President's Message

I’ll make this short. Emily Dickinson said, “Sunsets are sterner in November” and I believe it. 2019 is down to the lick log. Things are getting serious. If you haven’t gotten in your billable hours, met your professional goals, or collected your quota in fees, you better get on it. Time is running out. CLE deadlines are upon us, too. The stakes have been raised in conference football games, as well. We will know very soon who’s in, and who’s out. In November, things get real. 

 

On the other hand, avid outdoorsman and English professor Havilah Babcock wrote a book titled, “My Health Gets Better in November” and because he loved to hunt and fish and enjoy the countryside. November is a great time to get outdoors with friends and family, enjoy what God has given us, and be thankful for all of it. Even though the year is winding down, don’t forget why we do what we do, give thanks, and reflect on our many opportunities to serve and enjoy the fruits of our labor. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  -------

JOIN US FOR OUR NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

Friday, November 15th at 11:45 a.m.

The Admiral Hotel

251 Government Street

We will recognize the following deceased members and the contributions they made to our profession.  They are: Donald E. Brutkiewicz, Arthur P. Clarke, William Huger Hardie, Jr., Thomas M. Marr, Sr., Jerry A. McDowell, J. R. Meriwether, Jack Wayne Morgan, Thomas Potter Ollinger, Jr. and James V. Roberts, Jr. 

We will also vote on the Nominating Committee's presented 2020 slate of officers.

Please make your reservation in advance.

Our sponsor for the meeting is:

TO REGISTER FOR THE NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON, CLICK HERE.

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Did you know that November 1 is Love Your Lawyer Day? Well…. It is. The day was created in 2001 by attorney Nader Anise. It is set aside to celebrate the valuable contributions made by attorneys in their communities. It is often forgotten the good that lawyers do on a daily basis. Thank you for all the long hours and dedication you put in to help your clients and our community to ensure justice prevails. We love our lawyers with Mobile Bar Association. 

Here are a couple of items to make note of for the month of November: If you haven’t already, please complete and send in your 2020 Committee and Section Interest Form. There are a variety of ways to get involved and share your time and talents with us. The form also includes a survey. Let us hear from you! We want to know how we can better serve you. Click here and get your Interest Form completed today.

We have three CLE opportunities available during the month of November. 

Make plans to join us for our November Membership Luncheon. We will recognize Mobile Bar members that have passed away within the last year. We will highlight Donald E. Brutkiewicz, Arthur P. Clarke, William Huger Hardie, Jr., Thomas M. Marr, Sr., Jerry A. McDowell, J. R. Meriwether, Jack Wayne Morgan, Thomas Potter Ollinger, Jr. and James V. Roberts, Jr. We will also vote on the 2020 slate of officers for the Mobile Bar Association. For more information or to register, click here .

Thanks again for all you do! #LoveYourLawyerDay.

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MENTORING PROGRAM PRESENTS

COFFEE WITH THE COURT

By Greg Vaughan, Chair

The Mentoring Committee is offering a program for 2019 called  Coffee with the Court.  The concept is to provide a forum for our members to get to know our local judges over a cup of coffee and bagels.  At each session, two to three judges will present on the topic:  My Top 5 Practice Pointers for Newer Lawyers in my Courtroom. All participants receive one hour of CLE credit, as well as coffee.  There is no cost for Mobile Bar members with 12 years of experience or less.  We welcome all other Mobile Bar members and non-members to join us, and standard CLE rates are charged.  Space will be limited.

We have two more programs in 2019 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at The Admiral Hotel in the Cove Room. It is a small meeting room on the first floor near the restaurant. We are asking everyone to  REGISTER IN ADVANCE. 

Here is the last date for 2019:

To register, click here.

UPCOMING MCLE for MBA SECTIONS

Mobile Bar Social Security Section

Lunch and Learn

Monday, November 4, 2019

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | 1.0 CLE available credits

The Athelstan Club

170 St. Francis Street | Mobile, AL 36602

Mobile Bar Bankruptcy Section

Lunch and Learn

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | 1.0 CLE available credits

U.S. Probation Office

2nd Floor Meeting Room | 201 St. Michael Street | Mobile, AL 3660

To make your lunch reservation, please contact U.S. Bankruptcy Court at 251-436-5447.

