Lankford Recognized as Maritime Person of the Year

Hand Arendall LLC is pleased to announce firm member Alex Lankford was recognized by the Propeller Club of Mobile as the Maritime Person of the Year for 2017 during its annual meeting at GulfQuest. The award recognizes an individual for his or her contributions to the maritime industry at large.

Alex Lankford has been an important part of Hand Arendall and the maritime community for more than 60 years. We commend him for his service to the maritime industry and congratulate him on this honor, said Norman Stockman, chair of Hand Arendall’s Admiralty Section.

Lankford is Senior Counsel to the firm’s Admiralty Section. His maritime practice includes collisions, personal injuries, death, ship sales, mortgages, registration (U.S. and foreign), bills of lading, cargo damage, general and particular average, and commercial litigation with an admiralty flavor, such as letters of credit, security interests, export-import matters, naturalization, immigration, vessel drug involvement, and fines and forfeiture. He has tried numerous cases involving maritime law and appeared and argued (successfully) one such case before the United States Supreme Court.

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Lankford was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1952. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in 1950. He attended Vanderbilt University School of Law and graduated from The University of Alabama School of Law, LL.B. 1952. Lankford served on the Board of Editors of the Alabama Law Review, and as law clerk for The Honorable Daniel H. Thomas, United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama, 1952—1953. As Honorary Consul for Bolivia from 1966 to the present, he is a member of the Mobile Consular Corps (Chairman, 1985—1986). He is a member of the Mobile County Bar Association (President, 2000), and the American Bar Association. Lankford is also a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the field of maritime law.

Chartered in 1929, the Propeller Club of Mobile is one of the longest running clubs in the nation. Averaging 250 to 300 members, the chapter enthusiastically advocates for the maritime industry in the Port of Mobile.
Objectives of the club include:

• To promote and support the Marine industry, waterborne commerce and all segments thereof.
• To maintain a continuing program of public relations, education and goodwill with the shipping community and public in general.
• To collaborate with other organizations whose members are dedicated to the promotion of the best interest of American maritime shipping and allied industries.
• To promote a spirit of friendship and common purpose among persons engaged in the merchant marine and allied industries.

Hand Arendall is a full-service law firm, providing its clients with legal services in all areas of traditional civil practice. The firm was organized in 1941 and has 70 lawyers, making it one of the largest law firms in the State of Alabama. The firm has a fundamental commitment to providing quality legal services in a timely and cost-effective manner. Cases and projects are staffed with the goal of achieving success for the client with maximum efficiency. With offices in Athens, Birmingham, Mobile and Baldwin County, Alabama, Hand Arendall is uniquely situated among the Southeast’s major law firms to provide legal direction to clients throughout Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Learn more at www.handarendall.com.