fraud verdict against ExxonMobil and more than $1 billion for homeowners affected by defective building products.

Cunningham Bounds represents individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries or wrongful deaths, workers harmed by unsafe products or corporate negligence, patients and families harmed by medical errors, consumers and investors injured by fraud and businesses and governmental entities involved in significant commercial, environmental and complex litigation. Additionally, Cunningham Bounds has an expanded appellate practice, allowing the firm to stay involved in cases through appeals rather than handing matters off to separate firms.

The firm is based out of Mobile but has clients nationwide. Its work on significant cases in Georgia and the Southeast led to the expansion to Atlanta in 2023. As a regional center for healthcare, transportation, finance and industry, Atlanta is an area where catastrophic injuries, complex business disputes and large-scale litigation are frequent. Adding an office in the city allowed the firm to serve its clients in the area more directly and efficiently.

Nicholas said the Atlanta expansion was a good decision, and the growing office will move into an expanded space in 2026. In addition, the Atlanta office will see the addition of Lance D. Lourie, a highly rated Atlanta-based personal injury attorney, as a full-time partner, and Jessica L. Lourie and Suzanne T. Fink will be joining the Atlanta office, as well.

Long-Standing Community Commitment

The firm is also focused on community involvement with a long-standing commitment to the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Mobile. For more than a decade, Cunningham Bounds has served as a headline sponsor of the Downtown Cajun Cook-Off, which benefits the CAC. Since its inception, the cook-off, on average, has raised more than $80,000 and draws more than 3,000 attendees annually, helping fund critical services for abused children in our community.

“Our attorneys and staff are deeply committed to the CAC’s mission,” Nicholas said. “Supporting the CAC is a natural extension of what we do in the courtroom — standing up for those who cannot stand
up for themselves and working to make our community safer for children and families.”

Looking to the Future

In looking at current technology and preparing for the future, the firm is working to stay at the forefront with the recent installation of new case-management software and exploration of how AI can assist team members and clients in case preparation. The firm is also strengthening its trial teams by mentoring and training younger attorneys to be courtroom-ready earlier in their careers.

In the next three to five years, the firm is focused on building a strong foundation in Alabama and deepening its presence in Georgia. In addition, Nicholas said:

“We’re continuing to attract and develop elite trial lawyers who can handle the most complex, high-stakes matters. We’re expanding our portfolio of complex litigation, including environmental, consumer and business disputes with broad impact. We’re investing further in technology and trial support so our
courtroom presentations are as clear, compelling and accessible as possible. And we’re deepening our community partnerships and pro bono commitments, especially in child advocacy and access to justice.”