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AJMLS Professors and Associate Dean to Chair and Participate in 25th Annual U.S. Supreme Court Update

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) Professor Kathleen M. Burch has been selected as Program Chair of the 25th Annual United States Supreme Court Update seminar of the State Bar of Georgia’s Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) to be held on October 18, 2018.

Additionally, Professor Jeffrey A. Van Detta and Associate Dean Judith Barger are also presenters at the program. Professor Van Detta will be leading the Suing Sponsors of Terrorism in US Courts presentation and Dean Barger will be leading the Fourth Amendment Update presentation.

The event will be held at the State Bar of Georgia Conference Center in Atlanta and the program topics will include Georgia, the Death Penalty, Jury Bias, and the Supreme Court; Gerrymandering: Political and Racial; First Amendment Update; Fourth Amendment Update; and Immigration Update.

Professor Burch also recently returned from Palau this September where she presented The Supreme Court Review at the Pacific Judicial Council’s Mid-Year Conference. The purpose of the Pacific Judicial Council is to provide a collaborative and educational forum for sharing ideas, information, and resources to improve the administration of the courts and the delivery of justice in the Pacific region. Member jurisdictions include Americam Samoa, Chuuk, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia National Court, Guam, Kosrae, the Republic of Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap.*

Thank you to our educators for their participation in these great events and their continued contributions to the legal community.

*Pacific Judicial Council

Alumna, Fallon McClure, Helps Bring Change to Georgia Communities at Spread the Vote

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumna, Fallon McClure, currently serves as the Georgia State Director for Spread the Vote. McClure graduated from AJMLS in 2014, and her path to Spread the Vote is an inspiring one to share.

After graduating from Georgia State University with a B.A. in History, McClure started in public service on the other end of the 911 line working as an Emergency Communications Officer for Cobb County. Inspired by family to pursue legal education, McClure enrolled in law school out-of-state. Soon after, she felt called back to family and began her full-time career as a paralegal in Atlanta.

McClure transferred to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and completed her J.D. studies in the part-time evening program at AJMLS while maintaining her full-time job as a paralegal during the day and also starting a family. Through both the on-campus Career Development Office and the Office of Experiential Learning, McClure completed an internship in private practice and also an externship at a District Attorney’s office in Atlanta.

After graduation, McClure began working at the ACLU of Georgia as the Special Assistant to the Executive Director and then later became the Policy Advocate. Working at the ACLU allowed her to help organize and empower communities with the tools to advocate for themselves, and in doing so, helped her define that community outreach was her passion.

McClure transitioned to become the Georgia State Director for Spread the Vote where she has been able to help bring immediate change to Georgia communities while also maintaining a caseload of criminal defense cases. The mission of Spread the Vote is to help obtain government-issued photo IDs for eligible voters. They are building a scale-able and sustainable way to help voters get the IDs they need for job, housing, voting, and healthcare needs.* Spread the Vote is actively expanding and currently has state chapters in Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas, and Georgia chapters in Athens, Atlanta, Cobb County, Dekalb County, Henry County, South Cobb/Paulding Counties, Albany, Gwinnett County, Rome, Columbus, and Macon.

The Law School is incredibly proud of Fallon’s dedication to her education and service to communities in Georgia and we look forward to celebrating her continued success.

*Spread the Vote

Three Alumni Accepted to GTLA LEAD Program

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) congratulates Jim Jenkins, Class of 2009; Daniel Justus, Class of 2014; and Chinny Law, Class of 2014 for their recent acceptance to the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA) LEAD (Leadership Education and Advanced Direction) Program for 2018-2019.

The GTLA LEAD Program was founded in 2013 for the purpose of educating GTLA’s youngest and newest members on both the benefits and the expectations of membership, building strong relationships between young promising trial lawyers from all four corners of our state as well as diverse trial practice areas, and ultimately to better prepare tomorrow’s leaders today.*

Jim Jenkins, Class of 2009

While at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Jenkins was a seven-time Dean’s Award recipient. From August of 2009 until August of 2010, Jenkins was the law clerk/staff attorney for the Superior Courts of the Northern Judicial Circuit, primarily working with Chief Judge John H. Bailey, Jr. Following his clerkship, Jenkins practiced law with his father, at Jenkins Law, LLC, in a general law practice primarily consisting of domestic relations, personal injury, criminal defense, contract litigation, estate matters, corporate law, and real estate law. He spent a great deal of time in the courtroom litigating all types of cases. Additionally, Jenkins is a registered neutral and has mediated many cases privately and for the 10th District Alternative Dispute Resolution program, ranging from personal injury to divorce and custody lawsuits.**

Daniel Justus, Class of 2014

While at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Justus served as Executive Chairman of the Trial Advocacy Team and Executive Vice-Chairman of the Moot Court Honor Board. During his tenure with these organizations, Justus was a member of five national law school trial competition teams including Atlanta’s John Marshall’s first ever Georgia Intrastate Championship team, defeating the twelve time defending champion, University of Georgia. Additionally, he received the Southern Illinois Invitational Best Witness Examination Award and was the recipient of Atlanta’s John Marshall’s 2014 Excellence in Trial Advocacy Award. In 2017, Justus was honored by the American Institute of Legal Advocates as a “Personal Injury Rising Star” and by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as one of the 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys for Client Satisfaction.***

Chinny Law, Class of 2014

While at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Law graduated in the top twenty percent of her class. She has tried and appealed cases before the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and has participated in successful mediation settlement conferences. Furthermore, she has written appellate briefs and delivered oral arguments before the Board’s Appellate Division. Law is the recipient of the 2018 Ingrid Rosenthal Leadership Scholarship, which is given by the Workers Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), a national organization dedicated to representing the interests of injured workers and their families. Law is also a graduate of the Georgia Bar’s prestigious Young Lawyers Division Leadership Academy and recipient of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers Foundation Scholarship.****

 

 

 

The Law School is proud of its alumni and we look forward to following their careers!

*GTLA
**Jenkins Utley, photo also courtesy
***Lasky Cooper Law, photo also courtesy
****Ramos Law Firm, photo also courtesy

Alumnus, Ethan Pham, First Appointed Vietnamese-American Judge in Georgia

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) congratulates Ethan Pham, Class of 2013, for his recent appointment as associate municipal judge in Morrow, Georgia. Pham was unanimously appointed by Morrow City Council at its July 24 meeting and sworn in today, August 14, 2018.

Pham is part of a very exclusive club: he is the third Vietnamese-American judge in Georgia, the first appointed Vietnamese-American judge in Georgia, the first Asian-American judge in Clayton County, and the first immigrant Vietnamese-American judge in Georgia.*

Pham earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Biology and Business Administration with a minor in chemistry. After completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a tax software developer and dabbled in entrepreneurship via acquisition of a poultry operation. Prior to co-founding Nguyen & Pham, LLC, Pham worked as an assistant city attorney for a private law firm practicing local government law and serving public entities.** Recently, he came in third in this year’s U.S. House District 7 Democratic primary election.

The Law School is incredibly proud of Judge Pham’s drive and service to the community and we look forward to celebrating his continued success.

Alumnus, Erik Provitt, Accepted to American Bar Association Fellows Program

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is thrilled to congratulate Erik Provitt, Class of 2016, for his recent acceptance into the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Fellows Program.

The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Fellows Program encourages the active involvement and participation of young lawyers in Section activities. The goal of the program is to give young lawyers an opportunity to become involved in the substantive work of the Section, while developing into future leaders.*

Erik is also currently a Georgia Housing Corps Fellow and is a staff attorney with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation Standing with Our Neighbors Program.

The Law School is incredibly proud of Erik’s work in the community and we look forward to celebrating his continued success.

*American Bar Assocation

Atlanta’s John Marshall Faculty, Staff, and Board Members Serve State Bar of Georgia Committees

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is proud of its community members that serve the State Bar of Georgia as active committee members and leaders of change. The following committee descriptions are courtesy of the State Bar of Georgia’s website.

Bar Center Committee

This standing committee will continue to monitor the Bar’s needs and uses of its headquarters in Atlanta.

Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, Board of Directors
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency

It is of utmost importance to members of the Bar and to the public that attorneys maintain their professional competence throughout their active practice of law. To that end, this commission establishes the minimum requirements for continuing legal education.

B. Michael Mears, Associate Professor
Other Entities Appointee, term ending 2018

Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Committee

This standing committee shall advise the Executive Committee and Board of Governors with respect to all procedural and substantive disciplinary rules, policies and procedures.

Kellyn O. McGee, Associate Professor, Savannah Campus
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Formal Advisory Opinion Board

This board is authorized to draft Formal Advisory Opinions concerning a proper interpretation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or any of the grounds for disciplinary action as applied to a given state of facts, as set forth in Bar Rule 4-403.

Jeffrey A. Van Detta, John E. Ryan Professor of International Business and Workplace Law
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Representative, term ending 2019

ICLE Board

This program committee shall render advice to the staff, Executive Committee and Board of Governors with respect to the rules, procedures, policies and operations of the ICLE program. It will promote and support continuing legal education programs for Bar members designed to enhance their skills and keep them abreast of developments in the law. It will also encourage CLE programming by the Sections of the State Bar.

B. Michael Mears, Associate Professor
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Representative, term ending 2019

iCivics Committee

This special committee will work towards implementing iCivics into Georgia’s 8th grade curriculum. Founded by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics is the nation’s most comprehensive, standards-aligned civics curriculum that is available freely on the Web. Working with the Young Lawyers Division (YLD), attorney volunteers will be solicited to assist Georgia’s social study teachers with the curriculum units.

Honorable Carol W. Hunstein, Board of Directors
Honorary Chairperson, term ending 2019

Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, Board of Directors
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Committee to Promote Inclusion in the Profession

This standing committee shall facilitate, analyze and present for consideration initiatives and programs which increases participation, retention and representation of diverse attorneys in the legal profession in Georgia that accurately reflects the makeup of our State. In this effort, the committee will work towards inclusion of lawyers who have been historically underrepresented. It shall advise the Executive Committee and Board of Governors with regard to those interests.

Kellyn O. McGee, Associate Professor, Savannah Campus
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Military Legal Assistance Program

This standing committee shall monitor and render advice to the program’s director, Executive Committee, and Board of Governors with respect to the operation of the Military Legal Assistance Program, which facilitates pro bono representation of veterans and service members in addressing their unmet legal needs.

B. Michael Mears, Associate Professor
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Professionalism Committee

This standing committee shall consider and make recommendations to the Executive Committee and Board of Governors necessary to advance professionalism in the practice of law. It shall concern itself with the various facets of professionalism including knowledge, technical skill, integrity in relations with both clients and courts, dedication to the law and public good, and ultimately the providing of competent legal services to the public.

Kellyn O. McGee, Associate Professor, Savannah Campus
Committee Member, term ending 2019

B. Michael Mears, Associate Professor
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Hope L. Jamison, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Pro Bono Programs
Committee Advisor, term ending 2019

Programs Committee

This standing committee shall advise the Executive Committee with respect to the addition, deletion, change, and operation of all State Bar programs and services. It shall solicit and review staff and budget impact statements whenever any proposal is made for the addition, deletion, or change of any State Bar program or service.

Kellyn O. McGee, Associate Professor, Savannah Campus
Committee Member, term ending 2020

Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee

This program committee shall investigate and diligently inquire into the unlicensed practice of law by law agencies and other unauthorized persons specifically including any person not an active member in good standing of the State Bar, and the participation of lawyers therein, and proper methods for the prevention thereof.

