Bulletin BIRMINGHAM BAR ASSOCIATION
President’s Message President Lanier Brown reflects on his presidential year and the strength of the legal community. 8
Vol. 42, Issue 4 | Winter 2021
What’s Your Favorite Movie? Just in time for the holiday season, our members share their favorite movies. 24
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Message from the
Executive Director In the second half of this year, the BBA has been able to host a number of in-person social gatherings, and it has been incredibly energizing to finally see all of you again! I hope you have enjoyed the camaraderie of being with your colleagues and friends. The BBA is your organization, and we want all of you to experience the benefits of membership. Please be on the lookout for Jennifer with Beth McElroy. some fun events in the new year and attend as many of them as your schedule allows. I want your experience as a member of the BBA to be enriching and rewarding. In this issue of the magazine, we share lots of pictures from our recent events, which I hope you enjoy. Looking ahead to 2022, I hope you will become and remain involved in the BBA. If you have any questions about getting involved, please let me know: jbuettner@birminghambar.org. I hope you have a wonderful finish to 2021 and a great start to 2022! Jennifer M. Buettner Executive Director
Published for the Birmingham Bar Association by Starnes Media
2021 Officers of the BBA H. Lanier Brown II, President Allison O’Neal Skinner, President-Elect Marcus M. Maples, Secretary/Treasurer Andrew S. Nix, Immediate Past President Jennifer M. Buettner, Executive Director
2021 BBA Executive Committee Robert E. Battle Rebecca A. Beers Pooja Chawla Starr T. Drum J. Price Evans IV
Hope S. Marshall D.G. Pantazis Jr. Ryan P. Robichaux Sharon D. Stuart Leslie A. Wright
Frances Ross Nolan, ADR Section Mary Frances Fallaw, Bankruptcy/Commercial Law Section Norman M. Orr, Business Law Section G. Lauren Breland, Criminal Justice Section Michael F. Walker, Federal Practice Section Joi L. Travis, Probate Section W. Alan Duke Jr., Solo Practice/Small Firm Section Tina Lam, Women Lawyers Section Edward J. Berry, Workers Compensation Section Al F. Teel, Young Lawyers Section Ruby B. Jackson, Magic City Bar James M. Terrell, ASB Commissioner
Birmingham Bar Association 2021 Second Avenue North 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 205-617-9609. Starnes Media produces seven monthly newspapers in the Birmingham metro area: 280 Living, Cahaba Sun (Trussville), Homewood Star, Hoover Sun, Iron City Ink (downtown Birmingham), 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.
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BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
In This Issue 08 President’s Message
20 Members Who Motivate Us
26 Diversity in the Courtroom Kimberly Bell, Tina Lam and Brandy Robertson of the Women Lawyers Section provide an eye-opening report.
30 Preventing a Crisis With the expiration of the eviction moratorium, VLB works to keep low-income residents in their homes.
32 Favorite Time of Year
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for electing me to lead this 136-year-old institution.
12 Bocce Ball Tournament
What is it like to grow up in many locations? Read about the experience of these two members.
24 What’s Your Favorite Movie? MCBA and the community come together for its annual scholarship banquet for students.
34 Networking with the BBA The Birmingham Bar Association welcomes members to fall networking and social events.
After a year off, we were thrilled to welcome so many members to our 12th annual Michael D. Freeman Bocce Ball Tournament and Chili Cook-Off.
38 Memorial Scholarship Donations BBA members provide movie recommendations that might fit your mood this holiday season.
40 Upcoming CLEs 42 Attorneys in the News
On the cover: A mural in Woodlawn by Niko Cathcart depicts a child holding the Earth while being surrounded by plants native to Jefferson County. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
From the President As my tenure as president of the Birmingham Bar Association reaches its end, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for electing me to lead this 136-year-old institution. Despite the many challenges our city, our nation and our entire world have faced as a result of the pandemic, the legal profession and our Bar have remained strong and vibrant parts of the Birmingham community.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM
Our Bar’s vibrancy and resiliency come from you, the attorneys who advocate for your clients and the judges who are devoted to the administration of justice. Your integrity drives your work and passion for the law. You are trustworthy, reliable and honest. You adhere to the highest standards and are zealous about your commitment to the rule of law. One of the reasons that I enjoy being a lawyer so much is that I also believe in and value these high standards. It is an honor to help my clients by untangling complicated legal issues and pursuing just resolutions to their problems. I value the opportunity to work with other attorneys and judges who share these same values and professionalism. You are valuable members of our community, performing countless hours of pro bono services, serving in civic leadership roles and supporting a wide variety of philanthropic efforts. Thank you for keeping our profession strong and honorable. Thank you for the difference you are making in our world.
Above: BBA President Lanier Brown judged the Foundation’s Chili Cook-Off along with Ashely Scarpetta, left, and Pooja Chawla. Below: Lanier, from left, Phillip McCallum, LaBella McCallum, Chip McCallum and Jimbo Terrell.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
The BBA has had an active and successful year even though it has been cloaked in uncertainty, especially about the ability to get together for in-person events. Your
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Right: Lanier with his dad, Judge Houston Brown.
involvement has allowed us to accomplish many great things. I have highlighted just a few of the activities and events we hosted this year, all of which connected our members to one another and fostered the spirit of collegiality that the BBA is known for: ► In May, we celebrated Law Day 2021 with the theme “Advancing the Rule of Law Now.” Legendary attorney Fred Gray joined us in conversation with Past BBA President Bill Clark to discuss his life of pursuing justice and restoring the rule of law by “eradicating segregation wherever I found it.” ► We hosted three Virtual Coffee with the Judges events throughout the year, and these were extremely popular and well attended. At least 10 judges participated in each event, and everyone had fun getting to know them and one another. ► Through three very successful service projects, we offered BBA members a way to get involved in the community by providing much needed labor and supplies. In January, we hosted a day of service at the Bush Hills Community Farm, and we partnered with the Magic City Bar Association to provide free meals to those in need. Also, over the summer we collected thousands of dollars of school supplies that were donated to second grade students at City of Birmingham elementary schools.
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► We welcomed BBA members to our beautiful Noojin Courtyard on many occasions for both breakfast and cocktail events, and everyone enjoyed networking and socializing in person after a year of isolation. ► Members had the option to attend over 55 free online CLEs on topics such as market influencers, expungement, surrogacy, probate, evidence, financial fraud, Title IX, courtroom practice, ethics, workers compensation, business law, benefit corporations and dozens of other areas of law. ► Our 10 Sections were extremely active, with events such as a tailgate fundraiser, a golf tournament, an evening at the soccer match, cocktail socials at local hot spots, virtual game night, jambalaya and jazz in the courtyard, trivia to raise money for charity and dozens of CLE programs.
