Ruby Jackson is making a difference in Alabama
Attorney Ruby Jackson, center), with new admittees to the Alabama State Bar. Jackson, part of the legal team at Southern Power, volunteers with multiple bar associations in Birmingham to give back to her community. (contributed)
Ruby Jackson knew from first grade she wanted to be a lawyer. Influenced by her father being a judge, she wanted to similarly help people.
“I am a problem-solver and always enjoyed serving as a sounding board to my friends and family,” she said. “The legal profession requires you to listen to an individual or organization and help find a solution to the problem.”
Ruby Jackson. (contributed)
Jackson has been part of the legal team at Southern Power, sister company to Alabama Power, for five years. During her free time, she volunteers with multiple bar associations in Birmingham to give back to her community.
Jackson began helping with the Magic City Bar Association (MCBA) as a law student at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. The MCBA was created to promote the professional advancement of African American attorneys in Birmingham and to uphold the honor and integrity of the legal profession. She was the 2019 president of MCBA and sits on its board of directors, where she focuses on strategic initiatives.
Last November, Alabama Power announced a partnership with MCBA to provide opportunities for members, including job shadowing and internships for aspiring lawyers, and exposure to opportunities between the company and the association.
Jackson’s involvement with MCBA connected her with the Birmingham Bar Association (BBA). Through BBA, she became involved with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB), a nonprofit organization of attorney volunteers that provides immediate access to free legal services for low-income people and families. She has since joined VLB’s board of directors.
Jackson particularly remembers one of the pro bono cases that she worked on through VLB.
“A client called me at 5 in the morning due to her landlord attempting to evict her and her children during the pandemic. We were able to extend her time in the home, which allowed her to find alternative housing.”
Last year, VLB served more than 3,500 low-income clients, more than any other pro bono organization in Alabama. More than 650 attorneys volunteered, donating 4,500 hours of their time equating to $1 million of donated time and legal services.
As a member of the Alabama State Bar (ASB), Jackson was appointed to serve on its Diversity and Inclusion Task Force to increase educational and professional opportunities for women and minorities and to advance the principles of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and for members.
“Service is the core of the organizations I participate in,” she said. “I am able to grow both personally and professionally and help foster relationships and mentoring opportunities for the next generation of lawyers.”
