BARBI Acquires iLawVentures – Deal to Benefit Law Students

A professor of law, Kenneth “Ken” Randall of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, previously served as the dean of the University of Alabama School of Law. Focused on improving legal education in the United States, Kenneth Randall is the CEO of iLawVentures, LLC, which was recently acquired by BARBRI. 

On July 10, 2017, BARBRI announced its acquisition of iLawVentures in a deal that brought together two leading providers of legal education solutions. BARBRI supports the educational needs of law students and attorneys by partnering with law schools to offer advanced curriculum and specialized faculty training and assessments. iLawVentures provides online legal education course content used by over 20 percent of accredited law schools in the country. 

BARBI plans to leverage iLawVentures’ expertise in legal distance learning to improve its core curriculum, bar review, and online product offerings. This will give law students and faculty superior end-to-end solutions to support their educational needs. 

Speaking after the announcement, Mr. Randall said the acquisition was a testament to both companies’ commitment to improving law school training in the country. BARBRI CEO Stephen Fredette expressed optimism that the acquisition would allow the company to offer holistic legal education solutions to support law schools in the entire legal education life cycle, from student admissions to assessments and bar passage.

The Three Longest No. 1 Reigns in ATP History

Kenneth “Ken” Randall, a former professor and dean at the University of Alabama School of Law, is the president and chief executive officer of iLaw and iLawGlobal in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Beyond his professional activities, Kenneth Randall enjoys staying active by playing tennis.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) standardized its ranking system in 1973. Since that time, 26 male players have held the number one ranking. American Jimmy Connors, the third player to reach the top of the ATP rankings, put together the tour’s first extensive number one reign. Beginning in July of 1974, Connors held the top position for 160 consecutive weeks. He ultimately held the top spot for 268 weeks over the course of nine reigns spanning nearly a decade.

In July of 1999, 16 years after Connor’s last stint as world number one, American Pete Sampras finished his ninth run as the top ranked player on tour, a three week stay that brought his career total to 270 weeks, surpassing Connor’s record. Sampras finished his career with 286 weeks as the world’s top ranked male player, completed over about eight years.

The third and most impressive run as world number one began in February of 2004. Roger Federer of Switzerland spent 237 consecutive weeks as the world’s best player, the longest consecutive streak ever seen at the top of the game. Federer would relinquish the number one ranking to rival Rafael Nadal for 46 weeks between 2008 and 2009, but would add runs of 48 and 17 weeks, bringing his career total and the all-time ATP record to 302 weeks.

Some of the Most Memorable Short Stories in the American Canon

For nearly five years, Kenneth “Ken” Randall has managed all business and creative development activities at iLaw and iLawGlobal in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as president and chief executive officer. He previously spent 20 years as dean of the University of Alabama School of Law. Beyond his legal activities, Kenneth Randall enjoys reading and writing short fiction.

While many conversations on American literature revolve around the enigmatic concept of the Great American Novel, the nation has produced an equally impressive array of short stories. In 1908, Jack London, author of classic American novels like White Fang and The Call of the Wild, produced a man-versus-nature short that has survived the test of time. In "To Build a Fire," London's narrative follows a man and dog traveling through freezing Northwestern Canada and the decisions both characters must make as conditions continue to worsen.

Written in 1948, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is arguably the most recognizable piece of short fiction in the American canon. The story describes a small-town gathering for a seemingly innocuous-seeming lottery, but as the drawing comes closer, Jackson ratchets up the tension and ultimately employs a horrifying twist that will stay with readers forever. The story is sometimes compared to Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," a horror approach to issues of physical and mental illness first published in The New England Magazine in 1892.

More recently, authors such as George Saunders and Junot Diaz have made the form their own. Saunders’ most recent story collection, The Tenth of December, received near unanimous levels of praise, the likes of which are generally reserved for novels. Diaz, meanwhile, has spent decades writing stories about the culture shift individuals experience whenever traveling between the Dominican Republic and the United States, stories collected in books like Drown and This Is How You Lose Her. He recently edited The Best American Short Stories 2016. Other popular writers of American short fiction include Ernest Hemingway, Raymond Carver, John Cheever, and Edgar Allen Poe.

Alabama State Bar

As the president and CEO of iLaw and iLawGlobal in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Kenneth “Ken” Randall oversees business development and the origination and delivery of legal education courses online. Kenneth Randall is also involved with the Alabama State Bar.

Created by legislature in 1923, the Alabama State Bar was mandated to serve the public and improve the justice system by promoting responsible conduct among legal practitioners. The organization supports attorneys in Alabama with continued educational programs and numerous additional resources. The state bar also includes guidelines regarding responsibilities and values for attorney conduct as well as rules for dispute resolution and mediation.

The Alabama State Bar is comprised of a 74-member Board of Bar Commissioners, along with a president who oversees the state bar for a period of one year. The bar includes 16 standing committees, 31 specialized law sections, and 9 task forces. It represents more than 18,000 in- and out-of-state regular and special members. Visit www.alabar.org for more information.

