News Post

Judge John H. Graham is Presiding Circuit Judge in the Thirty-Eighth Judicial Circuit. He was appointed Circuit Judge in 2006. Judge Graham’s Jackson County Drug Court is a state and nationally recognized model accountability court, receiving two Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb Awards for Excellence in 2015, as well as the Drug Court Association Award for Community Inclusion in 2024. His Drug Court was featured in the Emmy-nominated Whitman Alabama documentary project in 2017, and has been featured in The New Yorker Magazine.

Judge Graham serves on the Board of the Circuit Judges Association, is Co-Chair of its Education Committee, and is immediate Past President of the Alabama Association of Drug Court Professionals. He has a history degree from Berea College in Kentucky, where he now serves on the Alumni Executive Council, and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. He is married to Angela Redmon Graham, and they live in his hometown, Stevenson, Alabama, in the 1850 Greek Revival, National Register of Historic Places-listed community landmark that the Grahams rescued from destruction. They have two adult children.

Judge Graham revitalized and modernized local court procedures, including dedicated domestic violence dockets; technology and audio-visual hardware and software upgrades; standardized divorce pre-trial court orders to expedite hearings and protect children; dedicated monthly civil and criminal motion hearings; aggressive enforcement of child support orders; and led the State in creatively holding court on-line, using Facebook Live and Facetime before Zoom was available, and even outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aside from his own family, Judge Graham states that his proudest accomplishment is helping the more than 300 graduates of his Drug Court—which has a 90% success rate—conquer addiction, return to productive citizenship, and reuniting the more than 275 minor children of those graduates with their parents.

Michael D. Ermert Award of Merit

Cassandra W. Adams is an associate dean at Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, and has served academia and the legal profession for more than 30 years. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, and has an MPH from Meharry Medical College, and a BA from Fisk University.

She has been an active member of the Alabama State Bar since 2005 and has served the state and local bar associations in many capacities and is currently the chair of the Alabama State Bar’s Fred Gray Courtyard Task Force. In 2020, Governor Kay Ivey appointed her to Alabama United and she was recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as a “Woman to Watch.” In 2021, the Alabama Lawyer Magazine named her one of the “30 faces of Pro Bono.” She is an Alabama Law Fellow, a graduate of the Alabama State Bar Leadership Class 13, a member of the Alabama Association of Attorney Mediators, former vice-chair of the board of directors for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and a past chair of the board of directors for Alabama Appleseed.

Devoted to the principles of mediation and reconciliation, Dean Adams has a proven record of supporting individuals and organizations through challenging transitions. She encourages others with a couple of her favorite mantras, “Just Be Better” and “Occupy Your Space with Integrity.” She cherishes her marriage of more than 30 years to Eric Adams, Sr., and their union is blessed with two adult sons, Eric Jr., and Ellis.

Commissioners’ Award

This award was created by the Board of Bar Commissioners in 1998 to recognize individuals who have had a long-standing commitment to the improvement of the administration of justice in Alabama. The 2024 recipient is Felicia A. Long.

Felicia Long is a shareholder at Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole & Black, P.C., where she focuses her practice on the defense of complex civil litigation matters and insurance defense.

Felicia also maintains an appellate practice and is a registered mediator with the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution. Prior to joining the firm, she worked with other plaintiff and defense firms and was a law clerk for Justice Champ Lyons on the Supreme Court of Alabama.

Felicia is currently a 15th Judicial Circuit Bar Commissioner and Vice President of the Alabama State Bar. Within the state bar, she also serves as Chair of the Justice for All Task Force and as Co-Chair of the Women’s Section. She has previously served as a Bylaws Task Force member, Strategic Planning Task Force member, and as Chair of the Lawyers in Every Classroom Committee.

Felicia has been ac tive with the Montgomery County Bar Association for a number of years, having served as President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer. Felicia also serves on the Alabama Supreme Court’s standing c ommittee on the Alabama Rules of Evidence, is Past President of the Hugh Maddox Inn of Court, and is an active member of the National Association of Minority and Female Owned Law Firms.

Felicia enjoys being involved in her hometown community and has served as Board President for the Junior League of Montgomery, Jimmy Hitchcock Memorial Award, and Britton YMCA. She currently serves on the Montgomery Committee of 100, Montgomery Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Metro YMCA Board of Directors.

William D. Scruggs, Jr., Service to the Bar Award

This award was created in 2002 in honor of the late Bill Scruggs, former state bar president to recognize outstanding and dedicated service to the Alabama State Bar. The 2024 recipient is Sam Crosby.

