Alabama Association for Justice Announces 2026 ELITE Leadership Academy Class

MONTGOMERY, Ala., Jan. 12, 2026 – The Alabama Association for Justice is proud to announce the participants of its 2026 ELITE (Empowering Leaders in Training & Education) Leadership Academy class.

The ELITE Leadership Academy was established to cultivate a diverse network of attorneys equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to lead within the legal profession, serve their communities, and advance the cause of the Seventh Amendment.

Participants are attorneys in good standing with the Alabama State Bar and the Alabama Association for Justice, and are active members of the Emerging Leaders or have been practicing law for 15 years or fewer.

ALAJ is proud to announce and congratulate the attorneys selected for the ELITE Leadership Academy Class of 2026: Frank "Johnny" Baxley, Farris Riley & Pitt; Jordan Cade, Environmental Litigation Group, PC; Lucy Chen, Petway, French & Ford; John Collier, Marsh, Rickard & Bryan; Tabitha Dailey, Bodewell Injury Group; Miller Jackson, Mark A. Jackson, PC; Gianna Mandich, Marsh, Rickard & Bryan; Bobby Marsh, Timberlake, League and Brooks; Malcolm "Witt" McLeod, Belt, Brunner & Barnett; Slade Methvin, Beasley Allen; Michael "Blake" Milner, Singleton Schreiber; Kijana Mitchell, Jinks Crow, PC; Tyler Windham, Abogados Centro Legal.

Learn more about the accomplished members of this cohort below.

Frank “Johnny” Baxley, Farris Riley & Pitt

Johnny Baxley is a personal injury attorney at Farris, Riley & Pitt where he focuses on advocating for personal injury clients and their families. His passion for personal injury law stems from a strong desire to stand up for individuals who have been wronged to ensure they receive the justice and compensation they deserve.

Johnny is a fourth-generation lawyer from a long line of passionate litigators and public servants, and his family has served the public at both the local and state level for over a century. Johnny is honored to continue this tradition of service both to the law and the community.

Jordan Cade, Environmental Litigation Group, PC

Jordan A. Cade is an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group, where he focuses on products liability and environmental litigation. He earned dual degrees in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Oregon before completing his law degree at Michigan State University, concentrating on Environmental Health. One of the youngest attorneys working on Camp Lejeune Justice Act litigation, he was awarded Charleston’s (SC) Best and Brightest Under 35 in 2024, the Magic City Bar Association Rising Star in 2025, and recognized as a 2025 BHM NextGen50 honoree. Jordan also serves as Treasurer of the Magic City Bar Association and as an executive committee member of the Birmingham Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section.

Lucy Chen, Petway, French & Ford

Lucy Chen Bryan is an associate attorney at Petway, French & Ford, LLP. She was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2025. Lucy earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2021 and her Juris Doctor from Birmingham School of Law in 2024. During law school, she served as Vice President and Social Arbiter of the Judge Hugh Locke Honors Society and was a member of the school’s trial team. Her practice focuses on personal injury and probate matters, and she currently serves as Secretary of the Magic City Bar Association.

John Collier, Marsh, Rickard & Bryan

John Collier is a Birmingham native and trial attorney at Marsh, Rickard & Bryan, where he represents individuals facing some of life’s most difficult moments. As a trial attorney, John stands alongside his clients, ensuring that their voices are heard, and their stories are told with clarity and purpose.

While many losses cannot be undone, John is committed to pursuing justice for his clients and working to prevent similar harms in the future. Outside of his legal work, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time in nature.

Tabitha Dailey, Bodewell Injury Group

Tabitha Dailey is a trial attorney at Bodewell Legal Group in Birmingham, Alabama, where she practices complex civil litigation with a focus on personal injury, premises liability, wrongful death, and commercial disputes. She handles cases through all stages of litigation, from early investigation and discovery through resolution. Tabitha attended Cumberland School of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree from The University of Alabama. She currently serves on the Alabama Association for Justice Legislative Relationships Committee. Tabitha lives in Birmingham with her six-year-old Australian Shepherd, Bear, and enjoys painting, pilates, and cheering on the Crimson Tide in her spare time.

Miller Jackson, Mark A. Jackson, PC

Miller Jackson is an attorney with the law firm of Mark A. Jackson, P.C. His practice areas include automobile/trucking accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability and products liability. After graduating from the University of Alabama, he obtained his law degree from Cumberland School of Law, where he was a member of the Negotiation Team. Miller was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. He is supported by his wife, Landon, who is also an attorney, and their soon to be first child, who is expected in June of this year. Miller is a resilient and tactical litigator, who is a zealous advocate for his clients in and around North Alabama.

