Last year, Courtney French ’95 made an unconventional purchase that is now putting the voices of Birmingham on a global stage. French, a senior partner at Fuston, Petway & French LLP, purchased the radio station B 94.9 FM WATV, returning it to local ownership for the first time since 2002.

The station originally opened in 1946 and was known for iconic on-air legends such as “Tall Paul” and Maurice “Thin Man” King. During the mid-1970s, WATV was the leading radio station in Birmingham.

While French wants to maintain the station as an integral source of information for the community, he has also made efforts to expand its reach far beyond the city limits.

“There is a three-prong reason to what we do with our station,” French says. “I look at having the radio station as a way to continue what I do as a lawyer, in service to the community, as an educational means, and also a way of entertaining the community.”

A societal change that French has observed in millennials, Generation Z, and Generation Y inspired him to reevaluate how the station is disseminating their music and information. He recognizes that, although these generations still love music, the way they receive their music is different than it ever has been before.

To address this, he has used technological advances to take the station outside of vehicles and onto phones and computers. The station has an app called V94.4, offers live streaming on its website, and is available through the virtual assistant device Amazon Alexa. In the past year, these additions have gained listeners from across the country and all over the world, including Europe, Africa, and India.

French has been passionate about education in the community since his time at Birmingham-Southern College. As a secondary education major, the skills he learned in school were beneficial as he continued his education at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, even taking the time to teach while he was there.

As a founding partner of Fuston, Petway & French LLP, French currently spends his days representing individuals and families who have suffered personal injuries and wrongful death.

His devotion to the community is also seen in his service as president of the Alabama Association for Justice and as president of the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation. French is active with the nonprofit I See Me, Inc., which aims to increase literacy rates in children of color by engaging them in literature that reflects their culture and mirrors their image. They have multiple programs that intend to help students of color read at or beyond their grade level.

He has also served on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice and on the Board of Directors for the Shades Valley YMCA. French joined the BSC Board of Trustees in 2018.

Business Alabama has recognized French as one of the Top Attorneys of Alabama. He was named one of the “Top 40 Lawyers under 40” by National Trial Lawyers and “50 Future Leaders of America” by Ebony Magazine.

“I truly believe in the saying that to whom much is given, much is required, and I have been blessed – largely credited to BSC for giving me the tools and education to be able to be where I am in my career and my profession,” French says. “What I am doing now is to help others, to continue what BSC instills in students about service.”

This story was published in the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of ’Southern, BSC’s alumni magazine.

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