Kellyn O. McGee, Associate Professor, Savannah Campus
Committee Member, term ending 2019

Dean Malcolm L. Morris Meets with Aspiring Law Students at CLEO ASAP Event

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Dean Malcolm L. Morris met with aspiring law students this past week at the Council of Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Achieving Success in the Application Process (ASAP) event in Washington, D.C. Dean Morris is a member of the CLEO, Inc. Board of Directors and its Executive Committee.

ASAP is an intensive weekend that helps participants develop the tools they need to understand the application process and become competitive law school applicants. College juniors, seniors, and post-graduates who plan to apply to law school are eligible to apply.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School is a proud supporter of CLEO.

Hands-Free Georgia Act

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Let’s save some lives

Before we outline the specifics, let’s cover the why. Heads UP Georgia hit the nail on the head when they explained our state has seen significant increases in vehicle traffic crashes, fatalities, and bodily injury, and that these incidents are a clear indication of driver inattention. Other states that have passed similar laws have seen significant decreases in traffic fatalities the years after the law was passed.

Your safety and the safety of other Georgians and our millions of visitors each year are paramount. Thank you for reading and investing in safe driving practices.

Here’s a link to the complete law, below is our personal summary that is being provided to help inform you of the changes to take effect July 1, 2018.

  • Can I hold a wireless telecommunications device and drive? NO
  • Can I hold a wireless telecommunications device while lawfully parked? YES
  • Is sitting at a red light or stop sign lawfully parked? NO
  • Can I answer or use a wireless telecommunications device while driving? YES, BUT you may not use more than a single button to initiate or terminate the voice communication AND you may not reach for the device if it means you are no longer seated or have to remove your seat belt
  • Can I use hands-free voice-to-text? YES
  • Can I use hands-free GPS? YES
  • Can I use hands-free single-ear headphones? YES
  • Can I use hands-free Bluetooth pieces? YES
  • Can I use in-car navigation? YES
  • Can I use in-car stereo/equipment? YES
  • Can I use voice technology? YES, IF it’s hands-free
  • Can I text/email while holding a wireless telecommunications device? NO
  • Can I watch videos while driving? NO
  • Can I record videos while driving? NO

Professor Lisa Tripp Speaks at Department of Justice World Elder Abuse Awareness Event

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently recognized the 13th annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by hosting an event in Washington, DC. Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) Professor Lisa Tripp was invited to attend and speak at the event, where next steps in seeking nationwide elder justice were announced.

Tripp is a consultant to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and is a frequent speaker and contributor at conferences around the United States and abroad. Professor Tripp’s research and scholarship focuses on areas of U.S. and international law, while on the domestic front, she is an expert on federal regulations governing health facilities. With this expertise, Tripp spoke at the DOJ event about the federal government’s health and safety regulations and how those regulations are enforced.

The Law School thanks Professor Tripp for her contributions and ongoing efforts to help protect and empower our seniors.

AJMLS Launches New Co-Enrollment Option for Students

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is excited to announce a new co-enrollment program for its students. Upon successful completion of the first year curriculum, students may apply to co-enroll in the Criminal Justice Certificate Program. This new program allows students to co-enroll in classes that will grant credit towards their Certificate.

Students participating in the Criminal Justice Certificate Program (CJCP) will graduate with both their J.D. and Certificate in Criminal Justice. The CJCP is an excellent option for students considering practicing in the criminal justice arena or students who have a general interest in criminal justice. The Program packages electives and required courses that are strongly recommended for a potential career in criminal law. However, participation will not preclude a student from pursuing other fields of practice and participants will still have at least seven credits to use for additional electives of their choice. Click here to learn more about the program and request information.

Contact Information

Jonathan Rapping, Professor of Law and Director of Criminal Justice Certificate Program
jrapping@johnmarshall.edu

Professor Michael Mears Elected to Serve Second Term as Chairperson of ICLE Board of Trustees

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) Professor B. Michael Mears has been re-elected as Chairperson for the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) Board of Trustees. The ICLE is a not-for-profit educational service for Georgia’s licensed attorneys.

The State Bar of Georgia assumed administrative duties for the ICLE in 2017 and is governed by representatives from each of the state’s law schools and by members of the State Bar of Georgia. Professor Mears has been Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s representative to the Board for five years and is now serving his second consecutive term as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

Read here for Professor Mears’ first term announcement

Meet Your 2018-2019 Student Bar Association Executive Board

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

On May 19, 2018, the 2018-2019 Student Bar Association (SBA) Executive Board took office. Thank you to the 2017-2018 Board for your tireless work on behalf of the Atlanta’s John Marshall student body, we are excited to follow your success as new attorneys.

The primary objective of the SBA Executive Board is to represent the viewpoints of the student body, and serve as a conduit between the students and administration. Your 2018-2019 Executive Board is already hard at work on your behalf, and looks forward to a productive academic year.

Genghis Shakhan, President

Where were you raised: Columbus, Ohio

Where did you complete your undergraduate and/or graduate education: The Ohio State University: B.A English, M.A Literature, M.Ed Secondary Education

What are your future career plans: Business Law and Public Interest

What do you look forward to as the SBA President: I look forward most to serving the student body and being a conduit and agent of change.

What are your goals in the position this academic year: My primary goal is to elevate the prestige of the law school and increase consumer confidence.

What do you want your classmates to know about you: All of my life I have wanted to help people just like my mother. In all I do I try my best to emulate her example; sometimes I fail, but oftentimes I succeed.

Chelsea Wilkerson, Vice President

Where were you raised: I was born in Hahira, Georgia in 1994 then moved with my immediate family to Sylvester, Georgia

Where did you complete your undergraduate and/or graduate education: I earned my Bachelors in Sociology at Georgia State University

What are your future career plans: To be an advocate for impoverished and homeless populations by providing legal services involving housing, education, and access to healthcare legal issues

What do you look forward to as the SBA Vice President: Mostly serving the student body by incorporating board initiatives to make 2018-2019 a great academic year, as well as addressing students’ most pressing concerns. I also look forward to working on my own initiatives in my capacity as Vice President that will draw students closer to the Atlanta community while encouraging a sense of community within the law school.

What are your goals in the position this academic year: My mission is to make lasting investments, and the best way to do that is by investing in the students by promoting personal and professional standards of conduct, belief in oneself, appreciation for this amazing opportunity that we all sacrificed to maintain, and pride in the profession of being agents of change as attorneys at law. My goals are to incorporate innovative energy into student events, collaborate with the student organizations, and foster public service. One of the ways that I will foster public service is by spearheading a suits, shoes, and dress clothes drive for men’s clothing.

What do you want your classmates to know about you: I’m too excited about my 3L year for words. I am so grateful and proud of myself for coming this far. I hope you are too, because it’s not over yet!

Stephanie Dennis, Treasurer

Where were you raised: I grew up in Johns Creek, Georgia

Where did you complete your undergraduate and/or graduate education: I graduated from Georgia State University in 2014

What are your future career plans: I am still exploring what type of law I would like to practice in the future, but eventually I would like to open my own firm after I gain experience in the legal industry.

What do you look forward to as the SBA Treasurer: The thing I look forward to the most is earning the trust of the student body by being transparent and fair.

What are your goals in the position this academic year: My main goal is to be as transparent and fair as possible with the student body about where student fees are going and why. Law school is a huge financial investment and I believe students should not be left feeling like they do not know what they are paying for.

What do you want your classmates to know about you: I feel like a lot of law students don’t know who to turn to when they have a problem or a need a question answered—I certainly felt that way multiple times during 1L year. I want my classmates to know that if you have a question or are having an issue about anything (even things unrelated to my position as SBA Treasurer), just come talk to me. If I can’t help you, I’ll find someone who can!

Natalie Foster, Secretary

Where were you raised: I was born and raised in Long Beach, California

Where did you complete your undergraduate and/or graduate education: After high school graduation, I moved to Atlanta to begin my collegiate career at Spelman College. I completed my undergraduate degree at Middle Tennessee State University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with minors in Psychology and Writing.

What are your future career plans: Though my career path is still forming, I have developed a passion for oral advocacy, opening avenues for appellate work in my future. Additionally, I have an interest in assisting minority college students get into, and succeed in, law school. I hope to open a program with this goal as its focus.

What do you look forward to as the SBA Secretary: As SBA Secretary in the 2018-2019 academic year, I look forward to bridging the gap between the SBA Executive Board and the student body. There has been an interest and need in the past years among the students for transparency. I look forward to delivering that transparency through efficient and open communication.

What are your goals in the position this academic year: My goals for my position align with this goal, as a large part of the secretary’s job functions include disseminating information to the student body. I aim to keep the student body informed and at ease about how the executive board is furthering its interests.

What do you want your classmates to know about you: I want my classmates to know that I am here to serve them. I want them to know that, despite my busy schedule and other activities in which I am involved, performing my duties well as Secretary are my top priority. I am open to their questions, comments, and feedback and hope that my classmates will always feel as though they can reach out to me. I aim to be accessible and transparent.

Dwight Harris, Parliamentarian

Where were you raised: I was raised in Americus, Georgia, Sumter County

Where did you complete your undergraduate and/or graduate education: I completed my undergraduate education at THE Albany State University located in Albany, Georgia

What are your future career plans: My future career plans entail working as an Assistant District Attorney in either the state of Georgia or Maryland. Eventually, I will work toward an elected position on either a state or federal level to effect change in the field of law with a political angle. The pinnacle of my career goals will end with being a justice on the highest court in the land, The United States Supreme Court.

What do you look forward to as the SBA Parliamentarian: I look forward to serving the student body and producing tangible, positive results that would benefit the students.

What are your goals in the position this academic year: My goals revolve around three main pillars: Efficiency, Transparency and Communication. Through Efficiency, I plan to make information and processes available to the entire student body in a more convenient format. We are a generation of technology. Therefore, it should be utilized to benefit the student body. With Transparency, I plan to provide the student body with adequate information about important issues, so they can make informed decisions about their educational experience. This leads to the third pillar, Communication. The phrase, “Communication, is key!” is paramount to any successful relationship. I plan to put the voice of the student body back in Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School through a series of initiatives. With these three pillars, I have hope we can reach the ultimate goal of PROGRESS.

What do you want your classmates to know about you: I want my fellow colleagues to know it is an honor to serve as the 2018-2019 SBA Parliamentarian and I will fulfill my role to the best of my abilities. Also, I want my colleagues to know that I am a diverse student that can adapt and relate to all of you on many different levels. I have experienced and lived through many things. I am always up for a conversation with anyone because I think there is a “Blessing in Every Lesson.” Thank you Everyone.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Welcomes Linda A. Klein as 2018 Commencement Speaker

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is pleased to announce Ms. Linda A. Klein, of Baker Donelson, as the Law School’s 2018 commencement speaker. Commencement exercises are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on May 19, 2018 at the Cobb Galleria Centre – Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30339.

 

Dean Malcolm L. Morris notes,

The Law School is very excited that Ms. Linda Klein will be the commencement speaker for the 2018 graduation. She is a leading figure in the legal profession as indicated by her service as the President of both the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia. Ms. Klein is a highly regarded attorney who frequently has been invited to speak both throughout the country and abroad. We are privileged to have her address our graduates and look forward to her words of advice and inspiration for them.  

 

About Ms. Linda A. Klein

 

Linda Klein is a senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson. She regularly counsels on business dispute prevention and resolution, contract law, risk and crisis management, media relations, ethics, and governance. She is particularly experienced in advising the construction, pharmaceutical, and higher education industries. She also advises lawyers, architects, accountants, and other professionals at risk for large claims or their licenses.

