Attorney
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Phone: 256-543-0400
Fax: 256-543-0488
153 S 9th St
Gadsden, Alabama 35901
Few resumes are as decorated with as many prestigious board appointments, awards and recognitions as that of Gregory S. Cusimano. Known as a leader in his field and accepted as one of the nations’ top attorneys, he is a sought after speaker at conferences across the U.S. where he lectures on trial law, tactics and persuasion. But for those he represents, Greg is known for his kind heart, caring personality and masterful ability to electrify juries, win cases, and bring justice to those he represents. As a client, you are never alone when Greg is on your side.
Born in Gadsden, Alabama, Greg attended Gadsden High School and later received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama. While in undergraduate school, he became a founder and first president of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity at the University and was included in “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. While attending law school at the University of Alabama, he served as president of the student body. Greg was tapped into the Bench and Bar Honor Society and invited to serve on Law Review as a freshman. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1968. In support of his legal career, Greg has served as executive board member, treasurer, vice president, president and past president of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association. In 1995, Cusimano was appointed to the Council of the Alabama Law Institute, an organization that systematically reviews and rewrites statutory laws of Alabama. Greg was also appointed to the American Bar Association’s Advisory Panel. 
Cusimano has served as president of the Etowah County Trial Lawyers Association, the Etowah County Young Lawyers, and the Etowah County Bar Association. He is an active member of the American Bar Association and the Alabama Bar Association.
Mr. Cusimano served as a trial consultant in several high-profile cases across the country resulting in hundreds of million dollar verdicts and one resulting in a 3.68 billion dollar verdict. He is a member of the American Society of Trial Consultants. As a trial consultant, lawyer and author, he has given numerous interviews for national magazines, television, and radio programs. He is a founding principal in Winning Works, LLC, a national consulting firm.
In 1985, 1986, and 1987, Cusimano sat on the President’s Council of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now AAJ and from 1986 through 1988, served as a member of its Board of Governors. In 1995, Cusimano was again elected to the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, (now American Association for Justice –AAJ) and continues to serve. He is one of a few who have been given lifetime membership on its Board of Governors. In 1988, he was appointed by the Alabama Supreme Court to serve on the Committee to rewrite the Alabama Rules of Evidence, and in June of 1997, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Alabama to serve as a member of the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions Committee. In December 1998, the Supreme Court appointed Cusimano to the Standing Committee of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. By invitation, he taught as Practitioner in Residence at the University of Alabama School of Law in the fall of 1992.
Although Greg is known as a lawyer representing the injured, Cusimano has distinguished himself as a trial lawyer in many areas. He defended several members of a failed bank board of directors in a suit filed by the FDIC. It was said at that time, that the defense verdict was the first loss ever suffered by the FDIC in such a suit. He defended and won a capital criminal case, and never lost a case when defending an insurance company. He quit representing any insurance companies decades ago, and wholly devoted his trial experience to representing those injured as a result of others wrongful conduct.
In the 1980’s, Greg represented a wife and mother in a Title VII and invasion of privacy case that involved numerous first impression issues in both the State of Alabama and the 11th Circuit. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the award recognizing in this significant case that sexual harassment should be a protected right under Title VII. The Alabama Supreme Court, in a decision certified to it from the 11th Circuit Court, also made law by recognizing the complained conduct as an actionable invasion of privacy for the first time.
Cusimano and or other members of his firm represented the plaintiffs in the two largest verdicts in the history of Etowah County, Alabama.
Greg is a partner in the law firm Cusimano, Roberts, Mills & Knowlton in Gadsden, Alabama. He is married to the former Alice Nabors of Glencoe. He has three daughters, Virginia Downs, Deborah Arnold, Sarah Cusimano Miles, son-in-law, Randy Arnold, and grandchildren, Megan, Joshua and Savannah Miles, Grayson Cusimano, Gabriel and Martha Claire Downs, Rileigh and Jake Arnold.
Education
J.D., The University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1968
B.S. , University of Alabama, 1965
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
U.S. Federal Court, 1970
U.S. Supreme Court, 1988
Pro Hoc Vice Various other states
Published Works
- Winning Case Preparation Book Press Release
- Coeditor: ATLA’s Litigating Tort Cases, ATLA Press & West; 2003, Six Volumes, updated every year
- Contributing Editor: Roberts-Cusimano Alabama Tort Law Handbook, Michie Company, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1990, and Alabama Tort Law the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Edition.
