Michael Lambert of Lambert Law, located just off the Square next to Dobb’s Shoes on Market Street, graduated from Athens High School in 1989. He enlisted in the Army in 1988, and stayed in until 1993, having served in Special Forces. He came away as a Staff Sergeant, and began the next season of his life. He attended Calhoun, and graduated from Alabama with degrees in history and political science. He then entered Cumberland School of Law in 1996. He graduated in 1999, and his thesis was on the 2nd Amendment.
I know from having talked to him on a number of occasions that Michael’s time in the Army as well as in college trained him to be a dedicated warrior, or perhaps it is more accurate to say that it was drawn out of him. That intrinsic “warrior spirit” shows up in the way he fights for his clients, and upon asking him why I should choose him should I need legal representation, he responded quickly. “I will walk you through the good, the bad, and the ugly of your case.” He also genuinely loves his clients, especially with respect to Family Law. He is one of a few lawyers who will do anything to save a marriage if he can, and is pleased to report that in the course of his practice six couples in the last 18 months were able to reconcile and avoid divorce. He is open about the fact that his own marriage was transformed at a weekend Marriage Encounter held in Cullman, and wants to pass that blessing on. If divorce is unavoidable, he works very hard to insure an equitable outcome for all.
With respect to other aspects of Family Law, Michael also does adoption cases, custody cases, as well as seeing to it that reasonable child support is secured. He loves to help when a child has either been left in a home wrongfully, or has been removed from a parent when that clearly was not in the family’s best interest. He firmly believes that the practice of law “is supposed to be about justice,” and he has tried some unpopular cases because it appeared to him that otherwise injustice would prevail.
“What are your favorite kinds of cases?” He smiled and replied, “Civil rights cases. I am talking about a concept of civil rights being much greater than whether someone is white or black.” He told me that “children, the disabled and the elderly are the only ones in our society that are truly entitled.”
He has a special fondness for adoptions, because the parents “want to stand for that kid, they are truly choosing to parent. It is the ‘happy side of law.’ I have actually seen a biological parent come in to a courtroom and say, ‘I love my child, but I know that I cannot raise her.’ That mother wished the new adoptive parent well, (who also happened to be the stepmother), and thanked her for being willing to step up and raise that child.”
Another aspect of Family Law that is particularly challenging is dealing with sexual abuse, and it is one about which he is especially passionate. “Dealing with abuse that never gets reported is difficult, and I have also dealt with cases where I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the abuse never happened. In the State of Alabama, if you are found guilty of sexual abuse of a child, it can mean you are in for life, without parole. Attention to detail in either type of case is everything.”
Michael is married to Glenna, who was a molecular biologist, and has been a biology teacher at Sparkman in Madison County for 14 years. She was also present for our interview, and her input was invaluable. They have two daughters, and Michael says that “The best part of my day is when I come home, we sit down as a family to watch a movie, and someone is fussing with someone else over whose turn it is to sit with me.” If that is the type of family law attorney for whom you are looking, then Michael Lambert is ready to serve you.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
