H. M. Nowlin

Partner

H. M. Nowlin has been a lifelong resident of Decatur, Alabama, and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama in 1972 and Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Alabama in 1975. He has practiced law in Decatur since 1975 and has focused his entire practice in the area of real estate, title examination, loan closing, zoning law, foreclosures and occasionally dealt with probate and corporate matters. He has, since 1987, also been extensively involved in residential and commercial real estate development, participating in the developing of more than 750 single-family townhomes and 500 single-family homes. In addition, he has participated in the development of several shopping centers and motels throughout North Alabama, and is also involved in numerous business ventures, including convenience stores, Steak-Out restaurants, self storage, billboard advertising, real estate, express car washes, and a sand and gravel mining and processing facility.

He has also been active in business, commercial and civic organizations. He is a member of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce and has served on the Board of Directors. He was honored by the Decatur Chamber of Commerce by being selected Small Business Person of the Year in 2001. He has been active in the Decatur-Morgan County Homebuilders Association since 1986, having served on the Board of Directors for more than 15 years. In 1997, he was selected Builder of the Year for the Association. He served as Vice President in 1999 and President in 2000. He is a member of First United Methodist Church and served on the Administrative Board and as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He has also donated land to Habitat for Humanity and to local churches. He has been a member of the Kiwanis Club since 1977. Since 1975, he has been a member of the Alabama Bar Association and the Morgan County Bar Association. In 2002, he served as President of the Decatur-Morgan County Bar Association. He was appointed Chairman of the City of Decatur Subdivision Review Committee in 1995 by the Mayor and City Council. This committee studied and drafted new subdivision regulations for the City of Decatur.

H.M. also has a very active family life. He and his wife, Debbie, have 11-year-old twin boys, a 16-year-old daughter, a 21-year-old son, and a 24-year-old daughter.

His hobbies include traveling with his family, snow skiing, deep sea fishing, coaching his kids in football, baseball and basketball, and spending time with his family at his lake house on Smith Lake.

Douglas R. Bachuss, Jr.

Partner

Douglas R. Bachuss, Jr. is a member of Nowlin, Bachuss and Gray Law Firm, practicing in the areas of commercial and residential real estate closings, real estate development, probate law, family law,estate planning, contract law and business organizations. Mr. Bachuss received his B.S. degrees from the University of Alabama in 1991 and in 1992 and his J.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1996. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the Morgan County Bar. Mr. Bachuss has been a frequent speaker on topics related to real estate closings, estate planning and adoptions. He has assisted with international adoption finalization, stepparent adoptions, private adoptions, foster parent adoptions and legal custody proceedings in Madison, Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone Counties.

Mr. Bachuss and his wife, Jenny, have three children, two of whom were adopted. Mr. Bachuss is active in his church, working as an administrator in his Sunday School class and working with children’s Sunday School, and has been working with The Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville to form Hope’s Treasure Adoption and Family Services, Inc.. He is active with fund raising for the Morgan-Lawrence County Chapter of the American Red Cross and has been involved with Boards and Committees for the Tennessee Valley Outreach Rescue Mission, the Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama, the American Cancer Society and the Greater Morgan County Homebuilders Association. Mr. Bachuss has completed the Leadership Morgan County program through the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce of which he is a member of the board and the Executive Board, serving as Vice-Chair for Member Services.

Jeffrey M. Gray

Parnter

Jeffrey M. Gray has practiced law in Morgan County, since 1984, serving as a partner in the law firm of Groover, Thompson, Madison & Gray and Jeffrey M. Gray, P.C., in Hartselle, Alabama, before merging his practice with the firm on January 1, 2009. His practice includes the areas of real estate law, commercial and residential real estate closings, real estate development, probate law, estate planning, elder law, corporate and business transactions. He received a B.S. Degree with Honors from Troy University in 1979; a J.D. Degree from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University in 1982; and an L.LM (Master of Laws) in Taxation from Emory University in 1983. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the Morgan County Bar.