Sam Crosby has practiced law for forty-five years with the law firm of Stone Crosby, P.C. The firm has offices in Daphne, Foley, Bay Minette, and Birmingham. His practice areas include wills, trusts, estates, probate litigation, real estate, business law, and mediation.

Crosby graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 1973, where he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference soccer player and co-captain of the men’s team. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1978. He is retired from the JAG Corps of the United States Naval Reserve.

Crosby served as president of the Alabama State Bar in 2007-2008. As president, he became the first Alabama lawyer to receive the Chief Justice’s Outstanding Leadership Award for his service to the public. In 2012 Crosby received the Albritton Pro Bono Leadership Award from the Alabama State Bar for improving pro bono services to low income and disadvantaged citizens and increasing their access to justice.

In 2016 Crosby received the Sam W. Pipes Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Alabama School of Law. The award is given to an alumnus who has distinguished himself or herself through service to the bar, the University of Alabama, and the School of Law. He has served on the Law School Foundation Executive Committee and Board of Governors for the past 20 years (Emeritus since 2023).

Crosby has authored two books and numerous professional articles and columns. He and his wife Ann have been married for forty-seven years and have two children and nine grandchildren.

John Watson grew up in Gadsden and attended the University of Alabama for undergraduate and law school, where on the first day of school he met his wife Ann in torts class. John was on the managing board of the Alabama Law Review and graduated in 1983 as a M. Leigh Harrison Scholar. A judicial clerkship with Judge Robert B. Propst preceded his start in 1984 as a litigation associate at Bradley Arant Rose & White, where he became a partner and worked for over 37 years. John’s litigation practice at Bradley was varied, ranging from railroad, co-employee, industrial accident and products liability defense to financial services and securities class actions and high-stakes commercial disputes. John began assisting his firm with loss prevention, conflicts, claims and insurance issues early in his career, which evolved into a full-time job and his eventually being named Bradley’s first General Counsel. He implemented ethics education and loss prevention programs designed to instill and foster a high level of professionalism and ethical conduct in his firm, which had grown by his retirement in 2022 to over 600 lawyers in seven jurisdictions. John served on the Birmingham Bar Grievance Committee (among others) and cherishes the frequent advice he obtained from, and friendship he developed with, Tony McClain. John is active in his church, where he has served as a deacon and in leadership positions. He enjoys sailing, fishing and scuba diving as well as traveling with Ann and spoiling his four grandchildren.

• L. Conrad Anderson IV
• Manish Patel
• Robin Wolfe

Albert VreeLand Pro Bono Award

The Albert Vreeland Pro Bono Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates outstanding pro bono efforts through the active donation of time to the civil representation of those who cannot otherwise afford legal counsel and by encouraging greater legal representation in, and acceptance of, pro bono cases.

David Weston 

David attended Cumberland School of Law and was admitted to the Bar in 1992. David’s practice focuses on Bankruptcy and Debt relief, an area in which there is great need and relatively few volunteers. He joined the Volunteer Lawyers Program in 2004 and has provided pro bono legal assistance through both the Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program and the Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program since that time.

Last year David provided over 98 hours of pro bono assistance to low income clients of the VLP. He provided case services to 12 clients and attended 13 legal assistance clinics. David is also a member of the Alabama Bankruptcy Assistance Project Advisory Board and has served as a mentor to that program’s coordinators. He has presented at CLE programs for ABAP including the 2023 ABAP Update CLE. The current ABAP coordinator state’s “David has not only answered my call and provided information and guidance every time I’ve needed it, but has reached out consistently to offer any support and assistance the program my need….He is an asset to ABAP and to the legal community.”

Law Firm Award – Tuscaloosa County Bar Association

The Tuscaloosa County Bar has been a longtime friend, supporter, and partner of the Alabama State Bar VLP and low-income Tuscaloosa County residents. The members of the Tuscaloosa County Bar have provided extensive pro bono service through the Alabama State Bar VLP and independently for years. These attorneys have staffed the ASBVLP monthly counsel and advice clinic for over 10 years. The members of this organization have participated in countless Wills for Heroes clinics, many of which have been held at the local Police Academy, ensuring that young officers who may not otherwise have had the resources or the inclination have proper estate planning documents in place as they embark on a career that calls for them to place themselves in danger to serve their communities. In addition to clinics, the member attorneys regularly accept clients for direct representation in a wide variety of civil legal issues. In 2023, Tuscaloosa County attorneys provided 469 hours of pro bono service and representation to 144 clients.

