President’s Message

From the President

It is an honor to be president of the Birmingham Bar Association this year, and I appreciate your entrusting this role to me.

Above: 2022 Birmingham Bar Association President Allison O. Skinner with her family at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Below left: Allison and David Skinner. Below right: Allison with 2020 BBA President Andrew Nix.

When I started practicing law almost three decades ago, I never dreamed that I would have the privilege of leading this prestigious and extraordinary legal organization.

Despite the hardships of the past two years, together we are moving ahead into the future with resiliency and optimism. Our Bar Association is beginning “The Next Chapter” in our history, and this next phase is bright for all Birmingham Bar members and also for all attorneys and Judges in our geographic footprint.

Let me tell you what I see as hallmarks of “The Next Chapter” in the Birmingham Bar’s lifespan:

RELATIONSHIPS, COLLABORATION TO FOSTER INCLUSION AND EQUITY

As the sixth woman President in the Birmingham Bar Association’s 137-year history, one of my goals is to take advantage of any opportunities that I may have to break down institutional and structural barriers to access for all attorneys. One way that I believe that I can accomplish this is by continuing to foster the collaborations and build the relationships that recent presidents have established and by expanding the BBA’s collaborations with new and different organizations.

For example, partnering with the Magic City Bar Association, the Bessemer Bar Association, our Sections, local bar associations across the state, and the Alabama State Bar, we will offer benefits and engage with attorneys who might not know about all that the Birmingham Bar has to offer. We can be better and stronger together with others.

Continuing our partnerships with the Birmingham Bar Foundation, Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham and the Legal Aid Society of Birmingham is also important. Our deep respect and gratitude for

Diana S. Knight, CPA, CVA Jeff W. Maze, CPA, MA Jason Lybrand, CPA, MBA

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CONGRATULATIONS!

MARCUS M. MAPLES

for being named the 2022 President-Elect of the Birmingham Bar Association.

Marcus continues to be a leader in our firm, the community and the legal industry.

Allison with Chris Christie and Allen Howell.

the work of those “sister” organizations is reflected in the pages of each Bulletin magazine where we feature the great work they do. We hope to join forces with them in other ways this year as well.

YOUR BAR ASSOCIATION HOME

If you’ve been to the Bar Association Center on Second Avenue North, you know what a great asset our home is. But our building is aging, and it needs repairs and upgrades to keep it in good working order and make it more functional for the types of meetings and social events that we are now hosting.

In that regard, we hope to embark on a project to address some structural issues and make the building more inviting to our members and to other organizations that want to rent space from us. A refresh of our physical space will be a tangible manifestation of “The Next Chapter” in the Bar Association’s lifecycle.

All healthy, forward-looking entities must continually examine their governance functions to be certain that their processes and procedures are effective and up to date. Reviewing by-laws, long-range plans and sustainability strategies are all on my agenda for our Executive Committee and special task forces to evaluate and, as needed, update.

It is important for “The Next Chapter” of our Bar Association to be introspective so that we can be ready for what might come in the future. As the pandemic has revealed, resiliency is critical and adaptability will be necessary as we move forward. We need to be poised and ready to help our current members and all future members excel in their professional lives throughout their careers.

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY IMPACT

Without you, the Birmingham Bar Association does not exist. You are the most

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important part of everything we do, so we want to be sure that you all feel included and invested and that you find value in what we have to offer. You are the key element of

“The Next Chapter.”

We will have lots of events this year and have already gotten started with a Day of Service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as some Happy Hour Meet-Ups at local hot spots. Also, don’t miss out on what will be a huge Law Day celebration May 5 with the band party that my predecessor, President Lanier Brown, had hoped to host in 2021.

We plan to take advantage of the historic moment our city will experience as it hosts The World Games 2022 by scheduling some fun activities associated with that momentous event. Our city has so much to offer and so many new initiatives underway, and we want to educate you on some of them, so we are implementing a “Get to Know

I am pleased that you have chosen to be a member of the Birmingham Bar Association and hope that you will continue to maintain your membership for many years to come. I invite you to be a part of “The Next Chapter” of our history by taking part in some activities and events this year.

The BBA is an excellent place to forge meaningful and lifelong connections to attorneys and judges who will be instrumental and supportive throughout your career. I am grateful for the relationships and opportunities that I have had through my involvement, and I want you to have that same experience.

Again, thank you for allowing me to serve as your 2022 president. Please reach out to me any time if I can be of service to you. The “Get to Know Birmingham” series.

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