Selma attorney Jana Garner named president-elect of Alabama State Bar

Selma attorney Jana Russell Garner has been elected president-elect of the Alabama State Bar.

Garner will become the Bar’s 151^st president in July 2026. She officially assumed her post as president-elect at the Bar’s annual meeting in July.

“I am deeply honored to serve as president-elect of the Alabama State Bar,” Garner said. “This organization has been a meaningful part of my professional life for many years. I’m committed to advocating for all Alabama lawyers, focusing on practical, unifying solutions that help lawyers succeed in both their work and their lives, enabling them to better serve their clients and communities.”

A 1997 graduate of Cumberland School of Law, Garner is a solo practitioner with offices in Selma and Tuscaloosa. She also serves as a registered mediator in trial court and appellate matters.

She has previously served several times on the Executive Council of the Alabama State Bar. In addition to numerous committee and task force appointments over the years, she served as Chair of the State Bar’s Dispute Resolution Section, the Solo and Small Firm Section, and the Pro Bono Committee and as an officer of the Litigation Section. She has received the Alabama State Bar President’s Award multiple times, the Commissioner’s Award and the Al Vreeland Pro Bono Award.

Garner currently serves as a Judge on the Alabama Court of the Judiciary and a member of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Alabama Rules of Evidence. She is a Life Fellow of both the Alabama Law Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.

Garner and her husband of 21 years, Paul, have two children, Sam and Fairchild. They are members of Christ Episcopal Church.

Fred Helmsing, a Mobile attorney, was installed as the 150th president of the Alabama State Bar. He replaces Demopolis attorney Tom Perry.