Attorney At Law Magazine interviewed Terrell Hogan’s Alan Pickert (the Asbestos Warriors) to learn more about his involvement in community and profession.
AALM Over the last 30 years, you have won many lawsuits and awards. You are known as “The Asbestos Warrior.” How is your asbestos case?
AP 2023 has been tough so far, as five of my clients have died from asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related diseases after inhaling asbestos fibers during their service in the United States Navy.
Attending the funeral of someone who has died of asbestos cancer is never easy. They may have been exposed to asbestos at home or in their workplace and did not know it.
Unfortunately, I will be able to help many victims who have been exposed to asbestos through their work or their parents’ clothing between the 1960s and 1980s. They will develop incurable asbestos-related cancers in the next 5 years. Asbestos cancer is a latent illness, which means that those who have been exposed to asbestos will not develop cancer for 30 to 55 years.
AALM You’re involved in multiple nonprofits. How far has 2023 progressed for them so far?
AP North Florida is home to a great deal of work for those in need. Since 2006, I’ve been on the board for the HEAL Foundation. HEAL, a local non-profit organization that serves those with autism and other disabilities, has been around since 2006. HEAL supported local schools with educational and therapeutic programs, including the purchase of 500 iPads and 250 trikes for nonverbal children. HEAL is also offering free camps this summer to those with autism spectrum disorders in the areas of golf, surfing, music, horses, and sports.
Since 2019, I am also on the board of Cathedral Arts Program. CAP is a Jacksonville-based nonprofit that provides a rigorous art education (music, dance, etc.). Children from underprivileged backgrounds can benefit from after-school programs and summer camps. Numerous studies have shown that children who take part in arts programs consistently improve their academic performance and class participation. The arts are either cut out or severely restricted in many schools. CAP fills this void. CAP has taught over 30,000 students.
AALM In 150 years, you are only one of three North Florida attorneys to have been chosen to be a delegates to the American Bar Association. What does it mean to you, exactly?
AP It is an honor and a privilege to have been selected to be a ABA delegate since 2018. We meet twice a year in different cities across the United States. There, we propose, discuss and debate laws that govern lawyers and law schools. The meetings can be intense and last for a few days, sometimes even 12+ hours a day. I was in New Orleans for the ABA House of Delegates meeting in February, and will be back in Denver in August.
AALM I’ve heard that you celebrate holidays in style. What does this mean?
AP: Ha! I love holidays, and I’ve never seen a holiday decoration I didn’t like. I have an outfit or suit for every holiday. Seriously–I do. Recently, we had a large Easter Egg Hunt in St. Nicholas. We had close to 200 people and nearly 700 eggs filled with candy or toys. How long does it take to fill 700 eggs, then hide them? The kids and adults will have a good time with all the food and drinks that are available.
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