Edgar (“Ed”) Gentle has served as an attorney and partner at Gentle Turner Sexton & Harbison, LLC, in Birmingham, Alabama, since 1992. In addition to his work with clients, Ed Gentle engages with a number of professional organizations. He will serve as the president of the Academy of Court Appointed Masters (ACAM) through 2018.
ACAM develops and promotes the standards of practice expected of all court-appointed masters. Its members often gather, most often at the National Conference for Special Masters, to discuss new ideas and methods in hopes of improving their field of practice. The first ACAM National Conference took place in late 2004 thanks, in part, to the organization’s relationships with the National Arbitration Forum and the Federal Judicial Center.
The 2017 ACAM Annual Meeting took place between March 30 and April 1 and covered a range of legal topics, including bankruptcy negotiations in Detroit, Michigan, opinions on pro bono service, and the most effective ways of managing the dissolution of a law firm. The meeting featured a variety of interactive workshops, including one on common ethics issues faced by masters, as well as numerous guest speakers, such as Merril Hirsh and Francis E. McGovern. For an in-depth look at the ACAM Annual Meeting, visit www.courtappointedmasters.org.
