President’s Message

From the President

We often see that tough times bring out the best in people, and I believe we are definitely seeing that happening now with the members of the BBA.

As I write this message, we remain in the midst of mounting challenges and considerable uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is affecting each of us, professionally and personally, in so many ways. Even so, it is clear that the members of our profession, notably the members of the Birmingham Bar Association, are rising to the occasion, doubling down Andrew S. Nix on our mission as lawyers to serve our clients. Over the past several weeks, I have witnessed countless members of the BBA tackle complicated new legal issues resulting from the pandemic on behalf of their clients, work tirelessly (and often on a volunteer basis) to assist those in our community who have been hit the hardest, and contribute time and effort to the adaptation of how we do our jobs every day — all the while dealing with their own challenges and uncertainty about what lies ahead.

Over the past several weeks, topics and terms such as “PPP loans,” “essential services” and “social distancing” — terms that were not part of our vocabulary when 2020 began — have become subjects of frequent discussion and legal advice. Zoom meetings have become the new standard for “seeing” each other to handle matters from the courtroom to the boardroom (and also to catch up with friends and family for a “Zoom cocktail hour”).

This has all developed very rapidly, and, although most of us are fortunate to have the ability to stay virtually connected, professionally and socially, we all are feeling some sense of separation, isolation

Andrew with President-Elect Lanier Brown at an ABA conference.

and anxiety as we navigate through this experience.

The importance of affiliation with the BBA has been spotlighted as issues facing our members and our profession as a whole have come to the forefront in connection with COVID-19. We have heard from many of our members offering suggestions for how the BBA might be able to help other members or our community, and we have worked very hard to pursue each suggestion as an opportunity for the BBA to be a valuable resource.

PROVIDING BENEFITS

As I have discussed since the beginning of the year, my primary goal for 2020 is to ensure that the BBA provides benefits, tangible and intangible, for all of our members, consistent with our theme for the year, “Our Vision is Value for You.” Although I definitely did not anticipate COVID-19 when I was charting my 2020 goals last year, the pandemic has given us an opportunity to provide value to our members in the most difficult of times.

At the onset of the pandemic in March, we began implementing a number of virtual initiatives designed to support and connect with all of our members and to help you all support and connect with each other: ► We have maintained and will continue to maintain steady communication to provide you with the latest judicial orders, statewide directives, important notices and other information and, consistent with our ongoing focus on attorney wellness, timely wellness messages. ► We have rolled out a series of free

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Left: Andrew with BBA members at the State Bar Mid-Year Meeting. Above: Participating in the BBA’s Law Day 2020 Program via Zoom.

virtual CLE programs for our members on a number of relevant topics. These programs have been extremely well received, many maxing out on registration, and all receiving fantastic feedback.

I also want to give a shout-out to the leadership of our BBA sections and committees, who found creative ways to provide value to their members and to keep them involved and engaged in this new environment.

We also worked behind the scenes to advance the interests of our members. For example, as various stay-at-home orders and ordinances were being discussed at the state and local level, the leadership of the BBA advocated strongly, along with the Alabama State Bar and other groups representing the Bench and the Bar, for the inclusion of legal services on the list of “essential services” in those orders and ordinances. The ultimate determination that legal services are, in fact, “essential services” allowed us to continue to serve clients in as efficient and effective manner as possible without compliance concerns.

Another goal for the year is to grow our connection with the community at large and to support the efforts and initiatives of our city government. This goal, too, has been met with significant opportunity through the pandemic.

The BBA has partnered with the City of Birmingham’s Birmingham Strong initiative (bhamstrong.com; #BhamStrong), which is helping small businesses in Birmingham by providing a number of services. At the outset of the pandemic, we recruited attorneys from among our membership to conduct pro bono reviews of the insurance policies of small businesses. Even after the initial effort, we have continued to partner with the city, Birmingham Strong and other community partners to identify attorneys who can help address specific legal needs for local businesses and non-profits that have been most affected by COVID-19. Take a look at page 16 of this issue of the Bulletin to see special recognition of the numerous members of the BBA who have helped out with these projects so far.

MAINTAINING CONNECTION

Unfortunately, we had to cancel or postpone a number of in-person gatherings, which has been disappointing but necessary. However, we found alternate ways to bring some of these events to you. A great example of this was our Law Day 2020 programming. We were really looking forward to a visit from this year’s ABA President, Judy Martinez, for our Law Day celebration, but those plans were among the many that had to be changed (and we hope to reschedule this visit later in the year). We did, however, go forward with a virtual Law Day program to celebrate the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and Women’s Suffrage. On April 28, BBA members Jenna Bedsole, Leigh King Forstman and Allison Skinner presented to a full Zoom audience an outstanding virtual CLE program on the history of women’s struggle to gain the right to vote. We even had the honor of debuting a fantastic film, “The Fight for the Noblest Democracy,” written and produced by Jenna Bedsole, about the suffrage movement in Alabama. I strongly encourage you to see Jenna’s documentary as it is further released. Thank you to Jenna, Leigh and Allison for helping us celebrate Law Day in such a meaningful way.