Mobile Bar Workman’s Comp Section

Lunch and Learn

Monday, November 18, 2019

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | 1.0 CLE available credits

The Athelstan Club

170 St. Francis Street | Mobile, AL 36602

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CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR THE FEDERAL LAW UPDATE CLE

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CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR CLE BY-THE-HOUR

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CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR BENCH AND BAR

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VERNON Z CRAWFORD BAR ASSOCIATION

Update

By Suntrease Williams-Maynard, Presiden

The Vernon Z. Crawford Bar Association hosted its annual Meet and Greet on October 10, 2019. During this event, U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer was presented with the Association’s Living Legend Award. Colin Al-Greene was also recognized as a new member to the Association. The executive board extends its sincerest gratitude to all those that supported the event by attendance, phone calls and/or emails. 

 

All members are encouraged to attend the upcoming November CLE as sponsored and presented by Cunningham Bounds. This meeting will take place on November 13th at noon at Dauphin’s. Join us as Cunningham Bounds discusses ways of “Expanding Your Practice.” We hope to see you there! 

DON'T FORGET!

2020 COMMITTEE AND SECTION INTEREST FORM  

It's now time to start considering how you would like to volunteer in one or more of the MBA's Committees and Sections for the year 2020.

Please click the link below and complete your interest form. Once the form is complete, print the form and either e-mail it to [email protected] or mail to the Bar Office at P. O. Drawer 2005, Mobile, AL 36652.

Deadline to submit is Monday, November 4, 2019. 

CLICK HERE FOR 2020 COMMITTEE AND SECTION INTEREST FORM

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By Kasee S. Heisterhagen, Secretary

The Mobile Bar Association Women Lawyers (MBAWL) will hold its November meeting at Café Del Rio on the Causeway at 11:45am on Tuesday, November 12. The cost of lunch is $18 for dues-paid members and $21 for guests. Checks may be made payable to MBAWL.  

 

Thank you to everyone who attended MBAWL’s October “happy hour” meeting at Red or White. It was a great turnout!  

 

If you have any questions or would like to join MBAWL, please email Laura Coker at  [email protected]  or Kasee Heisterhagen at  [email protected] .

YOUNG LAWYERS

By Weathers Bolt, President

The Young Lawyers would like to thank The Citrin Firm for hosting a great October meeting on a beautiful evening at Five Rivers. We certainly appreciate their continued support. 

 

The November meeting will be hosted by Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, LLC on November 21st at a location to be determined. We will not have a meeting in December, so this will be our last of the year. We look forward to seeing everyone there. 

 

Also, if you have not already, please register for the Young Lawyers & Judges Luncheon at the annual Bench & Bar Conference on December 6, 2019. This event is always well attended by our judges and is a rare opportunity to get to know them in a more casual setting. As a bonus, registration fees for the conference are significantly reduced for lawyers who have been practicing 10 years or less. 

 

For updates and additional information, please follow us on Facebook (Mobile Bar Association Young Lawyers  https://www.facebook.com/groups/97086876767/ ) and Instagram (@Mobile_Young_Lawyers). We will also continue to send e-mails. If you are not receiving Young Lawyers e-mails and would like to, please e-mail me ( [email protected]<mailto:[email protected] >), Vice-President Catherine Spann ( [email protected]<mailto:[email protected] >), or Treasurer Blake Richardson ( [email protected]<mailto:[email protected] >). 

JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE, PLACE 2  

The Executive Committee of the Mobile Bar Association has verified the ballots submitted for the election of Place 2 on the Mobile County Judicial Nominating Commission. We are happy to announce that Charles J. Potts was the winner. His term commences January 16, 2020 and end January 15, 2026.

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ARCHIVES AND HISTORY

By Mitchell Lattof, Sr., Chair

This is a continuing discussion of the video interviews the Archives & History Committee has done over the past five years available on a YouTube playlist which can accessed on the MBA website. In 2018, our Committee had the privilege of interviewing Broox Holmes, Esq., who was 85 years old at the time of the interview and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1960. The interview was conducted by Chris Hume, III, Esq., a member of the MBA Archives & History Committee.  

