News Post

MONTGOMERY – The results are in for the 8th Annual Alabama Legal Food Frenzy, a statewide competition among law firms and legal organization to benefit Alabama’s regional food banks. This year, the two-week fundraising competition generated $71,679.29 to fight hunger, which equates to nearly 350,000 meals for our food insecure in Alabama.

This year’s total was the largest fundraising outcome in the history of the program. In eight years, money raised from this annual event has provided more than 1.7 million meals to food insecure people in the state. The fundraiser was held virtually, with all donations being monetary, allowing the food bank to use its collective purchasing power to make the dollars raised go further. In total, 44 law firms and legal organizations participated in the 2023 competition. In addition, Wells Fargo served as this year’s corporate sponsor of the event, with a donation of $20,000.

The Alabama State Bar’s annual drive is held in partnership with Attorney General Steve Marshall and Feeding Alabama (formerly known as the Alabama Food Bank Association) for the benefit of local food banks. Each donating firm or organization had the opportunity to select which local area food bank to direct their donation. In Alabama, as many as 400,000 children count on their schools for at least one meal per day. Competing firms help Feeding Alabama provide nearly half a million meals to children in Alabama through the Summer Feeding Program.

Alabama State Bar President Gibson Vance joined with Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, to announce this year’s winners and celebrate the fundraiser’s success for Alabama’s food banks and the populations they serve. The law firm or legal organization that donated the most per employee this year was Martin & Helms, PC in Huntsville. Clay Martin received the Attorney General’s Cup on behalf of his firm for the fourth year in a row, with other honors to other firms awarded in categories based on the firm’s size.

General Marshall called Martin & Helms’ win a “legacy award,” showing the firm’s commitment to fighting hunger. “I think it matters when lawyers, and those that work with lawyers, see the world beyond themselves. We see some of the most difficult problems our clients have, and we have to address some very troubling situations. When we are able to engage through service and help those around us, not only to we add value to our community, but we add value to ourselves,” said Attorney General Marshall.

Martin & Helms’ Clay Martin accepted the award on behalf of his firm. He said,”We have always supported this initiative, but after COVID, we started hearing how many children and senior citizens were struggling to get food. We heard that they needed donations more than ever, and we decided to step up that year. We have continued ever since. I hope law firms who didn’t participate this year will get involved next year. If you win, wonderful. If you don’t, you are still winning because food is going to be put on someone’s table because of your efforts. That is meaningful regardless of whether or not you win a trophy.”

“The Alabama State Bar and its more than 19,000 members are focused on service. Not only are we thankful to bring hope to those suffering from food insecurity in our state, but we also want to make sure our communities know that we are more than lawyers. This cause is important to us because we are caring, concerned neighbors who want to roll our sleeves up and serve,” said President Gibson Vance.

Attorney Jordan Jenkins with Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole, & Black PC in Montgomery served as chair of this year’s annual food frenzy; co-chairs were J. Pratt Austin-Trucks (Jacqueline Pratt Austin-Trucks Law) and Nell Brimmer (Center for Reproductive Rights); committee members were Meredith Carpenter (Meredith Carpenter Law), Tiffany Ray (Taylor Martino, PC), and E. Nathan Harris (Abogados Centro Legal).

The winners of the 8th Annual Alabama Legal Food Frenzy are:

Legal Organization: Alabama Court Reporting
($2,500 | 12,500 meals donated)

Sole Proprietor: Outside Chief Legal
($252 | 1,260 meals donated)

Medium Law Firm: Hill Hill Carter
($7,623 | 38,115 meals donated)

Large Law Firm: Dentons Sirote
($7,252 | 36,260 meals donated)

AG Cup + Small Firm Winner: Martin & Helms P.C.
($2,800 | 14,000 meals donated)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Alabama State Bar (ASB) is the official licensing and regulatory organization of lawyers in Alabama. Created in 1879, the Alabama State Bar became an integrated bar in 1923 by an act of the legislature. Since then, ASB programs and activities have continuously served the public and improved the justice system. It is dedicated to promoting the professional responsibility and competence of its members, improving the administration of justice and increasing the public understanding of and respect for the law.