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Mr. Royer's practice is primarily focused on litigation. He practices primarily in the areas of local governmental liability, civil rights and constitutional litigation, employment, commercial disputes, professional malpractice, and products liability. He frequently serves as a court-appointed mediator in civil litigation for federal and state courts. He also regularly represents clients in general civil and insurance defense litigation.

Mr. Royer has experience with banking clients in commercial litigation, lender liability, and bankruptcy matters. He has also handled real-estate foreclosures for lenders.

Honors and Awards

Selected for inclusion in the The Best Lawyers in America since 2005. Listed in the areas of First Amendment litigation, labor and employment litigation, and municipal litigation.
Named an Alabama Super Lawyer by SuperLawyers.com in 2008 and 2011.
Mr. Royer has also been named a fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation. Only 1 percent of the Alabama bar membership can be elected to the fellows program. The fellows program honors lawyers who have been members of the bar at least 10 years and who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to their profession and to their community.

Bar Admissions

Alabama, 1972

Court Admissions

United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Courts

Northern District of Alabama
Middle District of Alabama
Southern District of Alabama

All Alabama state courts
Tribal Court of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Representative Cases

Cases representative of Mr. Royer's work include—

Vaughn v. Nacco Materials Handling Group, 2011 WL 4010298 (11th Cir. 2011).
Norton Alabama Elec. Co-op. v. New Hope Telephone Co-op., 7 So.3d 342 (Ala. 2008).
Bishop v. Chilton County, 990 So.2d 287 (Ala. 2008).
Payne v. Shelby County Commission, 12 So.3d 71 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008).
Barbee v. Naphcare, Inc., 216 Fed.Appx. 851 (11th Cir. 2007).
Peebles v. Mooresville Town Council, 985 So.2d 388 (Ala. 2007).
Cook v. City of Columbiana, 961 So.2d 835 (Ala. Civ. App. 2007).
Vaughn v. City of Athens, 176 Fed.Appx. 974 (11th Cir. 2006).
Seventh Street, LLC v. Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission, 172 Fed.Appx. 918 (11th Cir. 2006).
Thurmond v. City of Huntsville, 904 So.2d 733 (Ala. 2004).
Ex parte Pelham Tank Lines, 898 So.2d 733 (Ala. 2004).
Pompey v. Lumpkin, 321 F.Supp.2d 1254 (M.D. Ala. 2004).
Ex Parte Blankenship, 893 So.2d 303 (Ala. 2004).
Borders v. City of Huntsville, 875 So.2d 1168 (Ala. 2003).
Telfare v. City of Huntsville, 841 So.2d 1222 (Ala. 2002).
Beck v. City of Haleyville, 127 F.Supp.2d 1197 (N.D. Ala. 2001).
Ward v. Morgan County, 769 So.2d 884 (Ala. 2000).
Lansdell v. American Home Products Corp., 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22540 (N.D. Ala. 1999).
Ex parte Crisona, 743 So.2d 452 (Ala. 1999).
Woods v. Gamel, 132 F.3d 1417 (11th Cir. 1998).
McCool v. Morgan County Commission, 716 So.2d 1201 (Ala. Civ. App. 1997).
Lightfoot v. Floyd, 667 So.2d 56 (Ala. 1995).
Roden v. Wright, 646 So.2d 605 (Ala. 1994).
Boat Shack II, Inc. v. ITT Commercial Finance Corp., 584 So.2d 1354 (Ala. 1991).
Campbell v. Colonial Bank, 583 So.2d 236 (Ala. 1991).

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association
Alabama Bar Association
Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
International Association of Defense Counsel
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
Former Member of Board of Directors

Publications

“U.S. Supreme Court to Consider Whether Plaintiffs' Lawyers Are Entitled to ‘Just a Little Bit More’ for Exceptional Performance in Fee-Shifting Cases,” Government Liability, May 20, 2009 (with David J. Canupp, published by the Defense Research Institute).
“The Tort of Negligent Supervision and Personal Liability,” Alabama Defense Lawyers Association Journal, April 2006 (with Scott W. Faulkner).
“§ 1983 Claims and State Remedy Requirements,” For the Defense, August 2005 (with Scott W. Faulkner).
“Discovery and Claims Alleging Police Misconduct,” For the Defense, June 2003 (with J. Clark Pendergrass).
“State Law Local Governmental Liability: A Primer,” Alabama Lawyer, July 2000.

Continuing Legal Education Courses Conducted

Mr. Royer has presented the following continuing legal education (CLE) seminars:

Liability Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, May 2002.
State Law Limitations on Liability, Immunities, and Limits on Recovery Applicable to Local Governments; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, May 2001.
Capacity to Be Sued: Analysis of Effect Upon Liability, Immunity, and Statutory Cap on Damages; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, May 2000.
Trends in Local Government Law Liability: State Law Issues; Alabama Defense Lawyers Association, October 1999.
State Law Issues in Municipal Law Enforcement Liability; Alabama League of Municipalities, April 1999.
Local Government Employees in an Election Year; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, May 1998.
Legal Issues in Jail Litigation; Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, May 1995.

Education

J.D., 1972, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
B.A., 1969, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Community Involvement

Mr. Royer is a member of the Foundation Board for the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Other Experience

From 1972 to 1978, Mr. Royer served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Alabama.
From 1983 to 1989, he served as an Alabama State Bar commissioner.
He is a former member of the Lawyers Advisory Committee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
He is also a member of the Panel of Neutrals for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama.

Attorneys

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