SOAR Home Upcoming Seminars Registration Seminar Descriptions Speakers Biographies Tax Seminars Join Our Mailing List

Alabama State Bar Georgia State Bar Outreach Program Office University Outreach

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

** We are always looking for speakers for upcoming seminars. Send a note to the Outreach Program Office at opo@auburn.edu with your suggestions.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Balch, Russell C.
Russell C. Balch, is a shareholder in Akridge & Balch, P.C. located in Auburn, Alabama. He graduated from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1975, and from The University of Michigan Law School, cum laude, in 1978. He was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1978, the Michigan State Bar in 1987, and the Alabama State Bar in 1995. He practiced Federal administrative law in Washington, D.C. and commercial law in Michigan before moving to Alabama in 1994. He is a former President of the Lee County Bar Association and has previously served as CLE faculty. He has taught Constitutional Law as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Auburn University. Akridge & Balch, P.C. practices in all State and Federal Courts, with attorneys admitted to practice in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. The firm practices in the areas of business and corporate law, real property, commercial transactions, collections, civil litigation, real estate development, family and probate law, land use regulation, and multi-state transactions. [BACK TO TOP]

Blake, III George
After graduating from the Birmingham School of Law, George Blake was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1998. He practices in Auburn, Alabama, and specializes in Real Estate, Family, and Business Law. [BACK TO TOP]

Boothby, Elbert
Elbert Boothby is the owner of Boothby Realty, manages 90% of condominiums in Birmingham area. [BACK TO TOP]

Borg, Joe
Joe Borg earned his B.S. from The City College of New York, and his J.D. from the Hofstra University School of Law in Hampstead, New York. Among his other qualifications, he currently serves at Director of the Alabama Securities Commission. Since 1984, Mr. Borg has been a Professor of Law teaching Uniform Commercial Code, Banking and Securities law at Jones School of Law in Montgomery and a Program Lecturer for Troy State University, Alabama Judicial College, Alabama Bankers Association, Alabama Continuing Education and Jones Bar Review. [BACK TO TOP]

Botes, Brad
Brad Botes received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Alabama and his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Brad is a principal of each of the nineteen Bond & Botes consumer bankruptcy law offices located in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Tennessee, collectively representing in excess of five thousand consumer debtors annually. Brad has been a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys since its inception and currently serves as a member of its board of directors. He has lectured on various bankruptcy topics to national and local gatherings of bankruptcy attorneys, trustees, and Judges. [BACK TO TOP]

Brady, Beverlye
Beverlye Brady has advised cilents as an attorney in the areas of domestic relations, custody, enforcement, adoptions, probate, and corporations for over 20 years. She is a graduate of Auburn University and Cumberland Law School. She has also served in numerous leadership roles including: Board of Directors for the Auburn Chamber of Commerce; President, Lee County Bar Association; President, Kiwanis Club; Co-Chair, Women's Philanthrophy Board Corporate Partners Committee. She has been named "Woman of the Year" by the Opelika Business and Professional Women Council. In addition to her law practice, Beverly currently owns and operates Queenie's Cookies, LLC. [BACK TO TOP]

Byrne, David
David Byrne engages in a litigation practice in both state and federal court. He was formerly an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. In that capacity, he served as the Chief of the Criminal Division. He earned his B.S. and J.D. from the University of Alabama. He is a frequent speaker for ABICLE programs and lectures on criminal issues before various Bar groups throughout Alabama. Mr. Byrne is listed in the 1992-2005 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of criminal defense, and has testified as an expert witness on issues related to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Mr. Byrne has also testified as a defense expert in a federal civil case involving the U.S. Olympic Committee’s actions, through counsel, to protect the Olympic logo. Mr. Byrne is a member of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers; past-president of the Federal Bar Association, Montgomery Chapter; and currently serves on the Unauthorized Practice Committee of the Alabama State Bar. Mr. Byrne is the past-president of the Hugh Maddox Chapter of the American Inn of Court and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Federal Defenders Office, Middle District of Alabama. Mr. Byrne is a fellow of the Alabama Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. [BACK TO TOP]

