Samford University Cumberland School of Law

Our 2024 Friend of Cumberland award recipient is Laura Montgomery Lee. The annual award is given to a friend, although not a graduate, who has contributed time and resources to enhance the quality of the law school and the educational experience of the students. Laura Montgomery Lee is a domestic relations attorney and the managing partner of Crittenden Partners PC. She regularly volunteers her time at Cumberland School of Law, participating in mentor programs, mock interviews, panel discussions and speaking to students about the practice of law. Lee credits a lot of her success to the wonderful mentors she had throughout the years. Lee, a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, notes that law school may have taught her the foundation of the law, but her mentors taught her how to practice law. She said, “I was fortunate to have trial advocacy coaches, professors, employers and other members of the Birmingham legal community who were always willing to offer advice and provide guidance. Not only do I feel a need to pay it forward, but I also find that engaging with law school students teaches me something as well. I am thankful that Cumberland gives me the opportunity to interact with smart, thoughtful adults who have a fresh outlook on the practice of law.” https://lnkd.in/eUsYF7R8

Our 2024 Volunteer of the Year is Julie McMakin, JD ’09, deputy district attorney for the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Birmingham Division. As a supervisor in the office, McMakin maintains a trial docket consisting of homicide and sexual assault cases while also overseeing the DDAs assigned to the Circuit Court Courtroom. In addition, she is the office’s representative on Birmingham’s Violent Crimes Task Force and a member of the interview committee. When not in court, McMakin spends much of her free time volunteering at Cumberland School of Law. For the past three years, she has served as an adjunct professor teaching Advanced Criminal Trial Practice for students who have an interest in criminal litigation. Her former students can be found working as prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys throughout the U.S. Additionally, she helps prepare first-year students for on-campus interviews. She has also volunteered her time to participate in panel discussions for the first-year Criminal Law classes. Most of her spare time, however, is spent as a coach for the National Trial Team. She was a member of the team as a student and found it to be an invaluable experience, so she jumped at the chance to be involved with the program when asked. She dedicates nights and weekends coaching her team in preparation for competitions. McMakin’s teams have successfully competed at the Summit Cup in Colorado, the Syracuse National Trial Competition in New York, and at the regional and national levels of the American Association of Justice (AAJ) National Trial Competition. Notably, in 2022, her AAJ teams finished 2nd and 5th in the nation. https://lnkd.in/eUsYF7R8

Our 2024 Young Alumna of the Year is Jessica Thomas, JD ’09, senior vice president and chief diversity officer for Dollar Tree, a Fortune 150 retailer. Jessica Thomas began her trailblazing career while a student at Cumberland School of Law. She was the second Black president of Cumberland’s Student Bar Association, a member of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, a Judge Abraham Caruthers fellow, a member of the Career Services Advisory Board, and a member of the selection committee for the Harvey S. Jackson excellence in teaching award. And it was at Cumberland where she developed her love of litigation through participation in the trial advocacy program. She began her legal career in private practice working at Bradley Arant and Ogletree Deakins law firms and continued her servant leadership journey. She has served as a fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and the board of directors for Nashville Public Television, Mount Zion Baptist Church, and Twin Cities Diversity in Practice. She was awarded the Athena Young Professional Leadership Award, Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30, and selection in the Nashville Emerging Leaders Class and the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum. She also serves on the Cumberland School of Law Advisory Board. Prior to joining Dollar Tree in 2023 as vice president of Labor & Employment, Thomas served as in-house counsel for companies such as Target, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., and Remington Outdoor Company. https://lnkd.in/eUsYF7R8

The 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year is Jeff Friedman, JD ’85, founding partner of Friedman, Dazzio & Zulanas in Birmingham, Alabama. Admitted to practice in all Alabama state and federal courts, the United States 11th Circuit Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court, Friedman has litigated in more than 30 Alabama counties and has been admitted, on a pro hac vice basis, to litigate in the states of West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. Friedman is a fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates and holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest rating for an attorney bestowed by that organization. He is also a member of the Judge J.E. Horton American Inn of Court, the Alabama State Bar and the Birmingham Bar Association. For the past 20 years, Friedman has represented a number of cities, counties and municipal agencies to help them recover funding for clean air and safe drinking water. To Friedman, his greatest professional honors are not tied to individual accomplishments, but the growth and good reputation of his firm. Among many accomplishments, just a few celebrations of his success include being nominated for Public Justice’s Prestigious 2024 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work in serving as lead trial counsel in the case of Adkisson v. Jacobs Engineering Group and serving as lead counsel in the landmark decision in the Tennessee Valley Authority environmental litigation, 2012 WL 3647704. Additionally, he has had multiple judgments listed in the National Law Journal’s list of top cases and reported in Law 360 and other legal publications. A longtime advocate for Cumberland School of Law, Friedman said, “Since I was first invited to serve on the Dean’s Advisory Board by Judge John Carroll, it has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding opportunities of my career. It has provided me with a way to serve the law school and stay connected to Cumberland. It is exciting to see the success that has been made in the past and thrilling to witness the plans for the future of the school under Dean Blake Hudson.” https://lnkd.in/eUsYF7R8

Last weekend during our Alumni Reunion reception, we were honored to recognize these four individuals with our Distinguished Alumni Awards: Distinguished Alumnus of the Year: Jeff Friedman, JD ’85 Given to an alumnus/na who has distinguished himself/herself in the practice of law, service to the community and leadership in the profession Young Alumna of the Year: Jessica Thomas, JD ’09 Given to an alumnus/na who graduated within the past 15 years and who has distinguished himself/ herself in the practice of law, service to the community and leadership in the profession Volunteer of the Year: Julie McMakin, JD ’09 Given to an alumnus/na who has demonstrated exceptional loyalty and commitment to Cumberland School of Law through volunteer service to the school Friend of Cumberland: Laura Montgomery Lee Given to a friend, although not a graduate, who has contributed time and resources to enhance the quality of the law school and the educational experience of the students Follow along as we highlight each of them individually over the next few days! https://lnkd.in/eWdnNWiA

This Friday! Prospective law students are invited to our fall Open House beginning at 2 p.m. 🔘 Tour the law school 🔘 Hear from faculty and students 🔘 Learn about scholarships and fellowships 🔘 Discover our programs and centers 🔘 Gain an understanding of the admission process Register here: https://lnkd.in/eGyAXkpM

We had a great time this week introducing our students to employers from across the region. Thanks to all who joined us for our annual Meet the Market fall networking event. #networking #legalnetworking #connections #cumberlandlaw

In the latest episode of Cumberland Research Radio, Jeff Coleman, JD '90, shares some of his experiences in the courtroom and how serving on a jury taught him valuable lessons about the importance of credibility in the practice of law. Listen to "What a Plaintiff’s Lawyer Can Learn from Serving on a Jury": http://ms.spr.ly/6041W1HDP

Two weeks from today! Prospective law students are invited to our fall Open House on Friday, November 1 at 2 p.m. 🔘 Tour the law school 🔘 Hear from faculty and students 🔘 Learn about scholarships and fellowships 🔘 Discover our programs and centers 🔘 Gain an understanding of the admission process Register here today: https://lnkd.in/eGyAXkpM

This weekend, members of the National Trial Team travel to Los Angeles, California, to participate in the Tournament of Champions. This invitation-only mock trial competition features law students from 16 of the nation's top trial advocacy law schools. Good luck to students John West, Lily Dickinson, Grayson Walden, Abigail Frazier, EJ Turner and Allison Jordan and their coaches Judge Jim Roberts, Elise Driskill and Craig Shirley.