The Tuscaloosa County Bar and its individual members work very hard to encourage pro bono service in their community. In addition to helping promote and encourage attorney participation in them, the Bar has hosted CLE trainings and other events to encourage members to participate in pro bono services, educate members about the need for pro bono assistance in Alabama, and recognize individuals who provide pro bono legal assistance. Their dedication to pro bono work is a powerful example of the good that local bar organizations can do in their communities.

Mediator Award – Holly L. Sawyer

Holly is a graduate of Cumberland School of Law and was admitted to the Alabama bar in 2005. Holly provides services as a pro bono mediator in nine Alabama counties (Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Pike and Walker). She participates in the court-ordered Parents are Forever Family Mediation Program administered by the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution. Holly Sawyer has participated in the Parents are Forever Family Mediation Program since it began in 2014. The program provides a free family mediator to parents undergoing a divorce, a CS case or a custody modification case. Holly has provided free mediation services in 18 cases under the Parents are Forever Family Mediation Program during 2023 and in 138 cases since 2014.

Holly has been instrumental in promoting mediation awareness to mediators, attorneys, and the public. She served as an instructor/panelist on a free 60-minute MCLE webinar co-sponsored by the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution and the Dispute Resolution Section of the Alabama State Bar. Her many years of service have provided a direct benefit to parents, as well as to the court.

Law Student Award – Rolanda Tina Turner

Rolanda is a dedicated and passionate third-year law student who has used her law school career to serve our Birmingham community. Rolanda volunteers with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (“VLB”). She has served with VLB’s Help Desks for People Experiencing Homelessness and in Expungement Clinics. Additionally she was selected and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the VLB Junior Board. As the Volunteer Coordinator, Rolanda is responsible for managing the volunteer requirements of all Junior Board members, as well as maintaining a log of the members’ volunteer hours. She has spent well over 75 hours volunteering with VLB and assisting with the Junior Board.

In addition to her work with VLB, Rolanda made a significant impact as the Student Director for the Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow initiative of Birmingham Bar President Marcus Maples. The Students Today | Lawyers Tomorrow initiative mentors high school students and provides examples of lawyers from diverse backgrounds. Cumberland and its Center for Children, Law and Ethics partner with Huffman High School on the NewGen Peacebuilder program to provide expertise on the issues that are the focus of the project. Rolanda has worked side by side with other Cumberland representatives to provide guidance and support to Huffman High School students as they focus on their peace projects. Rolanda has spent over 30 hours thus far in service to the project.

Public Interest Attorney Award – Michael L. Forton

Michael has been the Director of Advocacy at Legal Services Alabama since 2016. He has been employed at LSA since 2007. Prior to that, he worked as an attorney for Florida Rural Legal Services for two years and as a law clerk for Alabama Disability Advocacy Program.

Michael was recently recognized by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service as a 2023 Pro Bono Leader. He answered 58 questions through the Alabama Free Legal Answers platform in 2023. He also promoted Free Legal Answers internally at LSA, encouraging other LSA attorneys to answer questions as well.

Michael also engages the Solo and Small Firm section of the State Bar regularly. LSA provides webinars, free of charge, which are advertised to the private bar and the Solo/Small Firm section. Michael also helped create a Forms Book, a book of pleadings over 400 pages long, and provided it to the Solo/Small Firm section.

WOMEN’S SECTION AWARDS

Maud McLure Kelly Award

Maud McLure Kelly was the first woman to be admitted to the practice of law in Alabama. In 1907, Kelly’s performance on the entrance exam at the University of Alabama Law Department merited her admission as a senior, the second woman ever to have been admitted to the school.

Honorable Inge Prytz Johnson

The Honorable Inge Prytz Johnson is a native of Denmark. She received a Certificate of English Law from City of London College in 1968 and a Juris Certificate from the University of Copenhagen School of Law in 1969. While in London, Judge Johnson met an economist from Alabama who was also a lawyer. She called him after being awarded a Fullbright travel grant because she needed to find a place to study for a master’s in comparative law. That’s how she ended up attending the University of Alabama School of Law. After earning her master’s degree, she moved back to Denmark in 1970 with her husband, Lawyer William Tipton Johnson, who she met while she was at the University of Alabama. Judge Johnson started her legal career in Copenhagen as a private practice attorney licensed in the nation of Denmark. She also served as a part-time faculty member for the University of Copenhagen School of Law. She and her husband later returned to Alabama, and she began studying law again so she could practice in the state.