Cooley, Jennifer Batson Cooley
Jennifer B. Cooley is a native of Columbus, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1992. She earned her Master’s Degree from Clemson University in 1994 and earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2004 from Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Alabama. Jennifer is an active member of the Junior League of Columbus since 1999, formerly serving on the Executive Board. She is currently a board member for the following organizations:  House of T.I.M.E., Vice President of Russell County Bar Association, Russell County Drug Referral Program, and President of the Columbus Chapter of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. Jennifer is proud to serve as a mentor for Jones School of Law Women’s Association, act as a Competition Mock Trial Judge, and to participate in the Alabama State Bar Association Mentor/Mentee program.  Jennifer is state certified to be a Guardian Ad Litem and serves on numerous Domestic Relations, Guardian/Conservatorship, and Mental Commitment cases in this capacity. Jennifer devotes her practice primarily to the area of adult and juvenile criminal defense, divorce, and child custody. Her passion is to assist those less fortunate, particularly in the area of criminal defense. [BACK TO TOP]

Crouse, Scott
Scott Crouse graduated from Auburn University with Honors, receiving a B.A. in History. He attended law school at Tulane School of Law in New Orleans, graduating in 2002. After law school he earned an LL.M in tax law from the University of Miami Graduate Tax Program. While at Miami, he was one of three students in the program to receive the Florida Bar Scholarship Award. In 2004, he began clerking for Lee County Circuit Justice Robert Harper and continued through the end of Judge Harper’s term and the beginning of Judge John Denson’s term. In May of 2005, he joined the firm of Raymond L. Jackson, Jr., Attorney and Counselor at law, P.C.. He practices tax and estate planning as well as general civil practice. [BACK TO TOP]

Benjamin J. De Gweck
Benjamin J. De Gweck is an attorney with the Birmingham law firm DonovanFingar, LLC.  His practice covers a diverse range of subjects with a principal focus on corporate law, commercial real estate and condominium law.  Ben functions as outside counsel for corporate clients, offering advice and assistance on a wide array of subjects including, statutory and regulatory compliance, financing agreements, contract negotiations, labor and employment issues, aviation law, commercial lending, business litigation, and collection efforts. The other principle area of Ben’s practice is representing real estate investors and condominium associations. He routinely assists clients with the acquisition, sale, development and on-going management of commercial properties and condominium developments.  Ben earned his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy and his Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law. [BACK TO TOP]

Donovan, Howard
Howard Donovan is a senior partner at DonovanFingar, LLC in Birmingham.
Howard practices in the areas of commercial, residential and industrial real estate development and leasing, including condominium and apartment projects, shopping centers, and retail/office developments. He has extensive experience in acquisition and disposition of real property in all types of arrangements, including 1031 exchanges. His experience includes representing developers in condominium and PUD developments, and homeowner’s associations, to include collection of assessments, compliance and regulatory matters. Howard has also a local tax practice that includes all matters concerning valuation of real and personal property, abatements, protest hearing and tax appeals. His local tax practice extends to advice to business clients with respect to state and local economic incentives available for new and expanding industries and other types of commercial enterprises. Finally, his experience extends to litigation with respect to tax appeals, compliance matters and all other types of disputes concerning real property. Representative clients include developers, investors, lenders, homeowner’s associations and property management firms. [BACK TO TOP]

Eden III, Thomas M.
Almost all employers in Alabama have a drug free workplace program of some type, but few understand the impact to the proposed American with Disabilities (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 and the litigation the EEOC has already initiated on issues such as prescription medication disclosure and "perceived as" protections. This presentation will offer the latest in legal and regulatory guidance by an experienced labor and employment attorney. [BACK TO TOP]

Eddins, Don
Don Eddins received a B.S. in Journalism from Auburn University, an M.S. in Political Science from AUM, and his J.D. from Jones School of Law. He is in his tenth year of private law practice in Auburn, Alabama. In addition to his general law practice, Mr. Eddins is an attorney and lobbyist for the Alabama State Nurses’ Association, a network attorney for the Alabama Education Association, and a Columnist on legal issues for The Alabama Nurse. Mr. Eddins has also written a book entitles AEA: Head of the Class in Alabama Politics. [BACK TO TOP]

Erwin, Lindsay
Lindsay Erwin is a graduate of Auburn University with a B.S. in Political Science.  She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Cumberland School of Law.  After law school she clerked for the Chief Domestic Relations Judge Honorable Gary Pate in Jefferson County, Alabama.  She is now in practice with Dana P. Gentry and Associates in Phenix City, Alabama.  Ms. Erwin practices in the areas of Domestic Relations, Estate Planning, Bankruptcy, and Employment Law.  She currently resides in Auburn, Alabama and is an active member of First Baptist Opelika. [BACK TO TOP]

