The Alabama Association of School Boards recently presented J.R. Brooks, a veteran north Alabama attorney who has represented more than 15 boards of education in the state, with its prestigious Legacy Award.  

The award, presented Dec. 1 during AASB’s annual convention in Birmingham, acknowledges Brooks’ lasting contributions to education law over the course of his distinguished career, including his successful efforts to improve Alabama’s teacher tenure laws.  

“We are proud to celebrate a stalwart public education advocate who has for decades championed the rights of our local boards of education,” said AASB Executive Director Sally Smith. “His tenacity and legal acumen have been instrumental in shaping the landscape of education law in Alabama and reshaping policies to foster positive change.”  

Created to recognize visionary leadership in k-12 education and exemplary contributions to the association and to local school boards, AASB has bestowed the Legacy Award only one other time in 2016.  

“Mr. Brooks is uniquely deserving of this honor,” Smith said. “He has provided dedicated service to AASB by assisting with pivotal legislative efforts, conducting countless board member trainings and co-authoring important legal publications.”  

Brooks, who began his education law practice with the Huntsville Board of Education, has served as president of the Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys. He has extensive experience in corporate and civil rights litigation and has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America since 2003. SuperLawyers.com has named him an Alabama Super Lawyer since 2008.  

In 2010, he was named a Fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation. Only one percent of the Alabama bar membership can be elected to the fellows program which honors lawyers who have been members of the bar at least 10 years and who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to their profession and to their community. 

Upon appointment of President Jimmy Carter, Brooks served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 1977 to 1981. 

Brooks has represented a variety of public- and private-sector employers in Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and wrongful termination claims. He also has represented several corporate clients in complex commercial litigation.  

The Legacy Award presentation was one of several highlights of AASB’s 2023 Convention & Delegate Assembly which drew nearly 500 school board members and other education leaders to Birmingham Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey welcomed attendees to the opening general session Friday, Dec. 1, introducing members of the Governor’s Commission on Teaching and Learning who unveiled the commission’s recommendations and final report. The event also featured keynotes by educator and viral comedian Gerry Brooks and award-winning author, nonprofit founder and motivational speaker Jess Ekstrom.