Biography
Tabor Novak is a senior partner in the Healthcare and Medical Liability Practice Group and has been handling and trying medical negligence and complex litigation for over 40 years.
While he has been primarily involved in the defense of medical professionals and institutions for many years, he has handled a wide range of other cases including defending Alabama’s Governor, Finance Director, Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Congressmen; the City of Montgomery and its Police Chief; as well as numerous Alabama state agencies and boards. Tabor has defended complex commercial litigation, class actions, mass tort, environmental, product liability, and professional liability cases, and numerous other complex legal matters, and he has tried over 175 cases to jury verdict in state and federal courts. In addition to his trial work, he has maintained active appellate and business practices.
Tabor has been honored as a “Super Lawyer” in the state of Alabama from 2008 to 2022 and has been selected as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Alabama on several occasions. He has also been a Mid-South Super Lawyer since the honor was instituted. From 2012 to 2022, Chambers USA ranked him among the top litigators in Alabama in the fields of General Commercial Litigation and Medical Malpractice Defense. He is also currently ranked as a Band One lawyer in Medical Malpractice Defense Litigation and a Band two Lawyer in General Commercial Litigation by Chambers USA. Tabor was also honored as one of the Outstanding Lawyers of America and has been recognized by Best Lawyers of America. He is also a long-time AV-rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and is widely recognized as one of the top litigators in the state of Alabama.
He has been a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1994, a member of the Alabama Law Foundation, a former member of the Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, and a member of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association.
Tabor is a graduate of Washington & Lee University and its law school. His practice has progressed from the utilization of courtroom blackboards and colored chalk to computer graphics and high-tech trial techniques, all of which have served effective purposes in his courtroom activities.
On the shelves in his office, along with pictures of his wife, children, and grandchildren, a client will find considerable baseball memorabilia linked to the 10 years of former active ownership of an Alabama minor league baseball franchise, which he and a small group purchased and moved from Montgomery to Birmingham, where it now flourishes as the Birmingham Barons. He loves to spend time with his family and friends and has always found ways to enjoy life away from the office.
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NewsMay 2013 – Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak Attorneys Selected for 2013 Alabama Super Lawyers
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Notable Cases2017 – Alabama Supreme Court affirms trial court’s order granting defendant homeowners carrier’s motion for summary judgment wherein plaintiff asserted claims of breach of contract and bad faith. (Alabama Supreme Court Case No: 1131074) 2017 – Following a week long trial, obtained a verdict in favor of the defendant insurer, with a finding that the insurance policy at issue did not provide coverage for the claims asserted by the plaintiff. (Lee County) 2017 – Summary Judgment in favor of insurer as to bad faith claims asserted by the plaintiff/insured. (Autauga County) 2016 – Successfully defended insurance company in connection with breach of contract and bad faith claims. Following a trial of the matter, the jury returned a verdict below the amount offered by the insurer before trial. (Geneva County) 2015 – Successfully defended insurance company in trial concerning payment of insurance benefits, with verdict returned being less than amount offered before trial. (Dale County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurance carrier as to the breach of contract claims asserted against carrier by 130 individual plaintiffs. (Calhoun County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning the plaintiffs’ claims of breach of contract, fraud and bad faith. (Tuscaloosa County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of timber dealer and against plaintiff, who suffered serious injuries resulting in over $500,000 in medical bills. (Calhoun County) 2015 – Successfully defended class action claim made against homeowners insurer. Following the class certification hearing, the trial court entered an order denying the plaintiff’s motion for class certification. (Chambers County) 2014 – Prevailed on appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court concerning the trial court’s ruling against homeowners insurer. Alabama Supreme Court held that trial erred in ruling against insurer and reversed the judgment of the trial court. (Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company v. Adair, 181 So. 3d 1033) 2014 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning the insured’s claims of bad faith. (Northern District of Alabama) 2014 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer as to the plaintiffs’ claims of bad faith. Christian v. Country Mutual Insurance Company, 2014 WL 2434294 (N.D. Ala. 2014) 2013 – Successfully defended homeowners insurer in connection with Plaintiffs’ claims of fraud, conversion and breach of contract. Following jury trial, case settled while case was on appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court. (Marion County) 2013 – Defendant’s verdict at the conclusion of jury trial wherein the plaintiff alleged personal injuries caused by the defendant. (Montgomery County) 2013 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer as to plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith. (Chambers County) 2013 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Clay County) 2013 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Escambia County) 2012 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer with respect to plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Marion County) 2010 – Successfully defended homeowners insurer against plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith. After week long jury trial, jury returned a verdict in the amount of $46,000. Plaintiff asked the jury to return a verdict in the amount of $2 million. (Bibb County) 2009 – Alabama Supreme Court affirms trial court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of insurer as to plaintiff’s underinsured motorists claims. (Kendall v. USAA, 23 So. 3d 1119)
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Other Reported DecisionsHarris v. Preskitt, 911 So. 2d 8 (Ala. Civ. App. 2005) – Trial court’s order enforcing settlement affirmed on appeal. Burt v. Shield Insurance Company, 902 So. 2d 692 (Ala. Civ. App. 2004) – Summary judgment in favor of defendant insurer affirmed on appeal. Rosen v. Montgomery Surgical Center, 825 So. 2d 735 (Ala. 2001) – Order dismissing plaintiff’s claims affirmed by Alabama Supreme Court.
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Attorney Testimonials"I have worked on a case in opposition to Mr. Brittain. He is a very professional and competent attorney." "Evans is an excellent attorney and well respected member of our local bar." "I have worked up 3-4 cases against Evans and he has always been the consummate professional..." "Evans is a fine lawyer and works hard for his clients."
