A few days ago, at the annual meeting of the Alabama State Bar Association, a rising second-year law student was singled out for a very special honor. Alyson Hood received the 2009 Alabama State Bar Law Student Award for her efforts to organize students to assist with the Birmingham Homeless Experience Legal Protection (HELP) program. Alyson recruited law students to assist volunteer attorneys during free weekly clinics held at the Firehouse Shelter and the Lovelady Center. Law students are available during and after the clinic to conduct legal research as requested by the volunteer attorneys. Despite her hectic schedule as a first-year law student, Alyson contributed more than 150 hours to the homeless volunteer project. In addition, Alyson led the recruitment efforts last April to get law students to conduct legal intake for the Birmingham Project Homeless Connect. More than 30 law student volunteers spoke to over 300 people who came to the event seeking services to help get their lives back on track.
The world is better because of Alyson Hood and the Cumberland School of Law.