Birmingham Bar Association Bulletin Summer 2023

Message from the Executive Director

Summer has arrived and I hope you have plans to slow down and spend time with family and friends taking advantage of all of the great activities offered in Birmingham and throughout Alabama.

In your downtime, you will want to read all of the special features of this issue of the Bulletin magazine:

► Past BBA President Alan Rogers talks about his son, Paul, who won an Oscar award for his editing of the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

► André Toffel shares the history of the Lawyers Softball League that has been active since the 1970s and encourages anyone interested in having a great time to join the fun.

► Get to know our 10 section leaders and be sure you don’t miss out on all that our sections have to offer this year.

► President Marcus Maples provides an update on the Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow initiative and other BBA news.

► Read about several attorneys and their children who followed in their footsteps.

As always, this issue of the Bulletin features our members and demonstrates how much we appreciate you. You make the Birmingham Bar Association excellent!

See you soon!

Jennifer B. Bates Executive Director

Published for the Birmingham Bar Association by Starnes Media

2023 Officers

of the BBA

Marcus M. Maples, President

Sharon D. Stuart, President-Elect

Ashley R. Peinhardt, Secretary/Treasurer

Allison O. Skinner, Immediate Past President

Jennifer B. Bates, Executive Director

2023 BBA Executive Committee

Robert E. Battle

Rebecca A. Beers

Anna M. Carroll

Pooja Chawla

A. David Fawal

Susan N. Han

Tina Lam

Virginia E. Miller

Ryan P. Robichaux

Janine L. Smith

Tripp Watson

Judge John E. Ott, ADR Section

Andrew J. Shaver, Bankruptcy/Commercial Law Section

Katie M. Kimbrell, Business Law Section

Ashley M. Ogles, Criminal Justice Section

Robin B. Mark, Federal Practice Section

C. Burton Dunn Jr., Probate Section

Leslie W. Rubio, Solo/Small Firm Section

Sylvion S. Moss, Women Lawyers Section

William Hassinger, Workers Compensation Section

Stanley Blackmon, Young Lawyers Section

Christopher Burrell, Magic City Bar Association

Sigfredo Rubio, ASB Commissioner

Birmingham Bar Association

2001 Park Place North, Suite 430 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-251-8006 birminghambar.org jbuettner@birminghambar.org

To advertise in the Bulletin, contact Dan Starnes at dan@starnesmedia.com.

For information about this publication and/or advertising rates, call 205-313-1780. Starnes Media produces six monthly newspapers in the Birmingham metro area: 280 Living, Cahaba Sun (Trussville), Homewood Star, Hoover Sun, Vestavia Voice and Village Living (Mountain Brook). Starnes Media also produces chamber membership directories, quality-of-life magazines and business marketing materials. Starnes Media. All rights reserved.

The Extended BBA family: BBA, Legal Aid Society and Volunteer Lawyers (not pictured, BBF).

In This Issue

08 President’s Message

20 BBA Programs and Events

See some highlights from the programs and events the BBA has had so far this year

22 Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow Preparing students for a future in the legal field

24 Sustaining Members

32 Volunteer Lawyers Show What a Difference Legal Help Can Make for Low-income Tenants

34 BBA Members are Actively Volunteering in the Community

12 Family Ties Keep Our Profession Strong Meet some of our father-daughter and father-son attorney duos

16 BBA Sections Learn about the BBA’s sections and meet the section chairs

18 Alan and Paul Rogers

We are grateful to all of our sustaining members

26 MCBA: 2023 Achievements Reflecting on the Magic City Bar Association’s signature events

28 11th Annual Fellows Dinner

Thank you to these BBA members who have volunteered their time and talents to make our community even better

36 Let’s Play Ball!

Former BBA President Alan Rogers is the proud father of his Academy Award winning son, Paul

The Birmingham Bar Foundation honors the Fellows and Life Fellows Classes of 2023

Learn about the Lawyers Softball League . . . and join the fun

38 Attorneys in the News

the cover: Parker High School. Photo by Erin Nelson.

From the President

I returned to the U.S. with a profound appreciation of history and its impact on today’s society. That experience made me even more committed to finding pathways to create change — not just for my children but for all children now and for generations to come.

Our country is the land of opportunity, but not everyone has the same access to those opportunities. That reality is one of the foundational elements of the Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow initiative. There are so many talented students in our community who would make great lawyers, but who have no idea what steps are necessary to start down that path. Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow is designed to eliminate the barriers to becoming a lawyer by introducing students to the legal system through a mock trial program.

In short, we are establishing a lawyer-led mock trial program in every Birmingham City High School. To accomplish this goal, we are pairing one Birmingham law firm with each of the seven city schools to form a mock trial team and prepare that team to compete in the city-wide mock trial competition. The seven law firms that are leading teams are:

► Bradley

► Baker Donelson

► Barze Taylor Noles Lowther

► Christian Small

► Cory Watson

► Heninger Garrison Davis

► Lightfoot Franklin & White

Thank you to these firms for their leadership and great work. All of them have met with their teams and begun the work of teaching trial skills. Over the summer, they will continue to provide instruction and oversight to their teams to motivate them and keep them engaged.

This fall, law firms will visit the schools on a weekly basis to provide instruction on the elements of an effective trial presentation. After seven weeks of instruction, the students will begin to prepare for the city-wide trial competition that will be held on Oct. 19 at the Jefferson County Courthouse. During the competition, students will participate in two rounds of competition followed by a final round to select the first-place team. This event will be a great opportunity for students to showcase their talents to the community.

The long-term goal of Students Today |

Lawyers Tomorrow is to enable these students to envision themselves as attorneys and understand the path to achieve that vision. Soon, there will be a mechanism for funding scholarships to the schools in Alabama that offer mock trial programs as a way to keep these students interested in and on the path to becoming lawyers.

I am excited that our Bar is creating pathways for Birmingham City School students to gain access to law degrees. Thank you for joining me in this very important program.

Implementing Students Today | Lawyers

This time last year, I was in Italy for 6 weeks, traveling with my family as well as working and meeting with clients and colleagues. It truly was the opportunity of a lifetime, and my family and I are grateful to have had that experience.