- Recognizing and Proving Damages of Psychic Injuries, 39 The Alabama Lawyer, 1978
- Recognizing And Proving Damages of Traumatic Neuroses, Mar. 1978, CA
- A Tribute to Trial Lawyers, Association of Trial Lawyers of America Advocate, Vol. 16, No. 9, December, 1990
- Summation: The Last Hurdle, Trial, Vol. 28, No. 9, September, 1992
- A Tribute To Trial Lawyers, Association of Trial Lawyers of America Brief, Vol. 7, No. 1, April, 1991
- Beware of Exploding Plastic Gas Containers, Blog Cusimano, Roberts, Mills & Knowlton Web Page
- A Tribute to Trial Lawyers, The Cumberland Lawyer, Vol. 26, No. 1, Fall, 1991
- Summation: The Last Hurdle, Trial, Vol. 28, No. 9, September, 1992
- Proposed Alabama Rules of Evidence: What’s the Same? What’s Different?, 45 Alabama Law Review 109, 1993
- The Weight of Morals, Mores, and Beliefs in the Courtroom, Trial, June, 2015
- Commanding the Courtroom (DVD)Gregory S. Cusimano & James B. Lees, Jr. AAJ Press/Trial Guides
- Cusimano, G., and Wenner, D. “Combating Juror Bias”, Trial, P 30, June 2000
- Cusimano, G, and Wenner, D “Reframing the Model”, Trial Magazine, March 2008
- Cusimano, G, and Wenner, D “Selecting the right jury” Lawyers USA Today May 2009
- Understanding How and Why Jurors Decide Issues and Using that Information to Your Advantage, Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association
- Combating Juror Bias, Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association
- Numerous articles in Alabama Trial Lawyer Magazine. Regularly published “The National Update”.
Blogs by Gregory Cusimano on firm web page:
- Cusimano, G., The Law of Beliefs, JuryBiasBlog.com 2011
- The Assembly Line of Justice
- Deaf to Danger: How Your Child’s MP3 Player Could Cause Permanent Hearing Damage!
- Arbitration— Another 5 to 4 decision U.S. Supremes
- SCOTUS— Silence is Not Enough to Remain Silent
- Alabama Consumers Beware of Exploding Plastic Gas Containers
- Understanding the difference in Believing and Knowing!
- Plastic Gas Container— Dynamite in a Can?
Representative Cases
- Super Value Stores, Inc. v. Peterson, 506 So.2d 317 (AL 1987)
- Phillips v. Smalley Maintenance Services, Inc., 435 So.2d 705 (AL 1983)
- Hathcock vs. Wood, 815 So.2d. 502 (Ala. 2001)
Classes/Seminars Taught
- Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, University of Alabama School of Law, 1984-1986
- Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, University of Alabama School of Law, 1992
- University of Alabama Law School, 1992 Practitioner in Residence
- Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education, Alabama Bar Institute, 1984-Present
- Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education, Cumberland School of Law, 1986
- Numerous Presentations, Continuing Legal Education, Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1988-Present
- Numerous Presentations, Continuing Legal Education, Trial Tactics Workshop
- Numerous Presentations, Continuing Legal Education, Association of Trial Lawyers of American
- Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 1988
- Lecturer, North Carolina Bar Association
- Lecturer, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Lecturer, Academy of Trial Lawyers of Maryland
- Lecturer, New York Trial Lawyers Association
- Lecturer, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Lecturer, Nebraska Trial Lawyers Association
- Lecturer, Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys
- Lecturer, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Various Conventions and Seminars
- Trial Techniques and Presentation of 45th Annual Belli Seminar, Kansas City, 1988
- Presenter, 46th Belli Seminar, 1989
- Instructional Tapes, Future Damages, Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 1987
- Basic Course, Atlanta, Georgia
- Ultimate Advanced Course, Harvard Law School, 1990
- Ultimate Advanced Course, Hastings Law School, 1991
- Ultimate Advanced Course, Georgetown Law School, 1992
- Ultimate Advanced Course, Harvard Law School, 1993 and 1996, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015
- Designer, with David Wenner First Post-Ultimate College, Charleston, South Carolina then Houston, Texas, Georgia, etc.
- Designer with David Wenner, First Overcoming Jury Bias College, Atlanta, 2001, then San Diego, Phoenix, New Mexico, many more.
- Alabama Judicial College, 1995
- Presenter, Overcoming Juror Bias Seminars and Tapes
- Commanding the Courtroom (series of five video tapes)
- Argument published in “Million Dollar Arguments”200
- 2010 – American Association for Justice National and Mid Winter Conventions each year 2005 –2010 –
- Alabama Association for Justice 2005 – to present
- 2010 Trucking Seminars and Mega Trial Colleges
- Guest Lecturer at Law Schools June 8-12,
- 2005 Mississippi Trial Lawyers Conference
- July 21, 2005 – Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting
- March, 2005 – Alaska TLA
- January, 2005 – ATLA Miami
- December 2004 – NY Trial lawyers Association
- October 27-31, 2004 – ATLA Overcoming Juror Bias College, Santa Fe, NM
- August 13-15, 2004 – Oregon Trial lawyers Association
- 2004 – Georgia Trial lawyers Association, Atlanta
- July 1-8, 2004 – Association of Trial Lawyers of America Annual Convention
- May 26-29, 2004 – Ontario Trial lawyers Association
- April 16-18, 2004 – ATLA Overcoming Juror Bias College, Las Vegas, NV
- March 26-April 3, 2004 – Harvard Ultimate
- February 13-18, 2004 – Association of Trial lawyers of America Winter Convention
- January 29-31, 2004 – Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
- February 2, 2003 – ATLA Winter Convention Maui, Hawaii – “Concept Focus Group – Experience Its Power”
- February 12, 2003 – Overcoming Jury Bias College, Phoenix, Arizona
- April 11, 2003 – Consumer Attorneys of California Convention
- June 5, 2003 – American Society of Trial Consultants Annual Conference, Reno, Nevada
- January, 2017 – Alabama Association for Justice,
- Cusimano Symposium
- February, 2016 – American Association for Justice Winter Convention, Advocacy Track
- June, 2016 – American Association for Justice, Day at the Races Jury Bias Program
- July, 2016 – American Association for Justice Convention
Speaking Engagements
Mr. Cusimano has lectured to Bar Associations and lawyer groups in Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, California, New York, Maryland, Louisiana, New Jersey, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Massachusetts, Kansas, Illinois, Washington D.C., Washington State, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kentucky, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Hawaii, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Hawaii, Vermont, Alaska, Connecticut, Mexico and Canada.
