Last night, the Birmingham Bar Association (BBA) marked a milestone: 140 years of service, collaboration, and leadership in our legal community. The celebration, held at the lush Birmingham Botanical Gardens, was a beautiful evening filled with good food, live music, and the kind of fellowship that reminds us how meaningful our profession can be.
It was a privilege for HGD Law Firm to be well represented at the event, with attorneys from across our firm in attendance, including Erik Heninger, Lee Gresham, Chris Hood, Brandy Robertson, Anna Carroll, Tim Davis, Amanda Williamson, Jay Stewart, and Steve Heninger, among others. We extend our congratulations and deep gratitude to the planning committee—especially Anna Carroll, whose dedication to the Bar and to the Birmingham legal community is already well known.
A Storied Bar, A Strong Legacy
Founded in 1885, the Birmingham Bar is among the oldest local bar associations in the country—nearly as old as the city itself. Over the decades, it has grown to serve nearly 3,000 attorneys, offering CLE programs, publications, committee work, and opportunities for professional growth and public service. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on sustained commitment, engaged leadership, and a culture of collegiality and integrity.
Last night’s program included a short ceremony reflecting on the Bar’s history, honoring past leaders, and looking ahead to the future. As members mingled in the gardens, the event served as a reminder that our work as lawyers is not just about legal rules—we are part of a civic foundation, shaping justice and access in our community.
HGD & the Birmingham Bar: A Partnership Through Time
Our firm’s roots are deeply entwined with the Bar’s mission. From early days to present, HGD attorneys have served in leadership roles, chaired committees, mentored younger lawyers, and helped guide Bar initiatives.
- Stephen D. Heninger served as Secretary Treasurer of the BBA in 1985 and was President in 1997.
- Brandy Robertson has long been a leader in the Bar community, including serving as President of the Birmingham Bar Association Women Lawyers Section during its 30th Anniversary year.
- Anna Carroll, beyond being part of last night’s planning committee, currently serves as an at-large member of the Birmingham Bar Association Executive Committee. Prior to that, she held multiple leadership roles in the Young Lawyers Section and the Bar’s governance structure.
- Erik Heninger has served in key Bar roles as well, including work on the BBA Grievance Committee and broad engagement in Alabama’s legal community.
Since its formal formation in 2006, Heninger Garrison Davis has grown steadily by fostering a culture of excellence, leadership, and community engagement. The firm’s attorneys routinely serve as officers or active participants in local, state, and national bar organizations. We see service to the Bar not as a duty, but as part of our identity—one that amplifies our commitment to justice and professionalism.
Reflections from the Evening
Walking among colleagues and friends last night—exchanging greetings, catching up on cases and life, and reflecting on shared struggles and triumphs—was a reminder of why we chose this work. The legal journey is at its heart relational: it’s about trust, collaboration, integrity, and support over time.
To Anna and the planning committee: you gave us a night to pause, celebrate, and recommit. To every Bar member, past and present: thank you for carrying forward 140 years of tradition, service, and community. And to our clients and the broader public: know that your trust is grounded in a firm that sees itself as part of a larger mission—not just in the courtroom, but in building a just, connected legal profession in Birmingham and beyond.
Here’s to the next chapter—for the Birmingham Bar, for HGD, and for all who believe that the practice of law is a calling, not just a job.
