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Friday, February 25

Ward elected president of Alabama Law Institute

During their quarterly meeting, the Alabama Law Institute elected State Senator Cam Ward of Alabaster to be their new President.  The Council for the Law Institute also selected State Representative Marcel Black of Tuscumbia to serve as their Vice-President.

Created by act of the Legislature in 1967, the Alabama Law Institute works closely with the Legislative Reference Service in the yearly placing of acts passed by the Legislature within the Code of Alabama for proper placement and codification. The membership of the Alabama Law Institute is limited to a maximum of 150 members of the Alabama State Bar Association who are elected for fixed terms, the judges of the Alabama Supreme Court, courts of appeals, and circuit courts, federal judges domiciled in Alabama, full-time law faculty members of Cumberland Law School and the University of Alabama School of Law, all members of the Institute Council and all lawyer members of the Legislature, who are licensed to practice in Alabama. The governing body of the Institute is the Institute Council composed of six practicing attorneys from each congressional district as well as representatives from the appellate courts, Attorney General's office, Alabama State Bar Association, law schools, Legislature, and the Governor's office.

While the Legislative Reference Service prepares the vast majority of bills for each session for the Legislature, many major code revisions, such as revision of an entire section of law, as Alabama's Business Corporation law, Criminal Code, etc. are handled by the Alabama Law Institute.

The Law Institute receives its projects from members of the Legislature, state government, from the Alabama Bar Association or may initiate the study itself when revisions to the Code of Alabama are needed.

Law Institute Executive Director Bob McCurley said, “over the years we have had some great members of Alabama’s legal community to preside over this organization and I think Senator Ward will continue that tradition. His leadership on the Senate Judiciary Committee will ensure the thorough and deliberate debate that changes in our legal system deserve.”  Senator Ward said, “I am honored to have this opportunity to work with my colleagues in the legal community to bring about fair and just changes needed to the Code of Alabama.”

Other newly elected officers of the Law Institute include Representatives Paul DeMarco, Demetrius Newton, and Bill Poole as well as Senators Rodger Smitherman, Bedford, and Orr. These legislators serve along with nine other attorneys from throughout the State of Alabama on the governing board for the Law Institute.

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