Above: Lanier, second from right, with Ruby Jackson, from left, Al Vance, Breauna Peterson and Rebecca Beers in the Noojin Courtyard for a breakfast networking event. Below: Lanier with friends at a fall networking event.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING INVOLVED IN THE FUTURE
As I turn the reins over to incoming President Allison Skinner, I know that the BBA continues to be in the hands of a capable and committed leader. Allison has some fun and unique experiences planned for BBA members that you won’t want to miss. I ask that you continue to stay engaged with the BBA throughout your career. I assure you it will be rewarding for you. Also, I wish you all the best in the new year.
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Birmingham Bar Foundation’s Bocce Ball Tournament returns After a year off, we were thrilled to welcome so many BBA members back to the rooftop of the Kress Building for our 12th annual Michael D. Freeman Bocce Ball Tournament and Chili Cook-Off! We hope everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you to all of the sponsors, teams, judges and donors who are recognized in the following pages. Thank you also to everyone who attended and made it such a special evening. We look forward to seeing all of you next year!
Cory Watson attorneys having fun.
In the final round, Burr & Forman’s bocce team was all business.
The bocce competition was intense.
Akira Watson, Sarah Hughes, Bret Linley.
Pooja Chawla and Judge Chuck Price sell tickets for a chance to win a wheelbarrow filled with liquor.
Andrew Salser, Tempe Smith, Rebecca Beers, Marcus Maples.
Yashiba Blanchard, Astride Hood, Demetria Houston.
Judge Madeline Haikala served as a Bocce Ball Tournament judge.
Cory Watson, the winning team, with Judge Teresa Pulliam and Judge David Hobdy.
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Enjoying a beautiful evening on the Kress Building rooftop.
BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
Lloyd Gray’s bocce and chili teams.
Phillip McCallum, Leslie Barineau.
Brannon Buck, Lisha Graham.
Judge Teresa Pulliam with Chili Cook-Off winners: Joi Travis for the Probate Section and Lee DuBois for Legal Aid Society.
President John Lentine served as a bartender again this year.
Denzel Okinedo, D.G. Pantazis.
Margaret Vinsant, Eric Vinsant.
The Cory Watson Team gets psyched up for the final round against Burr & Forman.
Leila Watson, Marcus Maples.
Pooja Chawla and Ashley Scarpetta judged the Chili Cook-Off.
Judge Hobdy measures to determine the tournament winner.
Collegiality among the two final teams, Cory Watson and Burr & Forman.
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Catching up with friends.
Leila Watson and Lee DuBois raising money for nonprofits.
Mitch Surface, Shelby Morris, Hannah Hammitte.
Judge John Ott and Judge Michael Putnam judge the Bocce competition.
J.C. Lentine, Holly Clemente, John Lentine (BBF president).
Solo Section Leaders Trey McClure, Alan Duke, Kristin Sullivan, April DeLuca.
Conrad Anderson, Evan Pantazis.
Rodney Miller, Courtney Gipson, Jimbo Terrell.
Emily McClendon, Hannah Cory.
Sharon Stuart, Beth McElroy, Randy James, Priscilla Williams.
Attendees enjoying this year’s tournament.
Alan Rogers, Colleen Carr.
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BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
B o c c e B a l l T o u r n a m e nt Thank you to all of our supporters!
Bocce Teams
Alabama Power Balch B rr & orman Cory Watson Christian & Small Hand Arendall Harrison & Sale
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Bocce Teams
Legal Aid Society of Birmingham Lightfoot Fran-lin & White Lloyd ray Whitehead & Monroe Massey Stotser & Nichols Maynard oo er & ale Mc all m Mediation Meth in 'errell Solo/Small Firm Section of the BBA White Arnold & Dowd Wiggins hilds $anta is Fisher & oldfar
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BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
Chili Teams
Ruby Jackson Legal Aid Society of Birmingham Lloyd ray *hitehead Monroe Probate Section of the BBA Solo/Small Firm Section of the BBA
Bocce Judges
Judge Madeline Haikala Judge a id Hobdy Judge Jim Hughey Judge John #tt Judge 'eresa Pulliam Judge Michael Putnam
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Sponsors and Supporters
Attorneys Insurance Mutual Alabama Court %e orting Derek Chen Dentons Sirote First Bank Sherri Freeman George Dickel Magic City Bar Association Ser is1st Bank Source #ne Co y Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb Veritext
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Members Who Motivate Us What is it like to grow up in different locations? Hear the experience of these two BBA members and please share your own story! Merika Coleman
Members Who Motivate Us
Q: Tell us about growing up all over the country. Where all did your family live? A: I was blessed to grow up in a military
household. My father served 22 years in the United States Air Force, and service members’ dependents are affectionately referred to as “military brats.” So, yes, I’m a “brat.” I was born in England at RAF Lakenheath and left the country at 8 months old. After Lakenheath, my family moved to Cocoa, Florida; Spangdahlem, Germany; Columbus, Mississippi; then back to England to RAF Alconbury. Some of my best childhood memories were in England, such as the thatched (straw) roof house that was right across from the row house (townhouse) that we lived in. The house looked like something out of a medieval movie. I also enjoyed eating fish and chips out of a greasy bag on Saturdays at the local market and taking the train to London for shopping excursions. One of my fondest memories is my 10th grade Ancient Civilization class trip to Turkey. As Americans in England, we didn’t always understand the hype of the royal family. However, by pure luck, while in a museum in Istanbul, several of us had the opportunity to meet Prince Charles. He just happened to be visiting the same museum on the same day we were, and although we were asked to leave the museum, those of us who were rebels found our way back in through the exit. He talked with us once we said we lived at one of the Royal Air Force bases in England, and since then I’ve been hooked on all things royal. Needless to say, I’ve watched every season of Netflix’s hit “The Crown.” But the thing about living abroad as a teenager, many of us yearned to be back in the states, so the summer before my
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Above: Merika enjoys beach time with her son, Xavier, and daughter, Elexia. Left: Merika Coleman, a self-described “military brat.”
11th grade year of high school, my parents agreed that I could complete my last two years of high school with my grandmother in Tuscaloosa.
Q: What do you think moving around so much taught you, or how did it shape your personality? A: When I moved to Tuscaloosa, it was
culture shock. I went from a very diverse school and community where my neighbors on one side had an African American dad and a Korean mom and the neighbors on the other had a Japanese American dad and a Mexican American mom to Tuscaloosa where for the most part, Black people lived on one side of town and white people lived on the other. This was 1989, and thankfully some things have changed about Tuscaloosa. But I’m grateful for both of the experiences in high school: the opportunity to live in so
many different places and the opportunity to experience different cultures. I believe all of my experiences prepared me to deal with diverse clients as well as diverse groups in my elected capacity.
Q: Now that you are an adult, where do you like to travel for vacations? A: When I have time to travel, I love going to places with beautiful beaches. There is something therapeutic, actually spiritual, about listening to the waves crash and looking out at the vastness of the ocean. In those moments, I feel one with nature and one with God.