Ford, Aubrey Jr.
Judge Aubrey Ford, Jr., (District Judge for Macon County since 1977; past president of the Alabama Juvenile and Family Court Judges Association; past president of the Alabama Association of District Court Judges; member of the Circuit and District Judges Education Committee, the Legislative Coordinating Council, the Committee on Quality in the Courts and Chair of the Committee on Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration; charter member and former Chair of the Alabama Supreme Court's Commission on Dispute Resolution; and the only Alabama trial judge to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia; past Chair of the Board of Directors of the East Alabama Task Force for Battered Women; member of the Board of Directors of Children's First Foundation; and member of the Alabama State Bar where he serves on the Elder Law Committee, the Committee for the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution). [BACK TO TOP]

Hand, Ben
Ben is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Georgia. Ben founded Hand, Fellows and Associates law firm and is the founding member of the board of directors of Beacon University in Columbus, Georgia. Ben currently represents thirty-two different non-profit organizations in Alabama, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee and is a business legal advisor to seventy-five different small businesses and corporations. Ben has served as Municipal Judge in Wedowee, Alabama since 1995. The former city attorney for Uniontown, Alabama, Ben is a city prosecutor for cities of Opelika and Roanoke in Alabama. Ben is a family court referee in Lee County, Alabama and was appointed by Governor Bob Riley as an Administrative Law Judge for State Health Planning and Development Agency. He successfully represented the State Republican party in Lee County during Governor Bob Riley's election challenge 2002. Ben has been a guest lecturer for the Auburn University Safe House, local law enforcement and Domestic Violence counselors, and Auburn University SOAR programs. Ben maintains an Alabama Home Builders license, Alabama Real Estate Brokers license and Alabama Sports Agent license. He founded Hand Properties, which currently maintains property in Alabama and Tennessee with 32 commercial tenants. [BACK TO TOP]

Ingrum, Charles
Charles M. Ingrum, Jr., Employed at Ingrum, Rice, and Parr - Licensed in
Georgia and Alabama.  Graduated Cumberland School of Law 1995.  Worked as a
debtor's attorney for 12 years.  Former Captain, U.S. Army JAG, served as
Chief Defense Counsel for Alabama Army National Guard. [BACK TO TOP]

Jackson, Raymond
Raymond Jackson is an attorney practicing in Auburn, Alabama. He owns a law firm which also has an office in Phenix City, Alabama. Raymond graduated from Auburn University in 1992 (B.A. History; double minor Business) and from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1995 (J.D.). Thereafter, Raymond clerked with Justice Forman Houston on the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1995 until 1996. He then became an associate at the law firm of Capell & Howard, P.C. in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1999, Raymond was hired by Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor to serve as an assistant attorney general. During his time at the AG office, Raymond Jackson served in the constitutional defense division and worked on complex litigation involving the State of Alabama, including employment law cases. In October of 2000, Raymond Jackson opened his law practice in Auburn, Alabama, where he currently practices. His practice primarily involves employment law, worker’s compensation, corporate law, business disputes, and other complex litigation. [BACK TO TOP]

Kirk, Tommy
John Thomas Kirk (Tommy) has his law office in Montgomery, Alabama. He began practicing in 1972 and served as Municipal Prosecutor for eight years. In 1980, Tommy changed his entire practice to criminal defense and narrowed that focus to D.U.I. and alcohol related offenses in the early 1990s. Tommy is a past president of the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is a founding member of the National College for D.U.I. Defense (NCDD) and served on its Board of Regents 1997-2004. He was Dean of the College from 2004-2005. He is presently a Fellow of NCDD. [BACK TO TOP]

Knauff, Roger
Roger Knauff is a 1979 graduate of Troy State University with a degree in Education.  Roger joined the staff of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Alabama, Inc. in 1991 as a counselor, became operations manager in 1994 and Chief Executive Officer in 1997. [BACK TO TOP]

Lusk Jr., Robert E.
Robert E Lusk, Jr. earned a B.S. from Auburn University at Montgomery and a J.D. from The University of Alabama.  He has served as Assistant General Counsel for the Alabama State Bar since 1995.  He previously served as Deputy District Attorney in Montgomery County, as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama, and as Law Clerk to Circuit Judge H. Randall Thomas and is currently serving as Assistant General Council for the Alabama State Bar Association. [BACK TO TOP]

Maze, Corey
Corey Maze serves as Assistant Attorney General in the Capital Litigation Division of Alabama. He received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Auburn University and his law degree from Georgetown University. [BACK TO TOP]

