Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1957, Paula I. Cobia graduated from Jacksonville State University in 1978 with a B.S. in Business Administration and was in the top 5% of her class. She received her J.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law (top 15% of class) in 1981. She is a member of the Alabama Bar Association (licensed to practice in “good standing” since 1981) (Member, Labor and Employment Law Section), American Bar Association (Member, Labor and Employment Law Section), and the Calhoun County Bar Association (Member, Executive Committee 1987-1990). Ms. Cobia is admitted to the State Courts of Alabama, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Alabama, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (1984 to date), and the U.S. Supreme Court (1996 to date). She served as a Law Clerk/Staff Attorney to Justice Samuel A. Beatty of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1981-1982 and as Law Clerk to U.S. District Judge William M. Acker, Jr., of the Northern District of Alabama from 1982-1983. Ms. Cobia practices in the areas of Labor and Employment Defense; Human Resources Consulting/Preventative Intervention; General Corporate Defense, including workers’ compensation and working with union shop; and Civil Litigation. She is rated “AV” for legal ability and excellent ethical standards by Martindale Hubbell National Law Directory.
Her civic memberships and awards include the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, SouthTrust Bank of Calhoun County Development Board, Rotary Club of Anniston; Anniston, Community Theatre Board of Directors, Leadership Calhoun County Board of Directors, Past Chairman of the Board and President, Alumni Association, United Way Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Outstanding Young Leader, by Anniston Jaycees and Outstanding Young Alabamian by Alabama Jaycees.