Ms. Klein is the immediate past president (CEO) of the American Bar Association, the largest voluntary professional association in the world, operating in 60 countries with 900 employees and a budget in excess of $200 million.

Ms. Klein is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Who’s Who in America, and Chambers USA. She is regularly named to the Super Lawyers top 100 lawyers in Georgia. In 1998, following her term as the first woman to serve as president of the State Bar of Georgia, Georgia Trend Magazine named her one of the 100 most powerful and influential Georgians.

Within the American Bar Association, she has previously served as chair of the  House of Delegates, the association’s policy making body. She has also served as chair of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, and chair of ABA Day, the Association’s Congressional outreach effort. She is a recent member of the Council of the ABA Section of International Law and also serves as a columnist Law Practice Management Magazine. In 2013 Ms. Klein had the honor of being a McGlothlin fellow on the campuses of William and Mary’s Business and Law Schools. She delivered the commencement addresses at Georgia State University College of Law (2017), Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (2017), Pepperdine University School of Law (2016), and Washington and Lee University School of Law (2012). In 2009, Ms. Klein was honored with the Randolph Thrower Award for Lifetime Achievement and was named to the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. In 2004, the American Bar Association honored Ms. Klein with the prestigious Margaret Brent Achievement Award.

She currently serves on the executive committee of the Buckhead Coalition and on the advisory boards of Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. She is a past president of Southface Energy Institute, the Board of Directors’ Network, the Caucus of State Bars, and past chair of both the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia and the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia. She also served a six-year term on Baker Donelson’s Board of Directors.

Ms. Klein has authored numerous published works. Her lecture schedule has included presentations in France, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Great Britain, Japan, Croatia, and Canada, but most extensively in the southeast United States. She is a member of the American Law Institute, and a mediator and arbitrator, frequently serving as a neutral as well as a client advocate.

 

Linda A. Klein notes,

It is an honor to celebrate the graduates of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School as they begin their careers. As lawyers, they will have the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on our society by helping bring access to justice to so many who need it.

 

Tickets are not required for entry. For information regarding parking or other ceremony or venue related topics, you may visit here and/or here. There will be a small reception immediately following the ceremony for the graduates and their guests, faculty, staff, and volunteers.

Lawyers for Equal Justice is Doing Big Things in the Legal Community

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Let’s start with the basics – What exactly is Lawyers for Equal Justice (L4EJ)? L4EJ is an incubator program that provides a springboard for recent law school graduates to start innovative, socially conscious, and sustainable law practices providing affordable legal services to low and moderate income clients. It seeks to identify talented, public-interest minded, and entrepreneurial lawyers who want to build innovative practices that “break the mold” to provide cost-effective services. L4EJ is not a law firm. Participants of the 18-month program are chosen through a competitive selection process that includes a personal statement and interview. L4EJ accepts a group of up to 10 participants every November and June, with up to 30 participants total in the program at any time. Participants benefit from a collaborative office environment; a case referral program; practical resources including law practice management technology; and top-notch training, mentoring and business coaching.

Lawyers for Equal Justice is a non-profit organization and a collaborative project of the Georgia Supreme Court, State Bar of Georgia, and the five ABA-approved law schools in Georgia – Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Emory University School of Law, Georgia State University College of Law, Mercer University School of Law, and University of Georgia School of Law.

Why the need for L4EJ when Georgia has a non-profit legal sector? There are over 1.69 million Georgia households in the low and moderate income brackets who do not qualify for free services and cannot afford legal help. It is estimated that 90% of these Georgians do not obtain legal help for issues where legal representation could significantly change the outcome and improve their lives significantly. Practices that are born out of the L4EJ collaboration bridge the gap by providing quality legal services that are accessible and affordable.

To provide more insight in to the L4EJ experience and the resources available to participants, please find personal accounts from two Atlanta’s John Marshall graduates and L4EJ members below.

David A. (D.A.) Wilson

I graduated Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in May of 2016. After sitting for the July 2016 Georgia Bar Exam, I moved to Boston where I enrolled in Boston University School of Law LL.M. in Taxation program. While at BU, I considered two career paths, (1) go the “Big Four” accounting firm route or (2) hang my own shingle.  Little did I know (or anticipate) that the U.S. Tax Code would be reformed and the Big Four accounting firms were waiting out the storm and not hiring as much. This forced me to consider starting my own practice a lot more seriously and in the Spring of 2017 I really ramped up my solo practitioner efforts. I was home in Atlanta attending a mandatory bar event when I bumped into a John Marshall alum, who was in the Lawyers For Equal Justice Program.  At the time, I had no idea what the program was about but I knew if I started my own practice I could use all the help I could get. I went on a tour and realized it was for me. The resources and office atmosphere were exactly what needed and looking for. I started Lawyers for Equal Justice and my own practice on June 5, 2017 and haven’t looked back. It hasn’t been easy but I absolutely love working myself, my office atmosphere, my work life balance, and doing pro bono work.  

JB Hilliard

Having spent 20+ years as an entrepreneur before law school, I knew long before I finished at AJMLS that I would eventually have my own law practice. Lawyers for Equal Justice allowed me the opportunity to step in to that role much sooner than I had planned. And I am so very grateful for this program. It’s not just the pro bono experience and office space on the renowned PEACHTREE STREET that are highlights of the program. But for me, the software resources and access to ongoing training were the selling points. I know how expensive it is to have all of the things in place to get a business off the ground. And what I’ve already received through L4EJ is worth more than the program fee!

The core law school curriculum teaches us the law and prepares us for the bar exam. But it does not teach us how to BE lawyers, and it certainly does not teach us how to run a business. The role of business owner is typically mastered by trial and error, by actually being in the trenches and just DOING it. L4EJ allows a safe environment for this learning process. And not only are we exposed to a wide range of opportunities to “practice” law (the pro bono prospects are endless), but there is also the unintentional networking that occurs. Not long ago, we had a great in-person training/presentation given by a veteran attorney, and it happened to be in one of my practice areas, Estate Planning. Just about a month or so later, I saw her at an event and we instantly connected without it being awkward or forced. Now she’s an informal mentor of mine!

My favorite part of L4EJ is the continuous collaboration among the program participants. It’s great to have someone nearby to bounce ideas off of, or to get ideas from, in such a cooperative, friendly and supportive environment!

It’s one thing to START a business, but it’s a whole other thing to STAY in business. I can’t really say enough about the program in this short article. However, I can say that if anyone wants to launch his or her own solo law practice, the support and resources that you can get from L4EJ are priceless. You already have the talent, but L4EJ adds the tools and training to keep you in this game!  The under-served communities need you, and you need L4EJ.

Lawyers for Equal Justice seats two classes a year in June and November. If you are interested in joining the November 2018 class, you are encouraged to reach out to Sarah Babcock, Executive Director, at Sarah@L4EJ.org.

AJMLS Welcomes 2018-2019 SBA Executive Board

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The student body of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) recently elected a new Student Bar Association (SBA) Executive Board.

The 2018-2019 officers are:

President: Genghis Shakhan
Vice President: Chelsea Wilkerson
Treasurer: Stephanie Dennis
Secretary: Natalie Foster
Parliamentarian: Dwight Harris

All enrolled students at AJMLS are automatically members of the SBA. The SBA is AJMLS’ student government and main student activities board. The SBA works to represent all student viewpoints to the administration and faculty. The SBA’s functions are many and varied, but can be divided into three general categories: academic, service, and social.

If you would like to learn how to get involved, contact any member of SBA in person or by e-mail at sba@johnmarshall.edu.

Professor Mears’ Article Selected for Cover of The Journal Jurisprudence

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Associate Professor Michael Mears’ article, “An American Tragedy: The Story of Johnny Lyn Old Chief,” has been selected as the cover article for The Journal Jurisprudence Easter Term 2018. The Journal Jurisprudence is an international law journal publication and issued four times per year. Each edition focuses on a key question of the legal discipline. Quarterly articles are curated based upon, among other things, accessibility to lay readers. The Journal focuses on bridging the gap between theory and practice and readability by a wide audience.*

Professor Mears is an active writer and is the author of numerous articles and books. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE). At Atlanta’s John Marshall, he teaches Evidence, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Ethics. He has enjoyed a long and illustrious career within and beyond the classroom.

Congratulations, Professor Mears! The article is an incredibly worthy read. You can purchase a copy of The Journal on Amazon here.

*Taken from The Journal Jurisprudence.

 

AJMLS Alumna Recognized as “Best Social Mediator” by the Daily Report

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumna, Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert, has been named “Best Social Mediator” by the Daily Report. The “Best Social Mediator” category of the Daily Report Professional Excellence awards is designed to honor an attorney with a social media account that educates and, responsibly, entertains lawyers about the practice and the community.* The Daily Report is the leading legal publication of metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia. It provides vigorously researched and purposefully presented news and intelligence that has wide-ranging implications for legal practice in the South.**

Gore-Cuthbert is a Class of 2012 graduate of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, where she was very active in the AJMLS community. She even served as President of the Student Bar Association her 3L year. Following graduation, she founded Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group. There she is committed to building a close working relationship with her clients to provide quality, compassionate, and efficient legal representation. Her areas of practice include: auto collisions; victims hit by drunk drivers; motorcycle collisions; trucking collisions; wrongful death; and slip and fall.

Congratulations on this distinguished honor, Jennifer! We look forward to watching your legal practice grow and continue to enrich the Atlanta community.

*Taken from the Daily Report.
**Taken from the Daily Report About Us.

AJMLS Co-Hosted 2018 Annual Youth & The Law Summit

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

On Saturday, April 28th, the Office of Experiential Learning at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, along with the Fulton County Juvenile Court, Gate City Bar Foundation, Inc., The King and Spalding African American Associates Affinity Group, and Child First, collectively hosted the 2018 Youth & The Law Summit. This year’s event was Surviving Trauma, The Effects of Trauma on Childhood Development and Urban Communities.

The event was specially designed to be accessible for all that could benefit from the educational material. It was free and open to the public. Included were breakout sessions for parents and teens and breakfast and lunch was provided to all attendees. Parking at the Law School was offered gratuitously and shuttles were provided from the Juvenile Court.

Special thanks go to out to AJMLS’ own Dr. Bridgett Ortega and Ms. Carolyn Roan for all that they did to make the event a success. The event was a tremendous accomplishment for both the Atlanta community and the Office of Experiential Learning. We look forward to next year’s event!

Reece Riden Named Outstanding Student of the Month for April

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The Office of Student Affairs and Pro Bono Programs recently presented the Outstanding Student Award for April to Maurice “Reece” Riden. Each month the Office of Student Affairs and Pro Bono Programs recognizes one Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) students who has excelled in the areas of distinguished service to others, citizenship, innovation, leadership, diversity advancement, and promotion of the John Marshall Proud spirit. The recipient serves as a source of pride and inspiration to others by giving unselfishly of themselves to enhance life on and off campus. In addition, these student leaders make AJMLS a better place for all of us.

Riden is a change agent, servant and leader. We have all seen Riden around campus wearing many hats and performing many roles, and he has been outstanding in his service to the law school and the community. He currently serves as a student ambassador and mentor in the Peer Mentoring Program and has been recognized for his work on and off campus. This year, he received the Phi Alpha Delta Vice Justice Award from the national chapter of Phi Alpha Delta and the 2018 Peer Mentor of the Year Award. Riden’s mentees in the Peer Mentoring Program speak very highly of him and his contributions to the school’s mentoring program. Not only does Riden coach and provide guidance and direction to his mentees, he also selflessly offers a helping hand, listening ear and words of encouragement to many other students on a regular basis. According to one upperclassman, he has taken many of our 1Ls and 2Ls under his wing who were not assigned to him through the mentoring program and has worked closely with these students to ensure their success. Riden is dedicated to being his best, helping others to be their best, and making a positive impact.