McLain, Tony
James Anthony ("Tony") McLain is General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar.  Upon graduation from law school, he worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama for almost two years.  Upon leaving the Attorney General's Office in 1979, he entered the private practice of law as a partner in the law firm of McLain & Hampton.  In 1988, he went to work as Assistant General Counsel for the Alabama State Bar.  In 1995, he was selected by the Board of Bar Commissioners of the Alabama State Bar as General Counsel.  He is licensed to practice in all U.S. District Courts for the State of Alabama, the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.  He is a member of the Alabama State Bar, the American Bar Association, the Center for Professional Responsibility of the American Bar Association, and the National Organization of Bar Counsel. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Auburn University in 1974 and his Juris Doctorate from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1977.  He recently completed a two-year term as President of the Cumberland School of Law National Alumni Association and was named as Cumberland's Distinguished Alumnus 2007.  He has served as adjunct faculty at Auburn University Montgomery and Huntingdon College, as professor for the Cumberland School of Law Durham Study Abroad Program, and as guest faculty at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, Turkey. [BACK TO TOP]

McNeal, Marrell J.
Marrell J. McNeal practices law with the firm of McNeal & Douglas, Attorneys at Law, L.L.C. He received his Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He received his L.L.M. from the University of Alabama School of Law with additional study at Emory University School of Law. He has practiced law in Auburn for 25 years. He is admitted to practice before the Alabama Supreme Court, the Federal District Court, The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. While he is engaged in the general practice of law, a significant portion of his practice has been devoted to representing landlords in landlord-tenant disputes. In addition, he served on the faculty of Auburn University for 10 years, teaching law in the College of Business. [BACK TO TOP]

Myers, Amy
Amy Myers is a member of Bradley, Arant, Rose, and White’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. A large part of her practice is providing advice to employers on a regular basis and defending employers in a variety of cases brought by employees, including ones brought under federal discrimination laws, state tort claims, non-jury trials for workers compensation and jury trial trials in which the plaintiff is claiming retaliatory discharge. In addition, Amy defends companies in general civil litigation matters in state and federal courts and also practices in the area of business immigration including the handling of applying for temporary and permanent work visas and advising companies on I-9 workplace compliance under federal law. [BACK TO TOP]

Northcutt, Walter
Walter Northcutt has fifteen years of experience in Private Practice, General Litigation, and Domestic Relations Trial Law. He is certified in Divorce and General Mediation by the Atlanta Divorce Mediators, Inc. In fifteen years of practice he has tried over 115 jury trials and hundreds of Domestic and District Court cases. He is also a Registered Mediator with the Alabama Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution. [BACK TO TOP]

Partridge, Sam
[BACK TO TOP]

Sellers, Melinda M.
Melinda M. Eubanks is an associate with the law firm of Burr & Forman LLP and practices in the Real Estate and Litigation sections of the firm. She concentrates on the area of condominium law. Ms. Eubanks received her B.A. degree in psychology from Auburn University. She earned her J. D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she was a member of the Farrah Law Society and a board member of the Public Interest Institute, as well as the state of Alabama Volunteer Lawyer Program. Ms. Eubanks is member of the Alabama State Bar and the American and Birmingham Bar Associations. [BACK TO TOP]

Short, Michael
Michael E. Short was born in Grove Hill, Alabama and grew up in Monroeville, Alabama.  He graduated from Auburn University in 1994 and received his Masters of Education from Auburn University in 1996.  Prior to attending law school, Mr. Short taught high school at Pelham High School.  Mr. Short then received his law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2004, where he was the Associate Director of Mediation for the Trial Advocacy Board, as well as a member of the Alabama Defense Lawyer’s Association.  He is a member of the Alabama State Bar Association, the Lee County Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama.  His practice focuses on general civil litigation, insurance defense, collections, school law, and family law.  Mr. Short is one of the prosecutors for the City of Auburn, prosecuting cases in both Municipal Court and the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama. In October of 2007, the readers of the Opelika - Auburn News voted Mr. Short the Best Lawyer in Lee County, Alabama. Mr. Short and his wife Bonnie have two sons, Brooks and Harrison.  He is a member of Auburn United Methodist Church where he enjoys teaching Sunday School.  In his spare time, Mr. Short volunteers his time coaching t-ball, baseball, and football for the Auburn Department of Parks and Recreation. [BACK TO TOP]

