Hand Arendall Founder Inducted into Alabama Lawyers’ Hall of Fame

Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC is proud to announce that Charles Baker Arendall, Jr., a founding Member of the firm and longtime Managing Member, was recently inducted to the Alabama Lawyers’ Hall of Fame by the Alabama State Bar Association.

Inductees to the Alabama Lawyers’ Hall of Fame are recognized for their distinguished career in the law, which can be demonstrated through many different forms of achievement, leadership, service, mentorship, political courage, or professional success. A 12-member selection committee annually selects inductees from nominations received from members of the Alabama bar and the general public. Each inductee must have been deceased at least two years at the time of their selection.

“We are so pleased Charlie Arendall has been awarded this honor. Known as a true “lawyer’s lawyer” by those who knew him, he gave 100 percent to each of his clients and partners, as well as his family and friends. We work each day at the firm to carry on his legacy,” Managing Lawyer Roger Bates said.

Born in 1915 in Portsmouth, Virginia, Arendall became a resident of Mobile in 1924. His father, C.B. Arendall, served as the pastor of Dauphin Way Baptist Church for many years.  

Arendall had an exceptional career as an attorney and distinguished himself as a civic and community leader. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a bachelor’s degree, and cum laude from Harvard School of Law.

Arendall was admitted to the Alabama State Bar and joined the Mobile Bar Association in 1938. He began his legal career as an associate with the law firm of Smith & Johnston from 1938 to 1941. He went on to form Hand Arendall in Mobile, which is now Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC.  Arendall led Hand Arendall for several decades. He served his clients as both an accomplished trial lawyer and able transactional lawyer.

Arendall served as President of the Mobile Bar Association in 1976, and as National Vice-President of the Harvard Law School Association and President of the Alabama Unit. He served on the Advisory Board of the Cumberland School of Law. He was a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Bar Association.  Arendall was also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, the International Association of Insurance Counsel, the International Bar Association, the InterAmerican Bar Association, the American Counsel Association, and the American Law Institute.

Arendall was extremely active in church and civic affairs. He was a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Mobile and in 1991 a residential hall was named in his honor. A devoted husband and father, his two primary loves were his family and his profession. He was married to Nan Eager Boone Arendall and they had four daughters. He served as a Sunday school teacher and deacon in his church.

Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC is the result of a merger of two law firms in January 2018.  The two firms, Hand Arendall LLC and Harrison Sale McCloy Attorneys at Law, merged which resulted in one of the largest regional law practices with offices along the coast of Northwest Florida and throughout the state of Alabama.  Since the start, the firm has maintained a fundamental commitment to providing quality legal services.  Cases and projects are staffed with the goal of achieving success for the client with maximum efficiency.  With offices in Athens, Birmingham, Mobile, and Fairhope, Alabama; and Florida offices in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach and Panama City, and Panama City Beach, the firm is uniquely situated among the Southeast’s major law firms to provide legal direction to clients throughout Alabama, Northwest Florida and Mississippi. Learn more at www.handfirm.com.