Riden’s civic mindedness and volunteerism extend beyond the walls of the law school and legal community. Through his membership with Phi Alpha Delta, he organized weekly visits to My Sister’s House of the Atlanta Mission. He also assisted with the GABWA Glitter Gala and is a mentor and role model for young men through his church’s youth group. He is a strong proponent for diversity initiatives and inclusion. Notably, Riden was one of the three top candidates for the Law School Admission Council Diversity Office’s summer program. And while he is excited for graduation, we will certainly miss him. Thank you, Reece, for all that you do for the AJMLS community. You are outstanding!

BLSA Named Outstanding Student Organization of Spring 2018

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) proudly awarded the Spring 2018 Outstanding Student Organization of the Semester Award to the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). This award recognizes student organizations that have excelled in leadership and made positive contributions to the student experience, the law school, and the surrounding community in a given semester. In addtion, BLSA deserves double kudos, as it was also awarded this honor in Fall 2017.

Included below are some of the events that BLSA sponsored this semester:

  • Black History Month Symposium;
  • Mental Health Seminar;
  • Black Panther Movie Night; and
  • 25 Year Anniversary Celebration.

Notably, BLSA raised in excess of $5000 for scholarship funds for the 25 Year Anniversary Celebration. In addition, BLSA spearheaded a month-long celebration for Black History Month, in which they recognized the accomplishments of prominent black figures on the JMTV community screens.

The Selection Committee thoughtfully reviewed each nomination. Although BLSA was ultimately selected for the award, the Committee was impressed with the accomplishments of all AJMLS student organizations. The Committee would also like to give honorable mentions to the Corporate and Business Law Society and the Solo Practitioners’ Law Society.

Congratulations, BLSA, on being chosen as the Spring 2018 Outstanding Student Organization! We cannot wait to see all the good you continue to do in the AJMLS community.

Michelle Jackson Joins AJMLS as Director of Financial Aid

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Michelle Jackson has rejoined the Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) staff as the Director of Financial Aid. AJMLS is committed to assisting students in financing their legal education through a comprehensive financial aid program. The primary purpose of the Financial Aid Office is to provide students with the resources that will financially enable them through their journey as law students.

Ms. Jackson earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Grambling State University and her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She rejoins AJMLS with a plethora of experience as she has served in various financial aid roles since 1994. Additionally, from 2012 to 2015, Ms. Jackson served as a Financial Aid Counselor before being promoted to the role of Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Atlanta’s John Marshall.

A move to Texas took Ms. Jackson away from AJMLS, but in her own words, “I came back because I loved working here and my heart is in Atlanta.” Ms. Jackson also notes that she has a genuine desire to help students. Welcome back, Ms. Jackson! AJMLS and the Financial Aid Office are thrilled to have you serve in this capacity.

Ms. Jackson can be reached by email at mjackson@johnmarshall.edu. Additionally, her office is located on the 7th Floor of the Law School.

AJMLS Alumnus, Erik Provitt, Selected as a Georgia Housing Corps Fellow

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Class of 2016 Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumnus, Erik Provitt, has been selected as a Georgia Housing Corps Fellow (GHC). GHC is a new Fellowship program designed to address the barriers to housing stability in rural and urban communities in Georgia. GHC is being launched by Equal Justice Works. Equal Justice Works is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization committed to mobilizing the next generation of public interest attorneys.*

Founded by law students in 1986, Equal Justice Works is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. To this end, Equal Justice Works creates opportunities for law students and lawyers that provide the training and skills that enable them to provide effective representation to underserved communities and causes. The Equal Justice Works Fellowships programs fund hundreds of public interest attorneys each year to close the justice gap on issues such as foreclosure, community economic development, immigration, civil rights, homelessness, access to healthcare, and domestic violence.

Erik is a staff attorney with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF)’s Standing with Our Neighbors Program. The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation was created in 1979 through the joint efforts of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, the Atlanta Bar Association, the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers, and the Gate City Bar Association. AVLF is the largest provider of pro bono legal services in Greater Atlanta.*** At AVLF, Erik specifically focuses on housing issues in neighborhoods on Atlanta’s Westside.

Sponsored by the Georgia Bar Foundation, eleven Fellows and seven community advocates have been selected to join Georgia Housing Corps. GHC will provide a combination of services including client representation on housing and housing-related issues, community outreach and education to community members and property owners, and advocacy to remove systemic barriers to housing at the local and statewide levels.

Congratulations on your selection, Erik! The AJMLS community is proud of the work that you are doing right here in Atlanta. We look forward to continuing to watch your career thrive.

*Taken from PR Newswire.
**Taken from Equal Justice Works.
***Taken from Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.

There’s a new LSAT being administered in July – here’s why it’s not the same as the June test

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The June LSAT has long been regarded as the last test that could be considered for a fall applicant and the new July exam does not change that.

From an admissions standpoint, the June test allows just enough time to thoughtfully process and render a decision for fall entry. Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School encourages June LSAT takers to submit an application as soon as possible and indicate a future LSAT registration. Doing this allows the application to be evaluated immediately upon receipt of the June score, applications are evaluated in the order they were received.

The new July test, albeit administered prior to the start of the fall semester, releases its test scores 3 days after the start of the fall semester and 1 day prior to the add/drop deadline (2018). This timeline does not allow a fall application decision.

The July test is a great option for applicants interested in spring enrollment. Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School seats a spring class. Students who start in the spring, may graduate this accelerated program in 2.5 years. The accelerated J.D. program at Atlanta’s John Marshall is offered yearly, but only in the spring. Similar to the June LSAT being the last exam evaluated for a fall application, the December LSAT is the last exam that may be evaluated for a spring application.

2018 Dates to consider

May 1, 2018 – Registration receipt deadline for June 2018 LSAT (Fall 2018 entry)
June 11, 2018 – June LSAT
June 13, 2018 – Registration receipt deadline for July 2018 LSAT (Spring 2019 entry)
July 6, 2018 – Score release date by email for June 2018 LSAT
July 23, 2018 – July LSAT
August 13, 2018 – First day of classes at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
August 16, 2018 – Score release date by email for July 2018 LSAT
August 17, 2018 – Last day to add/drop classes at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School

Four AJMLS Professors Secure Highest Rating Allowed by Martindale Hubbell

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Four Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) professors have been given the highest rating allowed by Martindale-Hubbell for 2018. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings allow attorneys to complete anonymous peer reviews where they rate fellow lawyers on a 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) scale in five categories: Legal Knowledge, Analytical Capabilities, Judgment, Communication Ability and Legal Experience. Attorneys also answer whether or not they believe the lawyer they are reviewing has very high ethical standards.*

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings are acknowledged as the gold standard in attorney ratings and have recognized lawyers for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards for more than a century. Peer review ratings deliver a comprehensive view of a lawyer’s legal abilities and service and benefit the entire legal community.*

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Professors Mears, Goins, Kessler, and Murphy have each secured an impressive 5.0/5.0 rating. AJMLS is proud of our professors for their accomplishments inside and outside of the classroom, and we are always thrilled when our professors are commended by their peers in the legal community. Please be sure to express your congratulations when you see the recipient professors around campus!

*Taken from Martindale.com

BLSA Excelled at Southern Regional Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) recently sent two teams to the Southern Regional Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition (SRBLSA) in Birmingham, Alabama. The first team consisted of Chelsea Wilkerson (Class of 2019) and Genghis X. Shakhan (Class of 2019) and the second team consisted of Natalie Foster (Class of 2019) and JoVanne Stewart (Class of 2019).

AJMLS is pleased to announce that both teams made a great showing at the SRBLSA Convention and represented the Law School admirably. Wilkerson was commended by multiple judges for being “unshakable” and for her ability to command their attention. Shakhan was told he ‘belonged in a courtroom’ by the National Moot Court Advisor and received positive feedback for his ability to handle difficult questions from the bench with ease.

After defeating teams from Emory University, the University of Alabama, and the University of North Carolina, Foster and Stewart placed first in the competition. They impressed the judges with their superior oral and written advocacy skills and their thoughtful responses to difficult questions. They will advance to participate in the National Competition scheduled to take place in Brooklyn, New York.

Please congratulate all of our competitors for their outstanding performance! Please also wish the members of the team luck as they prepare for the national competition.

AJMLS Student, Crystal Fenn, Secures Gate City Bar Association Scholarship

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) 3L student, Crystal Fenn, recently secured one of the four Gate City Bar Association 2017 Scholarships following an application and essay process. Fenn learned of the scholarship opportunity from the AJMLS Office of Student Affairs and Pro Bono Programs and the Black Law Students Association (BLSA).

Fenn is set to graduate from AJMLS later this month. Her post-graduation goals are to pass the February 2018 Bar Examination and secure a position practicing Estate Planning and Civil Rights litigation. During her three years at AJMLS, Crystal was active on campus and dedicated to her studies. Her favorite courses were Race and Law, taught by Professor Alphran (pictured with Fenn), and Constitutional Law. She also served as the Marketing Manager for the National Lawyers Guild.

The Gate City Bar Association was founded in 1948 and is the oldest African-American bar association in the state of Georgia. It was established to provide the educational, social and community involvement of a professional association for African-American lawyers. Part of our mission is to encourage persons of outstanding promise to attend first-rate law schools and return to the communities that need their services most.*

Congratulations on this honor, Crystal! We wish you all the best following graduation. The AJMLS community looks forward to your continued success.

*From the Gate City Bar Association website.

Congratulations to the First Annual Pro Bono Challenge Award Recipients

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School is proud to announce the First Annual Pro Bono Challenge award recipients. These awards recognize the student, faculty member and faculty-student team who earned the most pro bono credits during the two-week challenge. Please be sure to congratulate these students and faculty members when you see them on campus!

Faculty Award Recipient
Professor Kathleen Burch

Student Award Recipient
Kimberly Rojik

Faculty-Student Team Recipients
Professor Kathleen Burch
Professor Michael Mears
Myeedah Leslie-Green
Lana Joseph
Fredis Romero
Mandira Sethi

Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Named The Outstanding Student Organization Of Fall 2017

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School proudly awarded the Fall 2017 Outstanding Student Organization of the Semester Award to the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). This award recognizes student organizations that have excelled in leadership and made positive contributions to the student experience, the law school, and the surrounding community in a given semester. Included below are some of the events that BLSA sponsored this semester:

  • Throwback Thursday Event;
  • Professional Workshop Event;
  • Morris, Manning and Martin Attorney Dinner;
  • Atlanta Community Food Bank Community Service;
  • BLSA Children’s Book Drive;
  • Locking Up Our Own, James Forman, Jr. Speaker Event;
  • Marshall Movie Event.

Congratulations, BLSA, on being chosen as the Fall 2017 Outstanding Student Organization! We cannot wait to see all the good you continue to do in the AJMLS community.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Faculty Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

In 2017, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is fortunate to celebrate major milestone faculty anniversaries for six professors. Professor Michael Lynch is celebrating 20 years with AJMLS while Professors Dalton, Jeffries, McMillian, Mears, and Rapping are all celebrating 10 years with the Law School.

AJMLS is built on the principle that the Law School is dedicated to preparing highly skilled, ethical, and professional lawyers who possess a strong social conscience. The seasoned professors celebrating milestone anniversaries this year live that mission everyday. Each is an irreplaceable member of our Law School and an invaluable member of the legal community.

