Andrew Rutens’ practice areas are employment and labor law, government entity liability, law enforcement excessive force defense and general defense litigation.
Andy graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Economics and Political Science and from Samford University, Cumberland School of Law in 1992. He was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1992 and the Florida Bar in 1994.
In addition to practicing in all state courts of Alabama and Florida, Andy is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
Andy is the City Attorney for Saraland, Alabama, and is the Co-Chair of the Alabama State Bar Litigation Committee. He is also the Immediate Past President of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. He is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and the Defense Research Institute. Andy has also been included in America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators.
On a personal level, Andy served as the Chief Volunteer Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of South Alabama for 2015 to 2018, is a former President and board member of the Playhouse in the Park. Andy is a choir member and soloist at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
Andy has taught multiple continuing legal education seminars on variety of topics including effective trial tactics, issues of police liability, land use, planning and zoning concerns. This includes serving as panel moderator for a presentation on Trial Tips at the 2021 Alabama State Bar annual meeting. He has also presented seminars for the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association including “A Comparison of Alabama and Tennessee Law and Public Entity and Public Employer Immunity.” He has had articles published in the Alabama Defense Lawyers Journal magazine and his jury verdicts and appellate success have been recognized in the ADLA journal.