Q: If you were not a lawyer, what career would you pursue? A: I’ve been blessed to have several
careers. I went to law school late in life at 41, which was a dream of mine since childhood. Prior to becoming a lawyer, I was a college professor, as well as a community and economic developer. However, my dream job would be to be a folk singer, singing freedom songs and raising money from place to place for the less fortunate.
BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
a person’s relationships and interactions with others and the keys to successful person-to-person communication.
Q: Outside of the legal profession, who do you most admire? A: The person who I admire the most is my
Merika with her dad, retired Master Sgt. Arthur Bruce Williams.
Q: What book are you reading? A: I had a lot of tragedy in my life last
year like so many families during this pandemic. I lost my husband (non-COVID, we think) and five family members to COVID in the span of four months, so the books I’ve been reading are about dealing with grief and becoming the best version of myself. I’m currently reading “I’m OK - You’re OK,” by Dr. Thomas Harris about transactional analysis. The book examines
father, a disabled veteran who does not let his disability stop him from participating and enjoying life. My dad was an athlete, a strong physical force to reckon with. I remember him running every day. He loves to tell the story about the time I begged him to go bike riding from our home to the military base, a ride he took several times a week. He and I rode our bikes for 11 miles when I was 13 and he was 35, and I gave out at the halfway point. He gets really tickled when he reveals that he had to call a cab for me to get home because I could not do the 11-mile trek back home. My dad went to Saudi Arabia in 1990 and came home with an ailment that the Desert Storm Clinic ultimately concluded was chemical in nature. Something he took or was exposed to caused nerve damage;
that damage was degenerative, and he’s been completely wheelchair bound since 2007. Through the constant physical as well as mental pain that he must endure as a man who used to command a squadron during war games and actual war, my dad is always present. He’s present at every major and minor event of mine and my children, and he’s always ready to barbecue a great meal for the family. He’s my dad, my friend and my hero.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods? A: My favorite foods are the traditional
soul food meals that my grandmothers used to make with so much love, like collard greens and cornbread with baked chicken and macaroni and cheese. All of my aunts can cook the best food with recipes passed down from their mothers. My mom was the baby of her family and didn’t learn how to cook her mother’s recipes (she’s going to kill me for revealing that secret). However, she learned to cook on her own and does quite well now.
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Amy Osborne
Members Who Motivate Us
Q: Tell us about growing up all over the country? Where all did your family live? A: My father was an F-4 pilot in the U.S.
Air Force, so I was raised as a “military brat.” I was privileged to live in Texas, Georgia, the Philippines, California, Arizona and Alabama. Although I was young when we moved to the Philippines, I was blessed to be able to travel throughout the Asian continent with my family. We visited South Korea, Okinawa, Japan, and China. We would travel on C-5s, C-141s, C-130s and the 707 Stars and Stripes, where we would sit in jump seats, wear the yellow ear plugs and ride with the cargo. As a child I thought this was normal until we returned to the United States and I realized that not only was there a fast-food restaurant on every corner, but not every child traveled from place to place like I had. Above: Amy Osborne, second from right, with colleagues at a Solo/Small Firm Section social. Left: Amy with her brothers on base in the Philippines.
Q: What do you think moving around so much taught you or how did it shape your personality? A: Moving around to me was normal,
but looking back on life now, I realize that I was given opportunities that others did not have. I do not take my freedoms for granted, and I am very thankful for everything I have. I can remember seeing children running around the Philippines with no clothing or shoes, and when they were given clothing, it would be taken from them by the adults. I didn’t realize until I was older what has happening, but it stuck with me. I think all of my experiences have prepared me for being an attorney. My childhood of moving around has opened me up to realizing that not everyone lives the same way or has the same opportunities. I must be open-minded and accepting of people of all different backgrounds and lifestyles.
Q: Now that you are an adult, where do you like to travel for vacations? A: As crazy as it sounds, when I get a 22
chance to take some time for vacation, I go to my parents’ lake place, or I stay at home and try not to clean. Because my practice takes me all over the state, I am on the road a lot, so when I get some time off, I do not want to have to pack a bag or travel anywhere.
Q: If you were not a lawyer, what career would you pursue? A: My undergraduate degree was in human
development and family studies, and I originally wanted to be a therapist. However, when I got out of school, I went to work as a secretary for Drew Whitmire. I
thought it would be a temporary job until I could get another job or go back to school. So, if I had not loved working with estate, conservatorship and adoptions, I would have gone back into counseling. Instead, I decided to go to law school and follow in Drew’s footsteps practicing adoption and conservatorship law. I enjoy working with people and helping with their personal issues.
Q: What are your favorite shows/ movies to watch? A: When I have time, I enjoy binge watch-
ing “House,” “Castle,” “Grey’s Anatomy”
BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
Left: Amy enjoys a recent BBA event with Ruby Jackson and Joi Travis. Right: Amy and Joi. and “20/20.” I also enjoy old movies and any Marvel movie.
Q: Outside of the legal profession, who do you most admire? A: My parents. My parents met at a young
age and have been married 50-plus years. They have worked together to get what they have and have provided for me and
my brothers. My father and mother both worked hard and support me and my brothers in anything we choose to do. They are great parents and grandparents.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods? A: I am not picky when it comes to food.
I would rather have salty snack foods over
sweet dessert foods. If you leave it up to me to pick, I will always choose sushi or Mexican.
Q: What is your favorite app on your phone? A: Google Maps. It gets me everywhere
I have to go, and since I am direction challenged, it is my best friend.
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We all have a favorite movie ... what’s yours? Cold weather and the holiday season are approaching, which means we will all be spending more time gathered around the television with family, friends or a beloved pet. So it’s time to queue up a few movies on your favorite streaming services, stock up on your go-to snacks and drinks, and pull out your most comfortable loungewear. On these pages, some of our members provide movie recommendations that might fit your mood. Yashiba Blanchard
MOVIES DEPICT ENDLESS WAYS TO FIND LOVE First, I am a “romantic and romantic comedy movie girl.” I love movies like “Maid in Manhattan,” “The Wedding Planner” and “The Notebook.” My favorite movie is “A Walk in The Clouds.” I love this movie because it reminds me of the endless circumstances in finding true love. The movie is about two individuals (Victoria and Paul) with individual personal dilemmas who spontaneously meet while traveling early on in their careers. Victoria, a university student, is expecting, which causes her to leave college to return home. Paul is a salesman who sells chocolates and is to be married soon to a person he does not love. Both are seriously unhappy with their present lives. Also, both characters need each other to accomplish their fate without knowing it. Paul agrees to help Victoria with her predicament, and they create a false love story that ultimately develops into a true love story — “their love story.” This movie is simply splendid, and it demonstrates that personal dilemmas lead you to the love of your life!
Courtney Garrett
AN INSTANT CLASSIC FOR COMIC BOOK FANS My favorite movie is Marvel’s “Avengers: End Game.” It is an instant classic for any comic book fan. The ending has to be one of the greatest. The moment Captain America realizes that every Marvel character from the past movies is standing behind him is epic!