Please learn a bit more about each professor below. When you see these professors on campus, you are encouraged to offer your thanks and congratulations. Our community is truly built on the commitment they’ve shown to building great lawyers out of law students.

Kari Dalton

Favorite thing about teaching at AJMLS? I enjoy watching my students grow.
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? To watch my kids play sports.
Best piece of advice to aspiring attorneys? Always practice the craft of writing. “When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into it.”

 

 

 

 

Browning Jeffries

What brought you to teaching at AJMLS? I had always thought that I would love teaching, but I did not know if teaching at a law school would be the right fit. When I found out about the opportunity at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, I did some research on the school. I was drawn to the law school’s mission and its focus on preparing practice-ready lawyers. When I graduated from law school, I felt anything but “practice ready,” so I was really excited to be a part of an institution where that was an important goal.
Favorite AJMLS memory? There are certainly too many to recount.
What’s something your students wouldn’t know about you? When I was a kid, I tried out to be in one of the RoboCop movies. In the audition, you had to cry on command, which I learned is not a strength of mine. I didn’t get the part and thus ended my acting career.
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? I love running, walking, or biking on the Beltline.
Best piece of advice to aspiring attorneys?  There is a quote that I believe is from Thomas Edison that I think is very applicable to young lawyers: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

 

Michael Lynch

What brought you to teaching at AJMLS? I had taught at other schools but always wanted to return to Atlanta.
Favorite AJMLS memory? Lunches with John Ryan, John Thames, and Prof. D’Agostino at Rolling Bones.
What’s something your students wouldn’t know about you? When I graduated from law school I bought a new Volkswagen Beetle. A year later I sold it and bought a one year old Porsche. Since then I have never bought a new car. (the Porsche cost $3,000.)
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? Listen to music played live.
Best piece of advice to aspiring attorneys? Do 3,000 practice multiple choice questions before the bar exam.
Final thought? Read Thomas Sowell, Intellectuals and Society.

 

Lance McMillian

What brought you to teaching at AJMLS? Former Atlanta’s John Marshall Dean, Richardson Lynn.
Favorite AJMLS memory? When I awoke one morning to learn that Judge Richard Posner had cited one of my law review articles.
What’s something your students wouldn’t know about you? I’ve written two screenplays that are now in, umm, “pre-production.”
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? Getting out of the city.
Final thought? “Now is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” — Winston Churchill

 

 

Michael Mears

What brought you to teaching at AJMLS? Former Atlanta’s John Marshall Dean, Richardson Lynn, asked me to apply after he learned of my retirement as Director of the State of Georgia Public Defender Standards Council.
Favorite AJMLS memory? Every day that I am a member of this great faculty.
What’s something your students wouldn’t know about you? I participated in the semi-finals of the Little League World Series as a member of the Little League All Star Team from Caruthersville, Missouri.
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? Going out to dinner at a new restaurant with my wife, Coile Estes.
Best piece of advice to aspiring attorneys? Guard your integrity as if it belongs in Fort Knox. Once you lose your integrity as a lawyer, you have lost all that there is to lose.
Final thought? As lawyers, I would like for everyone to remember this quote – “Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.”

 

Jonathan Rapping

What brought you to teaching at AJMLS? In my work with criminal justice reform nationally I came to appreciate that our legal system leaves far too many people without a lawyer who is dedicated to giving them access to justice. As a law professor I have the opportunity to inspire future lawyers to help close this justice gap. I believe the diversity in our students’ backgrounds and experiences make them well suited to understand the challenges that face communities in need and to therefore help address them.
Favorite AJMLS memory? Graduation of the Inaugural Honors Program in Criminal Justice Class. I had worked with that group intensively for three years.
What’s something your students wouldn’t know about you? I worked for the Federal reserve Board after college and got a Masters in Public Affairs with an Economics concentration before committing to law school.
Favorite thing to do on the weekend/in Atlanta? Watch my children play any number of sports around town.
Best piece of advice to aspiring attorneys? Find your passion and pursue a career in the law that allows you to act on it. One of my favorite quotes is “every day you write your epitaph.” Do not waste a day doing something you are not passionate about!

 

The AJMLS community would also like to honor Professor D’Agostino (23 years), Professor Van Detta (18 years), Professor Burch (14 years), Professor de Haven (14 years), Professor Apolinsky (13 years), Dean Harrison-Mercer (13 years), Professor Tripp (12 years), and Professor Jaffe (11 years). Professors, our sincerest thank you for the wisdom you’ve shared with the AJMLS community throughout your years on our faculty. We can’t wait to celebrate your next milestones together!

AJMLS Participates in 2017 RED Flag Football Tournament

Posted on by Amber O'Connor
On Saturday, November 4th, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) will be participating in the RED (Rehabilitation Enables Dreams) Flag Football Tournament. The event will take place at Kennesaw State University’s Fifth Third Bank Stadium from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. This year’s team includes AJMLS alumni and our Director of Admissions, Rebecca Milter. A video highlighting the 2016 tournament can be located here.
AJMLS alumnus, David Lee Windecher, founded RED Inc. in March of 2015. Windecher is a criminal defense attorney licensed to practice law in Georgia and Florida. Prior to being sworn into the Georgia and Florida Bar, Windecher was an impoverished minority who was arrested 13 times and spent over 7-months incarcerated. He dropped out of high school and joined a criminal street gang in an attempt to overcome a poverty stricken life. Windecher began his path to rehabilitation when he received his GED in March of 1998 and took his first academic step toward becoming a dual-licensed practitioner. Windecher understands the empowering effects of obtaining an education in order to facilitate upward social mobility. The team at RED engineers rehabilitation programs for pre and post adjudication first-time, nonviolent, youthful offenders. RED rehabilitative programs enhance the employment potential of individuals with a criminal record while emphasizing the safekeeping of our communities. RED’s mission is to increase literacy, reduce poverty and stop recidivism amongst America’s youthful offenders. To accomplish this mission, RED provides courthouses with research driven rehabilitative programs which augment an individual’s ability to remain out of the criminal justice system.*

To learn even more about this worthwhile cause you are encouraged to check out the website and Facebook event page. Also, please consider donating to our AJMLS team. Best of luck on Saturday!

*Taken from the RED Flag Football website.

AJMLS Professors Participate in 24th Annual U.S. Supreme Court Update

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s Professor Kathleen Burch served as the Program Chair for the 24th Annual United States Supreme Court Update seminar held at the State Bar of Georgia. She gave the welcome and program overview and served as the presiding moderator.

Additionally, Professors Judith Barger and Michael Mears were also presenters at the seminar. Professor Barger participated in the presentation, Short A Justice: The Supreme Court’s Per Curiam Decisions. The program covered a wide range of topics and centered on the Court’s issuance of several important per curiam decisions ranging from the Muslim ban, to the rights of same-sex parents, to law enforcement liability in cross-border shootings, to standards for juvenile’s sentenced to death or life without parole. While, Professor Mears participated in and served as the moderator for the Criminal law Update which was a survey of the criminal law cases decided by the Court last term. He also spoke regarding per curium supreme court criminal case opinions.

Thank you for your participation in this great seminar and your continued contributions to the legal community in Georgia, Professors. The program, which includes 6 CLE hours, including 1 Trial Practice hour, is available via web stream to those who weren’t able to attend in person. Please use this link to access and register.

AJMLS Sends Two Student Rapporteurs to Major International Arbitration Conference

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

For the second consecutive year, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) has been invited to send well-accomplished students from Professor Van Detta’s summer Online International Business Transactions course to a major international arbitration conference in Atlanta. The conference, the 6th Annual Conference – International Business Disputes in an Era of Receding Globalism, is hosted by AtlAS, the Atlanta International Arbitration Society. The conference will take place on October 22nd and 23rd at the OMNI Atlanta Hotel. At the conference, the students will act as rapporteurs, whose job it is to take detailed notes of each panel session, write up a professional summary of that session, and get that summary ready for publication.

Typically, schools send only one student rapporteur, but AJMLS was privileged to send three in 2016, Sadia Ali, Michael Wynter, and Sharon Payne (AJMLS ’16). This year AJMLS has been invited to send two student rapporteurs, Ivrol Hines and Hassan Kouyate, both of whom excelled in Professor Van Detta’s Contracts I and II and Online International Business Transactions course. AtlAS seeks student rapporteurs that have both an interest in global business and arbitration and good comprehension and writing ability. The conference presents a unique and valuable opportunity for accomplished AJMLS students to meet global arbitration practitioners. Joyce Klemmer, Esq., at Partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, is a member of the Board of AtlAS which organizes the conference, advises that this presents “a valuable opportunity for students, a productive tie between AtlAS and the law schools, and results in a useful set of materials for lawyer and academics around the world who are interested in international commercial arbitration, whether they attended the conference or not.”

Many congratulations to Professor Van Detta, Ivrol, and Hassan. We wish our student rapporteurs our best at the upcoming conference and we thank Professor Van Detta for his continued commitment to the AJMLS students and community.

Lisanne Edelman, Class of 2017

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The Criminal Justice Honors Program allowed me to follow my passion while being taught by faculty that not only has decades of experience in the field, but also helped me thrive and reach my goals. I graduated from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School with the utmost confidence that I can succeed, and the feeling that I will always have mentors I can turn to.

AJMLS Alumna Sworn in as a State Court Judge

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumna Margaret Spencer was recently sworn in as a judge in the State Court of the Clayton Judicial Circuit. The State Court is composed of five Judges, all of which are elected by the citizens of Clayton County and serve four year terms. Prior to Spencer’s judgeship, she served as the Senior Assistant Solicitor within the Clayton County Solicitor General’s Office.

Spencer spent her first few years out of college as a probation officer before enrolling at AJMLS with the goal of becoming a prosecutor following graduation. She reports that when she made the decision to begin her legal education at AJMLS, it was her 10-year plan to become a judge. Eleven years later, she was sworn in by Governor Nathan Deal to preside within the State Court. “She is looking forward to the opportunity to take the next step in her service to Clayton County and its citizens.”*

What an amazing testimony to setting goals, working hard, and following your dreams. AJMLS is so grateful that we were a part of your story and a stepping stone to this prestigious new position. Congratulations, Judge Spencer! This is a great honor following an impressive career thus far. We know you’ll continue to do admirable work from the bench!

*Taken from the Clayton News-Daily.com.

Welcome New Faculty and Staff Members!

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

A very warm welcome to the new members of the Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) faculty and staff! Each joins the AJMLS community with a stellar background and a plethora of experience within the legal community.

Paul Wilson and B. Taylor Bartlett join the Career Development office. Debbi Cohen and Dione Duckett join the Office of Academic Achievement. Steve Teske joins the faculty as an Adjunct Professor. Finally, Mary Ellen Conner and Heather Ryfa join the faculty as Academic Professionals. This semester Professor Teske will be teaching Juvenile Law while both Professor Conner and Professor Ryfa will be teaching Legal Communication & Process.

Please join us in making each feel welcome. We can’t wait to see what great ways they enhance AJMLS!

Professor Michael Mears Named Chairperson for the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) Professor B. Michael Mears has been named Chairperson for the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education for a two year term. This is a great honor for Professor Mears as he has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for over four years and was recently elected by his fellow trustees to serve as the Chairperson of the Board.

The Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education is a not-for-profit educational service of of the State Bar of Georgia and is responsible for providing continuing legal education for all lawyers in the State of Georgia. The Institute is a consortium of the Bar and the Law Schools of the Universities of Georgia, Emory, Mercer, Georgia State, and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.