Marcus with Deborah Enix-Ross, President of the ABA.

Tomorrow is my top priority, but I am continually mindful of the mission of the Birmingham Bar Association and ensuring that my Presidency furthers our mission:

The Birmingham Bar Association supports our members in their practices, promotes justice, and encourages public service. We do so by furthering the legal education of our members and the public, facilitating access to justice, providing opportunities for public service, and encouraging camaraderie, integrity and a spirit of respect and goodwill among members.

I want to be sure that all BBA members feel they are a part of that mission and have opportunities to participate in a wide variety of events and programs. As I hope you have seen by now, we will continue to do all of the well-loved programs and events that we have always done. But I also want to be sure that our Bar reaches those members who have not always been the focus.

This year, the Birmingham Bar is bringing you the following opportunities to be sure we offer programs and events that are valuable for each of our members:

► Annual Picnic: Thank you to the Entertainment Committee, led by Nick Callahan, for handling all of the details of this blow-out beginning of summer party. I hope to see all of our members at this event!

► Law Day: We celebrated this year’s Law Day theme, “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration” with a lunch CLE presented by The Morgan Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching civics and social justice through the Civil Rights history of our city. We enjoyed lunch at the beautiful Florentine and an evening social at Continental Drift. Thank you to Judge Chuck Price and Price Evans for serving as our Law Day Chairs.

► Get to Know Birmingham Series: Throughout the year, we are coordinating events that allow our members to get to know more about the great organizations in Birmingham, including Innovation Depot, The Switch, Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Art at UAB, The Women’s Foundation of Alabama, The Morgan Project, Birmingham Aids Outreach, and many others. Please be sure to attend these events and get to know about all that our city has to offer.

► Coffee with the Judges: This tradition continues to grow in popularity, and we appreciate the attendees, sponsors and Judges that have been involved in these high-energy events so far this year:

● January: the Young Lawyers Section of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association and the BBA Workers’ Compensation Section sponsored Coffee with the Judges in Presiding Judge Elisabeth

French’s courtroom

● February: hosted by the Domestic Relations Court, this event was sponsored by Veritext and America’s First Credit Union

● April: the Judges of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District hosted us for Coffee with the Judges in the Vance Federal Building

● May: Baker Donelson, Phelps Dunbar, and Schreiber Dispute Resolution provided sponsorships for this event as we returned to Judge French’s courtroom.

Left: Judge Patricia Stephens, Marcus Maples and Ed Berry. Above: Marcus and Tonya Mines at February’s Coffee with the Judges. Below: Marcus and Sharon Stuart at January’s Coffee with the Judges.

► 50-year Member Luncheon: Celebrating the lawyers who have been members of the Birmingham Bar Association for 50 years or more was a very special privilege for me. I am grateful for the path they have created for attorneys in Birmingham and for the high standards of professionalism they have established for our legal community.

► Veteran and Active Duty Members event: Every year for the past five years, we have honored and recognized these members, and the event is always well attended. We look forward to celebrating our many military members again this Fall.

► In-House/Corporate Member Program: I am pleased that our Bar always features special programming and networking opportunities for our members who work in a corporate setting. One of our events for the year is coming up soon and I am looking forward to getting together with these members over breakfast and a CLE program.

► CLes: We offer so many online and live CLE programs each year that you have the opportunity to earn more than 12 credits each year, and most of them are free.

► Sections: Our Sections are the heart of the Birmingham Bar Association and they are so diverse that every member can find an interest in one or more of the Sections. Pages 16-17 of this issue highlight the work of our Sections.

► Wellness Programs: This year, we have a heightened focus on Wellness and have offered CLE programs focused on this topic and have plans for more such

programs. Also, I hope you have seen our monthly wellness messages from committee chair, Lynn Hogewood.

► Committees: If you are not already signed up for a committee, it is not too late to join one. Our many committees do great work for our members, planning educational programs and networking events that appeal to a wide range of interests. Our many committees offer countless opportunities for leadership positions as well as opportunities to make a significant

contribution to our legal community.

With summer upon us, I want to encourage you to take time for yourself, time to recharge and renew. As the BBA’s Health & Wellness Committee recommends in its monthly messages to the Bar, you have to take good care of yourself (mentally and physically) in order to do a good job of taking care of others, including your clients.

Thank you being a member of the Birmingham Bar Association. I look forward to seeing you often this year.

Andrew Nix, Marcus and Allison Skinner at the 50-year member luncheon.

Mickey Turner, Marcus, Heather Fann and the late Judge Anne Durward.

Marcus and Judge Chuck Price.

Family Ties Keep Our Profession Strong

Our Bar is blessed with so many attorneys who are related to one another: spouses, siblings, parents/children, cousins, aunts/uncles, grandparents, and more. Reading about these father-daughter and father-son attorney relationships will make you proud of our Bar.

Jennifer Townsend and Tyrone Townsend

Q. What was the motivation for each of you to become a lawyer?

Tyrone: Law is a second career for both of us. I started in the communications space. I was burnt out and decided to make a change, so I enrolled in law school.

Jennifer: My dad told me I should be a lawyer for a while, but I decided to become a social worker instead. Right before I finished grad school, I got a fortune cookie that said, “You would make a good lawyer.” After grad school I ended up working as a social worker at the public defender’s office. I left the public defender’s office to go to law school. If I had just listened to my dad, I’d have had a little less student loan debt.

Q. Why do you enjoy being a lawyer?

Tyrone: We both like to problem solve.

Jennifer: I think I was able to transition careers easily because social work is essentially creative problem solving and lawyering is problem solving within the bounds of statutes and case law.

Q. What do you like to do together when you are not working?

Tyrone and Jennifer: We like to compete to see who the better chef is.

Q. What is a legal-based movie that you like to watch together and/or what legal-based podcast do you both like?

Tyrone: Both of us are criminal defense minded. Jennifer loves true crime podcasts like “Undisclosed” and relays the stories to me.