Honors and Awards
- Favorite Law Firm – Readers Choice 2018
- Fellow, Roscoe Pound Foundation
- Outstanding Young Man of the Year, Etowah County, 1971
- Fellow, National College of Advocates (Advocate and Diplomat)
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America, 1993-present
- Included in Professional Techniques Library Million Dollar Argument Series, 1995
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Alabama Bar Foundation
- Recipient of the highest award given by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now AAJ in 2000, the Lifetime Achievement Award
- One of 10 lawyers in the country completing the Advanced Studies in Trial Advocacy Certificate 2010
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- Certified as a Diplomat in Trial Advocacy
- International Academy of Litigators
- Recipient of the Leonard C. Ring Champion of Justice Award from The American Association for Justice
- Gregory S. Cusimano, has been selected as Lawyer of the Year for 2014 by Best Lawyers
- AV Preeminent® Rating, The Highest Possible Rating from Martindale-Hubbell® for both ethical standards and legal ability, maintaining this rating for 35 years
- Alabama Association for Justice established the Gregory S. Cusimano Award in 2013 for emerging leaders
- Walter P. Gewin Award for his outstanding contributions to continuing legal education to Alabama lawyers.
- Sam W. Pipes Distinguished Alumnus Award established by The University of Alabama Law School as an annual award for its outstanding alumnus of the year. Feb. 2013
- Alabama Association for Justice (ALAJ) formally Alabama Trial Lawyers Association (ALAJ) presents The Cusimano Symposium every year in his honor.
- The Over and Above Award, was presented to Greg in 2015 by the American Association for Justice
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association Member
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Member Farrah Law Society, 1988-1990 President
- University of Alabama Law School, 1968 President
- Etowah County Bar Association, 1968-1969 Secretary-Treasurer
- Etowah County Bar Association, 1980-1981 President
- Etowah County Bar Association Member
- Alabama State Bar, State Young Lawyers Section, 1970-1971 Member, Executive Board
- Alabama State Bar, 1973-1974 Member, Executive Committee
- Etowah County Young Lawyers Association, 1973-1974 President
- Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1982-1983 Treasurer
- Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1975-Present Member, State Executive Board
- Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1983-1984 First Vice President
- Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1984-1985 President Elect
- Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1985-1986 President
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now known as the American Association for Justice, Sustaining Member, 1990-1992 Co-Chair
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1986-1988 Member, Board of Governors
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1995-Present Member, Board of Governors
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1998-2000 Executive Committee
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1985-1986 Presidents Council
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1988-1989 National Chair, Litigation Group, Oversight and Liaison Committee
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America Sustaining Member
- National College of Trial Advocacy, 1992-Present Member, Board of Trustees
- National College of Trial Advocacy, 1993-1994 Vice Chair
- National College of Trial Advocacy, 1994-1996 Co-Chair
- National College of Trial Advocacy, 1996-1998 Vice-Chair
- University of Alabama Law School Foundation Member, Executive Committee
- The Alabama Lawyer, 1979-1981 Member, Editorial Advisory Board
- ATLA National College of Trial Advocacy, 1990-Present Faculty
- Alabama Bar Institute C.L.E., 1983-Present Faculty
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1984-Present Faculty
- Alabama Judicial College, 1995 Faculty
- Alabama Supreme Court Member, Pattern Jury Instructions Committee
- Alabama Supreme Court Past Member, Civil Procedure Committee
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2000 Member-Present, President Club
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America Leaders Forum
- National College of Advocacy
- Designated Advocate & Diplomat
Past Employment Positions
- Hawkins Rhea Keener & Cusimano; Keener & Cusimano; Floyd, Keener Cusimano & Roberts; Cusimano, Keener, Roberts, & Kimberley; Cusimano, Keener, Roberts & Raley; Cusimano, Roberts & Knowles; Cusimano, Roberts, Mills & Knowlton
- Special Assistant Attorney General, 1978-Present
Fraternities/Sororities
- Beta Theta Pi
- Phi Alpha Delta
Litigation Percentage
80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
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