Brad Botes and I cover various topics as they relate to our clients and other consumers and small business owners facing financial challenges related to the COVID – 19 global pandemic.  We hope that this weekly update will help our clients and prospective clients stay on top of their financial health during these troubling times.  If you want to listen to something a bit more fun after this episode, feel free to listen to Episode 1 where Brad and I talk in simpler times and, mostly, about the march towards the miraculous Chicago Cubs’ World Series title in 2016.  Rest assured that we will continue to be available to help at our offices located in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Please take care of yourselves and your families and God bless during this turbulent and uncertain time.

Alternative Rock music became popular in the 1980’s as an “alternative” to mainstream or commercial rock.  Fans of this genre are likely familiar with the music of bands like REM and 10,000 Maniacs.  Perhaps not quite as prominent, but in my opinion just as good, was a band by the name Blake Babies whose name came from the beat poet, Allen Ginsburg.  John Strohm was a co-founder and guitarist in Blake Babies.  He also was a member of Antenna and the Lemonheads, in addition to having a solo career.  So why is John featured on the Next Lawyer Up podcast?  Taking his musical career as far as he cared to, John migrated to Birmingham, Alabama and finished college at UAB and then, looking for a career path, he attended Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.  He did well there and served as Editor in Chief of the Cumberland Law Review.  John then worked for a period of time in Birmingham but, never far from music. He then started a music law practice that culminated in him working for the entertainment law firm of Loeb and Loeb in their Nashville office.  John has kept music close to his heart and now serves as president of Rounder Records.  If you see a Blake Babies reunion date near you, please go!  I promise that you will like this music!  Two of my favorites include Temptation Eyes and Out There. You’ll really enjoy this podcast if you listen to and watch the videos of some of his songs first.

If you read or hear about a case alleging a violation of civil rights or civil liberties anywhere in the State of Alabama, chances are good that attorney Hank Sherrod is involved with the lawsuit.  Hank’s office is located in Florence, Alabama but he handles civil rights, employment law and jail death cases throughout Alabama.  Hank graduated with high honors from Birmingham-Southern College and then attended Vanderbilt University Law School where he served on the Vanderbilt Law Review and Order of the Coif.  He is also a graduate of the Trial Lawyers College founded by legendary trial lawyer Gerry Spence.  Following law school, Hank moved to Texas and worked there for a while before settling in Florence where he started a law practice that has allowed him to focus on the areas of law that he is really passionate about.   Hank is a founding board member of the Alabama affiliate of the National Employment Lawyers Association and has served as its President. He has served on the board of the ACLU of Alabama since 2005 and currently serves on the Legal Committee. I have talked to Hank over the phone on a number of occasions over the years but this is the first opportunity that I have had to sit down with him face to face and learn about his story.

This is a podcast where we end up talking a lot of law!  That makes sense since attorney David Martin practices in the complicated and nuanced area of ERISA law.  David and his firm are one of the few attorneys in the state of Alabama who practice in this specialized and, as I discovered, much needed area of law.  As you’ll hear, David had a bit of a delayed path before going to law school.  David’s law firm, the Martin Law Group, handles cases throughout Alabama and Mississippi.   He attended the University of Alabama School of Law and did very well academically.    David is well respected in his field of practice and has been named as an Alabama/Mid-South Super Lawyer for the past several years.  I enjoyed sitting down with David for this podcast and getting to know him. 

Foxtrot Family Law is synonymous with attorney Stephen Williams.  That is because he is the founder and principal of the firm.  His offices are located in Guntersville and Huntsville, Alabama.   As I learned after the podcast, the naming of his law firm was a very bright idea.  Now, knowing Stephen’s background, it makes a lot of sense to me.  Unfortunately, I forgot to ask Stephen the reason that he named his law firm Foxtrot on the podcast!  Suffice it to say, there is a business reason behind it insofar as creating an entity, brand and team that he leads that zealously represents their clients, rather than just one named lawyer.  It now makes sense that Stephen would think of that business aspect of a law practice since, in addition to his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law, Stephen also took a detour to also get his MBA from Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business-Manderson Graduate School as well.  What is remarkable to me is that Stephen got these degrees after taking his musical career as far as he cared to with the culmination of a guitar performance degree from Birmingham Southern College.  Stephen is a bright, thoughtful and well-respected lawyer  who was just named as a 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyer rising star.  It has been quite awhile since we talked and I enjoyed catching up with him on this episode.      

