Governor Kay Ivey recently reappointed Professor Ken Rosen to represent Alabama on the Uniform Law Commission for a term running through April 4, 2027.
The ULC, also called the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, dates its origins to the nineteenth century. Commissioners have included lawyers who would become leading academics, cabinet members, Supreme Court Justices, and a President of the United States. Over the years, the ULC has worked to examine state laws and areas where greater uniformity across states codes might be useful. Representatives from different states and territories work together under the ULC’s auspices to promulgate model legislation that can be adopted by individual states. The ULC is notably influential in the commercial law arena, having helped foster the Uniform Commercial Code that provides a foundation for business law in multiple states. However, the ULC works on laws related to a large variety of significant subjects.
As a Commissioner, Professor Rosen has served Alabama as the Commission has considered a variety of uniform acts that can be utilized by states as they enact legislation on significant issues. Commission Presidents also have appointed Professor Rosen to serve on multiple committees during his tenure. For example, Professor Rosen currently serves on committees studying the Singapore Convention on the recognition of mediation results and The Hague Judgements Convention.
Professor Yonathan Arbel recently has had multiple articles accepted into prominent law journals.
A Status Theory of Defamation Law has been accepted into the UC Irvine Law Review. This article demonstrates that a status theory of defamation law offers a more appealing framework—descriptively, functionally, and normatively—than the current menu of explanatory options. Read the forthcoming piece on SSRN.
Truth Bounties: A Market Solution to Fake News was co-authored with Mike Gilbert and was accepted into the North Carolina Law Review. It analyzes if truth bounties can outperform content moderation, censorship, and other proposed systems of information regulation. Read the forthcoming piece on SSRN.
On the Scales of Private Law: Nano Contracts, which explores the emergence of new contracting techniques enabled by AI and communication technology, has been accepted into the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology.
The Carol Andrews ABA National Moot Court Team was recently named Co-Champions of the Oklahoma City Regional for the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition.
The team consisting of Trent Gill (2L), Marjorie Head (3L), and Julianne Lyn (3L) earned the Best Brief Award for the Region, with Trent bringing home the award for 7th Best Advocate out of a field of 72.
The team of Tamara Boles (2L), Rachel Sims (3L), and Drew Tucker (3L) wrote the 4th Best Brief in the Region, and Rachel placed 3rd Best Advocate in the Region. These students will argue in national rounds this week.
The team, coached by Assistant Dean for Students Anita Kay Head, will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National rounds.
Professor Shalini Ray’s article, Noncitizen Harboring and the Freedom of Association, was recently published in the North Carolina Law Review.
Professor Julie Hill was quoted in a NPR Marketplace piece titled Smaller Banks Keep a Close Watch Over Their Liquidity. You can read the full article here.
Additionally, she was quoted in an article by Reuters titled Analysis: US Bank Supervision Needs More Speed, Transparency in Wake of SVB Debacle, Critics Say. You can read the full piece here.
The Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Team, consisting of Sam Cochran, Nate Oehl, Angel Sims and Whitt Watts (all 3L students) had strong performances at both the national and regional competitions this year.
At the national 31st Annual Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition earlier this month in New York, out of a field of 52 teams, Sam and Nate made it to the finals and placed 2nd overall. Sam and Nate also received an award for Outstanding Brief for the Petitioner and Nate was individually recognized as Outstanding Advocate.
Two weeks before the national competition in New York, at the regional Cristol Kahn Paskay competition in Florida, both teams advanced out of the preliminary rounds. Sam and Nate reached the semifinals and Angel and Whitt reached the finals and placed 2nd overall. Nate Oehl was named Best Advocate runner up of the regional competition.
The team is grateful for coaches Professor Gary Sullivan and Alabama Law alumni Christian Pereyda (’17), as well as other members of the Alabama Law community that helped the team prepare.
TUSCALOOSA, AL – The University of Alabama School of Law will host the Alabama Supreme Court for a special session—an oral argument hearing—on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
“The Supreme Court of Alabama is delighted to take our Court proceedings out of Montgomery and to Tuscaloosa this month to show the future lawyers at the University of Alabama School of Law our oral argument hearings in action,” said Chief Justice Tom Parker. “The Preamble of our Alabama Constitution identifies that the first purpose of the Constitution is to ‘establish justice.’ As we seek to establish justice in the cases before our Court, may the students at Alabama Law be educated by seeing our courts in action, and hopefully, also inspired to pursue and walk in the paths of justice in their forthcoming legal careers.”
This special session offers a unique opportunity for Alabama Law students to observe a hearing in front of the highest Court in the State of Alabama.
