Work Experience

JOHNSTONE TRIAL LAW LLC I left Wettermark Keith and once again provide client - focused and analysis-driven representation of insurance policyholders and the seriously injured. Since starting Johnstone Trial Law months ago we have already recovered 1.5 million dollars in insurance benefits in underinsured motorist coverage, homeowners insurance benefits, accidental death benefits, health insurance benefits, and cancer policy benefits. I’m very excited to be representing people I love and doing meaningful work.

WETTERMARK KEITH LLC, Birmingham, AL, Lawyer, June 2022 to June 2023: I represented injury victims and policyholders and tried a tornado damage case against State Farm. Unfortunately, the litigation gods were not with me on that one. However, in my year at Wettermark Keith I learned how a successful high volume personal injury firm operates, learned the Litify case management system, and achieved generous settlements for a number of our clients.

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JOHNSTONE CARROLL LLC, Homewood, AL, Member, Oct 2014 - Present · 7 yrs 8 mos: Matt Carroll and I started Johnstone Carroll LLC where we proudly represented business and individuals in cases against insurance companies, in personal injury cases, in consumer cases and in some business litigation. We developed a reputation as a go-to law firm for cases against insurance companies and I have handled life insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, individual disability income insurance, short term health insurance, and business insurance claims. We had a full docket of cases against State Farm, Allstate, and other insurers. In addition, while the pandemic sidelined many lawyers, I tried four cases between 2020 and 2022 including a $220,000 verdict on behalf of a young lady who broke her leg when she fell off a porch in Marshall County.

 THE LAW OFFICES OF F. INGE JOHNSTONE , Owner, Jul 2008 - Sep 2014 · 6 yrs 3 mos: Within a year of opening my firm, I filed my first bad faith case against Allstate. My practice grew to include primarily policyholder cases and personal injury cases, but I also successfully represented a group of firefighters in a FLSA/breach of contract class action against the City of Pelham. My policyholder cases included both cases against insurers for bad faith and cases against brokers for failure to procure insurance.

 THE LAMB FIRM, LLC , Associate, Dec 2006 - Jul 2008 · 1 yr 8 mos: At the Lamb Firm, I traveled the country taking depositions and participating in court hearings. I even helped try a six-week defamation case against the NCAA which resulted in a $5 million verdict. I was fortunate enough to be involved in cases ranging from a class action over the nation’s largest data breach, to mass tort cases like the Bausch & Lomb Renu litigation, to my first homeowner’s insurance fire case. I also saw the Yankees at Yankee stadium, met Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” fame and deposed a Nobel Prize winner.

 BALCH & BINGHAM LLP , Senior Litigation Associate, Jan 2000 - Dec 2006 · 7 yrs: I practiced in the litigation section and represented firm banking and litigation clients in complex and commercial litigation. Here, I learned how to research and draft
briefs, in the words of one mentor “more like Hemingway and less like Faulkner.” I also spent nearly a year managing litigation for a large healthcare client and overseeing over seventy lawsuits. In addition, I tried cases across the state in state and federal courts and took on criminal appointments to gain more court experience. At Balch, I gained my first exposure to insurance coverage work.

JOHNSTONE, ADAMS, BAILEY, GORDON & HARRIS, LLC - August 1998 to December 1999: I began practicing at Johnstone Adams doing general civil litigation, including admiralty and maritime work. I gained my first real life exposure to Jones Act cases here.