State Bar Selects Lawyers To Participate In Leadership Forum Class Iii; Will Be Trained As Future Leaders Of The Profession

Montgomery, Ala., January 15, 2007 - Recognizing that young attorneys have a vital stake in the future of the state's communities, as policymakers and in their profession, three years ago the Alabama State Bar created a Leadership Forum to identify "the best and brightest lawyers."

State Bar President Fournier J. "Boots" Gale, III (Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C., Birmingham) said, "Throughout Alabama, lawyers serve on non-profit boards, political organizations and community groups. Lawyers have an obligation to render service to others, and we want to further the skills lawyers use and need to fulfill these ethical duties and responsibilities. We're making the state and the profession stronger by encouraging the development of leaders."

This year, as the third class of potential leaders was being identified, more than 70 applications were received from private practitioners, government and corporate lawyers throughout the state. The law firms represented in the applications included small, medium and large-size firms as well as sole practitioners.

A rigorous selection process resulted in 30 lawyers being chosen for Class III of the forum consisting of 20 men and 10 women. While there is no age requirement, participants must have practiced law for not less than five years nor more than 15 years.

The forum is designed to ensure committed and involved lawyers willing and able to fill significant leadership roles in the state bar and local bar associations, in community and in state organizations, and to serve as role models in matters of ethics and professionalism.
Gale noted lawyers are moved naturally toward positions of leadership because it calls into play their creativity and critical thinking skills.

"Leaders need to have good problem-solving skills and be able to think critically. As opposed to the traditional law practice setting, which fosters competition, leadership is a collaborative process," he said. In order to graduate, forum participants are required to attend five separate training sessions after which there is an induction ceremony.

The contents of the sessions include:

Leadership for Lawyers
This session provides participants with an understanding of the essential elements of leadership through involved discussions about basic leadership principles, individual leadership characteristics and general leadership obligations, styles and skills. Speakers: Dr. Wayne Flint, distinguished professor of history and author of “Alabama in the Twentieth Century," Auburn University; Dr. John Dew, director, Continuous Quality of Improvement, University of Alabama; and, Stephen Black, Esq., president and founder, Impact: An Alabama Student Initiative.

Leadership through Service
This session introduces participants to the opportunities and needs for leadership in the state and local bar associations, legislature, judiciary and the community. Information is provided regarding service opportunities.

Ethics, Justice and Values
This session explores the development of ethics in the Alabama State Bar and reviews ethics in the practice of law.

Professionalism
This session defines the nature of and goals involved in professionalism. It examines those characteristics and behavior of members of the Alabama State Bar which promote high standards of civility and professionalism, as well as those practices which tend to adversely affect leadership and professionalism and tend to destroy congeniality.

Alabama State Bar
As a part of the various sessions, the operation, programs and benefits of the Alabama State Bar are examined. Such information gives an overview of the Alabama State Bar, normally received by members of the Board of Bar Commissioners (the state bar's decision and policy-making body).
Birmingham attorney Keith Jackson (Jackson & Riley) chaired the Leadership Forum Selection Committee.

The 15,500-member Alabama State Bar is dedicated to promoting the professional responsibility, competence and satisfaction of its members; improving the administration of justice, and: increasing public understanding and respect for the law.

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NOTE: Below is a list of members of the Leadership Forum Class of 2007.
2007 Alabama State Bar Leadership Class III

Name	Firm	City
Shawn Tavel Alves	Stone, Granade & Crosby, P.C.	Bay Minette
Reed Robertson Bates	Starnes & Atchison, LLP	Birmingham
David Lee Brown, Jr.	Huie, Fernambucq & Stewart, LLP	Birmingham
Joel Edward Brown	Bradley Arant Rose & White L.L.P	Birmingham
Christina Diane Crow	Jinks, Daniel, & Crow, L.L.C.	Union Springs
Laura Shows Gibson	Redden, Mills & Clark	Birmingham
Leatha Kay Gilbert	Sole practitioner	Birmingham
Nicholas Christian Glenos	Bradley Arant Rose & White L.L.P.	Birmingham
Carol Paige Goldman	Energen Corporation	Birmingham
Wilson Franklin Green	Battle Fleenor Green Winn & Clemmer, L.L.P.	Birmingham
Gregory Scott Griggers	District Attorney's Office	Demopolis
Frederick George Helmsing, Jr.	McDowell, Knight, Roedder & Sledge L.L.C.	Mobile
Elizabeth Anne Sikes Hornsby	University of Alabama School of Law	Tuscaloosa
Edward Andrew Hosp	Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.	Birmingham
Robert Brent Irby	McCallum, Hoaglund, Cook & Irby, LLP	Vestavia Hills
William Lovard Lee, IV	Lee & McInish	Dothan
William Richard Lunsford	Balch & Bingham L.L.P.	Huntsville
Emily Coody Marks	Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak, P.A.	Montgomery
Marshall Clay Martin	Watson Jimmerson Martin McKinney Graffeo & Helms	Huntsville
Timothy Benson McCool	Kirk & McCool	Carrollton
Juan Carlos Ortega	Alford, Clausen & McDonald, L.L.C.	Mobile
George Robert Parker	Bradley Arant Rose & White L.L.P.	Montgomery
Kimberly Till Powell	Balch & Bingham L.L.P.	Birmingham
Sandra Beth Reiss	Ogletree Deakins	Birmingham
Braxton Paul Sherling	Sole practitioner	Enterprise
Ronald Howard Strawbridge, Jr.	Strawbridge, Strawbridge & Strawbridge, L.L.C.	Vernon
Paige Huddleston Sykes	Rogers & Associates	Birmingham
Melton Chad Tindol	University of Alabama Counsel's Office	Tuscaloosa
William Bernhart Wahlheim, Jr.	Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.	Birmingham
Lane Hines Woodke	U. S. Attorney's Office	Birmingham
Bentley Hines Patrick	Sole practitioner	Birmingham
Derek Firth Meek	Burr & Forman L.L.P.	Birmingham
Tamula Renee Yelling	Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC	Birmingham
Christopher Allan Mixon	Ogletree Deakins	Birmingham