Atty. David J. Canupp
Mr. Canupp is a shareholder in the firm and an adjunct professor of employment law at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Profile Summary
About David J. Canupp at a glance
David J. Canupp is a employment, litigation, civil rights, and appellate attorney based in Huntsville, Alabama, practicing at Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne PC. They have 20+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2006. Admitted to practice in Alabama (2006). Educated at Syracuse University (J.D., 2006) and The University of Alabama (B.A., 2003). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Appellate Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Civil Rights Law (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management (2026). Serands clients in Huntsville, AL and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Mr. Canupp is a shareholder in the firm and an adjunct professor of employment law at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Mr. Canupp’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation, with an emphasis on litigation in federal court, both at the trial and appellate levels
- Among other areas of practice, Mr. Canupp frequently is engaged on issues of constitutional law
- voting rights, civil rights, and police liability claims
- and employment litigation
- A former federal law clerk, he has been recognized repeatedly by the Best Lawyers in America, Super-Lawyers.com, Martindale-Hubbell, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association for his accomplishments in the foregoing fields
- Mr. Canupp’s clientele is broad
- He is panel counsel for numerous large insurance carriers
- He has repeatedly represented Fortune 500 companies in disputes ranging from counterfeiting litigation to land-use litigation
- He serves as outside counsel for a number of cities, counties, and other government entities and elected officials across the State of Alabama
- He also represents government contractors, small businesses, and individuals
- Each client captures Mr. Canupp’s attention, and each case presents a new opportunity for him to demonstrate his commitment and passion for vindicating the client’s position in a court of law
- Mr. Canupp is equally comfortable trying cases before a jury and arguing cases on appeal
- At the trial level, Mr. Canupp has recently tried two federal law enforcement liability cases before a jury, and won defense verdicts for law enforcement officers in both
- He has likewise successfully obtained temporary and preliminary injunctive relief for clients on emergency issues in multiple cases
- On the appellate level, he has repeatedly argued cases before the U.S
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court, and has been tapped to serve on an appellate “rapid response team” for certain critical cases designated by a major insurance carrier
- As just one example, Mr. Canupp was retained by an insurance carrier to serve as appellate counsel after an insured had sustained an adverse judgment of nearly $5,000,000 in the trial court
- Mr. Canupp presented oral argument to the Alabama Supreme Court and prevailed, wiping out the entire judgment
- Mr. Canupp recognizes that out-of-court solutions are often in the client’s best interest as well
- Within the past several years, he secured a major settlement of an insurance dispute in favor of his client, a public entity
- Acting on behalf of a high-level government employee who was terminated, he recently secured a settlement of an employment dispute that may be one of the largest in Alabama history
- Outside of the litigation context, Mr. Canupp provides guidance to governments in compliance with the First Amendment and collecting unpaid taxes
- He assists employers in sexual harassment investigations, developing compliant employee handbooks, analyzing the proper classification of employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act
- Finally, Mr. Canupp is frequently retained by both businesses and government agencies to provide guidance in complying with the accessibility requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Mr. Canupp also frequently contributes to Lanier Ford’s Third-Shift Employment Law Blog
Practice Areas Explained
David J. Canupp's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases David J. Canupp handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
David J. Canupp is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Alabama →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
David J. Canupp is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Alabama →
Civil rights attorneys for discrimination, police misconduct, constitutional rights, and civil liberties cases.
David J. Canupp is one of 70,245 civil rights attorneys indexed nationally. Browse civil rights attorneys in Alabama →
Appellate attorneys for civil and criminal appeals at state and federal court.
David J. Canupp is one of 86,319 appellate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse appellate attorneys in Alabama →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Alabama
Practicing law in Alabama. Legal matters in Alabama are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Huntsville are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Alabama state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Alabama brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Alabama courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Alabama attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Huntsville or all attorneys in Alabama.
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