James Laura Jr.

Upon his return to Alabama and his passing of the Alabama Bar Exam, Jay created his own department within the law firm of Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys in Birmingham, Alabama. On day one he had multiple assistants prepared to begin work on the case load that was transferred to Jay from another attorney within the firm. Jay and his first assistants, Anthony Shunnarah and Blake Davenport, helped change the culture of the firm and how each individual department within it operated and was managed. The tireless work of Jay’s team resulted in great success for both their clients and their department. Such success led Jay to ponder what more he could do for the firm and in what way he could make a truly recognizable impact. Contemplation on those points reached a head one afternoon as Jay and a colleague from the firm travelled to a University of Alabama basketball game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Jay’s colleague acknowledged what Jay had done for the firm in a short time and asked, “What else do you think you can do for Alex that isn’t already being done.” This poignant question forced Jay to orate his goal to expand the firm’s practice into new geographic locations and practice areas.