Obtained a decision from the Supreme Court of Alabama affirming an award of attorney fees and costs in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Alabama, on behalf of Ford Motor Credit Company
John Isaac Southerland
Partner
John Isaac Southerland
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Bio
Anyone who knows John Isaac Southerland knows he is prepared at all times, for any situation. A loyal Eagle Scout for more than 20 years, John Isaac incorporates a solution-oriented, proactive approach to every aspect of his life and law practice. This trait has served his clients very well for over a decade.
John Isaac is a firm partner who successfully defends companies locally, regionally and nationally. His clients can count on him to remain highly responsive, knowledgeable about their business and acutely aware of their goals. Since joining the firm in 2004, John Isaac has developed specialties in automotive and manufacturing discovery practice and procedure, general product liability defense, personal injury defense, automotive product liability defense, heavy equipment product liability defense, trucking defense, insurance defense and towing and recovery liability. John Isaac also serves as national coordinating discovery counsel for a major automotive client. For his efforts and as determined by his peers, John Isaac received an attorney ranking of AV Preeminent® with High Ethical Standing for professional excellence in the legal field.
In his free time, John Isaac serves as an active member of Asbury United Methodist Church. He also enjoys supporting UNC sports teams, serving as a leader in his children’s Cub Scout Pack, coaching youth sports, reading and spending time with his wife, Jenny, and two boys, Isaac and Taylor.
John Isaac earned his BS from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his JD from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.
Bar & Court Admissions
Alabama State Bar
Northern District of Alabama
Southern District of Alabama
Middle District of Alabama
Memberships
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
American Bar Association
Birmingham Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Edwin Horton Inn of Court at Cumberland School of Law
Lawyers for Civil Justice
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Representative Experience
0102
Represented a disabled military veteran in obtaining the reversal and remand of a divorce decree that improperly considered their client’s military disability income as disposable retired pay in an alimony award
03Obtained a verdict for $100,000 plus reasonable attorney fees and costs on behalf of a client in a commercial litigation matter
04Represented trucking company and driver in over-the-road trucking death case
05Represented major automobile manufacturer in brain injury rollover lawsuit involving allegation of defective seat back recline mechanism
06Plaintiff's verdict in the amount of $105,000.00 for a small business owner in shareholder derivative action
07Summary judgment for major insurance carrier in case involving allegation of bad faith related to house fire. Sherry A. Butler v. Allstate Indemnity Co., 2012 WL 1424917 (N.D. Ala.)
08Represented product manufacturer in case involving allegations of design defect, failure to properly guard and failure to warn concerning a weed eater and safety goggles
09Summary judgment for heavy equipment distributor in case involving allegations of failure to warn of entrapment danger on a heavy duty dump truck
10Represented medical device manufacturer in case involving allegations of design defect and failure to warn
11Member of trial team for an industrial services company in case involving allegation of negligent failure to warn at a construction site
12National coordinating discovery counsel for major automotive manufacturer, which responsibilities include, but are not limited to, coordinating discovery strategy, preparing discovery responses, conducting document reviews and preparing witnesses for deposition and trial
13Represented towing and recovery company in case involving allegation of conversion of abandoned vehicle
14Represented major automotive manufacturer in case involving a two-vehicle crash with allegations of handling and stability of a sport utility vehicle and restraints of a truck
15Represented major automotive manufacturer in case involving handling and stability allegations following tread separation of a tire and rollover of sport utility vehicle
16Represented major automotive manufacturer in case involving handling and stability and roof allegations with respect to sport utility vehicle rollover
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Resources & News
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Attorney Spotlight: John Isaac Southerland
We’re proud to introduce you to Partner John Isaac Southerland. Since joining the firm in 2004, John Isaac has developed specialties in automotive and manufacturing discovery practice and procedure, general...
02John Isaac Southerland Recognized by Benchmark Litigation
We are pleased to announce that John Isaac Southerland was selected for the 2016 edition of the first ever Under 40 Hot List of Benchmark Litigation. This new accolade honors...
03John Isaac Southerland to Co-Chair and Speak at National Forum
Huie partner John Isaac Southerland will co-chair and speak at the 10th National Forum on Automotive Product Liability Litigation. This conference takes place in Chicago June 15-16. Now in its...
04John Isaac Southerland Hosts Alabama Law Weekly Webinar
Huie partner John Isaac Southerland will host an Alabama Law Weekly webinar on Wednesday, October 18th. The webinar is entitled “Ethical Considerations When Selecting Your Jury in Alabama.” Overview: Jury...
05John Isaac Southerland Personal Jurisdiction Article Published
“Where will suit be filed? Personal jurisdiction considerations when engaging in joint development of autonomous vehicle technology” By: John Isaac Southerland and Alex Thrasher Automotive Testing Technology International Winter 2017...