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BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
Stanley Blackmon
WATCHING MARVEL MOVIES WITH MY SUPERHERO NEPHEWS I’m a huge fan of the Marvel movies, especially “Avengers: Endgame,” “Black Panther” and “Spider-Man.” The movies are full of action, have good acting and are a great way to spend a few hours. The movies are perfect to rewatch on a relaxed weekend, and I’ve loved getting to introduce my young nephews to the films. They think they’re superheroes themselves!
Kimberly Jones Allison Dearing
MUSICALS ARE A GREAT WAY TO ESCAPE My all-time favorite movie is “The Sound of Music.” I’m a sucker for a musical! “The Greatest Showman” is a close second, followed by “La La Land.” Movie musicals are a great escape!
Justin Kelly
A MOVIE LOVER’S TOP PICKS
CAPTIVATED BY LOVE STORIES My favorite movies usually depict a beautiful love story. What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic. I can’t think of my absolute favorite off the top of my head, but one that I’ve seen more times than I care to admit and continue to cry during is “A Walk to Remember” starring Mandy Moore and Shane West. It’s a fairly predictable romance (as are most Nicholas Sparks novels) about a terminally ill teenager who wins over the heart of the “bad-boy.” My favorite line of the movie comes when Moore and West begin to engage in a friendship. Moore tells West she will only be his friend if he promises not to fall in love with her. Well, I am sure you can guess how it ends.
Ohhhhh, I love movies, so it’s hard to narrow down to one or two movies, as it can depend on my mood. Around Halloween I was on a deep dive into the movies of John Carpenter. His run of “Assault on Precinct 13,” “Halloween,” “The Fog,” “Escape from New York,” “The Thing,” “Christine,” “Starman” and “Big Trouble in Little China” from ’78 to ’86 is legendary. Since this is December, I could also discuss some great Christmas movies, but it would inevitably devolve into whether “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, and no one needs to rehash that again. With all of that said, if I had to pick my favorite movie, it would probably be “North by Northwest.” Cary Grant’s Roger Thornhill is one of the coolest people to ever grace a movie screen, and it was peak Hitchcock.
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Racial diversity in the courtroom By Kimberly Bell, Tina Lam and Brandy Robertson “We study the past to understand the present; we understand the present to guide the future.” – William Lund In the current social environment, racial diversity has become a hot topic issue. The legal profession is no exception and, with regard to racial diversity, our history explains the present. Before the mid-1960s, all students of color were forced to leave the state of Alabama to attend law school because the University of Alabama only admitted white students.1 The practice of racial segregation was commonplace in the American South at that time and the law school was no exception. As a result, according to the Alabama State Bar, prior to 1964 there were only 19 African-Americans licensed to practice law in Alabama.2 That was only 57 years ago. According to the Alabama State Bar, as of July 6, 2020, there are approximately 5,534 attorneys in Jefferson County, Alabama.3 Females account for 1,881 (34%) attorneys with a breakdown of 310 (16.5%) African-American females; 1,537 (81.7%) Caucasian females; and 34 (1.8%) Other4 females. Males account for 3,653 (66%) attorneys with a breakdown of 220 (6%) African-American males; 3,394 (93%) Caucasian males; and 39 (1%) Other5 males. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019 in Jefferson County,
See University of Alabama, Wikipedia, available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ University_of_Alabama#cite_ref-15, last visited July 16, 2021 (citing MOKRZYCKI, P. (2012). After the Stand Comes the Fall: Racial Integration and White Student Reactions at the University of Alabama, 1963–1976. Alabama Review, 65(4), 290–313). 1
2 See Before the Civil Rights Movement Alabama Blacks Faced Discrimination on Their Way to Getting Law Degrees and Licenses to Practice (May 17, 2013), Kent Faulk, available at www.al.com/ spotnews/2013/05/before_the_civil_ rights_moveme.html, last visited July
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From left: Kimberly Bell, Tina Lam and Brandy Robertson. Alabama, 43.5% of the population in the county was African-American, 49.5% was White, and the remaining 7% accounted for all other races.6 On a national level, the American Bar Association (ABA) in the ABA Profile of the Legal Profession 2020 publication notes that “[w]hite men and women are still overrepresented in the legal profession compared with their presence in the overall U.S. population. In 2020, 86% of all lawyers were non-Hispanic whites, a decline from 89% a decade ago. By comparison, 60% of all U.S. residents were non-Hispanic whites in 2019.”7 The ABA publication goes on to state that “[n]early all people of color are underrepresented in the legal profession compared with their presence in the U.S. population. For example, 5% of all lawyers are African-American – the same percentage as 10 years earlier – but the U.S. population is 13.4% African American.”8 In a similar manner, “5% of all
lawyers are Hispanic – up from 4% a decade earlier – although the U.S. population is 18.5% Hispanic. And 2% of all lawyers are Asian – up slightly from 1.6% 10 years earlier – while the U.S. population is 5.9% Asian.”9 The National Association for Law Placement, Inc. (NALP) 2020 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms showed that U.S. law firms are still not very racially diverse, though small increases have occurred.10 NALP stated that “[d]espite enormous efforts by law firms to make progress, bias in the profession has maintained inequities long past when many other professions, most notably medicine, have become much more diverse.”11 Moreover, the Report noted that: “In 2020, women, people of color, and women of color all made small improvements in representation at the partner level, and Black partners overall finally surpassed 2% for the first time since NALP began
“Other” encompasses all attorneys who do not identify as Caucasian or African-American.
obtain the data on the gender and race of Alabama lawyers. To read Part 1 of this Tracking Project Article focused on men versus women in the courtroom, please see Fall 2020 - Birmingham Bar Association, New Judicial Study: Birmingham Women Attorneys Trail Behind Men in Courtroom Appearances, p. 28-29, which can be accessed at https://issuu.com/280living/docs/ issuu_bulletin_fall_2020.
Overall, Alabama has 18,753 lawyers - 16,757 (89.4%) are Caucasian; 1,480 (7.9%) are African-American; and 213 (1.1%) are classified as Other. We contacted the Alabama State Bar to
6 See United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts – Jefferson County, Alabama, available at https://www.census.gov/ quickfacts/jeffersoncountyalabama, last visited 10/19/2021.
16, 2021. Jefferson County is the primary county related to the data collected in this Article, but the complete sampling pool comprised of all the counties included in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. 3
4
5
American Bar Association, ABA Profile of the Legal Profession 2020, p. 33, available at https://www.americanbar. org/content/dam/aba/administrative/ news/2020/07/potlp2020.pdf, last visited July 15, 2021. 7
See id.
8
See id.
9
National Association for Law Placement, Inc. (NALP), 2020 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms (February 2021), p. 4, available at https://www.nalp.org/ uploads/2020_NALP_Diversity_Report. pdf, last visited July 20, 2021.