I was happy to be able to sit down with Nesha Wright on this podcast and to get to know more about her history.  For one thing, I didn’t realize that she was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.  Not a fan of the cold Chicago winters, Nesha headed south for college and attended Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia where she received dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Religious Studies and English Literature with an emphasis on American Literature. After completing her undergraduate degree, and with guidance from a professor who was really instrumental to her education, she made her way to Cumberland Law School at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and has practiced law in the State of Alabama ever since.  Nesha is a highly respected and skilled lawyer who was recently named as a 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyer rising star.  She is the founder and principal of  the Spencer Wright Law Firm in Huntsville, Alabama.  Nesha’s primary practice areas are juvenile law, family law and criminal defense.  She is a Former Adjunct Instructor in English at Calhoun Community College located in Huntsville, Alabama and a former freelance legal writer for NOLO.com.  Additionally, Nesha is a 2018 graduate of the National Criminal Defense College-Trial Institute Program.  When she can free up some time from her busy law practice, she enjoys sewing and design and also fits in volunteer work with the Alabama Lawyer's Association, Madison County Volunteer Lawyers Program, and working with students interested in the field of law.  I think you will enjoy getting to know her on this podcast.

Chris Keith is the co-founder and managing partner of Wettermark Keith, a powerful and highly respected personal injury law firm with offices throughout Alabama,  Chattanooga, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle.  I like the sincerity and genuine nature of the firm’s tv ads which feature Chris and I found him to be exactly that type of individual in person.  Chris comes from humble beginnings and was the first member of his family to attend college.  He is a great example of how someone can succeed at the highest levels of his chosen profession once he locks in on a passion.   Originally from Panama City, Florida, Chris obtained his undergraduate degree from Florida State University. He then graduated from Cumberland Law School at Samford University after having served as editor in chief of the Cumberland Law Review.  Immediately after law school, he joined James Wettermark and they, and their law firm, have had a leading personal injury practice ever since.  Chris has been selected to the Mid-South Super Lawyers for the past several years.  He is licensed to practice law in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee so he and his law firm cover a large part of SEC country!  I enjoyed getting to know about his life in the law on this podcast.   

On the surface, attorney Stuart Maples is a highly respected bankruptcy and business attorney who practices throughout Alabama. Brad, a Chicago boy by birth, found himself at the University of North Alabama and serving as the SGA president.  At the same time, Brad had to contend with a hard driving reporter and political gadfly named Stuart Maples, who served as the editor in chief of the UNA student newspaper. I also recently found out that Stuart was a Sigma Chi fraternity member like myself.  He and I discuss this on the podcast along with his history. 

A unique combination of brains and brawn, attorney Bernard Nomberg played division one college football before going on to become an accomplished attorney. It was a pleasure to welcome him to Next Lawyer Up and learn about his background and current practice. Bernard received his undergraduate degree from the prestigious Vanderbilt University where he also played football on a full athletic scholarship.  After college, he attended Faulkner University’s  Jones School of Law and carried on the family legacy by becoming an attorney. Bernard practices law with his brother, David, and, with the long standing law practice of their father, Joel, who now serves as “Of Counsel” to their firm, the Nomberg Law Firm. He has a great reputation and is always highly rated by Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers and Avvo. Please listen in and join me in getting to know Bernard.

If you have lived in North Alabama for any length of time, you certainly know the name “Mojo!”  Mojo is an institution in our community and he has done the 104.3 WZYP morning show with Ricky and Dee Dee for almost 20 years.  Mojo does a lot of work for our community on the side as well.  For instance, he will soon do his 100 hours plus charity event, Bikes or Bust, part of the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots, on South Parkway the week before Thanksgiving.  During the event, Mojo is outside hoisted up on a scissor lift. And when I say “100 hours,” I mean 100 straight hours!  Last year, he remained on the lift for some five days. "The first night he was up there, I went up in the morning, probably around 5:30 a.m. I looked over at where he was sleeping. It was just full of ice. I think it was 27 degrees that day," U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Robert Ruiz said. On average, this charity provides 1500 or so new bikes each year to children in our community who wouldn’t have much of a Christmas otherwise.   As Mojo mentions on this podcast, 100 plus hours fifty feet in the air is guaranteed to make him sick at some point!  And, having started in 2003, this will be the seventeenth straight year that he has done this event! Mojo has had an interesting and varied career prior to his arrival in North Alabama.  He grew up in Detroit and then served as a mechanic in the U.S. Army, followed by an abbreviated country music career before he found himself on the radio.  I have always been fascinated by radio, as all kids my age were who grew up in Chicago and listened to WLUP.  Mojo has been kind enough to have me on his show on  Friday mornings to talk about consumer law and help for people with their financial issues so I was happy to turn the tables on him and learn about his history.  I hope you enjoy his story as much as I did.