Thompson Burton’s New Cyber Security Practice


By Thomas Ritter Here are two words that should scare any business: business interruption. The thought of losing control of your business for a day or a week is enough to keep any executive awake at night. Business interruption is almost a guarantee when a company experiences a data breach or other cybersecurity problem. Every interruption comes with significant mitigation costs, including hiring experts to alleviate problems, lost productivity, the threat of lawsuits and much more. Helping businesses, especially smaller businesses, manage their cybersecurity risks is why I have started a dedicated cybersecurity practice at Thompson Burton. The practice includes three primary services: Understanding the confusing patchwork of regulatory requirements Drafting and reviewing security policies Providing legal counsel when a problem occurs The first two services fall under what I would call “preventative medicine.” For any business in possession of sensitive customer information and data, preparation is instrumental to prevention. […]

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TB Profile: Cathy Speers Johnson


When did you know you wanted to be an attorney? I thought I wanted to be a school teacher. Then, my smart mom, who was a fabulous, dedicated school teacher, said, “Honey, why don’t you go to law school?” So I did.  My mom was discouraged about the pay for teachers for the hard work that they do. In law school, I gravitated toward family law. I have a huge love for children and a desire to protect them. Being a divorce attorney, I do a lot of direct and indirect child advocacy.  I guide my clients to think about how their actions and statements in the midst of their divorce can help or hurt their kids. I have loved my career. In my type of work, much of what I do is counseling people going through very difficult situations. I like being able to help them navigate through the tough […]

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TB Profile: Phillip G. Young, Jr.


When did you know you wanted to be an attorney? I had my first inclination when I was in 8th grade. One of my teachers had to fill some time at the end of the semester and decided to hold a mock trial. She assigned me the role of defense attorney, and I earned an A+ for my work. The teacher pulled me aside afterwards and said I should consider being an attorney. I dismissed it at the time. I had no lawyers in my family and knew nothing about the practice of law.  I became curious about the practice of law during college, so I interned for a judge in my hometown of Montgomery, Ala., one summer. I took it on the chin financially because it was a free internship, but I quickly learned that this was a career path I wanted to pursue. How did you choose bankruptcy […]

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TB Profile: Meet Attorney David P. Cañas


The Thompson Burton team is pleased to announce that David P. Cañas has once again been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America in the practice are of Litigation-Bankruptcy. David has been recognized every year since 2012. We are proud of David and everything he has contributed since joining the firm earlier this year. This gave us a reason to feature David in month’s “TB Profile” blog post so you can learn about David’s practice and his personal interests. When did you know that you wanted to be an attorney? In middle school. That sounds funny, but I always knew that wanted to be involved in public service. I eventually learned that being an attorney fit with the way my brain is wired and how I like to solve problems. Litigation is about gathering facts and solving problems in a way that is best for the client. My commitment to […]

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Steen Selected for Multiple Honors


Thompson Burton PLLC would like to congratulate partner Ronn Steen on his recent accomplishments. Steen was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, as well as Litigation – Bankruptcy.   According to the Best Lawyers® website, over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote. The 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© analyzed 7.3 million votes in order to select leading lawyers in specific practice areas. Since lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers® is considered an outstanding honor.   Steen has also been the recipient of another prestigious honor this year – inclusion in the 2016 Mid-South Super Lawyers list. According to the Super Lawyers website, the selection process uses not only peer nominations and evaluations, […]

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