Alabama State Bar Honors 2026 Award Recipients at Grand Convocation

Judicial Award of Merit

Hon. Tamara Harris Johnson – Judge Tamara Harris Johnson serves on the Jefferson County Circuit Court, Civil Division. A graduate of Spelman College and Howard University School of Law, she is a distinguished jurist and former Birmingham city attorney whose decades of service have earned numerous honors, including the Birmingham Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Michael D. Ermert Award of Merit

C. Gibson Vance – Gibson Vance is a principal at Beasley Allen, where he has spent more than 25 years representing individuals and families harmed by negligence and misconduct. A past president of the Alabama State Bar, he has held numerous leadership roles within the legal profession at the state and national levels. In 2026, he received the Southern Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious War Horse Award, recognizing outstanding courtroom advocacy, leadership, and contributions to trial advocacy education.

William D. “Bill” Scruggs, Jr. Service to the Bar Award

Michael Upchurch – Michael Upchurch graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1983 and is a partner at Frazer Greene in Mobile. He has practiced law primarily in Alabama since then and has been disappointed to learn that the “practice makes perfect” adage turns out to be wishful thinking. Mr. Upchurch has tried a lot of cases, had some successes that are a little hard to remember in detail, and some failures that are impossible to forget. Along the way, he has made a lot of friends, learned a few things, and been gifted with more perspective than he used to have, which partially offsets the mysterious exchange of his body with one from some old guy.

J. Anthony “Tony” McLain Professionalism Award

Bob MacKenzie – Bob MacKenzie is a shareholder at Starnes Davis Florie, where he has practiced since graduating from Cumberland School of Law in 1984. His practice focuses on defending medical and legal malpractice actions and commercial litigation. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Bob is a past president of the Birmingham Bar Association and the Judge James Horton Inn of Court.

Commissioners’ Award

Carmen Howell – Carmen Howell has a solo practice in Enterprise, Alabama, that includes representing a school board and a local municipality, as well as handling domestic relations, mediation, and civil litigation matters. She serves on numerous task forces and committees for the Alabama State Bar. Carmen served as president of the Coffee County Bar Association for five years. She is a graduate of the Alabama State Bar’s Leadership Forum and has served as Bar Commissioner for the 12th Judicial Circuit since 2018.

President’s Award

Hon. Jim Hill – Retired Judge Jim Hill has represented Alabama’s 50th House District since 2014 and serves as Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. He is of counsel with Hill, Gossett, Kemp, Barrentine & Seay, P.C., where his practice focuses on alternative dispute resolution and civil litigation. A former St. Clair County district and circuit judge, Judge Hill has dedicated decades to public service and was recognized as a 50-Year Member of the Alabama State Bar in 2025.

President’s Award

Terry McCarthy – Terry McCarthy is a partner at Lightfoot, Franklin & White and a nationally recognized authority on evidence law. He is the co-author of McElroy’s Alabama Evidence and Gamble’s Alabama Rules of Evidence and frequently presents CLE programs on evidence issues. Terry serves on the Advisory Committee for the Alabama Rules of Evidence and maintains a diverse trial and appellate practice.

Albert Vreeland Pro Bono Award

Travis Chin – Travis Chin is an attorney at Beasley Allen, where his practice focuses on toxic exposure litigation. A dedicated advocate for access to justice, he has been recognized by the Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program and the Montgomery County Bar Association for his outstanding pro bono service. Travis also serves as Southern Legislative Director for Rise, where he helped draft and advocate for the Alabama Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights.

Law Firm / Group Pro Bono Award

Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. – The Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. (AAPi) is the state’s only professional association dedicated exclusively to paralegals. Since 1982, AAPi has promoted the paralegal profession through education, professional development, and advocacy. A volunteer-run affiliate of NALA – The Paralegal Association, AAPi was honored with NALA’s prestigious 2025 Founders’ Award for its outstanding contributions to the advancement of the paralegal profession.

Mediator Pro Bono Award

Randy Gibson – Randy Gibson is the founder of Hughes Harper Gibson and has more than 17 years of experience helping individuals, attorneys, and organizations navigate arbitration, insurance claims, and mediation. He serves as the Jefferson County District Court Mediator Coordinator and was inducted into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals in 2024. Randy is active in both his profession and community, serving in several civic organizations throughout central Alabama.

Law Student Pro Bono Award

Delaney Russ – Delaney Russ is a 2026 graduate of the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law and a dedicated advocate for public service. While in law school, she represented more than 100 low-income clients through the Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program and served as vice president of the school’s Public Interest Foundation. In recognition of her commitment to pro bono service, she received the Shirley Darby Howell Distinguished Public Interest Fellow Award.

Maud McLure Kelly Award

Mary Margaret Bailey – Mary Margaret Bailey is a partner at Frazer Greene in Mobile, where she has practiced civil defense litigation for more than 25 years, with a focus on motions and appeals. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice since 2011 and currently serves as president of the Mobile Bar Association. A longtime leader in the legal profession, she has also served in numerous leadership roles within the Alabama State Bar and the Alabama Law Foundation.

Susan B. Livingston Award

Leila Watson – Leila Watson has practiced law for more than 40 years and is widely recognized for handling precedent-setting cases with statewide and national significance. A past president of the Birmingham Bar Association, she currently serves as an At-Large Bar Commissioner and Disciplinary Commissioner for the Alabama State Bar and chairs the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions Committee – Civil. Her many honors include the 2026 Alabama State Bar Women’s Section Susan Bevill Livingston Award and the 2026 Birmingham Bar Association Women’s Lawyers Section Paving the Way Award.

Justice Janie L. Shores Scholarship

Charmayne Jackson — Miles Law School – Charmayne Jackson is a third-year law student at Miles Law School and serves as Judicial Assistant to the Honorable Adrienne Moffett Powell. A former U.S. military Chemical Specialist with nine years of service, she is committed to justice, public service, and advocacy as she prepares to enter the legal profession.

Jeanne Marie Leslie Service Award

Hon. Bradley Ekdahl – Bradley Ekdahl is the founder of The Law Offices of Bradley Earl Ekdahl, LLC, where he focuses on criminal defense. A former senior assistant district attorney, he currently serves as the City Prosecutor for Prattville and Municipal Judge for Millbrook. Bradley also serves as Special Probate Judge for Autauga County and remains active in service to both the legal profession and his community.

Jesse Price Evans III Award

Laura Calloway – Laura Calloway is a longtime leader within the Alabama State Bar and former Director of Service Programs. After 16 years in private practice, she joined the Bar in 1997, where she led the Practice Management Assistance Program and provided practice management resources and CLEs for lawyers across Alabama. Since retiring in 2019, she has remained active in the Solo & Small Firm Section, serving in leadership roles including secretary and treasurer.