10
See id.
11
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collecting this data. Despite these increases, however, less than four percent of all partners are women of color — a figure that remains abysmally low due to the significant underrepresentation of both women and people of color at the partnership level and a pattern that holds true across all firm sizes and most jurisdictions. Worse, Black women and Latina women each continued to represent less than 1% of all partners in U.S. law firms. Similarly, in 2020, the percentage of Black associates surpassed 5% for the first time since NALP began collecting these data and the share of Black women associates (3.04%) finally exceeded the 2009
See id.
12
Bulletin Fall 2020 - Birmingham Bar Association, New Judicial Study: Birmingham Women Attorneys Trail Behind Men in Courtroom Appearances, p. 28-29, available at https://issuu. com/280living/docs/issuu_bulletin_ fall_2020, last visited October 7, 2021.
13
14
This study would not have been
figure of 2.93%. Despite these increases, the representation of Black women at the associate level has increased by just onetenth of a percentage point over 11 years.”12 What is clear is that diversity of the legal profession is still an important goal that we must continue to seek to achieve. In the Fall 2020 issue of the Birmingham Bar Bulletin,13 the Women Lawyers Section shared the results of their Observational Tracking Project (“Birmingham Tracking Project”), which involved tracking female and minority attorney contributions in the courtroom. Judges in both the Jefferson County Circuit Court and in the United States District Court for the Northern
successful without the help of the following judges: The Honorable Pat Ballard, The Honorable Karon Bowdre, The Honorable Staci Cornelius, The Honorable John England III, The Honorable Elisabeth French, The Honorable Madeline Haikala, The Honorable Jim Hughey III, The Honorable Herman Johnson, Jr., The Honorable Abdul Kallon, The
District of Alabama collected the data from August through November 2018. Twelve judges14 participated in the project, recording the gender and race of the attorneys who were lead counsel or co-counsel as the second chair in all matters in their courtrooms for this four-month period. The data was analyzed, and the results of the gender aspect of the tracking project was published in the article New Judicial Study: Birmingham Women Attorneys Trail Behind Men in Courtroom Appearances.15 That article revealed that, overall, women attorneys in Birmingham made court appearances as lead counsel on average 21% of the time versus men, who appeared 72% of the time.16
Honorable John Ott, The Honorable Javan Patton, and The Honorable C. Lynwood Smith, Jr. The participation of the judges and court staff was remarkable, especially considering the various court caseloads and duties. These judges and their staff went above and beyond to provide this data. We are truly thankful for the support we received.
15 Bulletin Fall 2020 - Birmingham Bar Association, New Judicial Study: Birmingham Women Attorneys Trail Behind Men in Courtroom Appearances, p. 28-29, available at https:// issuu.com/280living/docs/issuu_bulletin_fall_2020, last visited October 7, 2021.
Id.
16
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The focus of this article is based on the data collected in the Birmingham Tracking Project and examines the racial diversity of attorneys who practiced in court in Jefferson County and the counties the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama serves.17 In the geographic area that the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama serves, African-American attorneys account for 7.57%, while Caucasian attorneys account for 91.2%, and Other attorneys account for 1.22% of the legal profession.18 The data from the Birmingham Tracking Project shows that, overall, African-American attorneys were in court 10.45% compared to Caucasian attorneys, who were in court 67.33% compared to Other attorneys, who were in court 5.23%.19 Interestingly, African-American attorneys are more likely to appear in court for basic proceedings, like initial appearances or status conferences, at a rate of 11.41%, but only at a rate of 8.75% for motion practice or oral arguments. However, African-American attorneys appear at trial at a rate of 12.73%, which is higher than the appearance rate for basic proceedings. Caucasian attorneys are most likely to appear at basic proceedings at a rate of 70.90%. The rate decreases to 62.61% for motion practice and then increases slightly to 62.73% for trial. For attorneys categorized as Other, they appear in 7.89% of basic proceedings, 1.70% of oral arguments, and 1.82% in trial.20 When the data is broken down by plaintiffs versus defense, African-American attorneys are more likely to appear for the defense at a rate of 12.28% versus 8.62% for the plaintiff. In contrast, Caucasian attorneys appear for the defense at a rate of 65.68% versus 68.99% for the plaintiff. Other attorneys are more likely to appear for the plaintiff at a rate of 7.58% compared to 2.87% for the defense.21 The data was also analyzed to examine the differences between attorney
The results discussed in this Article focus on the race of the lead counsel in all proceedings, unless otherwise specifically noted.
17
We received this data from the Alabama State Bar.
18
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representation in the public versus private sector. African-American attorneys are more likely to represent the public sector at a rate of 12.65% versus 7.71% representation in the private sector. Other attorneys have a similar trend with representing the public sector at a rate of 9.74%, while representing the
Unknown races accounted for 16.99% of attorney appearances. Notably, the data collected for this Article reveals that, while minority attorneys have a higher percentage of courtroom appearances in comparison to their racial representation in the
19
private sector at a rate of 1.93%. Unlike African-American and Other attorneys, Caucasian attorneys are more likely to represent the private sector at a rate of 86.63% and the public sector at a rate of 58.63%.22 The low number of racially diverse lawyers in the courtroom shows the lack of
legal profession, the numbers are still extremely low compared to Caucasian attorneys.
21
Unknown races accounted for the remaining percentages of courtroom appearances.
22 The remaining difference in the statistics represents the unknown races of attorneys.
20
Unknown races accounted for the remaining representation for plaintiffs and defendants.
BIRMINGHAM BAR BULLETIN
“
We hope the results and the two articles published based on the Birmingham Tracking Project will provide a mechanism for the legal profession, especially in Alabama, to have a conversation on the importance of ensuring racial and gender diversity in the legal profession.
diversity in the legal profession in general and possibly the lack of law firms utilizing lawyers of color in court. The ABS notes in its Diversity & Inclusion Committee Newsletter that: “[t]he legal profession is generally perceived as lagging behind other professions and industries in the area of diversity and inclusion. Although there are many notable exceptions, women and minorities are often under-represented at law firms and in-house law departments, particularly in leadership positions. They also often receive lower compensation than non-diverse attorneys and are excluded from, or overlooked for, other important law firm and law department roles, opportunities, and benefits.”23 The ABA report Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms, published in 2006, documented that “women of color tend to fare worse than white men and women as well as men of color in law firms.”24 In this study, women of color felt they were missing out on desirable assignments, were being denied formal and informal networking opportunities, missing client development and client relationship
Winter 2020 – Diversity & Inclusion Committee Newsletter, Increasing Law Firm Diversity, available at https:// www.americanbar.org/groups/tort_ trial_insurance_practice/publications/ committee-newsletters/increasing_law_ firm_diversity, last visited October 7, 2021.