Jennifer: If we want to watch something based on real life then we’d say “Innocence Files” on Netflix. For a legal thriller it would have to be “Lincoln Lawyer” or “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Jim Gillis and Halley Harris

Q. What was the motivation for each of you to become a lawyer?

Jim: I was a Philosophy major in college and also the Student Advocate for the SBA while in college, so practicing law sort of fit right in with my natural argumentative nature.

Halley: My first motivation for becoming an attorney was, of course, my father. Growing up my father would take me to his office or Court and I loved watching him in action. I always thought he was so smart and I wanted to be just like him. Another motivation later in life was the joy I got as a paralegal working at a large personal injury firm. I really enjoyed feeling like I was making a difference and helping people who were severely injured on the job or in accidents.

Q. Why do you enjoy being a lawyer?

Jim: I like helping others, and being a solo practitioner gives me the freedom to decide who I want to represent and how that representation will be handled.

Halley: To this day, I enjoy being a lawyer for the same reasons that motivated me to become a lawyer. I enjoy being an attorney because it allows me to spend a lot of time with family, quite literally. Being a solo practitioner not only allows me to control my hectic schedule that being a mom of two small kids requires, but it has allowed me to work and grow very close to my father. Everyone tells me how blessed I am to have my father as my mentor, and I don’t disagree one bit.

Q. What do you like to do together when you are not working?

Jim and Halley: When we’re not working, we enjoy spending time with our extended family vacationing at the family house at Lake Martin or going to the beach. We also enjoy going to concerts and out to eat.

Q. What is a legal-based movie that you like to watch together?

Jim and Halley: Our absolute favorite legal based movie to watch together is “My Cousin Vinny.” We laugh through the entire movie. It is completely our style of comedy.

Q. What was the motivation for each of you to become a lawyer?

Jack: I identified the goals that were most important to me. I wanted to have a meaningful purpose to my work in helping people and my community. I also required that my career be intellectually challenging, exciting, enjoyable and that it afford me the independence to choose where I wished to live to raise a family and build my life. After careful consideration, I determined that becoming a lawyer was the perfect intersection of my goals. Little did I know that it would turn out to be that and much, much more.

Jackson: Growing up around the profession, I had the opportunity to observe first-hand the impact that being a lawyer can have on your clients, community, and family. I recognized at an early age that being a lawyer was a challenging and rewarding profession and one that affords the opportunity to help others in a meaningful way. Many of the adults I admired throughout my life were lawyers and I am glad that I aspired to follow in their footsteps.

Q. Why do you enjoy being a lawyer?

Jack: I enjoy the interesting people, variety of the work, intellectual stimulation, and striving to achieve the goals of my clients in a competitive setting. Although maybe not always fun, managing my practice, developing and retaining clients, and creating strategies which allow me to best serve them is rewarding. For me, active participation in the Birmingham and Alabama Bars adds a satisfying element to being an attorney. It is gratifying not only to assist with the business of the Bar, but it allows me to meet lawyers from all around the city and state who I would likely not ever have met in the course of my law practice.

Jackson: First and foremost, I enjoy being able to help people. Often, when people need a lawyer, they are going through one of the most stressful times in their life. I am proud to provide them with a source of comfort and confidence during those times. I also enjoy the endless opportunities to learn about things I otherwise would never be exposed to. My practice is fairly diverse and I have represented a wide range of clients involved in countless different industries and businesses. Being able to sit down with them and learn as much as possible about their particular specialty is fascinating to me (most of the time). The constant mental stimulation is something I enjoy — for the most part, every day is something new.

Q. What do you like to do together when you are not working?

Jack: We enjoy spending time with our family, and we spend time at our farm. We also enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting, skeet, trap, and sporting clays, as well as watching University of Alabama sports.

Jackson: We always enjoy hunting and working at our farm or generally being outdoors together. In recent years, those opportunities have become less frequent, though we still enjoy doing them when we have the chance. Now, spending time together as a family and enjoying being with our children/grandchildren is always fun.

Q. What is a legal-based movie that you like to watch together?

Jack: So many movies, so little space — “Witness for the Prosecution,” “Inherit the Wind,” “Young Mr. Lincoln,” “12 Angry Men,” “The Firm,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Rainmaker,” “The Client,” “The Verdict,” “A Civil Action,” “My Cousin Vinny” (lots of practical wisdom on practicing law in Alabama if you look beyond the laughs), and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Jackson: I can’t ever answer this question without mentioning “My Cousin Vinny.” That movie has been a staple in our family for years, though there are countless others. Top of mind are: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “12 Angry Men,” “A Civil Action,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Rainmaker,” “The Firm,” and just about any other John Grisham novel. Dad tried to make us watch “Inherit the Wind” as kids, but I don’t think any of us made it five minutes into the movie before we fell asleep. I still can’t get on board with that one!

Jack Neal and Jackson Neal

The BBA’s Sections

provide numerous benefits for members

Specialty Courts and provides tips for representing clients with mental health and immigration issues.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

In 2023, the Section will develop a stronger identity and purpose for itself to ensure that it continues to provide value and benefits not only for Section members but also for all BBA members. In addition, the Section will present programs and events relevant to anyone interested in alternative dispute resolution topics.

BUSINESS LAW

The Section is reinvigorated and has an active year planned, including a summer social and a CLE. In addition, the Section will support the Southeast Business Law Institute.

FEDERAL PRACTICE

This year, the Section will host a family friendly social event at a Baron’s game and, in partnership with other BBA Committees and the Federal Court, will provide CLE opportunities for all BBA members.

and friends. In early December, the Section will host its annual full-day CLE (open to all BBA members) featuring practice tips, judicial and case law updates, and an ethics component.

