Former U.S. Senator Howell T. Heflin Among Four New Members To Be Inducted Into Alabama Lawyers Hall Of Fame

Montgomery, Ala., May 16, 2008 - Howell T. Heflin, a towering figure in the state's political, legal and judicial history will join a former U.S. Supreme Court justice, a former governor, and a distinguished community leader as the newest members of the Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame who will be inducted by the Alabama State Bar on May 16 at 11:30 a.m. in a special ceremony to be held at the Alabama Supreme Court.

Former state bar President Samuel A. Rumore, Jr., of Birmingham (Miglionico & Rumore) explained, "The Hall of Fame was established five years ago in order to spotlight significant contributions lawyers have made to the state throughout its history. These individuals have demonstrated a lifetime of achievement that exemplifies the bar's motto, 'lawyers render service',"

The 2007 honorees are:

John Archibald Campbell
1811 - 1889
Accomplished Constitutional scholar and advocate, prominent lawyer, legislator (1836 - 1837 and
1842 - 1843), outstanding public man of his time, and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1853 - 1861).

Howell T. Heflin
1921 - 2005
Decorated soldier, successful lawyer, judicial reformer, active bar leader and President of the Alabama State Bar (1965 - 1966), Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court (1971 - 1977) and U.S. Senator (1979 - 1997).

Thomas Goode Jones
1844 - 1914
Carried flag of truce at Appomattox (1865), reporter for Alabama Supreme Court (1870 - 1880), member of Alabama House of Representatives (1884 - 1888), Speaker of the House (1886 - 1888),

Governor of Alabama (1890 - 1894), President of the Alabama State Bar (1900 - 1901), Federal District Court Judge (1901 - 1914), and author of the Alabama Code of Legal Ethics, first code adopted by a state bar (1887.

Patrick W. Richardson
1925 - 2004
Fourth-generation lawyer, highly regarded mentor, President of the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association (1965 - 1966), President of the Alabama State Bar (1969 - 1970), distinguished community leader, and principal catalyst of the creation of the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Rumore, who also chairs the bar's Hall of Fame selection committee, noted honorees must be Alabama lawyers who have made extraordinary contributions through the law at the state, national or international level.

Nominees must meet the award criteria which includes having a breadth of achievement in their lifetime, demonstrating a profound respect for professional ethics, being recognized as a leader in their community, and leading, inspiring or mentoring others in the pursuit of justice. Only lawyers who have been deceased for a minimum of two years are considered.

The 15,700-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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