'Southern Winter 2019

Last year, Courtney French made an
unconventional purchase that is now putting
the voices of Birmingham on a global stage.
French, a senior partner at Fuston, Petway &
French LLP, purchased the radio station B 94.9
FM WATV, returning it to local ownership for the
first time since 2002.
The station originally opened in 1946 and
was known for iconic on-air legends such as
“Tall Paul” and Maurice “Thin Man” King.
During the mid-1970s, WATV was the leading
radio station in Birmingham.
While French wants to maintain the station
as an integral source of information for the
community, he has also made efforts to expand
its reach far beyond the city limits.
“There is a three-prong reason to what we do
with our station,” French says. “I look at having
the radio station as a way to continue what I
do as a lawyer, in service to the community,
as an educational means, and also a way of
entertaining the community.”
A societal change that French has observed
in millennials, Generation Z, and Generation
Y inspired him to reevaluate how the station is
disseminating their music and information. He
recognizes that, although these generations still
love music, the way they receive their music is
different than it ever has been before.
To address this, he has used technological
advances to take the station outside of vehicles
and onto phones and computers. The station
has an app called V94.9, offers live streaming on
its website, and is available through the virtual
assistant device Amazon Alexa. In the past year,
these additions have gained listeners from across
the country and all over the world, including
Europe, Africa, and India.
French has been passionate about
education in the community since his time at
Birmingham-Southern College. As a secondary
education major, the skills he learned in
school were beneficial as he continued
his education at Samford University’s
Cumberland School of Law, even taking the
time to teach while he was there.
As a founding partner of Fuston, Petway &
French, LLP, French currently spends his days
representing individuals and families who have
suffered personal injuries and wrongful death.
His devotion to the community is also seen
in his service as president of the Alabama
Association for Justice and as president of the
Alabama Civil Justice Foundation. French is
active with the nonprofit I See Me, Inc., which
aims to increase literacy rates in children of
color by engaging them in literature that reflects
their culture and mirrors their image. They have
multiple programs that intend to help students
of color read at or beyond their grade level.
What I am doing now is to help
others, to continue what BSC
instills in students about service.
COURTNEY FRENCH ’95
He has also served on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice and
on the Board of Directors for the Shades Valley YMCA. French joined the BSC Board of
Trustees in 2018.
Business Alabama has recognized French as one of the Top Attorneys of Alabama. He was
named one of the “Top 40 Lawyers under 40” by National Trial Lawyers and “50 Future Leaders
of America” by Ebony Magazine.
“I truly believe in the saying that to whom much is given, much is required, and I have been
blessed – largely credited to BSC for giving me the tools and education to be able to be where
I am in my career and my profession,” French says. “What I am doing now is to help others, to
continue what BSC instills in students about service.”
FALL/WINTER 2019 / 25