MOBILE, Alabama — On Oct. 13, at The Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, Mass., David Wirtes and Steven Nicholas of Cunningham Bounds presented Justice Janie Ledlow Shores with the first Litigation Counsel of America Justice Janie L. Shores Trailblazer Award.

Justice Shores personifies the spirit of this award. From humble beginnings she persevered, leaving behind the　cotton fields of rural south Alabama in the 1930s and '40s. She graduated from college when most of her female contemporaries were at home on the farm, then at a time when female lawyers were a rarity, graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law at the top of her class and as an editor of the Alabama Law Review. Early on,　Justice Shores took early stands against racial segregation when doing so in Alabama was not just unpopular, but often dangerous. She fought every day against the prejudices pervasive in life in  the Deep South. Eventually, she earned her way to the top, winning a seat on the Alabama Supreme Court, and thereby becoming the first woman ever elected to any appellate judicial post in the United States. Since braving those new frontiers, a full 30 percent of all this country’s appellate jurists are now women. 

Justice Shores served with distinction on the Supreme Court of Alabama for 25 years..

The Justice Janie L. Shores Trailblazer Award will be presented annually to a member of the bench or bar whose lifetime achievements in the law serve as the beacon of high standards that all should aspire to follow. For selection of future award winners, emphasis will be placed on efforts and acts within the legal profession that are cutting-edge in the advancement of justice.

About the Litigation Counsel of America

The Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of 1 percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon excellence and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. The LCA is aggressively diverse in its composition. Established as a trial and appellate lawyer honorary society reflecting the American bar in the 21st century, the LCA represents the best in law among its membership. The number of Fellowships has been kept at an exclusive limit by design, allowing qualifications, diversity and inclusion to align effectively, with recognition of excellence in litigation across all segments of the bar. Fellows are generally at the partner or shareholder level, or are independent practitioners with recognized experience and accomplishment. In addition, the LCA is dedicated to promoting superior advocacy, professionalism and ethical standards among its Fellows.　

About Cunningham Bounds LLC

The law firm of Cunningham Bounds LLC, founded in 1958, is based in Mobile, Ala. and has been representing plaintiffs for more than 50 years. Today, the firm continues its tradition of representing victims in cases involving catastrophic personal injury, industrial accidents, defective products, truck and automobile accidents and medical malpractice. In addition, the firm has expertise in national and state class action litigation involving defective products, consumer rights and complex litigation.

For more information regarding the LCA or the Justice Janie L. Shores Trailblazer Award, please contact Jessica Sullivan at 212-724-4128 or jessica.sullivan@litcounsel.org.