News & Insights

Liz Huntley and Jack Sharman Appointed to Assist Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council with Independent Review

August 13, 2020

The Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council (HPCAC) recently appointed Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC lawyers Liz Huntley and Jack Sharman to assist with an independent review of law enforcement in the Alabama city. Huntley and Sharman will serve as an outside resource to the HPCAC as it examines police actions during several June 2020 protests in Huntsville to ensure the process is free of bias. 

Local media outlets covered the appointment, including AL.com and WHNT. 

In a subsequent WAAY story about the first public listening session related to the inquiry, Huntley said Lightfoot’s mandate from the HPCAC is to ensure it works in a way that is “shrouded in integrity.” 

“The goal of this council is to put it all out there,” she said. “There’s nothing to hide; it’s a very transparent process.”

Sharman appeared on WAAY to discuss the listening session and the firm’s role. 

“The integrity of the investigation is paramount from our view,” he said. “We are advising the council, not the city or anyone else. At the end of the day, this will be a very public process with public results.” 

The HPCAC and Lightfoot have set up a website with information about the inquiry that will be updated regularly. 

A Huntsville native, Huntley handles large corporate litigation matters at Lightfoot. She is a committed child advocate and provides legal and consultation services to government and nonprofit agencies that serve children and families. She is frequently appointed by judges to represent the legal interests of children in civil cases. Huntley also serves as a motivational speaker to various groups and organizations where she challenges audiences to adopt her “no excuses” philosophy. In 2015, she published her personal memoir, “More Than A Bird,” which recounts her childhood journey “from unimaginable darkness to radiance.”

Sharman has practiced law for nearly 30 years and leads Lightfoot’s White-Collar Criminal Defense and Corporate Investigations practice. He defends businesses and individuals in civil and criminal white-collar cases, provides guidance during corporate internal investigations and advises clients on how to stay in compliance with the law. He served as special counsel to the House Financial Services Committee for the Whitewater investigation involving President Bill Clinton, and he was special counsel to the Judiciary Committee of the Alabama House of Representatives for the impeachment investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley.