Two prominent Birmingham attorneys and a distinguished law professor were honored during Alumni Weekend activities sponsored by Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. Gov. Albert Brewer, Alva C. Caine and Carol H. Stewart received awards at a banquet Friday evening April 11.
Caine was named Distinguished Alumnus, an honor given to a graduate who has been outstanding in the practice of law, service to the community and leadership in the profession. A 1969 Cumberland graduate, Caine is a partner in the firm of Hare, Wynn, Newell and Newton. A former president of the Cumberland National Alumni Association and the Alabama State Bar Association, he is a member of the Board of Governors of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association.
Stewart, a 1982 Cumberland graduate, was named Volunteer of the Year in recognition of exceptional volunteer service to the law school and its constituents, and assistance in multiple facets of the law school program. An attorney with the Birmingham firm, Burr and Forman, Stewart serves on the Alabama Board of Bar Commissioners. A lead volunteer in many civic and professional associations, she has been president of the Birmingham Cumberland Club, a member of the School of Law Advisory Board, and a leader in law school fun raising efforts.
Brewer, Distinguished Professor of Law and Government at Samford, was named this year's Friend of the Law School. The award recognizes a non-Cumberland graduate who, through financial and other means of support, has made a significant investment in Cumberland and its future. Brewer is chairman of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and the State Constitutional Law Project at Cumberland. A graduate of the University of Alabama law school, he is a former lieutenant governor and governor of Alabama. He joined the Cumberland faculty in 1987.
Alumni weekend activity also included reunion events, mentoring sessions and a family picnic.