Jeff is married to Pamela Knight Gray and they have two children, Brandi and Meaghan. Jeff is active in his church, serving as an ordained deacon; is past chairman of the Hartselle Utilities Board; and has been appointed to a second term on the City of Hartselle School Board. Jeff and Pam are active in youth fastpitch softball in Alabama.

J. Witty Allen

Parnter

Witty joined the firm in 2003, primarily practicing in the areas of real estate law, title searches and real estate closings. In addition, he has been involved with corporate and entity formation, wills, leases, litigation, bankruptcy, domestic relations and probate matters. Witty, a graduate of the University of Alabama, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management in 1977, and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1980.

Witty’s family has been active in homebuilding in Athens, Alabama for over 30 years. Prior to joining the firm, he served as site manager for Allen Building & Development, a residential construction business. He is a licensed homebuilder and is a past President of the Athens Limestone County Homebuilders Association.

Before helping with the family construction business, Witty was a partner with another local law firm, and practiced there for over fifteen years. He is very community minded and is active in a number of civic and charitable organizations. He is a former President of the Decatur Kiwanis Club, Boy Scout Leader (and former Eagle Scout), Sunday School teacher and former youth leader at Central Baptist Church.

Witty and his wife Becky have two sons and one daughter and currently reside in Decatur.

Aimee Bowen

Closing Coordinator

Aimee has worked in the real estate closing and mortgage financing business since 1993. She has been the Closing Coordinator with Nowlin, Bachuss & Gray Law Firm since 1998. Aimee grew up in Decatur, Alabama, and attended Jefferson State Community College, in Birmingham. Aimee also served as a Mortgage Loan Processor with Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation from 1995 until 1998.

She is a resident of Trinity, Alabama

Beth Alexander

Executive Administrator

Beth has been with the firm since 1981. She is responsible for preparing title work for all loans closing outside the office, preparation of weekly payroll, balancing all trust accounts for the firm, managing all office accounts and distribution of all recorded documents. She is a graduate of West Morgan High School in Trinity, AL and Draughon's Jr. College in Nashville, TN.

Beth and her husband, Greg, have resided in Morgan County, Alabama, since 1983.

Darnell Berry

Receptionist

Darnell's pleasing voice and smile will be the first impression that you will have of our office, and she has been doing it for over 17 years. She says that everyone here is like family and you can expect to be treated like family. Prior to joining the firm, Darnell worked in mortgage banking for over five years.

Originally from Birmingham, Darnell now lives in Hartselle. She is married and has two children.

Erlene Clark

Closing Secretary

Erlene Clark has 30 years of office experience, ranging from receptionist to accounting assistant. In 1995, she began work as a legal assistant with an emphasis on real estate, probate and corporate work. Erlene has over 14 years experience in real estate closings. She has handled all areas of real estate transactions in the law office from pre-closer, to closing and post closing work.

Erlene attended Calhoun Community College. She and Kenneth, her husband of 30 years, have two children and reside in Hartselle.

Mike Simmons

Abstractor

Mike comes to us from the aerospace industry, having spent fourteen years in computer operations at Boeing. In his new career, he now has over five years experience in searching chains of title. He has been with the firm three years and is an invaluable asset in verifying property ownership.

On any given day you will find Mike researching chains of title on the Internet or digging through mountains of deeds and property records at one of several local courthouses. Mike is a resident of New Market, Alabama.

Patti Smith

Legal Assistant

Patti comes to us with over eleven years experience as a legal assistant and is well versed in corporate real estate, probate and litigation. A graduate of Auburn, she has nearly twenty years experience ranging from office manager for a family counseling company to accounting office bookkeeper.

Patti is married with two daughters and lives in Hartselle.

Robyn Scott

Secretary & Legal Assistant

Robyn, one of the newest members of our staff, comes to us with over 11 years experience as a loan closing specialist. In addition, she has served as a loan auditor and specialized in VA and FHA loan submissions and bond loans.

Prior to the start of her loan closing career, Robyn was manager of a major ladies retail clothing store. She is married, has two daughters and resides in Decatur.