Firm News

Pat Baker, Mark Upton's secretary for the past 20 years, has announced that she will be retiring June 1, 2009. After a 40 year career as a legal secretary and paralegal, Pat and her husband Ronnie will be moving to Mississippi and building a log cabin home near Tylertown. The Firm will miss Pat, but is excited for her as she moves closer to her daughter and baby granddaughter.

The Firm had 20 employees and members of their families participate in raising money and walking in the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides walk held on May 2, 2009 in Daphne. The 5K walk helped the local chapter for cystic fibrosis research exceed the goal for the campaign by twenty percent over last year's total. Jayne Godfrey did a great job coordinating this fund-raising event for the Firm in honor of a nine year old Spanish Fort Elementary student whose parents are friends of the lawyers and staff of the Firm.

The Firm competed again this year in the Ecumenical Ministries Chili Cook-off held February 14, 2009 at Oak Hollow Farms in Fairhope. The event was well attended and the Firm took home the first place award for best chili in the People's Choice category. Approximately 40 teams participated in raising money to help provide a wide range of social services for the citizens of Baldwin County. For more information about Ecumenical Ministries, please call (251) 928-3430.

The Firm is pleased to announce that William D. Anderson has become a partner with the Firm effective January 1, 2009. Will's practice includes both Alabama and Florida litigation, including representation of condominium boards and various insurers and individuals in personal injury litigation.

As in past years, the Firm participated this year in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program to benefit children in Baldwin County. Stephanie Haston does a great job each year in coordinating this effort on behalf of the Firm

The Firm recently donated $20,000 to establish the Baldwin County Bar Foundation Inc., a non-profit foundation formed by the Executive Committee of the Baldwin County Bar Association. The foundation was formed to accept and distribute charitable contributions to other non-profit entities to help members of the community who have been involved with matters before the judicial system. For more information concerning contributions to the foundation, please call Mark J. Upton, the managing partner of the Firm.

James Lynn Perry was certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Advocate on July 8, 2008.
The National Board of Trial Advocacy is a non-profit organization established to improve the quality of trial advocacy. In order to be certified, attorneys are required to complete a rigorous examination and to have participated in 15 trials, 5 of which were jury trials, encompassing at least 45 days of trial time.

Firm members David Daniell, Lynn Perry, Will Anderson and Jonathon Law made presentations at the winter 2008 Condo Owner's Educational Symposium held on February 29, 2008. The Firm co-sponsors this event regularly with Condo Owner Magazine (www.condo-owner.com). The Symposium was held at The Beach Club in Gulf Shores. Guest speakers included Economist Dr. Semoon Chang, Mayor Billy Duke, Insurance Agent Bruce White, Architect Forrest Daniell, CPA Ron Blake and new State Revenue Commissioner Tim Russell. The Symposium covered topics on condominium litigation, the local economy and the affect on condominiums, condominium insurance issues, building and construction issues and taxes affecting condominium owners.