“All of our students participate in intramural moot court, and several have recently competed in regional and national moot court competitions. These opportunities simulate the experience of arguing before an appellate court,” said Mark E. Brandon, Dean and Thomas E. McMillan Professor of Law. “Now, as students attend this oral argument, they can see the appeals process in action before the Supreme Court of Alabama. We are grateful to Chief Justice Parker, the Associate Justices, and the Court’s staff for bringing this opportunity to Alabama Law for our students.”
The hearing before the Court—Springhill Hospitals, Inc., d/b/a Springhill Memorial Hospital, v. Patricia Bilbrey-West, as Administratrix and Personal Representative of the Estate of John Dewey West, Jr., deceased—concerns the wrongful death of a medical patient. Visit the links below to learn more about the case:
For additional information visit, https://judicial.alabama.gov/appellate/supremecourt. For media inquiries, please contact Josh Bird: jbird@law.ua.edu.
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About The Supreme Court of Alabama
The Supreme Court of Alabama is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. The chief justice is the administrative head of Alabama’s Unified Judicial System. The Supreme Court, the highest state court, has exclusive jurisdiction over all appeals where the amount in controversy exceeds $50,000, and may review intermediate appellate court decisions on a writ of certiorari. The Court also makes rules governing administration, practice, and procedure in all courts.
About The University of Alabama School of Law
For more than 150 years, the University of Alabama School of Law has produced attorneys who become leaders locally, nationally and globally.
Alabama Law provides a top-rate education that results in enviable bar passage and employment rates, all within a supportive and diverse environment. Our low student-to-faculty ratio paired with robust curricular offerings draws students to study under faculty who are skilled teachers as well as leading researchers and scholars.
On March 3, the School of Law hosted the annual Alabama Law Alumni Society Banquet at The Florentine in Birmingham. Six distinguished alumni were honored this year for their significant contributions to the legal community and the School of Law.
Sam W. Pipes Distinguished Alumnus Award
Among many moving moments throughout the night, fellow alumni and friends offered a standing ovation in recognition of the Sam W. Pipes Distinguished Alumnus Awardee, James F. Hughey, Jr. (Class of 1970), who recently passed away. The award was presented to his son, The Honorable James F. Hughey III (Class of 1998), by his father’s long-time colleague and friend, D. Paul Jones, Jr. (Class of 1967).
Prior to his death, the School of Law had the opportunity to let Mr. Hughey know he would be the recipient of the highest honor bestowed by The Law School Foundation to Alabama Law alumni.
“He received a lot of awards in his life, but this is the last one he ever received—and that’s fitting,” said his son James F. Hughey III. “[For him to know] that the place that gave him a chance, that gave him an opportunity, was honoring him in the last days of his life means so much.”
Throughout his life, Mr. Hughey was an avid supporter of The University of Alabama and the School of Law. He was a member of the President’s Cabinet, president of the Alabama Law Alumni Association, and a member of the Law School Foundation’s Board of Governors. In recognition of his commitment to the School of Law, Brasfield & Gorrie established a scholarship in his honor at the Law School.
“Alabama Law is proud to honor Jim for his outstanding career and personal achievements,” said Dean Mark E. Brandon. “Jim was an extraordinary lawyer and an exceptional human being – kind, generous, compassionate, and unfailingly thoughtful. We are grateful for his thoughtful and selfless service that spanned his entire life and we extend heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and loved ones. We miss him greatly.”
Alabama Lawyer Hall of Honor
Four additional Alabama Law alumni were inducted into the Alabama Lawyer Hall of Honor which was established in 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Law School Foundation to recognize the outstanding achievement of Alabama Law alumni and faculty. This year’s inductees include The Honorable Sue Bell Cobb (Class of 1981), The Honorable L. Scott Coogler (Class of 1984), Elizabeth H. Huntley (Class of 1997), and M. Dale Marsh (Class of 1972).
The Alabama Lawyer Hall of Honor was established in 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Law School Foundation to recognize individuals who have contributed significantly to the legal profession and to the Law School over an extended period of time.
Alabama Rising Young Attorney
Justin L. Jones (Class of 2012) was named the recipient of the Alabama Rising Young Attorney Award which recognizes a recent graduate who has shown significant leadership and purposeful service to the legal profession, their community, and the School of Law.
The 2023 Alabama Law Alumni Banquet offered a beautiful evening for alumni and their families to gather and celebrate the achievements of classmates and friends. If you were unable to attend, we hope you will join us next year. Meanwhile, you can see additional photos from the event and read the bios of each awardee in the banquet program.