After earning her JD from the University of Alabama School of Law and receiving a U.S. law license in 1973, she set up a law practice in the Shoals area with her husband. She became a U.S. citizen in 1977. From 1978 to 1979, Judge Johnson held a part-time position as Municipal Judge for the City of Muscle Shoals. In 1979, she was elected to the position of Circuit Court Judge for the 31st Judicial Circuit of Alabama – the first female circuit judge in Alabama. She served as presiding judge from 1979 to 1998.

After almost 20 years on the Circuit Court bench in Colbert County, she was nominated by President Clinton for a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, which encompasses 31 counties in the northern part of the state. Hearings were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Judge Johnson was confirmed on a voice vote of the Senate on October 8, 1998, and received her commission the next day. She elected to take senior status in 2012 and retired in 2015.

Judge Johnson and her husband have three children: William, John, and Sigrid. They own an antebellum home and farm in Tuscumbia, where she enjoys gardening. Judge Johnson spent about 20 years on the Helen Keller property board that controlled the homestead where Helen Keller grew up. Her husband’s grandmother was the sister of Helen Keller. She has always been grateful to the people of North Alabama for so readily accepting her as a member of the local community.

Susan B. Livingston Award

This award is presented by the Women’s Section in memory of Susan Bevill Livingston who practiced law at Balch & Bingham. The criteria for this award are the following elements and nominations should include information and materials that reflect elements of a continual commitment to those around her as a mentor, a sustained level of leadership throughout her career, a commitment to her community in which she practices.

Kim Bessiere Martin

Kim Bessiere Martin is a partner in the Huntsville Office of Bradley Arant, where she has practiced since 1994 after graduating from the University of Alabama School of Law. With 30 years of legal experience, Kim has built a practice centered on helping her clients navigate the complexities of litigation in courts around the country. But, her work extends beyond the courtroom, where she is dedicated to mentoring younger lawyers and to working to better her community.

For much of the past 15 years, Kim has served on Bradley’s Managing Board and has worked to ensure that the firm’s younger lawyers have opportunities to be mentored and develop their legal skills. She has served as a formal and informal mentor to many young lawyers and has been thrilled by their successes over the years. In addition, Kim has volunteered her time serving on an advisory board for Touronimo, a growing woman-owned business in Huntsville focused on destination management company.

Outside of her legal practice, Kim has been involved in numerous charitable causes. She volunteers her legal expertise to local nonprofits and offers her pro bono services to those in need. She currently serves on the board of both Good Culture, which provides grant assistance to hospitality workers experiencing unexpected hardships to allow them to stay in the workforce through a crisis, and Cap and Gown, which seeks to provide transformative opportunities for underrepresented secondary school students in Huntsville, AL who wish to pursue college.

Justice Janie L. Shores Scholarship

To encourage the next generation of women lawyers, the Women’s Section of the Alabama State Bar established the Justice Janie L. Shores Scholarship Fund. Named in honor of the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Alabama, the scholarship is awarded to an outstanding woman who is an Alabama resident attending law school in Alabama.

Hannah Hart

Hannah Hart earned her Bachelors of Science degree in 2021. While majoring in Biology and double minoring in Spanish and Criminal Justice, Hannah played on the varsity softball team and was a member of various organizations. She is also a published author for her microbiology research with novel biofilm. After graduating, Hannah began her career in clinical cancer research trials for a year and a half where she worked with patients who had stage 3-4 cancer.

Currently, Hannah is a rising 3L at Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. She has been an active member of various organizations at Jones. Hannah now serves as the President of Women’s Legal Society. She also is a softball instructor where she also has the opportunity to mentor young softball players. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books and spending time on her family’s farm. She continues to remain actively engaged in her communities through her volunteer work. Hannah plans to pursue her legal career practicing intellectual property law.

Sandy Kimble

Sandy grew up in one of Birmingham’s low-income housing communities with meager means. Despite being young and single, her mom was determined to not let her and her brothers become a statistic of their environment. Their crime ridden neighborhood was rich with a sense of community. A community where the elders poured “street” knowledge into the younger generation.

In high school, Sandy graduated top of my class but didn’t know what she wanted to do. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with a degree in Psychology. She was still unsure of her future and started working for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) at night while attending UAB to make ends meet. She is currently the Lead Senior System Analyst at BCBSAL where she has been for over 33 years now.

Sandy’s interest in the law came later in her career. She is a proud member of the Judge Hugh Locke Honor and is the Vice President of the Black Law Students Association. According to Sandy, “The determination my mom had when we were in the projects, paved the way to my success. Much to my surprise, I did become a statistic. At the time, I was one of a few minority females in the IT department at BCBSAL and I am the first person in my family to attempt to obtain a doctoral degree. It took a while but I can humbly say that law is my future from this point forward.”