06Southerland & Jett Obtain Verdict for Birmingham Business Owner
After a five day jury trial, Huie, Fernambucq & Stewart attorneys John Isaac Southerland and Chip Jett obtained a verdict of $104,939.87 on behalf of local small business owner Steven...
07Southerland Co-Chairs Product Liability Litigation Conference
For the second year, Huie partner John Isaac Southerland will co-chair and speak at the Automotive Product Liability Litigation conference. The conference takes place July 18-20, 2018, in Chicago. This...
08Huie Receives Spotlight in 2023 Best Lawyers Listings
...Phil Collins (Litigation – Insurance), Paul Malek (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants) and John Isaac Southerland (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants). Additionally, four partners...
09Huie 2025 “The Best Lawyers in America” Accolades
...Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants Transportation Law John Isaac Southerland Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Robert Gordon Sproule, Jr. Litigation...
10Award Affirmed by Supreme Court of Alabama
Huie attorneys John Isaac Southerland and Woods Parker recently obtained a decision from the Supreme Court of Alabama affirming an award of attorney fees and costs in the Circuit Court...
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Distinctions & Contributions
01
Listed by The Best Lawyers in America since 2023 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
02Listed by Super Lawyers (2019 - 2022)
03Co-Author, “Stop the Madness: Making Reasonable Amendments to Rule 30(b)(6) Once and for All”, American Journal of Trial Advocacy
04Named Co-Chair of the Rule 30(b)(6) Advocacy Committee for Lawyers for Civil Justice (February 2020)
05Panelist, "Moral Algorithms? Ethics in Autonomous Vehicles", DRI Strictly Automotive Seminar (September 2019)
06Co-Author, “Let’s Be Reasonable: The Consumer Expectations Test is Simply Not Viable to Determine Design Defect for Complex Autonomous Vehicle Technology”, Journal of Law and Mobility (August 2019)
07Testified on January 4, 2019, in Phoenix, AZ, regarding a proposed amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(b)(6)
08Co-chair and Speaker, ACI Automotive Product Liability Litigation Conference in Chicago (July 2018)
09Panelist, “Products Liability - Where We Are And Where We Are Going” Birmingham Bar Association CLE in April 2018
10In March 2018, recognized as AV Preeminent® attorney by Martindale-Hubbell
11Presenter, Alabama Law Weekly “Ethical Considerations When Selecting Your Jury in Alabama” webinar
12Co-chair and Speaker, 10th National Forum on Automotive Product Liability Litigation in Chicago (June 15-16, 2017)
13Co-author, "General Jurisdiction Challenges and Jurisdictional Discovery Post Daimler AG v. Bauman", For The Defense, a DRI publication, April 2017
14Co-author, “Where will suit be filed? Personal jurisdiction considerations when engaging in joint development of autonomous vehicle technology,” Automotive Testing Technology International, Winter 2017
15Speaker for 2017 CLM Webinar, "Personal Jurisdiction Post-Bauman: Considerations for Effectively Asserting a Challenge to General Personal Jurisdiction In the Wake of Daimler AG v. Bauman"
16Listed by Super Lawyers (2014-2016)
172016 Under 40 Hot List for Benchmark Litigation
18Speaker: Inaugural Autonomous Vehicle Safety Regulation World Congress 2016
19Panelist: Identifying Product Liability Issues Associated with Autonomous Cars and Semi-Autonomous Cars, American Conference Institute - Automotive Product Liability Litigation Seminar, June 2016
20Speaker: Jury Selection Strategy and Ethical Considerations in Jury Selection, National Business Institute, June 2016
21Panel Moderator; It Wasn't Me: Effectively Assessing the Acts or Omissions of Parties and Non-Parties When Evaluating Potential Risk in a Product Liability Case, Product Liability Conference, Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, 2015
22Contributor, Product Liability Case Law Update - D.C. Circuit, Defense Research Institute, 2015
23Co-Author, “But We All Agreed to Confidentiality? Preserving Confidentiality of a Settlement Agreement”, Alabama Defense Lawyers Association Journal, 2014
24Co-Author, “Personal Responsibility in Product Liability: Who Is Responsible for What and Why?”, American Journal Of Trial Advocacy, 2014
25Co-Author, “CRASHWORTHINESS BASED PRODUCT LIABILITY AND CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE IN THE USE OF THE PRODUCT: But what is the product, and should contributory negligence in its use be considered?”, Alabama Lawyer, 2012
26Speaker; Electronic Case Management and Discovery: New Challenges for an Ever Increasing Paperless Profession, Alabama Paralegals Association, 2007