Andrew Payne Norwood

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

In 2009, Andrew graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, after which he began pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). In May 2014, after defending his doctoral dissertation and having his doctoral research published, Andrew was awarded his Doctorate of Philosophy from UAMS.   

After UAMS, Andrew decided to use his scientific training and medical knowledge in a unique way, and the legal field provided him with that opportunity. In August 2014, after being awarded a scholarship, Andrew enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. While in law school, Andrew was selected for the Law Review, where he served as an Assistant Online Editor, Associate Notes Editor, and had his Law Review Note was selected for publication. Andrew was also selected to serve on his law school’s Competition Trial Team, where he had the privilege of representing his law school at a national level and sharpen his advocacy skills through quality competition and valuable interaction with members of the bench and bar from across the United States.

Andrew was also chosen to serve in the UALR Litigation Clinic, where qualified law students receive a special license to practice law in Arkansas under the guidance of a supervising attorney. Andrew fell in love with the Litigation Clinic and ended up participating Advanced Litigation Clinic and the Advanced Litigation Clinic II, where he was given the opportunity to work on more complex and difficult cases and mentor law students in the basic Litigation Clinic. Andrew also participated in the law school Mediation Clinic, which assists courts, families, and state agencies by providing multiple types of mediation to the community free of charge. After extensive training, Andrew was allowed to act as mediators in cases involving allegations of child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, small claims issues, and child access and visitation disputes.

While in law school, Andrew clerked for numerous nationally recognized and well-respected plaintiff personal injury and medical malpractice law firms and insurance defense law firms, and was awarded "Top Papers" in: (1) Legal Profession; (2) Legal Editing & Scholarship; (3) Specialized Legal Research; and (4) Law & Medicine. Andrew graduated law school with honors in May 2017, and passed the Arkansas Bar Exam in July of 2017, with a score high enough to qualify for admission to additional jurisdictions without being forced to sit for the Bar Exams for those jurisdictions. In addition, Andrew's Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) score was high enough to pass the jurisdictional requirement in every jurisdiction the United States.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Andrew has made it a point to give back to the community by volunteering his time at the numerous free legal clinics, in conjunction with the Arkansas Bar Association, Arkansas Legal Services Partnership, Center for Arkansas Legal Services, UAMS, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, and the UALR Bowen School of Law. These legal clinics consisted of a dedicated team of Arkansas pro bono attorneys, notaries, and law students that helped prepare simple wills, advance directives, and powers of attorney for health care and financial matters for terminally ill Arkansans. Andrew has also volunteered at several "Wills for Heroes" events, which provide free estate planning documents, simple wills, advance directives, and powers of attorney to police officers, firefighters, emergency health care workers, and these heroes spouses.

PRACTICE AREAS

Andrew's academic background makes him uniquely qualified to represent clients who are facing various legal issue, including everything from drafting a simple will or representing a client in an uncontested divorce all the through representing clients who have suffered a catastrophic injury due to an automobile accident or medical negligence. To Andrew, the most rewarding aspect about the practice of law is the ability to make a true difference in his clients’ lives. Andrew is motivated by the circumstances and needs of his clients.

Andrew’s passion is helping individuals and their families through some of life’s most difficult situations. Andrew has been involved in successfully representing families in personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, construction site, and medical malpractice cases, where he was instrumental recovering multimillion-dollar recoveries for his clients. In many legal fights, the stakes are high. If you’ve been hurt or suffered a catastrophic injury, Andrew is the lawyer you want in your corner.

Family law also holds a special place in Andrew’s heart, as it gives him the honor and the privilege of fighting for his family law client's legal rights, many of which included: (1) victims of domestic violence seeking an order of protection; (2) parents seeking to establish or modify visitation, child support, or custody arrangements; (3) parents wishing to establish paternity; (4) spouses going through both contested and uncontested divorces; and (5) family members establishing guardianship over children or disabled adult relatives.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Andrew Norwood is a fifth generation Arkansan, who can trace his Arkansas roots back to 1870. Andrew was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he attended Christ the King Catholic Elementary School and Catholic High School for Boys. After graduating from Catholic High School for Boys in 2005, Andrew attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe where he was an offensive lineman on the 2005 Sunbelt Conference Football Championship Team. Andrew is married it his longtime college sweetheart (Ashley), who is a kindergarten teacher, and the two have a three-year-old son (Henry), who isn't scared of the devil. On his free time, Andrew is an avid hunter and fisherman who loves being outdoors and enjoying the Natural State. Additionally, after playing college football, Andrew continues his love of the game by watching as much college football as he can fit in to his schedule.