The Institute provides over 300 seminars, webinars, and video seminars to the members of the State Bar of Georgia each year. The Supreme Court of Georgia requires that every active member of the State Bar successfully complete at least 12 hours of legal education in order to maintain their license to practice law. The twelve trustees of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education are charged with the responsibility of developing programs and instituting policies with will provide legal education for members of the State Bar of  Georgia.

This is an exciting time for the Institute as it makes the transition from an independent organization in Athens, Georgia to become a part of the State Bar of Georgia. The new offices of the Institute are being relocated to the State Bar building in downtown Atlanta. Professor Mears stated that this new position “clearly shows that Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School is very active in not only preparing new lawyers but in continuing to provide educational opportunities for lawyers after they have  passed the bar and are in practice.” We could not agree more, Professor Mears. The AJMLS community is proud of your accomplishments. We know you will wear this new responsibility well and bring great things to the Institute and the Georgia legal community.

AJMLS Alumnus Featured in Forbes

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumnus, Brandon E. Campbell, has been recently featured in Forbes. The article, Meet The 29-Year-Old Attorney On A Mission To Redefine Global Citizenship, was digitally published in Forbes Entrepreneurs Under 30.

The article is a worthy read that describes Campbell’s background, education, and early career that propelled him to apply and be accepted in to the Remote Year program. Remote Year brings together inspiring communities of 50-80 freelancers, entrepreneurs, and professionals for a year-long journey to work, travel, and live in 12 different cities throughout the world.* Campbell had the forward-thinking vision to turn his truly unique yearlong international journey, entitled “Extended Family,” in to an experiment that he is readily sharing with those following along on social media. The photographs and videos he is sharing depict the people and experiences he is having along the way.

Campbell self-describes this journey as one that” promotes intercultural exchange and empathy in an effort to uncover what unites us all.”* Additional information about Campbell’s journey can be found on Blavity and The Huffington Post. Congratulations on all that you have accomplished in your career thus far, Brandon, and all that you are set to accomplish in the future. We cannot wait to continue watching this journey unfold!

*From Remote Year.

*From The Huffington Post.

Announcing the Loss of Our Dear Friend, Hayward McBride

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

hmcbride-armyAtlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is saddened to announce the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Hayward McBride. Hayward was the Law School’s Network Administrator, and a key player on our Information Technology team. Known for his sense of humor and infectious smile, the AJMLS family feels lucky to have met Hayward in 2011. Our hearts are with his family and community.

Hayward served from 1969-1971 in the United States Army. He was in the 1st Signal Brigade/Regional Communications Group in Vietnam. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. After his service, Hayward earned his Bachelors in Business Administration at Alabama State University.

Hayward is survived by his two children and granddaughter.

One of Hayward’s favorite quotes was,

Life is not measured by its length, but by its depth.

Services to be held on July 1, 2017, 11:00 a.m.
Blue Print Church
475 Boulevard NE
Atlanta, GA 30308

National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Named the Outstanding Student Organization of Spring 2017

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School proudly awarded the Spring 2017 Outstanding Student Organization of the Semester Award to National Lawyers Guild (NLG). This award recognizes student organizations that have excelled in leadership and made positive contributions to the student experience, the law school, and the surrounding community in a given semester. Included below are some of the events that NLG sponsored this semester:

  • Legal Observer Training;
  • Landlord Tenant Training;
  • How to Start and Run a Solo Civil Rights Practice (panel discussion);
  • World Day of Social Justice;
  • Know Your Rights Immigration Training;
  • Soul Food Day;
  • Cultural Spotlight Series (co-sponsored with the Latin American Law Student Association);
  • Viewing of the Documentary “13th” (co-sponsored with the Criminal Law Society and the American Constitutional Society); and
  • Celebrating LGBTQ Pride- LIPS ATL.

Congratulations, NLG, on being chosen as the Spring 2017 Outstanding Student Organization!

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Welcomes Georgia Supreme Court Justice as 2017 Commencement Speaker

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is pleased to announce Mr. Keith Blackwell, Georgia Supreme Court Justice, as the Law School’s 2017 commencement speaker. Commencement exercises are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on May 20, 2017 at the Cobb Galleria Centre – Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30339.

Dean Malcolm L. Morris notes,

The Law School has the distinct pleasure of welcoming Justice Keith Blackwell as the commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony. He has served Georgia from the bench since 2010 and has had an illustrious career since his own graduation in 1999. We look forward to hearing his message to the lawyers of tomorrow.

About Mr. Keith Blackwell

Justice Blackwell was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia in 2012. He currently serves as a liaison to the State Bar of Georgia and the Office of Bar Admissions and Board of Bar Examiners. Additionally, he serves as chair of the Commission on Interpreters, as a member of the Commission on Dispute Resolution, and as a liaison to the Strategic Planning Committee of the Judicial Council of Georgia.

Prior to being appointed to the bench at the Georgia Supreme Court, he served as a judge of the Court of Appeals of Georgia. He graduated as valedictorian from Cherokee High School and summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Political Science. He then attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served as senior editor of the Georgia Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif, and went on to graduate summa cum laude.

Additional 2017 AJMLS Commencement Information

Tickets are not required for entry. For information regarding parking or other ceremony or venue related topics, you may visit https://www.johnmarshall.edu/graduation/ and/or https://cobbgalleria.com/. There will be a small reception immediately following the ceremony for the graduates and their guests, faculty, staff, and volunteers.
To join the commencement conversation on Twitter and Instagram, follow the hashtag #AJMLSGrads.

AJMLS Ranks in Top 15 Law Schools by Female J.D. Enrollment

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School ranks in the top 15 law schools by female J.D. enrollment according to Enjuris. Enjuris is a collection of resources designed to assist people following an accident or injury. The website includes free downloadable guides, resource forums to ask questions, and searchable directories to find an attorney.

The article states that 2016 was the first year the number of female students surpassed male students at U.S. law schools. Within the state of Georgia, males continue to represent the majority in the entering law school classes. However, Atlanta’s John Marshall provides the exception with a higher enrollment of female law students. Our 2016 class was built with a 62.7% female population. We are very proud of this fact!

Atlanta’s John Marshall is proud of the current female students and of the alumnae that have matriculated our campus as they are both hard working law students and respected members and leaders within the legal community. Male or female, we are all John Marshall Proud.

A Tribute to Professor Willie J. Lovett, Jr.

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Do Good Anyway- A Lesson from Professor Willie J. Lovett, Jr. 

March 22, 1965 – January 30, 2017

By: Judge Renata D. Turner

Judge. Professor. Mentor. Leader. Friend. These are just a few of the titles proudly worn by our beloved Professor Willie Jake Lovett, Jr. I am most honored to have called him a friend first. We worked together during our nascent years as lawyers at the City of Atlanta’s Law Department. Since that time our professional and personal paths crossed and merged eventually at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and finally at the Fulton County Juvenile Court. I can still picture his smile and bow tie as he stood in my law school office doorway. He dropped by after an event and asked what he needed to do to become an adjunct. Once he began teaching, he fell in love with it. What he loved most was mentoring students- helping them to get their footing as young lawyers and opening as many doors for them as he could. We often spoke of the talent and dedication of AJMLS students and his desire to give back, recognizing the blessings that were given to him throughout his life.

Judge Lovett was raised by his grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. He graduated from Beach High School with the highest GPA of all the high school students in Chatham County. He graduated cum laude with Distinction from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard School of Law. He later earned his Master of Laws in Litigation from Emory Law School. He clerked for the Honorable Joseph W. Hatchett, former chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta’s Law Department, and worked as an associate at Moors, Manning & Martin, LLP, Ford & Harrison, LLP, and Troutman Sanders, LLP. For ten years, he served as the Deputy County Attorney for the Fulton of County Office of the County Attorney. He then served as the Director of the Fulton County Office of Child Attorney from 2009 to 2013. He was appointed as a Presiding Judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit in May 2013. He was affectionately known to the children in his court as the “bow tie Judge.” On the bench, Judge Lovett was known for his compassion and care for the children and families appearing before him. Off the bench, he was lauded for his dedication to improving juvenile justice. As examples, he was the lead judge for the Dually Involved Youth Initiative and served as a member for the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC).

The list of Judge Lovett’s accomplishments, honors, professional positons, and positons of service is long but now finite. The impact that he left behind to the legal community and those of us who knew and loved him, however,  is infinite. Many of us question why his life ended so abruptly when he still had so much to give to a world desperate for his type of leadership. I like to believe that too much compassion and dedication to improving the world was concentrated in the man called Willie Lovett. Now it’s dispersed to those of us also striving to serve and improve the world around us. When doing such noble and often thankless work seems too hard, Judge Professor Mentor Leader Friend Willie Jake Lovett, Jr. gave us the inspiration to keep moving forward through the words of his favorite poem that he often tearfully recited:

 

ANYWAY

                People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do well anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

 

                                                Mother Teresa

 

Rest in peace with your God my friend.

 

Judge Renata D. Turner

Thabo Sefolosha to make substantial donation to Gideon’s Promise

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The Atlanta Hawks recently released a statement from player Thabo Sefolosha in which he stated his intention to make a substantial donation to Gideon’s Promise. AJMLS Professor Jonathan Rapping is the President and Founder of Gideon’s Promise. Gideon’s Promise was formed on the mission to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities.* The organization provides invaluable training and mentorship to public defenders.

Mr. Sefolosha received a $4 million settlement from the New York Police Department in conjunction with a federal lawsuit the Atlanta Hawks forward filed following his April 2015 arrest. During his arrest, Mr. Sefolosha suffered a broken fibula and ligament damage and was forced to sit out the remainder of the NBA regular season — as well as the Hawks’ playoff run to the Eastern Conference finals.*

Gideon’s Promise appreciates the support from the community, including this generous donation from Mr. Sefolosha!

*Taken from the Gideon’s Promise website.

*Taken from the New York Post.

Professor Rapping Quoted in The New York Times

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Professor Rapping was recently quoted in the SundayReview, an Op-Ed in The New York Times. The article, Justice Springs Eternal, explores the current state of the American prison system. In recent years the prison population numbers have been on the decline. The article examines how that decline may be affected by President Trump and a new climate in Washington.

The article’s solution to continuing on the “decarceration” movement is activism on the part of those involved and impassioned by prison reform. In the article, Professor Rapping is quoted stating, “Eighty percent of the people charged with crimes in this country can’t afford a defense attorney. . . Until we invest in public defenders, our system cannot and will not change.”

Professor Rapping is a 2014 MacArthur Genius Fellow. At AJMLS, he teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, advanced criminal procedure, and criminal justice lawyering. Prior to joining the faculty at AJMLS,  Professor Rapping served as the Training Chief for the Orleans Public Defender and in the Public Defenders offices of Georgia and Washington, D.C., developing and implementing public defender training programs, and handling a caseload of serious felonies. Professor Rapping currently directs Gideon’s Promise. Gideon’s Promise is built on a mission to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities.*

Thank you for your continued contributions to both AJMLS and the legal community, Professor Rapping.

*Taken from Gideon’s Promise.

AJMLS Professor, Michael Mears, Quoted in April’s Atlanta Magazine

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

AJMLS Associate Professor, Michael Mears, was recently quoted several times in the April edition of Atlanta Magazine. The article, Why did Georgia execute more prisoners in 2016 than any other state?, centered on the nine convicted murderers put to death in Georgia in 2016, more than any other state. This is the highest number of executions in Georgia in a calendar year since 1957.*

Professor Mears has been on the faculty at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) since 2007. He teaches evidence, advanced evidence, criminal law, criminal procedure, and criminal law ethics. In 2003 Professor Mears was selected to be the founding Director of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council after serving for over ten years as the Director of the Multi-County County Public Defender Office, a state-wide death penalty public defender service funded by the State of Georgia. Professor Mears’ background makes him uniquely qualified to comment on the issue at hand in the Atlanta Magazine article.

