By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
When Caroline Mathews of Mathews Law was an undergrad at Auburn, she majored in English literature and minored in studio art. She was a National Merit Presidential scholar, made the Dean’s List and won several other awards. Caroline had grown up around law all her life, and had worked part time as both a runner and an intern for her dad, Bill. In high school she was a cheerleader and ran track, and was an active member of the youth group at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church. However, there came a time when she knew she had been called to the practice of law, and went ahead and enrolled in law school at the University of Alabama. She is a rare one in our town, having been a grad of two rival schools, and it is probably a good thing that her résumé includes being certified as a mediator!
Caroline says that having a love for the English language as well as literature actually helped her prepare for her law career because of needing to be deft at wading through documents written in legalese and understanding what was actually being communicated. Her favorite authors were Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens. Once she was in law school, her passion became what is sometimes referred to as “rural law,” and she interned as a Finch Initiative recipient with Circuit Judge Ben Bowden in Andalusia. Caroline loved that experience, and came to understand that in many places in Alabama, rural areas are underserved and overlooked. Not so in Athens, and Caroline is committed to practicing law here because she loves it. She graduated in 2023 and passed the bar exam on her first try.
Caroline practices law with her dad, Bill, along with her older brother, William. Her younger brother, John David, is in law school at Alabama. The Mathews Law Firm specializes in all things civil, and does very little criminal law. Real estate law and closings are a significant portion of the practice. So is personal injury, divorce, as well as adoptions. Caroline enjoys serving families as well as people at both ends of the age spectrum—the elderly and little ones. She especially loves estate planning and making sure that people are safe, protected and are able to stay out of probate. If going to probate court is necessary, Caroline is ready to get the best possible outcome for her clients.
We had a most interesting discussion with regard to the powerful and often overlooked role of being a certified mediator, which Caroline is able to do. Caroline has seen some hard things for sure in the practice of family law and domestic law, but she also has seen people actually avoid divorce and reconcile, which is especially satisfying. Caroline said, “Sometimes people file for legal separation just to be safe while they are working things out, and we have seen them get back together. I like being able to help with that. We also do pre-nups and post-nups.” (Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements.)
Then there is the especially sticky situation of having to evict. Caroline looked at me in horror when she mentioned that she has seen it all!! It is good to know that there is a firm and a young attorney who will fight for people who find themselves facing crazy situations that they did not cause.
I asked Caroline why I should choose her as an attorney, and I liked the fact that she took her time before she answered. “First of all,” she said, “if your case is in Limestone County you need a local lawyer that knows the area and the people.” “Second, I work with family. My dad has practiced law for decades and he took my brother and me under his wing. He is always there for me, and our family is close,” she added. “Third, I have lived in Athens all my life, and this is where I plan on staying. I love it, I make connections easily, and I care about people,” said Caroline. If this combination of roots, wings, love, and proficiency are what you are looking for in an attorney, then Caroline Mathews of Mathews Law is ready, willing, and able to be your advocate in as well as out of the courtroom. Give their office a call today at 256-232-2310 for an appointment.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