Between college and law school, Broox Holmes served three years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps including service in Okinawa, Japan as a rifle platoon leader and Company Executive Officer. After he received his law degree, he became a member of the Armbrecht Jackson law firm in Mobile, Alabama, and remains of counsel with the Firm to this day. He has served as lead trial counsel in products liability, business disputes, death and personal injury cases, including lead trial counsel for the defendants in the Amtrak Sunset Limited lawsuits (47 deaths) following one of the worst disasters in U.S. rail history. Broox Holmes served as a member of the Alabama State Bar Board of Commissioners from 1987 to 1993 and the Executive Committee in 1990-1991. He served on the Alabama State Bar Grievance Committee from 1974 to 1978 and as its Chairman in 1978 for which he received the Bar’s Award of Merit. He was elected and served as President of the Alabama State Bar for 1994-1995. 

Broox Holmes served on the Board of Trustees of St. Paul’s Episcopal School from 1965 to 1985, and then again from 1992 to 2000. He was married to Laura Claire Holmes for 45 years until her death in 2000. He has been married since 2004 to Elsie Lyons Holmes. 

I believe the interview of Broox Holmes by our Committee will be of great interest to the members of the Mobile Bar Association. 

LAWYERS IN RECOVERY

Lawyers in Recovery (“LIR”) is a fellowship of lawyers who share their experience, strength and hope with each other to hopefully solve their common problems and help others to recover from alcoholism, addiction, depression or similar conditions. LIR meetings are designed to last one hour and start promptly at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of every month at 205 Church Street in Mobile. LIR meetings are modeled on the steps and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and participants pledge and place substantial emphasis on anonymity. If anyone needs additional information on LIR Meetings, they can anonymously call the Mobile Bar Association office for referral to a LIR Member who will also keep all communications confidential.

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DIED:  On September 30, 2019, MBA Member  Mark B. Reed  passed away. A native of Mobile, Mark attended and played baseball at Samford University and graduated from Cumberland School of Law. He was a partner in the law firm of McDermott, Slepain, Windom & Reed. Mark was co-founder of Checkers Drive-Thru restaurant and also enjoyed many real estate ventures, especially in Baldwin County. He is survived by his wife, three children, and two granddaughters. 

DIED:  On September 27, 2019, MBA Member  William Jackson “Jack” Edwards, III  died. Edwards served in Congress from 1965-1985. Afterwards, he joined the law firm of Hand Arendall. Edwards had a distinguished career in public life. He served under five presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Ronald Reagan. As a leader in the U.S. House, he met with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan on a weekly basis. Returning to Mobile, Edwards continued his public service as Chairman of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and on many other boards. He is survived by his wife, two children, two grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. 

 

KUDOS:  MBA member  J. Robert Turnipseed  was recently elected as a Fellow to the American College of Tax Counsel (“ACTC”) and elected as Council Director of the Tax Section of the American Bar Association (“ABA”). ACTC is a national association of tax lawyers who have been recognized by their peers as making exceptional contributions to the tax profession. As director of the governing body of the ABA Tax Section, Turnipseed will provide comments to the Internal Revenue Service. 

 

MARRIED:  On June 8, 2019, MBA member  Andy Freeman  married Jack McCown at the Dunmore Resort in the Bahamas. Their chic destination wedding was featured in the October issue of Mobile Bay Magazine. The stylish couple recently acquired the Atchison Home store on Dauphin Street. 

 

KUDOS:  MBA member  Ricardo Woods  was recently appointed to serve as the national diversity chairman for the Defense Research Institute (DRI). Woods assumes the role after serving as chair of the DRI’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. In his new position, Woods will help lead the DRI in its diversity initiatives and efforts and help the DRI continue its thought leadership on the issue of diversity in the legal profession. 

The following lawyers were admitted to the Mobile Bar Association, Friday, October 18, 2019.

Active Members

CALEB WILLIAM DIAZ, graduated from Cumberland School Law School in 2019; admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2019; employed with Scott, Sullivan, Streetman & Fox.

JENNIFER BELLE JAYJOHN, graduated from Cumberland School of Law in 2019; admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2019; employed with Cunningham Bounds, LLC.

AARON NICHOLAS MAPLES, graduated from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2013; admitted to the Louisiana State Bar in 2013; the Alabama State Bar in 2015; employed with Cunningham Bounds, LLC.

BLAKE TUCKER RICHARDSON, graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2014; admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2014; employed with Burr & Forman, L.L.P.

