We mourn the passing of retired partner, former managing partner and friend, Thomas N. Carruthers, who passed away on November 15, 2023, at the age of 95. A legendary lawyer and valued member of our firm, Mr. Carruthers will be sorely missed. Read about his impact and legacy in his obituary and this Alabama Academy of Honor profile. 

Tom Carruthers was a partner and former managing partner before retiring at Bradley. His practice focused on mergers, acquisitions, estate planning and corporate taxation. In 2001, Tom was named Outstanding Lawyer of the Year by the Birmingham Bar Association. Tom was a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.

Tom was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Alabama Bar Foundation. He was a member of the American Law Institute and the Alabama Law Institute; and the International Law Association. Tom served on the Advisory Committee for the State School Superintendent; was a member of the Alabama Academy of Honor and its chairman from 1999-2009. He was a member of the Board of the Greater Birmingham Visioning Program (Region 2020); the Birmingham Business Leadership Group; member and former president of the Birmingham Rotary Club; and received the Rotary Club’s Spain-Hickman Award for 2003. Tom was a trustee for the Birmingham Museum of Art, where he served as chair of its board for many years. He was a trustee and member of the Executive Committee for Children’s Hospital of Alabama, where he served as its chair 1996-1997. He was chairman of The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

He was a member of Leadership Birmingham, as well as a member of the 1992-1993 Leadership Alabama class, where he was president and chairman, and served on the Board of Trustees. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Lakeshore Foundation and served as its chairman from 2008-2009. He was a member of the Executive Advisory Committee of the Birmingham Boy Scout Council and was awarded the Silver Beaver Boy Scout Award and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Tom was awarded the Medal of Honor given by Birmingham-Southern College for public service, and commendations from Jacksonville State University and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. He received The Brotherhood & Sisterhood Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Alabama Region of the National Conference for Community and Justice in 2000.

Bar Admissions

• Alabama, 1955

• United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
• United States Tax Court
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States District Court, Middle District of Alabama
• United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama
• Supreme Court of Alabama

Education

• Yale Law School, J.D., 1955
• Princeton University, A.B., 1950, magna cum laude