Danny Smith Elected Chair of the Alabama State Bar Environmental Law Section

Civility - photo by Danny Smith

It has been said that “civility is at the core of professionalism”. The Environmental Law Section of the Alabama State Bar is a special place where that sort of civility can be found. But for the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse group of lawyers from all over the state would have assembled at the beach in June for our annual Environmental Law conference. While the conference always provides a great opportunity to hear presentations on the latest topics in Environmental Law and obtain required Continuing Legal Education credits, its greatest value is the professional relationships it fosters. Lawyers in the section come from diverse areas including corporate defense firms, non-profit environmental advocacy groups, government agencies, plaintiff firms, law schools, etc. Lasting friendships are established in the relaxed social setting of the Gulf Coast. Section members often find themselves representing clients or government agencies on opposite sides of issues but the relationships they have with one another helps to facilitate professional interactions as they seek to resolve conflicts. We certainly don’t live in a perfect world, and litigation can be unpleasant; however, it is nice to know that the Environmental Law Section helps to mitigate some of the potential ugliness in those processes.

 I appreciate my friends and colleagues in the Environmental Law Section and I am honored to serve as the new Section Chair.