Committees of the HBA

Join a Committee!  The Huntsville Bar Association has several committees for HBA members to connect, volunteer your time and make an impact.  As a committee member, it will give you an opportunity for leadership, connect with other attorneys and improve our Bar Association.  Please note:  serving on a committee is only available to the HBA members whose membership dues are current.  You can request to join a committee at any time.  Committee selections are held in the fall for the following year.  If you are interested in serving, please send an email to the HBA office at director@huntsvillebar.org.

Attendance, Sponsorship, and Entertainment Committee:

The Committee shall have the duty of encouraging and improving the attendance of the members of the Association at all meetings of the Association.  The Committee shall explore ideas for sponsorship of the monthly meetings, additional Bar activities and benefits of membership.  The Committee shall plan and coordinate the social functions of the Association.

Chair: John Brinkley

Co-Chair: Gerri L. Plain
Members: Amanda Coolidge, Franklin Corley, Jo Layne Hall, Rebecca Hall, Jameson Hughston, Ryan Letson, Chris Lockwood, Bart Siniard, Ty Shepard, Jonathan Townsend, Nate Wake

Awards Committee:

The Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the established awards of the Association, including the Liberty Bell Award, the Community Service Award, the the HBA's Profiles in Professional Courage Award.  The Committee may consist of at least seven (7) members, which will be composed of the previous Past President (to serve one year) and six (6) members to serve three (3) year terms with the initial members selected by the President.  The current President shall have the right to appoint a member of the Association to fill any vacancies arising upon the Committee during the fiscal year.

Chair: Dagnal Rowe
Co-Chair: Suzanne D. Currie
Members: Carolyn R. Johnson, Honorable Donna S. Pate, Larry O. Daniel, Jr., Julian D. Butler, Edward E. Wilson, Rankin Sneed

Communications and Technology Committee:

The Committee shall be responsible for starting, editing and publishing a bulletin of the Association for distribution to the membership.  The Committee shall be responsible for researching and making recommendations to the Executive Committee for an updated website and setting procedures with regard to the maintenance of the website.

Chair: Harold D. Mooty, III
Co-Chair: John R. Hightower
Members: Morris H. Lilienthal

Continuing Legal Education Committee:

The Committee shall consider, promote and administer all activities of the Association relating to matters of professional information, knowledge and studies which it considers to be of general interest to the members of the Association, and make all arrangements for and conduct any and all legal institutes, clinics, lectures, forums or other meetings or means that may be adopted with the approval of the Executive Committee to accomplish such purposes.  The Committee shall plan, conduct and obtain approval for continuing legal education programs, including the Last Chance Seminar and monthly lunch CLE events.

Chair: Rebekah K, McKinney
Co-Chair: J. Mark Debro

Fee Dispute Committee:

The Committee shall attempt to assist clients, lawyers and other parties having disputes pertaining to lawyers' fees with a view toward resolving or minimizing the disputes.

Chair: W. Graham Burgess
Co-Chair: Brannon S. Ford
Members: Brian D. Clark, W. Heath Brooks

Finance and Charitable Fund Committee:

The Committee shall review all funds held by the Bar for scholarships and to distribute and make financial recommendations concerning the Sarah J. Daye Scholarship, The Ben Boyanton Scholarship and any other scholarships that may be awarded by the Bar Association.  The Committee shall be responsible for reviewing applicants for the scholarships available and making the recommendations to the Executive Committee for the Bar Association.

Chair: Joseph D. Aiello
Co-Chair: Adam C. Dauro
Members: George A. Smith, Travis S. Jackson

Governance and Bylaw Committee:

The Committee shall maintain a continuing study of the By-Laws and Constitution and, when necessary, recommend amendments or revisions designed to promote the efficient fulfillment of the Association's purposes.