LINDSEY O’DELL SIMMONS, graduated from Cumberland School of Law in 2004; admitted to Alabama State Bar in 2005; employed with King Simmons Ford & Spree, PC.

Associate Member

AARON HUGH SCHNEIDER graduated from Tulane University in 2008; admitted to the New York State Bar in 2008; employed with New York Life.

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Immediate opening for Full-time or Part-time Attorney with good law school record and at least several years of experience in law practice, in established AV rated transactional law firm to do Probate and transactional work. Some flexibility in hours, competitive pay, excellent benefits and opportunity and great working environment. Litigation experience would be a plus as would being licensed in Mississippi. Please email resume with cover letter to Cassie Crowley at  [email protected] . 

 

DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE: 209 N. JOACHIM STREET IN HISTORIC DETONTI SQUARE.  Available: One large office upstairs, one large office downstairs, including secretarial space. Within walking distance of federal courts. Amenities: Receptionist, VOIP telephone, internet, WIFI, email, fax machine, large color copier/scanner, onsite parking, lobby, conference room and kitchen. Contact  MARY MIDDLETON  ( [email protected] ) or  EVANS CROWE ( [email protected] )  at 431 6011.  

 

DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE: 456 Conti St Mobile AL 36602. Available: Two office Rooms. Within walking distance of federal courts. Amenities: Receptionist, Polycom telephone, Internet, WIFI, Email, large color copier/scanner, street parking, lobby, and kitchen. Contact:  James M. Byrd via phone   251-438-2973 . 

 

DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE:   Three large beautiful offices in the Church Street East Historic District are available for rent at 501 Church Street , within walking distance of state and municipal courts. Amenities: VOIP telephone, internet, WIFI, email, 3 in 1 copy, scan, fax machine both upstairs and downstairs and unlimited hours of convenient, free street parking for all, including clients, waiting area, kitchenette, plus optional space for staff. Contact Lee Hale, Sr. 251-433-3671, ext 2 or 251-509-5903 or at [email protected] .

 

Cunningham Bounds, LLC are pleased to announce Jennifer B. Jayjohn  has joined the firm as an Associate. Ms. Jayjohn’s practice focuses on automobile and trucking accidents, premises liability, products liability, industrial accidents, medical malpractice and fraud.  

 

Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that Allison W. Smalley has joined its Mobile office. Allison’s practice focuses on corporate transactions, commercial lending, and real estate matters. 

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SAVE THE DATE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020

Please consider making a tax deductible donation to the Mobile Bar Foundation:

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________ E-Mail: _____________________________________

YES, I want to make a donation to the Mobile Bar Foundation -

In honor/memory of: ______________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgement sent to:

Name ____________________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________

YES, I want to become a member of the Mobile Bar Foundation -

__ Life member ($5000, can be paid in up to 5 annual installments

__ Sustaining Member ($100 or more annually)

__ Regular Member ($50 - $99 annually)

__ Member of MBA practicing 5 years or less ($25 - $99)

__ I would like more information on including the Foundation in my estate planning

I donate my gift of: $__________

Check: __________ (Please make checks payable to the Mobile Bar Foundation)

*Credit Card: Visa/Mastercard# ____________________________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________________ Exp: ___________________________

Mail to: Mobile Bar Foundation, P.O. Drawer 2005, Mobile, AL 36652



* All credit card transactions will incur a $2.00 processing fee.

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Construction Law Section of the Alabama State Bar

6th Annual Construction Law Summit

Thursday, December 5, 2019

6.8 hours of MCLE available credits, including one hour of ethics

Hyatt Regency Wynfrey Hotel

Birmingham, AL

For more information or to register contact: [email protected]

Mobile Bar Association has on file the  2019 Survey of Florida Law CDs . If you are interested in checking them out to get MCLE credit, please contact Tammy Anderson at Mobile Bar Headquarters by phone at 251.433.9790 or by email at [email protected]. 

SAVE THE DATE

NATURALIZATION CEREMONY  

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 AT 11:00 AM

U.S. DISTRICT COURTHOUSE

JUDGE KATHERINE P. NELSON, COURTROOM 3B

155 ST. JOSEPH STREET

MOBILE, AL 36602

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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Listed below are members that are celebrating birthdays in November:

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