Cavender C. (Chris) Kimble
Commercial · Healthcare · Insurance Arbitrator
American Arbitration Association | American Health Law Association
Professional Biography
Chris Kimble is a commercial arbitrator with nearly four decades of experience representing businesses, insurers, healthcare organizations, employee benefit plans, and other institutional clients in complex commercial litigation. Before becoming an independent arbitrator, he was a partner with Balch & Bingham LLP for more than thirty-six years, where he developed a national reputation in healthcare, insurance, ERISA, antitrust, and complex business disputes.
During his legal career, Mr. Kimble served as lead trial counsel in more than 900 matters. His work resulted in over 265 reported judicial decisions, including approximately 50 appellate decisions in state and federal courts. His practice included class actions, business torts, insurance coverage, fiduciary litigation, healthcare reimbursement, regulatory disputes, and matters involving sophisticated statutory and contractual issues.
Recognizing that parties increasingly seek efficient, thoughtful, and practical dispute resolution, Mr. Kimble transitioned his practice to serving as a neutral. He is an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association's Commercial, Healthcare, Regular, and Consumer Panels and serves as an arbitrator with the American Health Law Association Dispute Resolution Service. In 2026 he was appointed to the AHLA Dispute Resolution Service Review Board after eight years on its Dispute Resolution Council.
Clients and peers have consistently recognized Mr. Kimble for professional excellence. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® continuously since 2007 in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law, and Insurance Law, and has been named Best Lawyers® “Birmingham Lawyer of the Year” four times. He has also been ranked by Chambers USA for Commercial Litigation in Alabama and selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers each year since 2008.
Mr. Kimble's background is unusual in that he combines substantial courtroom experience with executive leadership. At Balch & Bingham, he co-founded and led the firm's multidisciplinary Health Law Practice Group, assembling lawyers from litigation, corporate, tax, regulatory, and government relations practices to serve healthcare clients. His leadership responsibilities included strategic planning, staffing, budgeting, and management of one of the firm's signature practice groups.
In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Kimble has long been active in professional leadership. He is a Past President of the Alabama State Bar Health Law Section, served as Vice Chair of the American Health Law Association's Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group, and is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel. He has authored numerous publications and lectured nationally on healthcare law, compliance, HIPAA, False Claims Act issues, reimbursement, and risk management.
As an arbitrator, Mr. Kimble emphasizes careful preparation, efficient case management, professionalism, and civility. He believes parties are best served by prompt scheduling, proportional discovery, well-prepared hearings, and clear, well-reasoned awards. His objective is to provide every party with a full and fair opportunity to be heard while resolving disputes efficiently and with respect for the parties' time and resources.
Before entering the practice of law, Mr. Kimble earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and served as a Nurse Manager responsible for operating room, intensive care unit, and emergency department operations. That practical healthcare experience provides valuable perspective in disputes involving hospitals, physicians, insurers, and healthcare organizations.
Mr. Kimble earned his J.D. from The University of Alabama School of Law, where he received Best Oral Advocate honors and competed on both trial advocacy and moot court teams. He has been admitted to practice in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas.
Representative Areas of Experience
- Commercial contracts and business disputes
- Healthcare reimbursement and provider-payor litigation
- Insurance coverage and bad-faith claims
- ERISA and employee benefits
- Antitrust and class actions
- Healthcare regulatory matters
- Professional liability and fiduciary disputes