Douglas J. Centeno- Partner
205.278.5623- Direct Dial
205.278.3493- Direct Fax
[email protected]
Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated  **
Martindale- Hubbell Profile
Linkedin:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/douglas-centeno/33/17/5a


Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Construction Litigation; Employment Litigation

Representative Cases:
  • Ex Parte Alabama Mobile Homes, Inc., 468 So.2d 156 (Ala. 1985)- Prejudgment Garnishment Process Was Constitutional
  • American Family Care, Inc. v. Irwin, 571 So.2d 1053 (Ala. 1990)- Constructive Trust Imposed in Shareholder Dispute
  • Wheeler v. Marvin’s Inc., 593 So.2d 61 (Ala. 1991)- Materialman’s Lien Imposed on Unpaid Balance
  • SECOR Bank v. Bailey, 596 So.2d 900 (Ala. 1992)- Bank was Developer’s Agent
  • Carrier Express v. The Home Indemnity Company, 860 F.Supp. 1465 (N.D.Ala. 1994)- Bad Faith Refusal to Settle
  • In re XYZ Options, Inc., 154 F.3d 1262 (11th Cir. 1998)- Fraudulent Transfer Claim Asserted by Trustee
  • Aldridge v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 809 So.2d 785 (Ala. 2001)- Former employees assert Promissory Fraud Claim against Car Manufacturer
  • M&A Electric Company v. Facilities Construction Management, Inc., Judgment for $477,053 in favor of Subcontractor against Construction Manager for Construction Delay Claim (2006)
  • Phoenix Energy Corporation v. Alabama Gas Corporation, Arbitration Award for $756,351 for Breach of Contract (2007)
  • Lindsey v. Deep South Properties, LLC, 29 So. 3d 179 (Ala. 2009)- Arbitration Award upheld on Appeal
  • Owner v. General Contractor,- Owner recovered Jury Award of $303,550 against Home Builder in Construction Defect case (2010)
  • In re American Family Care Inc., ___ So.3d ___ (Ala. Sup. Ct. 03/09/2012)- Writ of Mandamus issued directing trial court to vacate an immoderate stay of proceedings
  • Cornerstone Health Care Services v. HealthSouth Corporation- recovered a judgment against HealthSouth Corporation for more than $500,000 in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama (2013)
  • Munford Enterprises v. The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District- settled subcontractor delay claim for six figure sum based upon unsuitable site conditions and owner interference on two housing projects in Birmingham, Alabama (2014)
  • In re Heatherwood Holdings, LLC, 746 F.3d 1206 (11th Cir. 2014).  Developer who sold lots based upon golf course community is bound to keep a golf course in the development
  • In re Gaddy, 977 F.3d 1051 (11th Cir. 2020).  11 USC Section 523(a) does not provide relief to creditor alleging liability based upon fraudulent transfers.   
Admitted: 1982, Alabama; 1983, Florida; 1982, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama; 1987, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama; 1990, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama. 2021, United States Supreme Court.

Law School: Cumberland School of Law of Samford University, J.D., 1982
  • Phi Delta Phi (Officer, 1980-1982)
  • Chief Justice of Henry Upson Sims Moot Court Board
  • Associate Editor, Cumberland Law Review, 1980-1982
  • C.C. "BO" Torbert Brief Writing Award, 1981
  • Member, Order of the Barrister

College: Florida State University, B.A., 1979
  • Omicron Delta Kappa
  • Garnet & Gold Key Society
  • Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity
  • Phi Gamma Delta Fellowship Award, 1979

Member: Birmingham Bar Association (Grievance Committee – Member, Group Chairman, Committee Chairman) Alabama Bar Association (Co-Chair of State Committee on Rules of Professional Conduct (1995-98); Florida Bar Association (Out of State Practice Committee); American Bar Association (Litigation Section Member; Forum on the Construction Industry); American Subcontractors Association; American Judicature Society (1993-98); Lecturer for Continuing Legal Education programs for Cumberland Law School, ABI-CLE, Birmingham Bar Association and National Business Institute; Super Lawyers (Litigation) 2015 & 2016.

Biography: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Alabama (Big Brother and Member of Advisory Board 1984-87); Birmingham Downtown YMCA (Outstanding Volunteer 1994, Board of Managers 1998-2004); Mountain Brook Sports Corporation (Board Member since 2003, Past-President). Member of Canterbury United Methodist Church. 

Born: New York, N.Y., November 22, 1957

ISLN: 908461682