Speakman, Sandra
Sandra Speakman received her B.A. in History & Political Science from Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia, and her J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. While at W&L, she worked as a clerk in the Alderson Legal Assistance Program and was a member of the National Mock Trial Team. Before beginning her work as an Assistant Attorney General, Mrs. Speakman completed clerkships with the Honorable Fred C. Wright, III, Chief Judge of the Washington County (Maryland) Circuit Court and the Honorable J. Gorman Houston, Jr., then Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. She previously was a member of the Constitutional Defense Division of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and represented the state, its agencies and officials in civil rights and employment-related matters. She transferred to the Legal Division of the State Personnel Department in June and currently advises state employees and agencies on personnel policies and rules. Mrs. Speakman lives in Auburn with her husband Steven, who also is an attorney. [BACK TO TOP]

Stewart, Carol H.
Carol H. Stewart is a partner in the law firm of Burr & Forman LLP. She has been with the firm for over 20 years, and during that time she has concentrated in the fields of condominium law and complex business torts litigation. Ms. Stewart has represented developers in the creation and formation of approximately 100 condominiums and common interest communities in the Southeast. She has represented associations and unit owners in litigation involving homeowners’ associations. She received her BS. Degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; her M.S. degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in forensic sciences; and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the Cumberland School of Law. Ms. Stewart is a member of the Alabama State Bar, the State Bar of Georgia, The Florida Bar, and the American and Birmingham Bar Associations. She teaches and writes in the area of condominium law and has been listed by Chamber USA as one of America’s Leading Lawyers in the area of real estate law. [BACK TO TOP]

Tickal, Jeff
Jeff Tickal is a partner in the law firm of Gullage, Tickal & Fellows, LLP, where he concentrates his area of practice to construction law and civil litigation.  He is a graduate engineer from Auburn University.  Mr. Tickal received his law degree from Cumberland School of Law where he was a member of the Law Review.  Mr. Tickal served as full time faculty in the College of Architecture, Design & Construction at Auburn University where he taught Construction Law, Soils, Structures and OSHA Safety classes.  Mr. Tickal lectures nationally on issues of construction law and insurance.  He is Arbitrator on the Construction Panel of the American Arbitration Association, and a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Industry.  Mr. Tickal has authored a number of papers related to construction issues for the industry.  He is a member of the Alabama State Bar and is admitted to the Middle and Northern District of Alabama Federal Courts. [BACK TO TOP]

Thomas, Melissa
Ms. Thomas graduated from Auburn University in 1989 with a BS in Business Administration (Accounting) and earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Cumberland School of Law in 1992. She has been in private practice since graduation from law school.  Currently her primary areas of practice are domestic relations / family law including divorce, child custody, child support, visitation, division of marital assets and debts, alimony, retirement benefits, etc. She also handles juvenile delinquencies, dependency cases, and adult felony and misdemeanor cases.  Me. Thomas also handles civil litigation and probate work in her general practice. [BACK TO TOP]

Thrower, Lynne
Lynne Thrower is the Legal Counsel and Director of the Legal Division for the Administrative Office of Courts. Before becoming the director of the legal division, Ms. Thrower served as a staff attorney for both the Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of Courts. Prior to joining the court system in January, 1997, she was in private practice. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Southern Union Community College and Auburn University in Montgomery. She has been a frequent lecturer and instructor for training in many areas of the law for both attorneys and court personnel, including the Circuit & District Judges’ Association, the Alabama Circuit Clerk’s Association and the Alabama Judicial College. [BACK TO TOP]

Treese, Robbie
Robbie Treese has practiced law for the past twelve years.  He spent two years as the domestic violence project attorney for Lee, Chambers, Tallapoosa and Russell counties, two years in civil practice, and the last eight years working as an Assistant District Attorney here in Lee County.Mr. Treese is a member of the Alabama State Bar, the Lee County Bar Association, the Alabama District Attorneys Association, the International Association of Prosecutors and an associate member of the National District Attorneys Association.  He is currently admitted to practice in both state and federal court. [BACK TO TOP]

Weller, Christopher W.
Many businesses routinely require prospective employees to execute noncompete agreements as a condition of employment to protect financial and competitive interests by preventing the disclosure and use of valuable competitive information not generally available to the public. The Supreme Court of Alabama has issued an increasing number of decisions addressing the validity of noncompete agreements.  These decisions have produced a body of law establishing a reasonably consistent set of guidelines and principles delineating the permissible scope of noncompete agreements.  This presentation will discuss those principles to help both businesses and individuals avoid the common pitfalls of these agreements. [BACK TO TOP]