Photo courtesy of Wettermark Keith.
Chris Keith , left and James Wettermark of Wettermark Keith Personal Injury Lawyers.
Chris Keith says that 20 years ago, a moment came when he felt like he was “truly thrown into the fire and had one choice — sink or swim.”
James Wettermark, at that time a partner at the law firm Burge and Wettermark, had hired Keith out of Cumberland Law School in 2001. A little over a year later, he asked Keith about leaving to start a new firm.
“It was a true honor but also a little intimidating at the time,” Keith said.
But even though it felt like a “sink or swim” moment at the time, he said he thinks they “both have done fairly well at the swimming part.”
And in July, Wettermark Keith celebrated two decades of serving their clients.
Keith, a Chelsea resident, said he’s thankful for “all of the great attorneys and support staff that have contributed so much to our growth and delivering on our commitment to the thousands of clients we have been able to assist over the past 20 years.”
For him, being a personal injury lawyer has meant taking care of people when they need it most. He’s always worked to keep “unwavering compassion” as a core tenet of the firm.
“We remind ourselves every day, it’s about every single client that walks through our door and our commitment to help them as we would want to be helped if the shoe were on the other foot,” he said.
Keith said they don’t take it lightly that people reach out to them in the middle of some of the most challenging situations they face.
“It’s a big responsibility and needs to be treated as such,” he said. “People reach out to us in some of the worst times of their lives. It is a responsibility and an honor to be able to help the individuals that have come to us and will continue to come to us.”
Keith said they’ve also tried to level the playing field for people who might not know or have access to lawyers.
“It’s personally rewarding to help good people in their times of need after something unexpected happens that ultimately turns their lives upside down,” he said.
It’s personally rewarding to help good people in their times of need after something unexpected happens that ultimately turns their lives upside down.
Chris Keith
In the past 20 years, Wettermark Keith has expanded their work to include locations in seven cities in Alabama, Florida and Tennessee, including their office in the Grandview area of Birmingham.
And though Wettermark is working on a smaller scale these days, he’s “still handling cases as effectively as he was 20 years ago,” Keith said.
“James is a lawyer’s lawyer,” he said. “He is as honest as they come and one of the smartest lawyers I know. I have been honored to have him as a law partner for over 20 years.”
Keith said he’s hoping the two of them will have a chance to go out for a nice dinner soon, celebrate how far the firm has come and reflect on everything that’s happened in the past 20 years.
“I cherish every moment I have had with James in building and growing this law firm over the past 20 years, and I’m looking forward to the next 20,” Keith said.
Wettermark Keith is located at 100 Grandview Place, Suite 530.
Visit wkfirm.com for more information.