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opportunities, and being denied promotion opportunities. Further, the study revealed that women of color felt they were treated as “tokens” and only introduced to clients when it would help the firm look good. Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms, a 2009 study by Catalyst, noted that women of color reported being left out of relationship building inside the firm, indicating that they had less access to senior attorneys compared to white women and men. Only 21 percent of those surveyed across all races and genders believed that supervising attorneys were being held accountable for developing and advancing women and diverse attorneys.25 A 2018 study prepared by the ABA’s Commission on Women in the Profession and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association revealed that women, women of color and men of color have been mistaken for secretaries, paralegals, court personnel, or janitorial staff.26 Both women and women of color do more administrative tasks, such as note taking, than their male colleagues.27 In addition, both women and women of color reported that their
Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms (2006) and Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Fortune 500 Companies (2012).
24
Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (2009), available at https://www.catalyst. org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/01/
25
”
commitment and competence were questioned, and they were passed over for promotions and not given quality assignments or projects after they had children.28 As the NALP Executive Director James Leipold explained: “[t]he problems of racism and bias in American society are longstanding and run deep, dating back to our history of slavery, and the legal profession sits squarely in that history, but we are not bound by past practices and beliefs. Let this time embolden all of us to renew our efforts to address more directly and more forcefully systemic bias and prejudice in the legal profession[.]”29 Studies such as this Birmingham Tracking Project are ways to directly confront that bias. The more we can directly identify the problems, the better able we are to take intentional steps to address them and solve them. We hope the results and the two articles published based on the Birmingham Tracking Project will provide a mechanism for the legal profession, especially in Alabama, to have a conversation on the importance of ensuring racial and gender diversity in the legal profession.
Women_of_Color_in_U.S._Law_Firms. pdf.
27
You Can’t Change What You Can’t See, available at https://www.americanbar.org/ content/dam/aba/administrative/women/ you-cant-change-what-you-cant-seeprint.pdf
29
26
Id. Id.
28
NALP, 2020 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms, p. 4, available at https://www.nalp.org/uploads/2020_ NALP_Diversity_Report.pdf, last visited October 7, 2021.
29
Volunteer lawyers fight to prevent an eviction crisis With the expiration of the eviction moratorium, VLB works to keep low-income residents in their homes Tasha Jones (name changed for privacy) was facing two major life events when she sought help from volunteer Grace Murphy (Maynard Cooper & Gale) at a virtual Help Desk. The first was happy news: Jones was expecting her first baby. The second was keeping Jones awake at night. Her landlord was trying to evict her, making Jones one of thousands of low-income residents of Jefferson County at risk of losing their homes because of income lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventing evictions has long been a top priority for Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB), but the economic fallout of the pandemic has turned the threat of eviction into a community crisis. VLB’s response has been an all-hands-on-deck effort, including virtual eviction-prevention training seminars and Eviction Help Desks to help clients remain safely in their homes. As early as June 2020, the Urban Institute based in Washington, D.C., was already reporting that the pandemic was hitting low-income, Black, and Hispanic families especially hard. These families were more likely to lose work-related income and less likely to be able to work from home, compounding the strain on their finances as they struggled to find childcare when schools and daycares closed (https://www.urban.org). Volunteer Ken Lay (Hood & Lay), who has helped dozens of eviction clients to remain in their homes, says the eviction moratoriums bought people time but couldn’t make them whole. He was eager to step up and help VLB prevent evictions during this critical time. “It’s important that volunteers are there to help fill in the gaps to help fight
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From left: Ken Lay, Grace Murphy and Mary Caroline Wynn. eviction, because our courts are not set up for litigants who are representing themselves,” Lay said, adding that many are in a race against time as they wait for rental assistance while landlords grow impatient. “People are afraid. But I’ve talked to several tenants who have been waiting for the rent-assistance program to pay some of the rent, and we’ve been able to stop the evictions until the money could go through. That’s a win-win for everybody in that the people can stay, and the landlords get their rent as well.” Murphy says her client’s main concern about being evicted was having a stain on her record that could affect future housing options. “Because she is expecting, it was especially important that she figure out her living situation,” she said. “My goal was to make sure she got her paperwork filed, preserve her rights and try to work on a negotiation so she could make a plan moving forward. Where we left it, I’m hopeful they’ll be able to reach a resolution.” Volunteer Mary Caroline Wynn
(Maynard Cooper & Gale) says in other cases, fighting evictions can be as simple as clearing up miscommunication between tenants and landlords. “I think frustration is the predominant emotion for many clients — frustration with trying to deal with landlords, frustration at the situation, feeling like there’s no good alternative. “I explain there are ways of handling it that can solve the issue, because a lot of times issues just come down to misunderstandings,” Wynn continued. “It feels good to be able to assist in breaking through that. It’s not difficult to do, but definitely it’s helpful for the client. So it’s rewarding.” Lay echoes that sentiment. “Honestly,” he said, “it doesn’t require a lot of time for a lawyer to help somebody in this situation and make a real difference in their life.” To sign up for free, virtual Eviction Prevention training or volunteer for an Eviction Help Clinic, email Michelle Horn Brown at mbrown@vlbham.org or call 205-250-5198.
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My favorite time of year MCBA, community come together for annual scholarship banquet for students By President Sidney Jackson
Above and right: MCBA representation at a recent health fair at Kelly Ingram Park. Below: MCBA presented “Courtroom Etiquette 101: Welcome to the Basics,” a free CLE geared toward newly admitted attorneys.
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It’s that time again! It is my favorite time of the year — not only because of the fall season with its beautiful weather and colorful leaves, but because it is the time that the Magic City Bar Association begins preparations for its annual scholarship banquet. Each year the MCBA solicits scholarship applications from law students who are enrolled at each of the five law schools within Alabama. With the help of our generous sponsors, the MCBA is able to award thousands of dollars in scholarship money to deserving law students every year. It is my favorite time of the year because I truly see the community come together to help make the scholarship banquet a success for our students. Indeed, everyone from major corporations to solo practitioners come together by chipping in to guarantee we are able to provide generous scholarship awards. It is my favorite time of the year because I am able to see the look on the recipients’ faces when they are awarded the scholarships. I see smiles, tears, and eyes filled with gratitude and hope. I see the future of our profession. Often, we do not know what someone is going through. Being able to provide scholarships is not something we take lightly. A scholarship can mean the difference between continuing a legal education or dropping out due to financial pressures that may be related to law school or life in general. In fact, just the other day, I was told by a young man who recently passed
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the Bar exam that the MCBA scholarship he received came at a time when he was experiencing depression and strong doubts of being able to continue with law school. However, the scholarship money he received not only helped him purchase books needed for school but was also enough to pay his living expenses for a couple of months! The reduced stress allowed him to focus all of his attention on school with a renewed vigor. I am sure there are many other stories to tell of how scholarship money positively impacted the lives of the recipients. That is
why I love this time of the year. We come together for a greater good that implements positive change. I am proud to serve as President of the MCBA. I am even prouder to be a part of a community that comes together to make our annual scholarship banquet possible. On behalf of the MCBA, I sincerely thank each of our sponsors, colleagues, and friends. Let’s continue to move “Onward. Upward. Together.”
at Kelly Ingram Park. We provided free legal advice, wills, and powers of attorney while health professionals were on hand to administer free COVID-19 vaccinations. Additionally, we were thrilled to conduct a free CLE that featured five of our best state court judges who provided invaluable advice on courtroom etiquette to our newly admitted colleagues who recently passed the Bar exam. I look forward to these remaining months of 2021 and the good we can do, together, as we close out this year.