BANKRUPTCY AND COMMERCIAL LAW

The Section will host its annual half-day CLE and social in August and its annual holiday party in December.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

This summer, the Section will host a social for Section members, interns, and law clerks to network and socialize. The Section is also planning an ethics CLE for late summer. In November, the Section will host the very popular “Appointed Counsel CLE” that is required for attorneys who wish to serve as appointed counsel in Jefferson County. This CLE includes the basic structure of the District, Circuit, Municipal, and

PROBATE

The Section will celebrate the Day of the Dead with a social in early November where Section members pay respects to the departed upon whom much of their practices are derived and enjoy traditional Mexican fare in fellowship with colleagues

SOLO/SMALL FIRM

The Section’s eagerly anticipated Annual Solo Small Firm Cornhole Tournament was held in May at Ghost Train Brewing and was a great success, thanks to all of the participating teams as well as the Rubio Law Firm, P.C., and the Ritchey Firm, PLLC, who sponsored the event. Another hallmark of the Section is that it presents 12 free CLEs each year, all of which feature a special lunch. Topics range from the always popular 11th Circuit Update by Judge John Ott to Preventing Burnout by Karen McClure and Employee Benefit Claims by Tom Sinclair.

WOMEN LAWYERS

The Section’s focus this year is on inviting, including, and inspiring women lawyers in several ways. One such way is to provide collaborative programs and CLEs with other sections such as the Solo/Small Firm Section and other organizations such as the Magic City Bar Association. Also, there is a strong focus on

Judge John Ott, A.D.R. Chair

Katie Kimbrell, Business Law Chair

Burton Dunn, Probate Chair

Ashley Ogles, Criminal Justice Chair

Andrew Shaver, B.C.L. Chair

Robin Mark, Federal Practice Chair

Leslie Rubio, Solo/Small Firm Chair

mentoring, sponsorship, and recognizing women lawyers and law students through social media, award nominations, publications and events. The Section is proud to provide numerous opportunities for leadership development and civic engagement.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Section kicked off the year by sponsoring Coffee with the Judges in January, where BBA members

re-engaged after the holiday break and enjoyed breakfast with fellow attorneys and Judges. Throughout the year, the Section plans to host CLEs and a social for its members.

YOUNG LAWYERS

The Section will host its annual Charity Trivia Competition this fall. This event is the Section’s primary fundraiser to support charitable organizations in the Birmingham community. Over the past several years, the YLS has recently been

able to fund Restoration Academy’s varsity basketball team, build a bus stop for the Fire House Shelter, purchase Special Equestrian’s new horse trailer, fund Birmingham Police Department’s domestic violence training, and partner with Better Basics to support its Community-Wide Read Aloud program. The Section’s annual Golf Tournament and Scramble in June is a great event for young lawyers to get away from the office and meet each other on the course.

Join a Section and connect in your practice area. Sections offer free CLE programs, social events, and more. Many engage in public service and charitable fundraising. Join as many Sections as you’d like. Learn from others, improve your skills, gain leadership experience, and connect with colleagues.

To join a Section, simply log-in to your profile at birmingham bar.org, and select the “Join one or more Sections” link.

Sylvion Moss, Women Lawyers Chair

William Hassinger, Workers’ Compensation Chair

Stanley Blackmon, Young Lawyer Chair

Past President Alan Rogers and his Academy Award-winning son, Paul

Alan Rogers, President of the BBA in 2018, is the proud father of his Academy Award-winning son, Paul, who won the Oscar for Best Film Editing for his work on “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” It was an honor to talk with Alan about this exciting experience and his overwhelming pride in his son.

Please tell us about how Paul broke the news to you that he had been nominated for an Oscar.

Paul texted and called to let us know. Actually, he was nominated for numerous awards for his editing work in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award (known as the BAFTA), the Critic’s Choice Award in Los Angeles and the so-called “Eddie,” an award given in Los Angeles by the American Cinema Editors organization.

Paul won each of these awards for his editing. He flew to London and gave a wonderful acceptance speech at the BAFTA.

Other Oscar nominees were editors on movies like Top Gun, Elvis, and other big screen pictures. Paul admires all of the other film editor nominees and he was not expecting to win.

What was your reaction to the news and how did you feel when he told you about this honor?

We were proud. We told Paul we were proud. Our extended family meant Paul had a support squad here in Alabama and in Pasadena, where he and his wife, Becky, live with their two children.

What was the experience like to travel to the awards with your son?

Oscar nominees are allowed only one guest at the Dolby Theatre, where the

ceremony is held. Paul took Becky. Susan and I helped keep the grandchildren at a rental house in Pasadena that had a small pool in the back. Paul’s older sister Taylor and her husband, Jim, brought their two children. Paul’s sister Chancellor and her fiancé, Sam, were there. Paul’s mom, Melissa, and her husband, David, were with us. Melissa actually scored a last minute ticket to the ceremony and sat in the balcony. We had a grandkid fest around the pool and watched the Oscars on television. We yelled and jumped around when Paul won, which scared the grandkids.

We got to spend the day after the Oscar ceremony with Paul, director Daniel Scheinert, his partner Stephanie, and Daniel’s mom from Alabama We have known Daniel and Steph for a while, so it was great fun. Paul brought his Oscar. It’s really heavy.

What other awards has Paul won?

He won something like 37 awards from different film groups, including the South by Southwest Film Festival best editor award given to Paul in Austin, Texas.

Alan and his son Paul.

Have you seen “Everything Everywhere All at Once”?

Yes, we’ve seen the movie more than once. Fast paced, quirky, not your typical Oscarmovie. The two directors wrote the movie from scratch. It is not a book-based, adapted screenplay. They wrote it out of their back pockets and acted it out for Paul in his garage one day. Paul was moved. They asked him to be the editor. Paul worked with them through the shoots and after. The team, including Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Tsu, Ke Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Paul, the Daniels and others who have a lot of respect for one another.

What did you think about the film?

There is a lot to digest in the movie, including some wacky stuff. It challenges the viewer. I like that.

What does Paul’s creative process entail?

Paul and his three partners have a company called Parallax. They are a

“post-production” company. They take a story in a movie or a video, together with the footage (many scenes are shot more than once so that the editors can add and remove parts of the scenes and offer alternative

cuts) and turn it all into the visual story and soundtrack that the directors are seeking.

Please talk about your other children and your thoughts on fatherhood.

We build stages for our children. They write the scripts. They are creative. They know they are loved. I stay out of their way, unless they are on a wrong path.

