Cumberland School of Law Announces Members of the National ...

Howard P. Walthall, Leslie S. Wright Professor of Law
About Leslie S. Wright
Dr. Leslie Stephen Wright was born in Birmingham,
Alabama, on January 23, 1913. He held an A.B.
and an M.A. degree from the University of Louisville
and did doctoral work at the University of Kentucky.
He held honorary doctoral degrees from the University
of Alabama, Auburn University, Troy State University,
University of Louisville and Samford University.
Following the Second World War, in which he served in
the United States Navy, Dr. Wright served as director
of the Civilian Production Administration in Alabama.
In 1950, he went to Washington, D.C., as executive secretary
to Senator Lister Hill and, in 1954, resigned that
position to become executive secretary of the Baptist
Foundation in Alabama. In 1958, during his time with
the Baptist Foundation, he became the 16th president
of Howard College, which would later become Samford
University under his leadership. In 1961 he led the
historic acquiring of Cumberland School of Law and
moved its library, archives, faculty and students from
Lebanon, Tennessee, to the Howard Campus in Birmingham,
Alabama.
In addition to his work and dedication to Samford University,
Dr. Wright was a great public servant. Many
community service charities and cultural ventures depended
on his leadership and he received many awards
and high honors in his lifetime for community and public
service.
Thomas Corts, former president of Samford University
said of Dr. Wright, “He led Samford University during
a time of unprecedented change as it adapted to a
new campus, changed to University status, added the
law school and nursing school, and after 124 years, took
on a new name. He was a stable presence in turbulent
times and the University is eternally indebted to him for
his leadership.”
About Howard P. Walthall
Howard P. Walthall is a professor at Samford University’s
Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham,
Alabama, where he has taught since 1975. His teaching
and research interests include commercial law, business
organizations, state constitutional law, bankruptcy, and
state and local taxation. A graduate of Harvard College
and Harvard University Law School, Professor Walthall
was from 1967 –75 an associate and partner at the Birmingham
law firm then known as Berkowitz, Lefkovitz,
Vann & Patrick (now Baker, Donelson, Bearman,
Caldwell, and Berkowitz).
As an expert on the history of Cumberland School of
Law, Professor Walthall has co-authored a book with
David J. Langum titled From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland
School of Law, 1847–1997 (University of Georgia
Press, 1997).
Professor Walthall has also served as director of the
Cumberland State Constitutional Law Project and currently
serves as a staff person for the Alabama State
Constitutional Revision Commission, established by the
Alabama Legislature. As such, Professor Walthall assisted
in the drafting the following sections of the Alabama
Constitution, Proposed Revisions to Article XII–Private
Corporations and Proposed Revisions to Articles
XIII–Banks and Banking. Those revised Articles will
be voted on by Alabama voters at the November 2012
election. He is currently involved in drafting proposed
revisions of additional articles of the Alabama Constitution.
Professor Walthall is also a Fellow at the Alabama Law
Institute and has served as reporter for its Business Entities
Committee. As such, he was the principal draftsman
for the Alabama Business Entities Code, recently
enacted into law. Earlier, Professor Walthall served as
reporter to Alabama Law Institute Committees that
drafted revisions of the Alabama Limited Partnership
Act and the Alabama Limited Liability Company Act
and prepared Commentary for the Alabama Revised
General Partnership Act. Professor Walthall also served
as reporter to a Joint Committee of the National Conference
of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and
the American Bar Association in the drafting portions
of their Business Organization Act.
Professor Walthall is an elected member of the American
Law Institute.