If you are not already a member, we encourage you to join the MCBA. In addition to our annual scholarship banquet, we conduct free CLEs for our members throughout the year; hold mixers and social gatherings to promote networking, partnerships and camaraderie; and provide pro bono legal services to our community at various clinics, health fairs and events. Just recently, we were honored to participate in a community health fair that took place
Sidney Jackson is the 2021 President of the Magic City Bar Association
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Networking with the BBA The Birmingham Bar Association welcomes members to fall networking and social events
We were pleased to be able to host so many well-attended networking events over the past several months. Thanks for attending, and be on the lookout for more fun events in the new year!
Tess Bray, Jack Gray, Judge Anne Durward, Murray Flint, Tanita Cain
Judge Javan Patton, Stuart McAtee, Khristi Driver, Ross Kinder, Greg Ritchey
Judge Patricia Stephens and Judge Brendette Green
Rebecca Beers, J.W. Carpenter, Angela Abdur-Rasheed, Kitty Brown, Derek Chen
Lauren Shine, Angela Abdur-Rasheed and Margaret Loveman
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Enjoying cocktails at a recent social event
Breauna Peterson, Ruby Jackson
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Solo/Small Firm Section Summer Social
Jeremy Glassford, Chris Christie, Rachel Harmon
Diana S. Knight, CPA, CVA Jeff W. Maze, CPA, MA Jason Lybrand, CPA, MBA
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BBA members enjoy a networking social in the courtyard.
Derek Chen, Justin Kelly
• • • • • • •
Members of the Bankruptcy Section
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
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Judge Anne Durward, Tina Lam, Susan Han, Tanita Cain, Beth McElroy, Judge Brendette Green, Judge Marshell Hatcher
Leslie Barineau, Emily McClendon, Kristin Sullivan
Brett Thompson, Alan Duke
Jequette Noland, Judge Brendette Green, Judge Javan Patton, Allison Skinner collect items for DHR Kid’s Closet.
Starr Drum, Kitty Brown, Adrienne Hale
Judge Sherri Friday, Judge Jim Naftel
Stephen Greene, Catherine Greene, Tripp Watson
Tom Walker, Ross Kinder, Daniel Pickett
Chessica Croskey, Marissa Jamieson, Pam Blalock
Chris Christie, Alan Stabler, Henry Long
Beth McElroy, Charles Fry, Judge Anne Durward, Leslie Wright, Henry Taliaferro, Khristi Driver, Walter McArdle
J.W. Carpenter, Angela Abdur-Rasheed, Al Vance
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Tiara Hudson, Judge Patricia Stephens
Karen McClure, Trey McClure, Jennifer Tombrello Vizzina
Leila Watson, Judge John Carroll, LaBella McCallum
Women Lawyers Section Wellness Walk
Tanita Cain, Marcus Maples
Meg Gurley and April DeLuca at the Solo/Small Firm Section Social
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Memorial Scholarship Contributions We invite you to honor the life of a colleague or loved one through a gift to the Birmingham Bar Association Memorial Scholarship Fund. Your tax-deductible gift is used to award scholarships to second-year and third-year law students at Birmingham School of Law, Cumberland School of Law, Miles Law School and the University of Alabama School of Law. Donations may be sent to the Birmingham Bar Foundation, 2021 Second Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. For more information, contact Jennifer Buettner at 205-251-8006, ext. 3 or jbuettner@birminghambar.org. We are thankful to the following generous donors for supporting this important scholarship program and carrying on a legacy of justice in future attorneys: ► In memory of George James Bouloukos ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ► In memory of Robert C. Boyce III ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Charles Eugene Caldwell ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Maria B. Campbell ○ Jerry W. Powell
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► In memory of Lenora Walker Pate ○ Massey, Stotser & Nichols ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Suzanne Paulson ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ► In memory of Jack Howell Pearson ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Shannon Eugene Price ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Louis B. Feld ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Charles M. Purvis ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Calvin Marvin Howard ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Tyrone Quarles ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Mary Hughes ○ Robin L. Burrell
► In memory of William Eugene Rutledge ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Davidson Lynn Laning ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Charles Salvagio ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of William Douglas “Doug” Marsh ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of William F. “Bill” Sharpe ○ Robert W. Gwin
► In memory of Thomas Anderson Mears II ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Joe Sides ○ George M. Neal Jr. ○ Jackson M. Neal
► In memory of Carol Ann McCoy ○ Frances King Quick
► In memory of Keri Donald Simms ○ Jerry W. Powell
► In memory of Kelby Earl Strickland Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Robert Greye Tate Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Jon B. Terry ○ Robert W. Gwin ► In memory of James Manley “Buddy” Tingle ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ○ Charles Denaburg ○ Jerry W. Powell ○ Leila Watson ► In memory of Lanny Sterling Vines ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Alexander Stephens Williams III ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Bennie G. Wright ○ Robin L. Burrell ► In memory of James Stanley Witcher Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell ► In memory of Ben L. Zarzaur ○ The Honorable Tom King Jr. ○ Jerry W. Powell
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Enjoy these Benefits of Membership in the Birmingham Bar Association As a member of the Birmingham Bar Association, you have access to discounts and benefits from the following companies. Visit the "BBA Member Discounts" page of our website for details: https://birminghambar.site-ym. com/page/Bar_member_discounts
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Upcoming CLE Opportunities Save these dates and watch for announcements about more BBA CLE programs in 2022: Dec. 14, 2021: Insider Trading. 2-3 p.m. Dec. 16, 2021: Ethical Considerations. Noon-1 p.m. Jan. 28, 2022: Sports Law Feb. 11, 2022: Understanding the Health Care Industry Feb. 24, 2022: Mediation Strategies March 11, 2022: Dealing with Difficult Clients March 24, 2022: U.S. Supreme Court Case Review April 8, 2022: Marijuana Laws in Alabama April 22, 2022: Workers Compensation
Icicles melt on rock formations off U.S. 280. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Visit birminghambar.org for additional information.
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On-Demand CLEs from the Birmingham Bar Association https://bhba.vocalmeet.com Discount for BBA Members BBA members get a 20% discount with coupon code BHBAMEM at checkout
New Programs Ethics Update with ASB GC, Roman Shaul The Intersection of Workers Compensation Laws, the ADA and the FMLA How to Identify a Mass Tort Effecti,e and Persuasi,e ral Arguments Many more CLE programs to choose from!