Just out of college, Paul worked at Alabama Public Television and loved it. But he wanted also to work with directors in Los Angeles he admired. Paul drove to L.A. to find those directors. He left his job at Alabama Public Television. We tended to Becky here in Birmingham until she sold their house and moved to Los Angeles. Out there, Paul met Daniel Scheinert, an Oak Mountain High School graduate. They became fast friends. Paul also found his current partners. They now work with a number of directors and actors. In America, you can do anything you set your mind to.

“Everything Everywhere” is about family, one of the great treasures in life.

Kelly Alvarez*

Kerry Baswell*

Robert Beck*

Myesha Bester*

Regina Burpo*

Tierra Campbell

Rhoderick Clayton*

Christopher “Bay” Flowers

Shelia W. Goodwin

Kerturah L. Hale*

Hunter A. Hanks*

Cassidy L. James*

Wesley A. Johnson*

Joseph A. Jones*

Justin Lynch*

David J. Mattson

Stephen M. McGlathery*

Hanna B. Milam*

Jennifer F. Olive

Kayla L. Patterson*

Richard Postma*

BJ Savage

Julius N. Shanks

Tanya N. Skelton*

Amanda R. Tello*

Sarah M. Tidwell*

Michael Varchetta*

Stephanie M. Wadsworth*

Robert W. Winslett*

Ragan T. Youngblood*

Paul Rogers holding the Oscar.

BBA Programs & Events: There is Something for Everyone

We have had a lot of enjoyable and educational events for our members so far this year. You won’t want to miss the opportunities to network with colleagues, engage with the community, and grow your legal knowledge with the BBA throughout the second half of the year!

Celebrating Black History Month with Art.

Attendees at our Get to Know Birmingham event enjoy the Kwame Braithwaite exhibit.

BBA leaders attended the ABA’s Bar Leadership Institute along with leaders from all over the country, including Mobile Bar Association and Alabama State Bar.

Above:

Right: Brandy Robertson, Keren McElvy, Braxton Owen.

Bill Clark, Jennifer Wales, Heather Fann.

It was an honor to celebrate our 50-year members at a luncheon. Thank you to them for their commitment to the BBA!

Thank you to our Judges and attorneys for attending BBA’s Coffee events!

Summer 2023

Marcus Maples addresses Coffee with the Judges attendees with Judge Elisabeth French and Bernard Nomberg joining him to give remarks.

Tanya Shunnarah, Nancy Yarbrough, Alexis Jackson and Sydney Everett.

February’s Coffee with the Judges was a great time with good friends like Steve Heninger, Mickey Tuner, and Judge Bob Vance.

Jessica Drennan, Claire Veal, Ali Hawthorne and Renee Jones.

Judge Kathy-Ann Alexis, the late Judge Anne Durward and AshLeigh Dunham at Coffee with the Judges in the Domestic Relations Courthouse.

YOU COULD BE MAKING MORE MONEY. WE CAN HELP.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS GUY

John M. Amari

David L. Ashford

Leslie R. Barineau

John M. Bergquist

Yashiba G. Blanchard

Justice Michael F. Bolin

Richard J. Brockman

William W. Brooke

Stephen E. Brown

Judge

Houston L. Brown

Michael D. Brymer

Robin L. Burrell

H. Dean Buttram Jr.

Steven F. Casey

John S. Civils Jr.

William N. Clark

Judge U. W. Clemon

Julia T. Cochrun

Roy J. Crawford

Russell M. Cunningham IV

J. Mason Davis Jr.

William M. Dawson Jr.

Laura L. Decker

Paul J. DeMarco

W. Howard Donovan III

B. Boozer Downs Jr.

Mark Livingston Drew

C. Burton Dunn Jr.

Judy C. Evans

A. David Fawal

Scott W. Ford

J. Timothy Francis

Kenneth J. Gomany

Gene Gray Jr.

Robert W. Gwin Jr.

Edward L. Hardin Jr.

David S. Hassinger

Alicia K. Haynes

Jasper P. Juliano

G. Patterson Keahey

We are grateful for the BBA members who are also Sustaining Members. Your Sustaining membership supports the growth of our legal community!

Michael Kendrick

Judge Tom King Jr.

David A. Lee

Kendall A. Lee

Mark W. Lee

Curtis O. Liles III

Rodney A. Max

Susan McAlister

J. Rushton McClees

Dawn I. McDonald

Crawford S. McGivaren

Michael L. McKerley

John E. Medaris

Steven Mezrano

Anne W. Mitchell

Charles H. Moses III

Anne R. Moses

Amy K. Myers

Judge C. Tommy Nail

John T. Natter

George M. Neal Jr.

John A. Neese

Sybil V. Newton

Demosthenes A. Nicolau II

Judge G. William Noble

Anthony Piazza

Ashley R. Peinhardt

Elizabeth Pilcher

James W. Porter II

Frances K. Quick

Judge Edward L. Ramsey

Salem Resha Jr.

Dudley C. Reynolds

Dagmar W. Rick

Owen E. Roberts Jr.

Judge N. Daniel Rogers Jr.

Daniel Ruth

S. Shay Samples

John D. Saxon

Perry G. Shuttlesworth Jr.

T. Dwight Sloan

Carol A. Smith

Thomas Spina

John T. Stamps III

Jack P. Stephenson Jr.

G. Michael Stripling

Marda W. Sydnor

Steve A. Tucker

George M. Van Tassel Jr.

Deborah A. Wakefield

Thomas E. Walker

William M. Warren Jr.

Dennis R. Weaver

H. Thomas Wells Jr.

John P. Whittington

Robert Winslett

Martin G. Woosley

James A. Wyatt III

Lee H. Zell

2023 so far: Reflecting on Magic City Bar Association’s signature events

As we’re halfway through this year, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on some of the Magic City Bar Association’s signature events that we have already held. Thanks to the vision of Judge Annetta Verin, interviews of past Magic City Bar Association (MCBA) presidents revisited and celebrated major accomplishments of their administrations. This oral history project will help preserve the rich history of the organization, and MCBA thanks Judge Katrina Ross for allowing the video interviews to take place in her courtroom.

