This page provides an overview of Sheree Martin's professional history, along with a detailed professional biographical narrative and links to samples of her work, where available.

I'm currently a lawyer and strategic communications consultant.

In addition to producing several podcasts of my own, I consult with businesses and professional services providers on digital content strategy with an emphasis on inbound and content marketing (not pay-per-click search). I have an extensive portfolio of freelance writing experience and occasionally accept new freelance writing work, but only for the right clients and/or publications.

I'm also an advocate for creation care, sustainable local food systems for building healthy, viable local communities, and a new path forward for Alabama.

Sheree Martin: In Brief

I spent the first (approximately) 10 years of my post-law school professional life as a practicing business lawyer, primarily in Tuscaloosa with the firm known today as Rosen Harwood, P.A.

I also have approximately 10 years of full-time experience as a college professor and an extensive portfolio of freelance copywriting and feature-writing work.

I'm currently focused on entrepreneurship and I'm working to develop the Shinecast® brand into a full-fledged media enterprise. I'm a writer and digital content strategy consultant.

On the side, I am a beekeeper and an advocate for maintaining a sustainable, integrated lifestyle that emphasizes real food, physical activity, time in nature, proper sleep, and doing work that offers satisfaction and fulfillment to the individual while delivering positive value to the world.

This page is updated periodically as time permits. The section above was last updated June 16, 2016. June 5, 2017.

The following section was last updated March 7, 2016.

Business Law

Due to the private nature of business transactions, contract law and estate planning, I can’t offer many specific examples of her work in the way that a litigator or marketing professional might do. I have always been 100% committed to client confidentiality and that tends to limit how much I can disclose about the type of legal work I performed.

My law practice focus areas could be loosely divided into three primary areas: Business Transactions and Business Organizational Planning, General Contract Law, and Estate Planning, although I also had regular involvement in certain aspects of healthcare regulation, nonprofit law and estate administration.

I handled multiple 7-figure business transactions for both asset sales/purchases and entity sales/purchases. My responsibilities included contract negotiation, contract drafting, contract review, due diligence reviews, and supervising non-lawyer staff in various aspects of the transactional work.

In non-transactional contract work I frequently negotiated, drafted and reviewed contracts for professional services for clients in the healthcare industry, including physicians and dentists.

Legal Credentials

Sheree joined Rosen, Cook, Sledge, Davis, Carroll & Jones, P.A. in 1992, after practicing tax and business law in Florence, Alabama for 2-1/2 years as a solo practitioner and became the firm’s first woman shareholder in 1994. Sheree was active in the management of the firm thereafter, until she left in August 1997 to enroll in a Ph.D. program at The University of Alabama.

She rejoined the firm, then named Rosen Harwood, P.A., from August 2007 – August 2009 as an associate. She did not plan to leave the firm when she returned in 2007. Rather, Sheree intended to build a practice that focused on representing entrepreneurs and startups seeking to commercialize technology being developed at The University of Alabama. Unfortunately, the economic meltdown of 2008 and early 2009 resulted in having to focus on practice areas that were not of much interest. When the opportunity arose for Sheree to return to higher education, that seemed to be the best option at the time.

During most of her practice years, Sheree had a BV rating by fellow attorneys in the Martingale Hubble rating system, which was a strong rating for a lawyer with 3-9 years of experience. The firm is one of the oldest in Alabama and has always maintained an AV rating.

Before joining Rosen, Cook, Sledge, Sheree practiced law for brief period of time with Tanner & Guin, P.C. in Tuscaloosa and with Potts & Young in Florence.

Law School

While in law school, Sheree worked in Miami as a summer associate with Blackwell, Walker, where she was primarily assigned to work with attorneys in the securities law department assisting in due diligence research on private placement limited partnerships and related matters.

Sheree received an offer from Blackwell, Walker to join as an associate attorney after law school graduation, which she accepted. However, shortly before her full-time employment began, the firm experienced a significant reorganization and most of the attorneys in the corporate legal department moved to a different firm. As a result of that reorganization, new hires like Sheree were assigned to work in the insurance defense litigation department. Since Sheree was not interested in doing that type of legal work, she left the firm before taking the Florida bar exam.

Due to the timing and structure of legal professional, large firms did not have openings at that time of year, so Sheree joined the small firm of Potts & Young in Florence before enrolling in the LL.M. program at the University of Florida the following year.

J.D., The University of Alabama

LL.M. in Taxation, The University of Florida

Admitted to The Florida Bar (1987)

Admitted to the Alabama Bar Association (1988)

• Member in Good Standing, ASB-9908-N36T

By 2005 I knew that I had no plans to return to law practice in Florida, so to eliminate annual dues assessments and other bar reporting requirements, I changed my Florida Bar licensing status to non-practicing/retired (even though I have no plans to ever “retire”).

Media Entrepreneur and Digital Content Consulting

As early as my childhood I dreamed of having some type of media-related career. That aspiration led me, ultimately, to major in Broadcasting and Film Communication at The University of Alabama, to enroll in a Ph.D. program in 1997 in an attempt to jumpstart a career transition to strategic communication consulting, and to pursue a wide range of freelance writing opportunities.

Testimonial from David Griner, Digital Managing Editor, Adweek

Having entrusted Sheree with several vital client projects, I can say she's as reliable as she is pleasant to work with. A consummate professional, she brings energy, professionalism and meticulousness to each writing project, and I've always been impressed with her work.

David Griner, Digital Managing Editor, Adweek

Testimonial from Jimmy Warren, President, TotalCom Marketing Communications