Community Involvement
At Balch & Bingham LLP, our attorneys and staff members are involved in many different community projects individually. Those projects range from serving meals at some of our local shelters to being members on Boards of Directors for many non-profit and charitable organizations. We also participate in several community projects together as a firm. They are:
Partners in Education Program
Balch & Bingham LLP has participated in the Birmingham City Schools' Partners in Education (formerly known as Adopt-A-School) since August of 1991. The firm viewed the program as one in which everyone could participate and make a personal contribution, and is proud of its continuing partnership with Banks Middle School.
Committees have been established at Banks Middle School and Balch & Bingham LLP for the following areas:
- Financial Assistance
- Enrichment
- Incentives
- Donations
- Special Projects
Balch & Bingham LLP's committees have the responsibility of coordinating with the school regarding their specific needs for that year and matching the needs with resources available through the firm. At the beginning of each school year, the firm sponsors a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, allowing members of Balch & Bingham LLP to thank the teachers for their hard work and dedication.
Over the past several years, successful programs have been established in the following areas:
- Teacher of the month program
- Honor roll system
- Celebration of African/American history month
- Women of Distinction Month
- Men of Distinction Month
- Annual athletic banquet
- Field trips to state universities, local companies and facilities, and museums
- Annual art contest
- Career day
- Mentoring program
There have been many positive results from Balch & Bingham LLP's involvement, yielding a greater appreciation in making a difference in someone's life and assisting a school at a time when educational issues and funding are at a crisis level.
Banks Middle School Annual Art Contest
Our Montgomery office participates in the Partners in Education program also. Their adopted school is Goodwyn Jr. High. Our attorneys and staff participate in the following programs during the year:
- Honor Roll Breakfasts
- Pizza Party for Perfect Attendance
- Sponsor Field Trips
- Sponsor Teacher Seminars
- Certificates for Honor Rolls and Perfect Attendance
- Purchase School Supplies for Teachers
Law Explorer Post
This is the 11th year the Firm has sponsored an explorer post through the Boy Scouts of America. The Firm has a committee of attorneys which oversees the organization and implementation of programs during the school year. The post is sponsored along with Cumberland School of Law, and meetings are held on the campus of Samford University.
In early Fall, the Boy Scouts take a survey of area schools to find out what career fields interest individual students. After the results are formulated, the information is given to different explorer posts around the city. After receiving a list of students interested in the legal profession, Balch & Bingham LLP mails letters to these students inviting them to the initial orientation. Each year the orientation meeting has an average attendance of over 400 students and parents who come to learn more about the program. Approximately 200 students register during the first meeting of the program. Balch & Bingham LLP's Law Explorer Post has been the largest explorer post in Birmingham for several years.
The students elect their own officers for the school year. The mission of the post is to provide each student with a deeper understanding of the practice of law and its application in today's society. Meetings throughout the year consist of:
A mock trial exercise enabling students to participate in examining and cross-examining witnesses.
Speakers from the legal profession coming to address the students and providing highlights on their jobs and information about how the criminal justice system works.
A tour of Night Court, where students get the opportunity to observe a trial and ask the judge and bailiff questions.
In January of each year, a team of six explorers participate in the State YMCA Mock Trial Competition held in Montgomery. There are approximately 40 teams present and five trial exercises at the competition. Balch & Bingham LLP's team is always one of the best-prepared teams participating.
Students are allowed to practice negotiating skills with the attorneys and practice examination and cross-examination of witnesses.
This program has been very successful, with students from previous programs working at the firm during the summer and now pursuing law school. In addition, the Firm has provided scholarship information pertaining to a career in the legal profession by the Boy Scouts for inclusion in the master scholarship database.