In May, the Alabama Bar Association inducted William Logan Martin, Jr., West Point Class of 1907, into the Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame Class of 2012 as an "Alabama lawyer who made extraordinary contributions through the law at the state, national, or international level . . . having a breadth of achievement in their lifetime, demonstrating a profound respect for professional ethics, being recognized in their community, and leading, inspiring or mentoring others in the pursuit of justice."
Martin (1883-1959), a veteran of World War I service, served as Alabama's Attorney General and a circuit court judge before settling in Birmingham in 1922. In Birmingham, he opened a three-man law firm that eventually grew to today's Balch & Bingham LLP -- one of the largest law firms in the state and a firm with offices in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Washington DC. Over the years, Martin was a trusted legal counsel to the Alabama Power Company at a time when the company was responsible for hydropower, electrical, and economic development throughout much of the state. He not only served on the American Bar Association's Board of Governors but was also the president of the Alabama State Bar from 1946 to 1947.
-- Submitted by James Noles '90, partner at Balch & Bingham LLP