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Attorneys in the News Tanya Shunnara has been named this year’s Outstanding Professional Advisor by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Alabama Chapter. Ms. Shun- Shunnara nara was honored at the organization’s 2021 National Philanthropy Day awards program on Nov. 12. Heninger Garrison Davis LLC partner Amanda Williamson has been appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee supervising the In re Paraquat Products Williamson Liability Litigation by Chief Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
McClendon
Neal
White Arnold & Dowd is pleased to announce that attorneys Emily McClendon and Jackson Neal have joined the firm. Ms. McClendon will be practicing Divorce and Family Law, and Mr. Neal will be primarily practicing Civil & Complex Litigation and Insurance Defense. Dummier Young is pleased to announce that Timothy “Jamie” Greene has
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joined the firm as an associate. Balch & Bingham LLP welcomes Lauren Thornton Jameson as she returns to the firm’s Birmingham office Greene in the Litigation, Real Estate and Commercial Lending practices groups. Dentons Sirote announces that Sarah S. Johnston has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its Jameson Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group. The law firm of Smith, Spires, Peddy, Hamilton & Coleman P.C. is pleased to announce that A l e xa n d e r V. Johnston Makarenko has joined the firm as an associate. Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partner Lana A. Olson has assumed the role of presi- Makarenko dent-elect of DRI, the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel. Balch & Bingham LLP recently hosted its 10th annual Susan B. Livingston Olson
Boot Camp for Success to equip incoming law students with the necessary tools to succeed in law school and throughout their professional careers. To date, more than 500 students are boot camp alumni. Simpson, McMahan, Glick & Burford PLLC recently announced that Daniel S. Weber has been made partner at the firm. Ross Benson, an Weber associate with McGlinchey Stafford PLLC, has earned the widely recognized Certified AntiMoney Laundering Specialist certification from the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laun- Benson dering Specialists. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has awarded its 2022 Diversity Scholarship to Southern University Thornton law student DeMario Thornton. Connor W. Herfurth has joined Christian & Small LLP as an associate with a focus on Insurance, Professional Liability, Herfurth Retail and Hospitality, and Transportation litigation.
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Attorneys in the News For the second consecutive year, Baker Donelson has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status, making it one among 118 law firms that have completed a rig- Baugh orous 12-month collaboration with Diversity Lab. “Our participation in the Mansfield Rule is an important part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Officer Mark A. Baugh. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announces that attorneys Dylan C. Black, Tiffany J. deGruy, Anne Marie Seibel and Ethan T. Tidmore were appointed to new leadership roles with the American Bar Association (ABA) for the 2021-22 bar year, which began Aug. 1. Dominick Feld Hyde, P.C. is pleased to announce that Robert S. Vance III has joined the firm as an associate. Mr. Vance will be working in the firm’s Litigation practice Vance area.
as a named partner and shareholder.
For the fifth summer in a row, Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC has raised thousands of dollars to support pediatric cancer research. This year, the “Lightfoot Lemons’’ team raised $25,091 to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national childhood cancer charity. The firm’s fundraising efforts culminated on August 5 with attorney Terry McCarthy performing 2,000 push-ups, one for each dollar the late, 4-year-old Alex raised in her first lemonade stand. Carney Dye LLC is pleased to announce that J. Winston Busby has joined the firm as a member, and the office has moved to 3800 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 175, Birmingham, Busby Alabama 35243. The firm’s phone number remains 205-802-0696.
The law firm of Smith, Spires, Peddy, Hamilton & Coleman P.C. is pleased to announce that Leslie M. Hand has joined the firm as an associate. Hand
Maynard Cooper & Gale is pleased to announce that Megan M. Kelly has joined the Firm’s Kelly Estate Planning and Fiduciary Advisory Services practice groups.
Durward and Durward is pleased to announce the relocation of its office to: 2140 11th Avenue South, Suite 415, Birmingham, AL 35205. The phone number remains 205-324-6654.
Frederick A. Erben and the law firm of Beddow, Erben & Bowen PA are proud to announce the firm has become Beddow, Erben, Bowen & Wales PA. This change marks the addition of Jennifer K. Wales
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McGlinchey Stafford PLLC is proud to welcome former Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. “Jim” Sturdivant as a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office. As part of the Government Sturdivant and Internal Investigations team, he aggressively represents clients in high-stakes white collar litigation and helps them prepare for and navigate state and federal investigations. Miller, Christie & Kinney PC is pleased to announce that Stephanie A. Marrero has joined the firm as an associate. The law firm of Christian & Small LLP is pleased to announce that associate Helen M. Buckley has joined the firm in its Birmingham office. She will focus her practice on Business and Commercial Litigation, Class Actions & Toxic Torts, Construction, Insurance, Labor and Employment and Transportation. J. Hardy Family Law LLC announces that Auna M. Bilbo has been promoted to associate attorney at the firm’s Birmingham office located at 200 Office Park Drive, Suite 310, Bilbo Mountain Brook 35223, 205-545-7445. Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC is proud to be in Diversity Lab’s second cohort of the Mansfield Rule for Midsize Firms, part of a national initiative to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession. Lightfoot is one of more than 70 law firms across the U.S. participating in the 2021-23 cohort.
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Attorneys in the News
Brewster
Brown
Cole
Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC is pleased to welcome five new lawyers to the firm’s Birmingham office. Meghan S. Cole joins as a lateral associate, while George A. Brewster Harrison Jackson Jr., Henry “Ben” Brown III, Mary “Elizabeth” Harrison and Tatum L. Jackson are first-year associates. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that J. Andrew Robison, a partner practicing in the area of financial services litigation, has been named to the North American Regional Council of the World Services Group (WSG). Bressler, Amery & Ross P.C. is proud to announce that principal Matthew I. Penfield Robison has been accepted into Leadership Birmingham’s 2022 class. Leadership Birmingham is a professional organization whose members are committed to building stronger community leaders through education on current issues and challenges facing their region. Baker Donelson has been recognized by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Penfield as a 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Residential Leadership Award recipient. The annual awards recognize MBA members for their leadership efforts in DEI in three award categories: organizational DEI, market outreach strategies, and non-lender. Burr & Forman LLP has launched BurrSportsLaw.com as a resource center for college athletes. The team includes attorneys from a variety of legal and college athletic backgrounds, who provide counsel on marketing, licensing and other agreements. WINTER 2021
Dentons Sirote is proud to announce attorneys Elizabeth H. Hutchins and Katherine N. Barr have been recognized as “notable practitioners” for their outstanding work in private wealth Barr law in Alabama in the 2021 Chambers High Net Worth Guide.
Hutchins
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Robert Maddox, a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office, has been elected as a member of the Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law (CCFL). Bressler Amery & Ross P.C. has joined Maddox the second cohort of Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule for Midsize Firms, part of a national initiative to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession.
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