The MCBA is also pleased to have hosted its first Expungement Clinic on February 24 at Faith Chapel Church located in the Wylam and Ensley Communities. MCBA partnered with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB) and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for this event. In our first clinic, 17 clients were registered and were able to submit a total of 10 applications to ALEA for review and processing.

We were thrilled that foot soldiers from the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s learned of the Clinic and also applied for expungement of frivolous charges against them during the Civil Rights Movement. As an example, one applicant has never been allowed to vote due to his lingering criminal records, despite fighting for the Black vote during that time.

Finally, we were able to come together and fellowship for our first mixer at Cassanova Bar. It was an all-around good time had by all. The Magic City Bar Association plans on making the second half of 2023 better than the first!

Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Joel Caldwell President Magic City Bar Association

Celebrating the past and reflecting on the future.

Attorneys helping clients at the Expungment Clinic.

MCBA partnered with VLB and ALEA to host a successful Expungement Clinic.

MCBA Past Presidents in Judge Katrina Ross’ Courtroom.

11th Annual Fellows Dinner

On Feb. 24, the Birmingham Bar Foundation gathered at the Vestavia Country Club to honor the Fellows and Life Fellows Classes of 2023. The names of this year’s Fellows are shown in the accompanying list below.

The Fellows Dinner is part of the Foundation’s Fellows program which recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated excellence in their field of practice in that they have been uncompromising in their adherence to ethical standards and mores, their application of exceptional skills to achieve optimal results for those they serve, their dedication to decency and civility to other members of the Birmingham Bar Association, and their commitment to enhance and enrich the general prestige of our noble profession to the public.

The funds donated by the Fellows and Life Fellows are added to an existing endowment that is used to support legal-related charitable projects in the community.

2023 CLASS OF FELLOWS

Rebecca A. Beers

I. Ripon Britton, Jr.

Brannon J. Buck

Colleen K. Carr

Edward R. Christian

Christopher H. Daniel

Christopher S. Hamer

Alicia K. Haynes

Kenneth D. Haynes

G. Alicia Jett

Jon E. Lewis

Margaret H. Loveman

Eugene D. “De” Martenson

Honorable Alaric O. May

Sylvion S. Moss

Kenneth M. Perry

Robert O. Posey

Kristin Waters Sullivan

M. Jansen Voss

Laura S. Winston

2023 CLASS OF LIFE FELLOWS

Hon. Sharon L. Blackburn

G. John Durward, Jr.

Robert G. Methvin, Jr.

Anna-Katherine G. Bowman

Christina A. Graham

Judge Charles Price II

Christopher H. Daniel

G. Alicia Jett

Allison O. Skinner

Lacy Danley Gives Foundation President

Christi Graham her Fellows Gift.

Left: Chrissie Goldman, Fellow and Board Treasurer, Ben Goldman, Fellow and Board President Christi Graham and Will Graham. Right: Fellow Judge Patricia Stephens, Life Fellow Judge Annetta Verin, Life Fellow Rhonda Chambers and Life Fellow Leila Watson.

Summer 2023

Fellow Ken Perry, Tonya Perry, Fellows Wayne Morse, Marda Sydnor, Allen Sydnor and Life Fellow Judge Annetta Verin. Walter Shipp, Life Fellow Marlena Shipp, Tonya Perry and Fellow Ken Perry.

Left: 2023 Fellows Class. Above: Life Fellows the late Judge Anne Durward and John Durward. Below: Fellow Colleen Carr, Andre Toffel and Life Fellow Leslie Barineau.

Good friends and colleages enjoyed the evening at the 2023 Fellows Dinner.

Above: Judge Caryl Privett, Will Graham and Foundation President Christi Graham. Right: Hand Arendall attorneys Ben Goldman, Chris Hamer, Rip Britton, Nicole Bracey, Shelby Morris and Alan Duke.

Jon Dunham, AshLeigh Dunham, Jequette Edmonson Noland and Kelvin Noland.

Life Fellow Christi Graham with Mike D. Ermert Award Recipient Georgia Haggerty.

Diana S. Knight, CPA, CVA

Jeff W. Maze, CPA, MA

Jason Lybrand, CPA, MBA

• Income tax planning and compliance

• Estate tax planning and compliance

• Audit, compilation and review services

• Business valuations

• Employee benefit plan audits

• Trustee and elder care services

• Tax compliance–non-profit organizations

Count on us

Two Chase Corporate Drive, Suite 40 Birmingham, Alabama 35244 ph: 205.271.8506 | fx: 1.866.229.1120 www.sovereigncpa.com

Volunteer Lawyers Show What a Difference Legal Help Can Make for Low-income Tenants

Debra Hill1 contacted Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham last November with an already difficult situation. Her landlord had filed a Notice of Unlawful Detainer, although she was receiving Section 8 assistance and believed she had a zero balance on her rent. Hill filed an Answer to the Landlord’s Claim and had no choice but to wait and see what happened.

Then she arrived home one day to find she was locked out of the property.

It was early December. She had been preparing already for Christmas and had a refrigerator full of food along with all of her personal possessions. Now she had no choice but to leave it behind and go stay with her daughter.

Meanwhile, the landlord’s attorney, having been informed that the landlord now had possession of the property, filed a motion to dismiss the case. Without the help of volunteer lawyers willing to intervene, the case may well have ended there.

Instead, Douglas Robertson, who volunteered to take on the case along with Kaylie Becker (both from Bradley), filed a motion to reinstate the case and get the facts in front of the judge. The matter was reinstated and quickly set for a hearing.

They were able to reach a compromise with the landlord that was very favorable to the client. She also regained access to the home and was given more time to stay while she looked for new housing.

Robertson and Becker say she was thrilled with the outcome, as were they. “I would say this was probably the most rewarding case I have worked on all year,” Becker says. “Doug and I practice civil defense for larger clients, and you know you’re helping, but this is something where you can see the law really working for someone. When we filed our motions, that triggered a series of events, and Doug

negotiated a great settlement for her. It’s very fulfilling. This was someone’s home. It’s not trivial. In cases like this, it’s a huge deal for the people you’re helping. We are fortunate to work for a firm that supports pro bono efforts.”

