December 2023

News

Become an Alabama Law Alumni Society Class Chair!

Thank you to all of our great alumni who have signed up to become a Class Chair/Co-Chair!

These Class Chairs will: (1) facilitate communications between the Law School and their class; (2) connect with class members to keep them updated and apprised of what each other is doing; and (3) help increase participation in the Alabama Law Alumni Society’s annual giving program. The Alumni Society is still seeking Chairs for the following class years: 1961-1970, 1973-1976, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992-1993, 1995-1996, 2004, 2008-2009, 2015-2016, and 2020.

To become an Alabama Law Alumni Society Class Co-chair, or to learn more about the program, please contact Candice Robbins, Assistant Dean for Advancement at crobbins@law.ua.edu.

2023 Capstone Lawyer Available Online

The 2023 edition of the Capstone Lawyer, Alabama Law’s annual magazine, is now available online. Physical copies were mailed out last week – if you’d like a copy of the magazine, please contact Savannah Kelly at skelly@law.ua.edu. Flip through the magazine above and check out the following feature stories: 

Meet the Four Women Leading Alabama Law’s Academic Journals

Donna’s Law: Preventing Gun Suicide While Respecting Second Amendment Rights

Institutionalizing Fear in the Workplace: The Impact of Anemic Retaliation Protections

A Familiar Face, A Renewed Vision: William S. Brewbaker III Named Dean of Alabama Law

Save the Date for the Alabama Law Alumni Society Banquet

The Law School and the Alabama Law Alumni Society will be hosting the annual Alabama Law Alumni Society Banquet on March 1, 2024. Keep an eye out for an email in the coming weeks for more details and to purchase tickets.

Year-End Charitable Giving

As you consider your charitable giving prior to the end of the year, remember that gifts made now could generate income tax deductions that may help reduce your tax bill for 2023. Here’s how to complete your 2023 gift to the University of Alabama School of Law by year-end.

Gifts

Recognition of gifts of $5,000+ over the past month

Hon. Sue Bell Cobb (’81) and William J. Cobb pledged $10,000 toward the Path Makers Legacy Plaza.

Hon. Samarria (’03) and Mr. Kendall C. (’96) Dunson pledged $25,000 toward the Path Makers Legacy Plaza.

Stephen D. Kane (’69) contributed $25,000 to the Program for Law and Business support fund.

Harlan Ashley Page III (’85) contributed $6,000 to the Alabama Law Alumni Society.

Jerry W. (’75) and Carolyn W. Powell, Jr. contributed $5,000 to the Dean Mark E. Brandon Endowed Support Fund for the Program in Constitutional Studies.

Clifton E. Slaten (’87) contributed $5,000 to the Dean Mark E. Brandon Endowed Support Fund for the Program in Constitutional Studies.

The Ben May Charitable Trust contributed $5,000 to the Ben May Endowed Scholarship Fund.

The Albert G. Rives Charitable Trust contributed $13,250 to the Albert G. and Hester Rives Fund.

An anonymous pledge of $550,000 was received to establish the Faculty Support Gift Fund, and an additional pledge of $450,000 was received to support the James F. Hughey Endowed Scholarship Fund.

The following alumni and friends (not mentioned above) either made or renewed an annual giving contribution to the Alabama Law Alumni Society this past month.

Class Notes

Sarah Atkinson (‘23) joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as an associate in Birmingham.  

Stanley Blackmon (‘15) was elected to the executive committee of the Birmingham Bar Association.  

William P. Burgess III (‘23) joined Bradley Arant Boult Cumming LLP as an associate in Birmingham.  

Hon. Sue Bell Cobb (‘81) was interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered about her work with Alabama’s Redemption Earned.

Megan F. Clontz (‘09) was selected as one of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s “40 Under 40.”

Murray S. Flint (’15) was named partner at Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers LLP in Birmingham.

Megan Fortson Fry (‘08) was named to Florida Trend’s 2023 Legal Elite Notable – Women Leaders in Law.  

Jennifer Q. Griffin (’97) was named the president of Alabama Family Trust.

Gary L. Howard (’93) was appointed chair of the Defense Research Institute’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Raven A. Reid (‘08) was named the director of the Florida Department of Children and Families Sexually Violent Predator Program.  

LaTanya D. Rhines (’96) was named the secretary of the board of Alabama Family Trust.

Emily M. Ruzic (’14) was appointed chair of the Defense Research Institute’s Young Lawyers Committee.

Rachel M. Sims (‘23) joined Bradley Arant Boult Cumming LLP as an associate in Birmingham. 

Adam G. Williams (‘22) joined Bradley Arant Boult Cumming LLP as an associate in Nashville. 

Faculty Notes

Professor Russell Gold published a co-authored article, The Public Voice of the Defender, in the Alabama Law Review.

Professor Luke Herrine was mentioned in a CNBC article about the federal student loan forgiveness plan.

Professor Shalini Ray published her essay on statutory interpretation in three immigration cases from the 2021-22 Supreme Court term, Eroding Immigrants’ Rights Through the “New” New Textualism, in the sixth edition of the American Constitution Society’s Supreme Court Review.

Professor Clare Ryan published her article, Are Children’s Rights Enough?, in the American University Law Review. 

Professor Joyce Vance co-authored an opinion essay for Slate titled The World’s Feminists Need to Show Up for Israeli Victims. She, along with her co-authors, also appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss the piece.

Professor Fred Vars co-authored an opinion essay in The Hill titled Patrons packing heat: Businesses should be required to tell customers whether guns are allowed.