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• Winners attend schools in Anniston, Athens, Elmore, Evergreen,
  Grove Hill, Huntsville, Montgomery and Opelika

Montgomery, Ala., April 16, 2009 – As the nation celebrates Law Week, Alabama students shared their thoughts on this year's theme: "A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial," through creative expressions of art and the imagery of the written word.

This year marks the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, regarded by many as our nation's greatest and most eloquent president. Lincoln, who devoted much of his adult life to the practice of law, was the quintessential American lawyer-president. His background in the law informed both his actions and his oratory. This year, the state bar encouraged efforts statewide to commemorate Lincoln by exploring this rich and resonant theme.

There were a total of 417 posters and 41 essays entered by students across the state in this year's Law Day contest. Students from one school, Athens Bible School, took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place honors in the essay category for grades 10-12. The titles of the winning essays are: "Abraham Lincoln: The Legacy of an Extraordinary Yet Simple Man" by Jenna Bloemer, "A Legacy of Liberty" by Mary Ellen Coleman and 'The World's View on Abraham Lincoln" by Christina Ivey.

With a total of 458 entries, judges of the Alabama State Bar's Law Day 2009 annual competition came away with a vivid impression of what our legal system means to Alabama's youth. Visitors to the bar's Web site can view the winning entries at www.alabar.org/lawday.

Judges for the poster contest were: Attorneys Ashley Swink of Huntsville (Richardson Callahan & Frederick, LLP) and Holly Alves of Mobile (Leavell Investment Management, Inc.) who are also co-chairs of the state bar's Law Day committee. Also, Montgomery attorneys Tommy Klinner (state Dept. of Mental Health and Retardation) and Tim Lewis (director of the State Law Library).

Judges for the essay contest were: Lt. Col. Susan Turley, Air Fore Legal Operations Agency, Maxwell Air Force Base; Capt. Jerry Crowley and his spouse, Capt. Suanne Crowley, both from the Judge Advocate General's Corps, Maxwell Air Force Base; Columnist Alvin Benn (The Montgomery Advertiser) and Montgomery attorney Craig Baab (Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc.). Winners will be recognized Friday, May 1 at a special ceremony to be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Alabama Supreme Court. Following the presentation of awards, students and their guests will be treated to a special luncheon at the Court hosted by Judge Tommy Bryan, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. After lunch, students will take a tour of the Supreme Court.

The poster and essay contests are divided into two categories – grades K-6 for posters; grades 7-12 for essays. Winners in the essay contest receive U.S. Savings Bonds in the amounts of $200, $150 and $100 respectively; winners in the poster contest receive bonds in the amounts of $125, $100 and $75.

All winners receive engraved gold medals and award certificates. Schools of all winners receive certificates and teachers of the winners receive a $25 contribution per award for use in their classrooms.

The 16,000-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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List of Winners