UA Law Graduate Appointed Chair of American Bar Association House of Delegates

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — H. Thomas Wells Jr., partner and a founding member of the Birmingham law firm Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C., became chair of the American Bar Association House of Delegates on Aug. 13 at the organization’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Wells received his B.A. from The University of Alabama and is a 1975 graduate of the UA School of Law.

The House of Delegates is the ABA’s policy-making body, and the two-year post of chair is the second highest office in the organization. Wells has served in the House of Delegates since 1992, as State Delegate, Alabama Bar Delegate, and Section of Litigation Delegate in 2002. He has served on the House of Delegates Nominating Committee, and was chair of its Steering Committee from 1996 to 2000.

In his work at Maynard, Cooper & Gale, Wells practices litigation, with emphasis on administrative, regulatory, environmental, toxic tort and products liability litigation. He has been with his firm since 1984. He has been an active member of the Birmingham Bar Association, having served as chairman of the Law Day Committee, co-chair of the Judicial and Legal Reform Committee, and member of the Grievance and Continuing Legal Education Committees. Wells is also a member of the state bar sections of Litigation, Mineral Law and Environmental Law.

Wells has been active in a variety of community civic activities. He currently serves on the board of directors of the YMCA of Metropolitan Birmingham, is former director of the American Judicature Society, and chaired the Legal Committee for the 1990 PGA Championship. At the UA School of Law, he has served as a trustee of the Farrah Law Society and has been nominated to the board of the Law School Foundation.

The American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership association in the world. They provide law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.