The Alabama Lawyer | Alabama State Bar

The Alabama Lawyer is a bi-monthly publication of the Alabama State Bar. It is published in January, March, May, July, September and November. In addition to keeping members up to date on the latest changes in various laws/rules and how they affect their practice, it also provides members and the public a way to keep current with Alabama State Bar activities, policies/procedures and information pertaining to other bar members.

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The Alabama Lawyer is published six times each year, in January, March, May, July, September and November. For advertising deadlines and other information, contact Director of Publications Margaret Murphy.

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Browse all issues of The Alabama Lawyer, including years prior to 2012, at the archive. Visit Archive »

FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER- Says Who? Why Good Citation Matters (and Why It’s Easier Than You Think)

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A lawyer is a professional writer, but a lawyer’s purpose is not self-expression. A lawyer speaks (and writes) for someone else, to achieve a certain outcome, in a system governed by rules upon rules upon rules. It is technical, detailed work. Its hallmarks are clarity and precision. The purpose of legal writing is not principally to stir the soul but to satisfy a skeptical mind. A lawyer hoping to persuade another lawyer or judge to accept some position must write in a way that answers obvious questions.

FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER – Birmingham School of Law: Prominent Female Graduates

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In 1915, Judge Hugh A. Locke had a vision for a non-traditional law school that would serve men and women who wanted to pursue a legal education, but had neither the time nor money that a full-time law school required. Birmingham School of Law was born out of that vison with classes originally being held at Birmingham-Southern College.

FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER – Mixed Signals

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Introductory signals, according to The Bluebook, help legal writers “organiz[e] authorities and show how authorities support or relate to a proposition given in the text.” In a perfect world, The Bluebook would be easy to follow, all lawyers would use it uniformly, and there would always be a case on point. But the practice of law is rarely perfect.

FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER – Alabama Online Dispute Resolution

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On January 18, 2022, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an order establishing the Online Dispute Resolution for Small Claims Cases pilot project and included the Rules Regarding the Online Dispute Resolution for Small Claims Cases.[1] Morgan County will be the first pilot county.[2] Other counties that want to be added to the pilot project may be at the discretion of the Administrative Director of Courts.[3] As of May 2022, it is also live in Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Colbert, Etowah, Geneva, Greene, Lee, Madison, Montgomery, Perry, Pike, Shelby, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, and Washington counties.

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Recent years’ issues of The Alabama Lawyer can be found below. Click a year to access the issues within.

For questions, contact Director of Publications, Margaret Murphy.

2022

January