Remembering Herman D. Padgett, 1952–2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our founder, Herman D. Padgett, on Friday, July 3, 2026. For nearly five decades, Herman was the heart of this firm; a steady, reassuring presence for thousands of families across Mobile, Baldwin County, and all of South Alabama during the most difficult financial chapters of their lives.

Herman was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1952, but Mobile is where he built his life. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama in 1974 with a degree in political science and a minor in history, then earned his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1977, gaining admission to the Alabama State Bar that same year.

He went on to complete a Master of Laws in taxation at the University of Florida, where he wrote his thesis on the income taxation of bankruptcy estates. Even as a young lawyer, his path pointed clearly toward the work that would define his career: helping people find a way out from under crushing debt.

In 1978, Herman returned home to Mobile and opened the practice that grew into Padgett & Robertson, where he practiced law continuously for nearly five decades. He never wavered from a simple conviction: good people go through hard times, and they deserve help, not judgment. That belief shaped how he treated every client who walked through our doors, and it remains the foundation of everything we do.

Herman’s professional accomplishments speak for themselves. He was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Claims, the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the federal district courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Alabama.

He served as a Chapter 7 Trustee. He was an active member of the Alabama State Bar, the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees.

Herman did more than practice bankruptcy law; he worked to make it better. In 2009 and again in 2011, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for stronger legal protections for homeowners facing foreclosure. In May 2017, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys honored him with the K. Colleen Nunnelly Award in recognition of his leadership, enthusiasm, and contributions to the association’s mission of protecting families in financial distress.

Clients remembered his patience, the way he answered every question, no matter how small, until they understood. They described him as practical and caring, someone who could take the fear out of a frightening process. Judges and fellow attorneys across the Mobile legal community held him in the highest regard, and lawyers regularly referred their own clients to him. In a field where people arrive at their lowest point, Herman had a gift for restoring dignity along with financial footing.

There was so much more to Herman than the law. He served on the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Mobile West. He loved to travel and saw much of the world. He was a devoted amateur radio operator who held an Extra Class license and earned awards for making contacts in all fifty states and on every continent; a fitting pastime for a man who spent his whole life reaching people. He enjoyed good food and good company, and he remained loyal to his alma maters as a life member of both the University of South Alabama and the University of Florida alumni associations.

Herman built more than a law firm. He built a place where people in trouble could find real help, and he prepared those of us who remain to carry that work forward. Attorneys Lacy S. Robertson and Matthew E. Moore, along with our entire staff, will continue serving the families of South Alabama with the same care, skill, and compassion Herman modeled every day for almost fifty years. His name stays on our door. His example stays in our work.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who loved him.

Thank you, Herman, for everything.