Chair: Leslie C. Sharpe
Co-Chair: Jennifer F. Brinkley

Grievance Committee:

At such times as a Committee of this Association has been approved by the Board of Commissioners of the Alabama State Bar for investigating and making recommendations concerning an allegation or complaint of misconduct of a member or the Association, there shall be a Grievance Committee composed of a chair, two (2) vice chairs and not more than eighteen (18) additional members, all appointed by the President.  Each member shall serve for three (3) years.

Chair: Warne S. Heath
Co-Chair: Ronald C. Sykstus, William P. (Bill) Burgess
Members: W.Allen Davis, Jerry Barclay, Julia S. Aquila,Kimberly K. Rucker, Amy Slayden, Robert B. Tuten, Stephanie Werdehoff, Timothy R. Callins, Charles A. Ray, IV, Samuel H. Givhan,  L. Thomas (Tom) Ryan, Jr., Carolyn R. Johnson, Robert E. Rawlinson

Health Insurance Committee:

The Committee shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee concerning all changes to the health insurance policy.

Chair: Kevin Heard
Members: Kenneth D. Hampton, Deborah Lynn Long

Law Library Committee:

The Committee shall serve as an advisory committee for the presiding judge of the Circuit Court of Madison County in order to promote the efficient operation of the library pursuant to the objects and purposes provided by the law creating the same.  The Committee shall also consider and recommend to the Association any matter that is may deem advisable in order to improve or extend the law library facilities that may be available to the courts, the legal profession, and the public generally in Madison County.

Chair: Honorable D. Alan Mann
Co-Chair: Douglas C. Martinson
Members: John R. Hightower, Mary Ena Heath, Thomas C. Phelps
Chair Law Foundation: A. Mac Martinson
Court Administrator: Kim Gray
Librarian: Gina Marlowe

Membership/Mentor Committee:

The Committee shall pursue avenues in and to encourage lawyers who are not members of the HBA to join the Association.  The Committee shall review membership applicants and make recommendations for membership to the Bar as a whole.  When a new member of the Bar Association would like a mentor, it shall be the the committee's responsibility to find a mentor for the new member.

Chair: Jeremiah M. Hodges
Members: Christopher Messervy, Geoffrey Middleton, Dorothy H. Schmidt, Elizabeth Q. Wirtz

Memorials, Archives, and History Committee:

The Committee shall actively seek items of memorabilia, articles and materials related to the history and traditions of the Association, its Bench and Bar, to be retained under its supervision for preservation, reference or display, at such place or places and pursuant to the policies set forth in the By-Laws.  The committee shall consider, initiate, prepare and present resolutions of condolence, memorials, and resolutions of commendation on events affecting the Association or its members, including acknowledgment for members of the Association who have been practicing for 50 years.

Chair: Julian D. Butler
Co-Chair: Benjamin R. Little

Nominating Committee:

The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the current Bar President, except that the immediate Past President shall serve as its chair.  The Committee shall nominate not less than two active members for each office to be filled and shall present its report to the Executive Committee not less than seven days prior to the regular meeting of the Association to be held during the month of July each year.

Chair: Suzanne D. Currie
Co-Chair: Susan C. Conlon
Members: Amy A. Slayden, Honorable Chris Comer, Honorable Claude E. Hundley, III, Robert C. Lockwood, John Burbach, Tara L. Helms

Professionalism Committee:

The Committee shall work with bar members and judges to encourage professionalism among the members of this Bar Association.  The Chair and any member of this Committee acting at the direction of the Chair shall have the authority to intervene on behalf of the Bar Association to assist members of the Association whose conduct gives rise to an immediate concern that without intervention, such member may well become the object of an allegation or complaint of misconduct. This Committee shall not act as a disciplinary body.

Chair: Honorable Claude E. Hundley, III
Co-Chair: J. Allen Brinkley
Members: John A. Brinkley, Jr., Honorable Bruce E. Williams, Honorable Christian M. Comer

Volunteer Lawyers Program:

The Board and Officers of the Madison County Volunteer Lawyers Program shall be appointed in accordance with that organization's Articles and Bylaws.

Chair: Nicole S. Schroer
Co-Chair: Tazewell T. Shepard