The article is a worthy read and can be found here. Thank you for your continued contributions to the legal community, Professor Mears. We appreciate all of your efforts!

*Taken from Atlanta Magazine.

AJMLS Alumna, Holly Waltman, Accepts AIOCLA 2017 10 Best Attorney Award

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The American Institute of Legal Counsel (“AIOCLA”) recently named 2012 AJMLS alumna, Holly Waltman, with the prestigious 10 Best Attorney Award. AIOCLA is an impartial third-party attorney rating organization comprised of 13 divisions. AIOCLA recognizes excellence of fellow practitioners in the field.*

During law school, Ms. Waltman earned internships practicing both criminal defense and prosecution. At graduation, she was recognized with The Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears award for highest overall pro bono hours. After graduation, Ms. Waltman worked as a public defender in the State Court of Henry County. She is a graduate of The Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Attorney’s-Bill Daniels Trial Advocacy Program, where she was trained by 25 of the nations top trial attorneys. Currently, she is a Partner at The Law Ladies, an Atlanta based firm specializing in criminal defense and personal injury.

Ms. Waltman will be serving as the guest speaker for the Alpha Phi Sigma induction ceremony at Kennesaw State University on Friday, April 14th at 6:00 p.m. Members of Alpha Phi Sigma at Kennesaw State University are at the top of their class in criminal justice.

Congratulations on your accomplishments, Holly! We can’t wait to see where your success takes you from here.

*Taken from the AIOCLA website.

AJMLS Alumnus Elected to Spalding County State Court

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) graduate and 2001 alumnus, Honorable Josh W. Thacker, was elected last June to serve as a State Court Judge in Spalding County, Georgia. He assumed office on January 1, 2017. Judge Thacker credits an externship that he held in the Spalding County District Attorney’s office, while he was a student at Atlanta’s John Marshall, as launching his career. Following graduation from AJMLS, he served as an Assistant District Attorney before transitioning to practicing criminal defense and ultimately to serving as a State Court Judge today. He tried hundreds of cases before he took office at the beginning of this year.

Only a few shorts weeks in to his tenure on the bench, he ruled the social media sharing platform, Snapchat, immune from distracted driver claims. An attorney for Snapchat told The Associated Press in an emailed statement that the “the judge’s ruling in this case is precedent setting for the entire mobile app and product industry.”*

Many congratulations on your accomplishments thus far, Judge Thacker! We will continue to enjoy watching your career successes.

*Taken from the Daily Report.

CLEO and AJMLS recently presented Road to Law School, a prelaw seminar

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

In conjunction with The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (“CLEO”), Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) recently presented Road to Law School, a prelaw seminar. CLEO is a national organization that was founded in 1968 to expand opportunities for minority and low-income students to attend law school.* The Road To Law School seminar aims to provide Freshmen an overview of the key components of the law school application process.*

The event featured a variety of seminars aimed to assist those in attendance with preparing for law school. Seminar topics included Practical Law: Practicing Law in the “Real World;” a Mock Law Class; How to Get the Most Out of Your Undergraduate Experience; a Mock Admissions Committee; a Reading/Writing Workshop; and an Introduction to Logical Reasoning & Critical Thinking. Attendees were also invited to have lunch with CLEO Alumni, Associates & Fellows. Additionally, the event boasted presenters with impressive legal backgrounds and careers. The event was meant to inspire those with goals of attending law school while also providing tangible assistance with navigating the path to acceptance and success.

AJMLS was thrilled to partner with CLEO to make this event a success. Our hope is that the eager legal minds in attendance continue on the path that leads them to law school. For more information on CLEO’s mission and future events please click here.

*From the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. website.

28 5

AJMLS Alumna, Sheronn Harris, Co-Authors Bill

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) alumna and Georgia Women’s Policy Institute Fellow, Sheronn Harris, recently co-authored a bill with a local judge and fellow member of the legal community. Ms. Harris is a Georgia attorney and the owner of The Harris Firm, P.C. The Georgia Women’s Policy Institute is the signature advocacy program of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta.

Harris co-authored the bill last December. Protocol dictates that proposed bills go through the General Assembly attorneys office to rewrite in their format and vet for constitutionality. Two somewhat similar versions of the bill co-written by Harris emerged in the Georgia House and Georgia Senate. Additionally, Harris was able to testify before the Georgia Senate Finance Committee on one of the versions of the tax reform bill. Ms. Harris wrote an article for Georgia Work Credit that does a great job explaining the purpose of the proposed tax reform. You are encouraged to read the article here.

AJMLS is proud of your accomplishments, Sheronn! We look forward to celebrating your future successes.

AJMLS Student Contributed to Article Published in the Georgia Bar Journal

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) 3L student, Kendra Livingston, recently contributed to the writing of an article that was published in the December 2016 Georgia Bar Journal. An electronic copy of the article, entitled No Vacation: Top Criminal Defense Attorneys Travel to Tbilisi, can be found here and by clicking to page 32. A special thanks to Kendra can be found on page 35.

The article is a worthy read about eight Georgia lawyers who recently traveled to Tbilisi, which is the capital of the country of Georgia. In January 2017, the Republic of Georgia granted all criminal defendants the right to a jury trial. The resulting dilemma was that local lawyers and their clients were mostly uneducated in the art of trial advocacy. The purpose of the trip was to educate and empower local defense attorneys. More trips are planned in the future to continue the training process.

I encourage the AJMLS community to read this article. Congratulations, Kendra! This is a wonderful accomplishment.

AJMLS and SLS Welcome New Member to the Board of Directors

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and Savannah Law School are pleased to announce the appointment of Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, the County Attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, to the Board of Directors.

In her capacity as County Attorney, she is responsible for all of the civil legal needs of one of the largest counties in Georgia. She supervises a staff of over 30 professionals and provides legal advice to seven commissioners and over 40 departments. Prior to joining Fulton County, she served as the Vice President and General Counsel for the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. for six years.

She is a former partner with the law firm of Hollowell, Foster & Gepp, PC, where she was in charge of the Commercial Real Estate Group. She also owned her own law firm for over 10 years.

Perkins-Hooker is a leader in her profession and very actively engaged in the Atlanta community. She was the 52nd President of the State Bar of Georgia and the first person of color elected to this position. She has previously served on the Board of Governors and as a member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar. She has been elected Secretary (2011-12), Treasurer (2012-13) and President-Elect (2013-14). She is also a past chair of the State Bar’s Real Property Law Section, a past parliamentarian of the Atlanta Planning and Advisory Board, and the founding chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit-Q. Additionally, she is a past chair of Hosea Feed the Hungry’s Board of Directors.

Perkins-Hooker is an honors graduate of Georgia Tech and received her graduate degrees from Emory University Law and Business Schools. She was admitted to the Bar in 1984. She has received numerous honors for her service to the legal profession and the community, including being inducted into the Gate City Bar Association’s Hall of Fame, being presented the Leah Ward Sears Service to the Profession Award by the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, being presented an Honorary degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, and being presented the Eleonoré Raoul Greene Trailblazer Award from Emory University Law School. She has also received the Phoenix Award from the Mayor of Atlanta. This is the highest honor bestowed on citizens in Atlanta for their outstanding contributions.

She is happily married to Douglas R. Hooker. They have two children and eight grandchildren.

Perkins-Hooker joins the following members of the Board of Directors:

Richard B. Herzog, Jr., Chairman

Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP

Dean Frank T. Read, Vice Chairman

President & Dean Emeritus, South Texas College of Law

Dr. Michael C. Markovitz, Ph.D., Treasurer

Honorable Carol W. Hunstein

Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia

Adam Malone,

Partner, Malone Law

Kevin Ross

President, Kevin Ross Public Affairs Group LLC

Dean James P. White

Consultant Emeritus

Section of Legal Education & Admission to the Bar

American Bar Association

AJMLS ranked as one of the Best Online Law Schools by College Choice

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School was recently ranked as one of the Best Online Law Schools by College Choice. For a full list of the rankings please click here.

John Marshall Online, Inc., (JMO) was founded to provide a quality Master of Laws in Employment Law degree program and other areas of professional education offered through distance education. Please visit John Marshall Online to learn more about the programs offered and how to apply. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Professor Jace Gatewood.

Professor Tripp Cited in Groundbreaking New Regulation

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published a historic new regulation that prohibits nursing homes receiving federal funds from using pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements. Pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements are usually presented to residents upon admission to the nursing home and residents are often unaware that by signing them they are giving up their rights to go to court. These agreements ban all claims by residents from being litigated in courts, including claims involving elder abuse, sexual harassment and wrongful death, among other things. The decision to ban these agreements is the first time a federal agency has ever issued a rule providing such sweeping protection of the rights of injured people to access the public courts. 

AJMLS Professor Lisa Tripp is a leading scholar in this area and CMS cited two of Professor Tripp’s articles in support of this pioneering regulation. She was also quoted in the preamble: “Tripp notes that ‘residents of nursing homes are frail and elderly people who are completely dependent on the facility and its employees for their safety and health. Thus, many residents and their families would not oppose the arbitration provision because they are fearful of antagonizing the facility.’” If you see Professor Tripp around campus, be sure to congratulate her on her accomplishment and thank her for her work on behalf of nursing home residents across the country.

Alpa Amin Selected as Top 40 Under 40

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Alumnus, Alpa Amin, was recently named one of Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40.The 2016 Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 represent a plethora of professions. The 40 selected were chosen from nominations made by readers of Georgia Trend throughout the state and the final selections were made by the editorial staff.

Ms. Amin is the Lead Attorney for the Victims of Violence Project at the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network. In her role of Lead Attorney, Ms. Amin recruits, trains and mentors volunteer attorneys from the Atlanta legal community and provides direct representation to immigrant victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault who need assistance with filing T-visas, U-visas, and VAWA Self-Petitions/Battered Spouse Waivers. She works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement and is a frequent guest speaker on issues surrounding vulnerable immigrant communities.

This is quite an impressive accomplishment, Alpa, but so well deserved. Thank you for all that you do for our community.

AJMLS Hosts Atlanta Citizen Review Board

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

On September 8, 2016 Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School hosted the Atlanta Citizen Review Board (“ACRB”) for a Community Board Meeting in the Blackburn Conference Center. This Community Board Meeting provided an opportunity for citizens of Atlanta to listen to a Report from the Executive Director of the ACRB, Mr. Lee Reid II, and hear updates on various complaints and ongoing investigations within the community.

The Atlanta Citizens Review Board was established by ordinance as an independent agency in 2007 (and amended with subpoena power in May 2010) to ensure that city departments of Atlanta that are directly responsible for public safety, such as the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and the Department of Corrections, have the proper support of government and its various agencies. The ACRB is designed to provide oversight of misconduct accusations against sworn members of the police and corrections departments in the City of Atlanta.

The ACRB provides an independent and credible forum for complaints and accusations to be assessed. It is also designed to help prevent future incidents of police or corrections misconduct and abuses of civil rights. For more information on the Atlanta’s Citizen Review Board and its programs, please click here.