Project Blessings' Eight-Year Impact

A former New York lawyer, Kenneth "Ken" Randall served 20 years as the dean of the University of Alabama School of Law, during which time he pioneered two online master's degree programs and improved bar passage rates to approximately 97 percent. Additionally, Kenneth Randall did pro bono legal work for Project Blessings, a home-rebuilding nonprofit located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

After eight years of repairing homes in the Tuscaloosa region, Project Blessings announced it would be discontinuing operations as of June 1, 2017. Since its creation in 2009, the nonprofit has helped repair over 150 homes for low-income families. The inspiration for Project Blessings came as a result of a bedroom renovation project for a young girl who had serious medical issues. Upon arriving at her house, the group of volunteers realized the entire home needed renovation, which prompted a fund-raising effort that led to its first completed project. 

More than 500 volunteers of all ages have contributed to essential home repairs since the completion of that first project. Following a tornado in 2011, Project Blessings completed numerous repairs on homes in the communities of Rosedale and Alberta and also constructed a new men's homeless shelter in Tuscaloosa.

Giving Back with Project Blessings

President and CEO of iLaw & iLawGlobal, Kenneth (Ken) Randall is among scores of volunteers who give their time to Project Blessings, a nonprofit organization located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, dedicated to repairing the homes of those in need. Created after a 2011 tornado ravished the Alabama area, the organization sponsors several events a year with the help of its local team, including Kenneth Randall.

For the past five years, Project Blessings has changed the lives of dozens of families in the Tuscaloosa area. Donating home repairs and other services to those in the community with limited means, volunteers find the way to give that is best suited to their skill set. In addition to this year-round effort, several events are held each year that generate press exposure and subsequent donations for members of the community who are in need.

Recently, Project Blessings helped to open a men's homeless shelter, as the previous shelter was destroyed by the 2011 tornado. In addition to a yearly talent show, the association holds a donations-only Thanksgiving dinner each November, with all proceeds going to further the Project Blessings mission. With 50 volunteers waiting tables this past year, over 1,200 people enjoyed a hot meal and donated what they were able to help those less fortunate during the holiday season.

Double Digit Grand Slam Winners in the Open Era

Kenneth Randall is an experienced Alabama attorney and the president and chief executive officer of iLaw and iLawGlobal in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Outside of work, Ken Randall enjoys staying active by playing tennis and writing short fiction. 

The open era of tennis began in 1968, when the four major tournaments agreed to allow both amateur and professional players to compete. Since that time, only 10 singles players have been able to secure more than nine major titles. These players include five men and five women.

Roger Federer leads the men’s field with 17 major titles. He has won seven Wimbledon titles, including his first major championship at 2003 Wimbledon and his most recent major victory at the 2012 tournament. Federer is trailed by Rafael Nadal and Pete Sampras, both of whom have won 14 major titles throughout their careers. Novak Djokovic and Bjorn Borg, with 12 and 11 majors, respectively, are the only other men in the open era to win 10 or more grand slam tournaments. Of these five players, only Sampras and Borg are no longer active.

On the women’s tour, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams both hold 22 major titles, more than any other singles players in the history of open tennis. Graf is the only player on the women’s tour to win all four major titles in the same year and one of only two players to do so during the open era. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova share second place with 18 total majors. Australian Margaret Court finished her career with 11 major titles. Of the five women's players to win 10 or more majors, only Williams remains active.

People Served by Project Blessings

Licensed to practice in New York and Alabama, Kenneth Randall is a lawyer with degrees from Hofstra, Yale, and Columbia. Besides practicing law, Ken Randall of Alabama is a philanthropist who offers pro bono legal services to Project Blessings.

Project Blessings is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help underprivileged and low-income homeowners renovate and repair their homes to achieve a better quality of living. Headquartered in Tuscaloosa, AL, Project Blessings is made up of more than 500 volunteers. The organization was called into service especially after the April 2011 tornado which displaced numerous residents in the area, primarily in the communities of Alberta and Rosedale.

Project Blessings sponsors several events each year to raise the funds needed to help renovate the homes, including a “donations-only” annual Thanksgiving meal and a talent show. The organization also recently helped open a new men’s homeless shelter in Tuscaloosa, which had been without one since the 2011 tornado.

Top Tourist Destinations in India

After serving as Dean of the Alabama School of Law for 20 years, Kenneth Randall founded iLaw LLC, providing education and technology innovation. The Alabama based company then expanded to form iLawGlobal in India in 2014, a country Ken Randall enjoys visiting.

India is a beautiful South Asia country with numerous tourist destinations. Here are the top places to visit when in India:

1) New Delhi

India’s capital is a strikingly modern metropolis. With British architecture memorably contrasting with Indian winding streets, the city is alive with culture and history. Visit Mahatma Gandhi’s home, the site of his unfortunate assassination, and then venture into the famous tomb of Humayun that has been modeled after the Taj Mahal.

2) Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

The city is a modern day paradise. Lush green valleys neighboring sparkling lakes, all set against a backdrop of high mountains to provide the most picturesque scenery. Enjoy the warm tropical breeze by the lakeside on your honeymoon and create memories you will never forget.

3) Goa
Known as the home of the sun, sea, and sand, Goa was made for honeymooning. Every year, tourists from across the globe flock the town to soak in the setting sun, relax on the warm exclusive beaches, and enjoy the scenic views.