Gianna Mandich, Marsh, Rickard & Bryan

Gianna Blaudeau Mandich is a trial attorney at Marsh, Rickard & Bryan in Birmingham, where she represents plaintiffs in catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, products liability, and complex litigation matters. Gianna has secured seven-figure jury verdicts and negotiated eight-figure settlements, and she is frequently invited to teach other attorneys innovative strategies for leveraging digital evidence in complex cases. A Birmingham native, she earned a double B.A./B.S.M. in Legal Studies and Philosophy from Tulane University and her J.D., with a Sports Law certification, from Tulane Law School. During law school, Gianna clerked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana and worked on high-profile criminal defense and entertainment matters in Los Angeles. She is passionate about holding powerful defendants accountable for harm to individuals and families.

Bobby Marsh, Timberlake, League and Brooks

Bobby is an associate at Timberlake, League, & Brooks in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. His practice is devoted to helping people injured as a result of motor vehicle wrecks, construction defects, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. Bobby is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the Huntsville Bar Association. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and his law degree from The University of Mississippi – Ole Miss. During his time at Ole Miss, Bobby served as President of the Student Bar Association. He was a member of the National Trial Competition Team and a student attorney in the Low-Income Housing Clinic.

Malcolm “Witt” McLeod, Belt, Bruner & Barnett

Witt McLeod is a personal injury attorney at Belt, Bruner & Barnett and a lifelong resident of Birmingham, Alabama. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama in 2015 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi in 2018. Witt is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Tennessee. Since beginning his legal career, he has been dedicated exclusively to representing victims, with experience handling automobile and truck accidents, premises liability claims, and injuries caused by defective products, drugs, and medical devices. Witt has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2021–2025. He lives in Birmingham with his wife, Allison.

Slade Methvin, Beasley Allen

Slade Methvin began his legal career in 2021, initially focusing on medical malpractice before joining Beasley Allen as an associate in 2025. At Beasley Allen he focuses on cases against major social media companies like Meta, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, representing parents, children, boards of education, and counties affected by these platforms.

In 2023, Slade was selected to the National Trial Lawyers top 40 under 40. He is active in the Birmingham Bar’s Young Lawyers Section, and he is also a member of the Junior Board for Cornerstone Schools of Alabama.

He and his wife, Olivia, live in Birmingham with their three energetic dogs, who keep life lively and full of laughs. Outside of work, he loves spending quality time with his family and friends.

Michael “Blake” Milner, Singleton Schreiber

Blake Milner is Senior Counsel at Singleton Schreiber, in the Birmingham office. Mr. Milner is a member of the firm’s Personal Injury and Whistleblower & False Claims Act practices.

Before joining Singleton Schreiber, Mr. Milner served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Alabama, where he led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). Prior to his work as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Milner served as a Deputy District Attorney in Jefferson County, Alabama. He has successfully tried both federal and state jury trials to verdict.

In addition to his courtroom practice, Mr. Milner is a dedicated trial advocacy coach and adjunct professor at Cumberland School of Law, Samford University.

Kijana Mitchell, Jinks Crow PC

Kijana Mitchell is an associate attorney at Jinks Crow, P.C., where she focuses on complex civil litigation. She is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Florida. Prior to joining Jinks Crow, Kijana worked as a victims’ advocate and lobbyist for a statewide nonprofit.

She earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law and graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Alabama with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Public Administration.

In addition to client advocacy, Kijana is committed to giving back to her community through pro bono work and service initiatives with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She enjoys reading, traveling, and painting in her spare time.

Tyler Windham, Abogados Centro Legal

Tyler Windham was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. After finishing High School, he studied Philosophy at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, ultimately graduating magna cum laude with minors in History and English. After graduation, he attended Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. It was necessary, however, for him to divide his time between Birmingham and Huntsville to assist his mother in caring for his terminally ill father. He took and passed the Bar Exam in the summer of 2022 following his graduation and began his career clerking for Judge Jim Hughey III in the Civil Division of Alabama’s 10th Judicial Circuit. He is now a personal injury and workers compensation associate attorney at Abogados Centro Legal.

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The mission of the Alabama Association for Justice is to preserve and protect the constitutional right to a trial by jury guaranteed by the Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution by ensuring that every person or business harmed or injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can hold wrongdoers accountable in the one room where everyone is equal – the courtroom.