There is an often-quoted statistic that around 90 percent of landlords nationwide are represented by lawyers in eviction cases, while only 10 percent of tenants are. Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham has long made fighting for tenants’ rights a core area of service for this reason, and this client’s case was a perfect example of the power that legal representation holds for the most vulnerable members of our community.

“This is obviously a best-case scenario for what Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham can do,” Robertson says. “The proper process wasn’t followed. As lawyers we’re able to identify that, represent clients, and get them the best-case outcome.”

Robertson adds that he derives satisfaction from stepping outside the comfort zone of his daily law practice to try something different. “It feels good to exercise a different skill set that also is helpful,” he says. “I feel like it’s an opportunity to be more well-rounded and get a better perspective. We work in downtown Birmingham, and people

with legal needs are all around us. We pass them on the street. It feels like I’m more connected to my community and my city when I’m able to do things like this through Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham.”

Tiffany deGruy, a partner at Bradley who mentored Robertson and Becker in this case, echoes the value of volunteering both for the clients who receive help and the lawyers who share their time and talents to provide it. “Bradley is very proud of the pro bono work that Kaylie, Doug, and others are doing with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham,” she says. “As a young lawyer, I benefited greatly by being given the opportunity to broaden my skill set serving pro bono clients. These opportunities also provide critical legal services to those without means to afford a lawyer. As a partner at Bradley, I am very proud of the efforts to support the remarkable pro bono work being done within our city.”

If you are interested in volunteering with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham, contact Michelle Horn Brown at 205-623-0901.

Endnotes

Tiffany deGruy

Douglas Robertson Kaylie Becker

BBA Members are Actively Volunteering in the Community

Page Pals Volunteers

Page Pals is a reading program in Birmingham City Schools designed to produce more effective 3rd grade student readers both inside and outside the classroom. The BBA members listed below got involved by reading to students in their classrooms. If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please visit the Page Pals website at bhamyouthfirst.org/page-pals and contact the BBA to let us know that you volunteered.

VOLUNTEERS

► Judge Madeline Haikala

► Ramon Martin

► McKenzie Meade

► Dawn Sharff

International Peace Conference

Birmingham was the site of a two-day conference that brought together distinguished leaders in academia, government, public safety, religion, business, and community service to share ideas and propose solutions to some of society’s most complex challenges. Thank you to the following BBA members who volunteered at the Conference:

VOLUNTEERS

► Mike Carroll

► Pooja Chawla

► Leigh Kaylor

► Katie Kimbrell

► Tiera Hudson

► Judge Jim Hughey

► Hope Marshall

► April Mason1

► Susan McAlister

► D.G. Pantazis2

► Lauren Shine

► Abby van Alstyne

► Ellise Washington

1. Thank you to April Mason, who was instrumental in planning the International Peace Conference and making it a success.

2. Special thanks to D.G. Pantazis for organizing and executing this volunteer opportunity.

Thank you to these BBA members who have volunteered their time and talents to make our community even better.

Lawyers Softball League

By André M. Toffel, André M. Toffel, P.C.

Play ball! No, not MLB, or any other league. If you do not play in the Lawyers Softball League, you probably do not know there is such a thing. There is, and it’s been great fun for a long time. I’ve been playing, “coaching,” and occasionally serving as the underpaid Commissioner, for over 40 years, so I wanted to spread awareness about the League. Many thanks to my good friends Steve Altmann, Joe Stott, Ferris Ritchey, Michael Guarino, and David McAllister, who have contributed to the article and proofread it. Also, they are all very good softball players.

The Lawyers Softball League has been around since at least the 1970s. I started playing in 1983. In the beginning, there were actually two separate leagues: one consisting of large law firms only, with the goal of promoting firm unity and letting law clerks play, and the other consisting of firms with a more serious softball approach, plus independent teams, such as the Young Lawyers and the Shelby County Bar. The independent teams have always had lawyers in firms that are not large enough to field a complete team, which gives more attorneys a chance to play.

The two leagues ran independently until 2005, when the second league essentially disbanded and some of the remaining teams joined the first league. The only time that the two leagues played against each other was in 1989, when the second league champions, Young Lawyers, won a close game against the first league champ, Maynard Cooper. Other than 2020 and 2021 (because of the pandemic), the Lawyers Softball League has been a mainstay.

What you may not know is that there have been, and still are, some terrific athletes in the Birmingham Bar Association. At the risk of leaving someone out, I want to name some of the ultra-talented softball players in the League over the past 40 years: Mike Blalock, Jim Oros, Brent Tyra, Mike Walls, Paul Glass, John Dana, Bernard Nomberg, Steve Jackson, Freddie Harrington, Andy Harrington, Martin Evans, Dale Stone, Lee Reeves, Don Wright, Jerry Held, Jim Williams, Rusty Dorr, Hobie Presley, Hobie’s son, Ben Presley (who likes to rib me for having played against his Dad!), Michael Lasserre, Craig Shirley, and Zach Mardis. And there have been some really good pitchers, such as Phil McCallum, Mark Friedman, Greg McKay, Ferris Ritchey, Don Wright, Joe

Stott, and Steve Altmann. I would be remiss in not mentioning some excellent Bradley and Carr Allison teams of the last 15 or so years; unfortunately, the names of their players escape me. I also want to mention our friend, the late Nat Bryan, who was a terrific shortstop. Some of the games have been intensely competitive and very well-played.

The best idea we had years ago was to begin using umpires. There was a time that we played without umpires — yes, lawyers playing a competitive sport without umpires was a comical situation! The first umpires we had were State Court Judges. Of course, there were no arguments in those games!

Although the League has played in many different venues through the years, we now play at George Ward Park, with umpires provided by the City of Birmingham. They do a nice job and the City has been very accommodating for the last several years.

Now, for some fun stories. In the 1986 championship game, which saw Rives Peterson (now Christian Small) playing against the Young Lawyers, Joanne Garrett from Rives pitched a shutout to earn them the title. In the 1987 title game of Porterfield v. Young Lawyers, there was another shutout, giving Porterfield the title. In both

Legends Softball 2002

1984 and 1988, the Young Lawyers beat Sirote (now Dentons Sirote) in the playoffs in two of the most intense games ever. Young Lawyers continued their domination in the 1990s, interrupted by a Gordon Silberman title in 1995. Then Et Al became the best team for a while, broken up by Legends’ (short for Legends in Our Own Minds) victories in 1998 and 2002. Bradley won in 2008 and 2009, with Carr taking the 2018 and 2019 titles.