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Nominations for the Sam W. Pipes Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Alabama Lawyer Hall of Honor, and the Alabama Rising Young Attorney Award are open year-round. These awards, established by the Law School Foundation Board of Governors and the Alabama Law Alumni Society Leadership Council, are awarded annually during the Alabama Law Alumni Society Banquet which takes place each Spring. Nomination forms are available at www.law.ua.edu/alumni/awards.
On the evening of Friday, April 21, The University of Alabama School of Law, in conjunction with The 50th Anniversary Executive Committee & Advisory Board, will be hosting The 50th Anniversary Gala: A Legacy Fundraising Event in honor of the first Black graduates at Alabama Law. The Gala program will include artistic performances, reflections, and stories from students and alumni of the School of Law. Seating for this event is limited. Register to get your ticket today!
Friday, April 21
Cocktails – 6 pm
Dinner – 7 pm
Alabama Law Center
Attire: business/semi-formal
Seating is limited. RSVP today.
If you have questions, please contact us at lawevent@ua.edu or 205.348.6775
This story was originally published in the 2022 Special Anniversary Edition of Capstone Lawyer as a part of the commemoration of The 50 | 150 Anniversaries—celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the School of Law and acknowledging it was just 50 years ago (in May of 2022) that the first class of African American students graduated from the Law School.
Maud McLure Kelly
In 1907, Luelle Lamar Allen became the first female graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. In the years since, the percentage of female students at Alabama Law has steadily increased. In fact, three of the past four incoming 1L classes have each consisted of more women than men –a milestone that would not have been possible without the leadership of female trailblazers who came before.
After a change in wording in the State Bar admissions statute in 1908, Maud McLure Kelly became the first woman to have an active and enduring legal practice in the State of Alabama. She was also the second woman to graduate from Alabama Law (Class of 1908)— following Luelle Lamar Allen (Class of 1907).*
Nina Miglionico was sworn in as a Birmingham City Council member in 1963.
Nina Miglionico (Class of 1936) ran for Birmingham City Council in 1963. “She campaigned against organized opposition from the Ku Klux Klan and the White Citizens’ Council, who faulted her support for integration and reconciliation and vilified her Catholicism and Italian ethnicity. [Despite the opposition] she won the seat and became the first woman elected to Birmingham’s city government.”**
Judge Irene F. Scott in January 1961 with fellow members of the Tax Court of the United States.
Judge Irene Feagin Scott (Class of 1936) was appointed to the United States Tax Court in May of 1960 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. She served in that capacity for 12 years and then was reappointed by President Richard Nixon for an additional 15 years. In 1978, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Alabama School of Law. ***
Former Chief Justice Howell Heflin swears Justice Janie Ledlow Shores into the Alabama Supreme Court in January 1975.
In 1974, Justice Janie Ledlow Shores (Class of 1959) became the first woman ever elected to the Alabama Supreme Court. She served in this position for 25 years. While at Alabama Law, she was one of just four women in her cohort. Her notes and outlines at the School of Law were legendary; for years after she graduated, countless students insisted that they succeeded in law school only because they relied on Janie Shores’s notes. ****
Camille Wright Cook (Class of 1948) entered law school during World War II when there were but 12 other students. Nearly 20 years after taking her degree, she returned to the School of Law as an administrative assistant to the dean, was promoted to assistant dean and assistant professor, and promoted again to full Professor of Law. Cook is recognized as both the first female faculty member and the first female tenured faculty member at Alabama Law. And in 1992, she be- came the first female professor at The University of Alabama to hold a named, endowed chair. *****
A composite photo of Sue Thompson from when she was a student at Alabama Law.
Sue Thompson (Class of 1974) was one of the first female African American graduates at Alabama Law, earning her degree in 1974. Thompson, Booker T. Forte, Jr. (Class of 1972), and retired Circuit Judge John H. England, Jr. (Class of 1974) were founding members of the first Black law firm in Tuscaloosa. Most of Thompson’s 40-plus-year legal career has been spent advocating on behalf of low income and marginalized groups. A frequent collaborator with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund addressing school desegregation issues in Alabama, she is a local public education advocate.
*Paul McWhorter Pruitt, Jr., Maud McLure Kelly, Encyclopedia of Alabama (2007).
** FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Women Lawyers in the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame (2022).
*** Caroline Greer, Janie Ledlow Shores, Encyclopedia of Alabama (2020). AND Alabama Law Remembers Justice Janie L. Shores, The University of Alabama School of Law (2017).
**** Tom Scott and Irene Feagin Scott Collection, University of Alabama School of Law Bounds Law Library Archives.
***** Mark E. Brandon, Alabama Law Remembers Professor Emerita Camille Wright Cook , The University of Alabama School of Law (2018).