On a lower note, it will probably come as no surprise that we have decided to cancel this year’s June Picnic. This is a huge disappointment, but we believe that this is the most prudent course of action and in the best interest of our members’ health and safety. Special thanks to Nick Callahan and the other members of the Entertainment Committee who always work very hard to make this event a great time of fellowship for our members. We look forward to being able to reconvene to enjoy the good food and beverages provided by the Entertainment Committee.

I do want to take a moment to highlight some of the successful in-person events that we were able to host during the first quarter of the year: ► 2020 Membership Forum: On March 6, we hosted our annual daylong conference, the Membership Forum. The forum was well attended, with more than 200 participants, and we enjoyed timely and engaging programs put on by knowledgeable BBA members. Attendees also enjoyed hearing messages from MayorRandall Woodfin, who’s also a BBA member, Rich Bielen, CEO of Protective Life Corporation, and representatives from The World Games 2021, which will now be held in 2022. I am very grateful to all of you who made

Above: Don Mosley and Judge Janine Hunt-Hilliard at February’s Coffee with the Judges. Right: Andrew speaking at the Membership Forum.

the day a success by helping plan the event, presenting at it or attending it. You can check out photos from the event in this issue of the Bulletin. ► Coffee with the Judges in January and February: I am so pleased that we were able to host two of our popular breakfast and social hours in our courthouses. We had a remarkable crowd at the January Coffee in the Presiding Judge’s courtroom and an equally impressive crowd at our February Coffee, held for the first time at the Family Court.

LOOKING AHEAD

Although I do not know what the future holds or what our “new normal” will look like as a result of COVID-19, what I do know with certainty is that our commitment to our profession and to our

association with each other as lawyers is as important now as it has ever been.

I want to assure you that the BBA is available to you as a resource at all times, but especially during these times of challenge and uncertainty. I hope that you will not hesitate to reach out to me or the BBA staff if we can help you in any way.

We are here for you. Take care and stay safe.

BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF LAW IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2019-2020

Haley Muncher Bradley Zachary Brett Burns Bethany Shannon Butler Jordan Larry Butler Eric Kum Che Alicia Roye Chestnut Melissa White Chicha Kashif Zafarislam Chowhan Lindsay Cochran Aluko Collins Sr.* Jennifer Rogers Cox Caleb Michael Dick Daron Michelle Drew Jimmy Ray Earley Jr.* Benjamin Nelson Elrod Patrick Lee Farris Kennethia Fells Raymond Christopher Foushee Halle Nicole Giannelli Crystal Devonne Gibson

Marc A. Gonzalez* Jillian Lewis Graham Neal Scott Gray Megan Elizabeth Gremmels

Stormi Danielle Hamrac Emily Haskew William Jeffrey Honea, Ph.D. Tian Elizabeth Huang Patrick Glenn Hubauer* Joseph Robert Hyatt III Marissa Harris Jamieson* Mekesa Nicole Johnson Nickolas James Jones* John Robert Jung Unzell Kelley Lauren Renee Kinsey Charity E Laister Sheberkha Makeda Lathon Robb Justin Leavell Shayna Shalom Lightfoot* Valencia Elise Little Houston Brett Love Siu Ann Mak James Michael Marbut Jr.

*Denotes those who passed the February 2020 Bar Exam

Ramon Saad Martin Robert Mayeri CPA Robert Warren McCallum III* Lewis Welch McDonald TaShundia Sanders McGee Breana McMath Cassandra Spain McPhaul Justin Wayne Michael* Timothy D. Milar II William Judson Miller LaTonya Howard Mines Kenyetta Evette Nelson Courtney Newton Yvonne Anima Tutuwaa Oppong Francesca Renee Pierce Emily C. Pollock William Maurice Pompey II Franklin Dawn Posey Kristi Ann Posson Treasha Lynn Reaves Jeffery Lester Redcross Christina Lynn Robinson

Luke Willoby Satterfield Maurice Jefferson Scott* Mitri Salman Shatara Justin Lewis Snyder Philip Gavin Speaks Mark Anthony Staton Timothy Scott Steele Jena Edrie Stewart Lue Elton Sullivan Ashlee Taylor Anna C. Terry* Randy Brian Tingle Jr. Shannon Kelley Waters Robert Darryl Webb Rosalind Garner White Lori Wilkins Michael Andrew Wilkins Russell Todd Williams Michael Chadrick Wills Tonia Monique Wilson Zachary Blake Woolley

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