I personally recall several absolute moon shots, including Mike Worrell in 1983, Matt Williams in 1998, and Jim Oros in 2016 (walkoff 3-run homer). There have been several players who could regularly hit them out, such as Martin Evans, Freddie Harrington, Ben Presley, Mike Blalock, Jim Oros, Brent Tyra, Craig Shirley, and others.

Several years ago, I was involved in a case in the U.S. District Court in front of

the Honorable David Proctor, who played on some of those outstanding Sirote teams of days gone by. The hearing was by telephone, and when I entered my appearance, his first question to me was not about the case, but was, “Andre, are you still playing softball?” I’m glad to know that my softball longevity exceeds any possible legal skills I might have!

To anyone who wants to play in the Lawyers Softball League, I encourage you to join one of the six teams in the League or to start a team of your own. All skill levels are welcome!

I am thankful for all of the friends I have made through the League, from both teammates and opponents through the years. The Lawyers Softball League will give you a chance to meet people in our profession that you might not otherwise meet and/or see them in a completely different setting.

I continue to do this, although I don’t play nearly as much as I used to, because I believe that the League gives all of us an opportunity to keep moving and to encourage civility and fair play in a different arena.

If you don’t want to play, but you want to sit and drink an adult beverage or a soft drink, visit and have fun, that’s fine too! Just come out to the upper fields at George Ward Park on Wednesday nights, starting May 17, from about 6:00 – 8:00 pm. You won’t be disappointed!

Many thanks to those who have played, are playing now and those of you who will play in the future.

For anyone needing information about our League, email me at atoffel@toffelpc. com, or call me on my cell at 205-3822592. See y’all out at the old ballpark!

Left: Carr Softball 2018.

Below: Legends Softball 2014

Attorneys in the News

Tim Donahue of Donahue & Associates is pleased to announce that after a 40 plus year career as a litigator, he is transitioning into a full-time mediation practice in order to help meet the legal community’s needs for dispute resolution.

In early March, Baker Donelson moved from its home in the Shipt Tower to the Harbert Plaza Tower. The Firm will occupy the 24th and 25th floors while buildout is completed on its permanent space on the 26th and 27th floors of the building.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce the publication of IP IQ, its latest blog covering intellectual property news and insights.

Frederick A. Erben, Jennifer K. Wales, and the law firm of Beddow, Erben, Bowen & Wales, have moved the location of their offices to the 3rd floor of the historic Gilbreath Building, located at 2019 Third Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Edward S. Sledge IV has been elected president of the board of the International Association of Defense Counsel Foundation for 2023-2024.

Dentons Sirote announces that Bill Averett has joined the Firm's Landlord's Rights practice as of counsel.

The Women’s Section of the Alabama State Bar is honored to award

Christian & Small welcomes Robert A. Cornell to the firm as an associate. Robert will represent clients in civil litigation with a focus on insurance defense, construction, construction defects, professional liability, and transportation and trucking defense.

Cayman L. Caven has joined Baker Donelson as an Associate in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.

Will Andress (graduate of WISE), Keith Andress, April Mason, Audie Woolley (President of WISE) and Helen Lee Miles (WISE audiologist)

nated to the Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE), an organization dedicated to educating, supporting, and empowering parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. WISE will use the firm’s donation to fund a mobile truck unit that will deliver auditory-verbal therapy to children in rural communities across Alabama.

Stanley E. Blackmon of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has been selected as a 2023 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Robert Maddox has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

For the firm’s 2022 Holiday Gift, Burr & Forman LLP do-

Baker Donelson has named two of its shareholders to leadership roles: Marcus M. Maples has been named vice chair of the firm's Business Litigation Practice Group, and Jeffrey M. Pomeroy has been named vice chair of the firm's Real Estate Practice Group.

Hand Arendall Harrison Sale is proud to announce Dorissa S. Smith was named as a member of the State Farm Rising Star Academy Class of 2023. Through its Rising Star Academy, State Farm connects with diverse

Leslie R. Barineau with its annual Susan B. Livingston Leadership Award.

Donahue Sledge

Averett

Barineau Cornell

Caven Blackmon

Maddox

Maples

Pomeroy Smith

counsel to expand business relationships and support diverse attorneys who understand State Farm’s business and culture, which prioritizes DEI as central to its mission.

Watkins & Eager PLLC proudly announces that Karmen E. Gaines and Anthony R. Anello have joined the Birmingham office as associates.

Burr & Forman LLP has added Andrea Dorgan as a partner in its Lending and Real Estate Practice Groups.

Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers LLP has moved its office to 1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1100 in the Harbert Plaza Tower.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP welcomes Delaney L. Beier to the firm’s Environmental Law Practice Group.

Dentons Sirote is pleased to announce the elevation of Sarah S. John-

ston and Alyse N. Windsor to shareholder. Sarah was named a shareholder in the firm’s Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation Practice Group and Alyse was named a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that George D. Medlock, Jr., the firm’s director of inclusion and diversity, is the recipient of the 2023 Gail K. Johnson Award from the University of Alabama’s Black Law Students Association.

W. Patton Hahn has been named the managing shareholder of Baker Donelson's Birmingham office.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Marc James Ayers has been elected to the Fellows of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

Baker Donelson has added Brian Malcom as a shareholder in the Firm's Financial Services Litigation and Compliance Practice Group.

Dentons Sirote is pleased to share that Jim Vann and Benjamin Little have been selected as honorees in the Daily Report's inaugural Southeastern Legal Awards.

Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. is pleased to announce that Louis Mendez has been included on the list of attorneys “On the Rise” by The Daily Report’s first annual Southeastern Legal Awards.

Gaines Anello

Dorgon

Beier

Johnston Windsor Medlock

Hahn

Ayers Malcom

Vann Little Mendez