Legal

Rob joined the League staff in 2012 and is responsible for advising municipal officials and employees from more than 450 member cities and towns, writing legal articles, addressing municipal officials, employees and attorneys on municipal matters and assisting with the League’s lobbying efforts. Rob came to the League with a strong background in election law after serving as the Elections Attorney with the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office for nearly five years where he provided legal information to public officials regarding election law and procedures as well as written and verbal communication to the general public and media. Rob also spent several years in private practice, specializing in civil litigation and appeals, and served as a law clerk with the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals and the Alabama Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court. 

Rob grew up in Prattville, Alabama. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Alabama in 1996 and his J.D. degree from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in 2001. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar, the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA), the Alabama Association of Municipal Attorneys (AAMA) and the Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum.

Outside the office, Rob is involved in church activities and is a member of a local civic club. He enjoys running, reading and sports.

Mary Elizabeth Dial joined the League’s legal department in October 2024 and is responsible for advising municipal official and employees from more than 450 member cities and towns, writing legal articles and addressing municipal officials, employees and attorneys on municipal matters. Before joining the League, Mary Elizabeth worked in the legal section of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, where she assisted with the administration of grants and contracts, monitored legislative action for its potential effects on the department, and provided general legal advice and assistance. Prior to her time working in state government, Mary Elizabeth served as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria.

Mary Elizabeth grew up in Gadsden, Alabama. She earned her bachelor’s degree in professional and public writing from Auburn University in 2016 and her juris doctor degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2020.

In her free time, Mary Elizabeth is involved in church activities and enjoys knitting and crocheting, reading and traveling.

Emily Butler joined the League's legal department as Associate Counsel in August 2026 and is responsible for advising municipal officials and employees from more than 450 member cities and towns, writing legal articles and addressing municipal officials, employees and attorneys on municipal matters. 

Prior to joining the League, Emily practiced civil defense litigation where she represented insurance carriers and insureds in litigation matters throughout Alabama. Before attending law school, she worked as a legal assistant in Dothan, gaining experience in both personal injury and criminal defense. While attending Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Emily served as chief justice of the Honor Court, articles editor for the Faulkner Law Review and competed on the national trial team. She maintains membership in the Alabama State Bar, the Montgomery County Bar Association and the Hugh Maddox American Inn of Court. 

Emily grew up in Tuscaloosa before moving to the Wiregrass as a teenager. She earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology, magna cum laude, from Troy University in 2022. She received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in 2025, where she was recognized with the Ellen Brooks Merit for Public Service Award. Away from her desk, Emily enjoys antiquing, crocheting, caring for her houseplants and spending time with her cats.

Jill Service joined the League in August 2024 as a receptionist and quickly transitioned to the role of executive assistant for the legal department. Jill grew up in Montgomery, Alabama but has lived in Pike Road for more than 30 years with her husband and son, Bobby and Copeland, along with her fur baby, Millie. Jill has a daughter, Tyler Ann, and two grandsons, Sutter and Woody Jr., that live in Kentucky. She graduated from Jeff Davis High School and has an associate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in dental hygiene. Outside of the office, Jill enjoys managing her farm in Rockford, going to the beach and watching Auburn football.