 

SALT Awards 2016 Junior Faculty Teaching Award to Professor Harpalani

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Savannah Law School Professor Harpalani has been awarded the esteemed 2016 Junior Faculty Teaching Award by the Society of American Law Teachers (‘SALT’). The award recognizes an outstanding and emerging law professor who demonstrates a commitment to justice, equality and academic excellence. Professor Harpalani was selected for the award among a field of highly deserving nominees.

Professor Harpalani is truly a quality professor who values a commitment to social justice, diversity, and access in his teaching, scholarship and service. He is very much deserving of this national accolade.

The award will be given at the SALT Annual Members Meeting at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago on September 30th. When you see Professor Harpalani on campus, be sure to pass along your congratulations. This is a prestigious award and Professor Harpalani is a wonderful representation of the quality of education at Savannah Law School.

SBA Student Representative Elections Results

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

The results of the SBA Student Representative Elections are in!

Please see below the list of 2016-2017 SBA Student Representatives:

1L Full-time Section A Representatives: Dwight Harris and Mikah Fuller
1L Full-time Section B Representatives: Samantha Beskin and Randy Williams
1L Criminal Justice Honors Representative: Jasmine Davis
1L Part-time Student Representatives: Bianca Hancock and Tasha Lumpkin
2L Full-time Student Representatives: Kamaria Womack and John Brumfield
2L Criminal Justice Honors Representative: Calvana Cedant
2L Part-time Student Representatives: Alexa Callaway and Randall Mixon
3L Full-time Student Representatives: Emmanuela Saint-Jean and Sharon Payne
3L Part-time Student Representative: Megan McCulloch
4L Part-time Student Representative: Alicia Thompson

Please congratulate your new student representatives! Thank you to all the candidates and students who participated in the SBA electoral process!

Remember, continue to Be Present. Be Intentional. Be Impactful.

Professor Jaffe Quoted in The Wrap

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Robert Sepúlveda Jr. is Logo TV’s lead in the network’s first same-sex dating show, Finding Prince Charming. He is threatening to sue online cyberbullies for “targeted harassment, shaming and bullying.” Sepúlveda Jr. turned to Instagram to fire back at those he feels have bullied him and stated “if you come for me, we will come for you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” This transpired following revelations that Sepúlveda Jr. worked as a male prostitute while in college. Members and activists within the gay community were outraged to learn of Sepúlveda Jr.’s past.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Associate Professor Elizabeth Jaffe was quoted in the article. “It’s unclear who he intends to sue,” Jaffe said. “But I think it would be difficult for him to make that case. If people are saying ugly things about him, it doesn’t necessarily rise to the level of cyberbullying.” In our modern social media world, anti-bullying laws that have an electronic harassment provision are currently an area of evolution within the law. Thank you Professor Jaffe for your comments on such a relevant legal discussion.

#StayMadAbby: The Politics, Promise and Perplexity of Fisher II

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Professor of Law Tanya Washington will address students at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School during the AJMLS Chapter of the American Constitution Society’s Constitution Week. The event, #StayMadAbby: The Politics, Promise and Perplexity of Fisher II, promises to be a thought-provoking discussion on the status of affirmative action and equal protection under the law.

September 17, 2016 marks a pivotal day in our nation’s history: the 229th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. The ACS John Marshall Law Student Chapter is recognizing this event through a week of activities leading up to September 17, 2016. The event to be held on September 15th centers on the Constitution’s equal protection guarantee and affirmative action programs.  The hashtag, #staymadabby, created by social media followers as a response to the recent Fisher II case, will be addressed by Professor Washington at the event.

Professor Washington earned her J.D. from The University of Maryland School of Law and her LL.M. from Harvard Law School. Professor Washington has been teaching Civil Procedure I and II, Family Law, Education Law and Race and Law at Georgia State University College of Law for the past thirteen years. Her research and scholarship focus on issues related to educational equity and issues arising at the intersection of domestic relations, race and children’s constitutional rights. Additionally, her efforts to expand and deepen the pipeline of students entering law school earned her recognition in 2013 as one of 50 minority law professors under 50 making an impact in legal education.

The event will take place on Thursday, September 15, 2016 at 5:15 p.m. in Room 304. All viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged to attend and dinner will be provided. For more information on the American Constitution Society, please visit www.acslaw.org and by searching Facebook under the name AJMLS ACS Chapter.

Georgia Bar Celebrates 100 Years of Women in the Profession

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Alumna and 2011 AJMLS graduate Virginia (Ginger) Arnold recently had the honor of taking part in a panel discussion during the State of Georgia YLD Women in the Profession Committee’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of women’s admission in to the practice of law. The event took place at the State Bar Headquarters earlier this month.

Speaking on the panel with Arnold was Senior Judge Dorothy Beasley. Judge Beasley was the first woman judge in Fulton County and the first woman on the state Court of Appeals. Since her retirement, she has remained active in the legal community. She challenged the women practitioners in our state to seek leadership roles in the profession. Currently more than half of law students are female and that number is rising.

When asked about her participation in the panel, Arnold stated that “it was an honor to be on this panel with esteemed attorneys and judges.” You can read more about the celebration here. Thank you for your participation, Ginger!

Alumna Janie Parks Varnell Learned How to Practice Law During her Time at AJMLS

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Alumna and 2012 graduate Janie Parks Varnell currently practices as a criminal defense attorney with the firm Davis & Hoss in Chattanooga, TN. Varnell represents individuals charged with crimes in state and federal court. Notably, Varnell was recently featured in an Editorial in the Hamilton County Herald. The article focused on Varnell’s belief that her education taught her how to practice law.
While a student, Varnell took advantage of all that AJMLS had to offer and made the most of her legal education. She emphasizes that she did not just learn about the law, but more importantly she learned how to practice it. In particular, Varnell reported that Professor Mears took her under his wing during her time at AJMLS and spent a substantial amount of time explaining the ins and outs of practicing law to her. The Editorial reports that Varnell will always be indebted to Professor Mears because he took the time to explain to her how to be a lawyer.
Varnell is a member of the 2015 graduating class of Leadership Chattanooga. More information can be found on Varnell by visiting the Davis & Hoss website here. Best of luck to Janie on her future endeavors and congratulations on her numerous post-graduate accomplishments thus far.

Alumnus Adam Malone Receives Honors

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall alumnus and 2000 class valedictorian, Adam Malone, was recently made a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. The International Academy of Trial Lawyers is a group of truly elite trial lawyers representing both sides of the Bar. The Academy limits fellowship to only 500 active trial lawyers under the age of 70. Malone’s admission to such a small group of super lawyers is an immense honor and a testament to his illustrious career thus far.

Malone was also recently awarded the 2016 Mel Award from the Melvin M. Belli Society. The Melvin M. Belli Society was founded in 1981 based on the idea that within the American Trial Lawyers Association there should be a group of lawyers who had distinguished themselves as trial lawyers and who were dedicated to the principles of education on an international basis. The Mel Award is an award given in the spirit of Mel Belli to an attorney who is innovative and who has made a significant contribution to the practice of trial law in America. To be the 2016 recipient is an esteemed honor.

Congratulations, Adam!

Professor Rapping Discusses Current State of the Criminal Defense System

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall’s Professor Jonathan Rapping was recently asked to participate in a discussion on the podcast Criminal (In)Justice with David Harris. The subject of the podcast was the current state of our criminal defense system, specifically indigent defendants requiring state-provided assistance of counsel.

Professor Rapping was asked to participate because of both his impressive resume and his extensive skill set in this domain.  The discussion centered on the current underfunding for public defenders. Due to the underfunding and general lack of necessary resources, public defenders are handling record high caseloads. Because of the heavy caseloads, public defenders are unable to provide each and every defendant with adequate representation. During the podcast, Professor Rapping explains the purpose behind Gideon’s Promise and his mission to remedy the system through strengthening public defenders.

You are highly encouraged to listen to the podcast here. The discussion is thought provoking and highly relevant. Thank you, Professor, for your continued work in this arena.

AJMLS Alumna Named Co-Editor of Georgia YLD Newsletter

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School alumna and 2011 graduate, Heather Riggs, was recently named Co-Editor of The YLD Review. The YLD is the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division’s newsletter.

Riggs is the owner of MindMeld Marketing in Atlanta. MindMeld Marketing concentrates on providing assistance to clients with website content, blogging and social media. Riggs’ client base focuses on creating digital marketing plans for lawyers and law firms. Riggs started MindMeld Marketing following starting her own successful adoption law practice.

Riggs has previously served in many positions before within the American Bar Association YLD and the Georgia YLD. She is also a member of the YLD Leadership Academy Class of 2015. Congratulations, Heather!

Professor Rapping Selected to Participate in Town Hall by Russell Simmons

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Professor Jonathan Rapping was recently selected by Russell Simmons and his media company, All Things Def, and participated in a town hall at the Montalban Theater in Los Angeles. Along with our own Professor Rapping, the panel featured Nick Cannon; National Bar Association President Benjamin Crump, who represented the family of Trayvon Martin; National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives President Gregory Thomas; and New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman. The event was moderated by former MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry.

The town hall was arranged for the parties to come together for a public discussion about recent civilian deaths and the need for revised law enforcement and policies. The event will be the first in a series of public conversations about criminal justice reform.

Professor Rapping was chosen to participate because he is the founder of Gideon’s Promise, an organization that trains public defenders. Thank you for representing AJMLS and for your insight in such a relevant conversation, Professor.

AJMLS Alumnus Successfully Argues in Front of Supreme Court of Georgia

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School alumnus and 2008 graduate, David Willingham, successfully argued a reversal in front of the Supreme Court of Georgia. The Georgia Supreme Court recently issued its opinion in Zilke v. Georgia on June 20, 2016.

Willingham’s client, Bajrodin Zilke, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and several traffic violations by a POST-certified police officer employed by Kennesaw State University. Notably, the traffic stop did not occur on or near KSU property. Willingham moved to suppress evidence of a breath test on the grounds that the KSU police officer lacked jurisdiction to arrest his client. The trial court granted the motion. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s decision.

The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously reversed the Court of Appeals’ decision and granted Willingham’s Motion to Suppress.  This effectively reversed the Georgia Supreme Court’s 1984 decision in Glazner v. State and all subsequent rulings based on Glazner.

This was a huge victory for Willingham and his client. Congratulations, David!

Professor Michael Mears Publishes Viewpoint in Daily Report

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Associate Professor of Law Michael Mears recently wrote a poignant article which was published in the June 16, 2016 issue of the Daily Report.

The article affirms that law students with dreams of joining the legal profession make a tremendous commitment of both their time and finances to further their education. He goes on to state how disappointing it is to see students lose sight of those same dreams; dreams that persuaded them to apply for entry in to law school in hopes of pursuing their passions. He urges students and attorneys to reminisce on why they chose to enter into the profession in hopes of reigniting their fire for success and self-fulfillment.

In sum, the article reminds students and practitioners alike to remain steadfast in their commitment to the legal profession; a profession that Professor Mears proffers to be the greatest in the world. To that Professor, we wholeheartedly agree. Thank you for your continued dedication to educating AJMLS students and producing quality attorneys to join the profession.

AJMLS Alumnus Sworn in as Superior Court Judge

Posted on by Amber O'Connor

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School alumnus and 2008 graduate, Dustin Hightower, was recently sworn in to serve as a superior court judge in the Coweta Judicial Circuit. Hightower’s current seat was made vacant when Judge A. Quillian Baldwin, Jr. retired from the court earlier this year. On May 26, 2016, Governor Nathan Deal administered Hightower’s oath.

Hightower formerly represented the 68th district in the Georgia House of Representatives. He also served as a named partner at the firm Miller and Hightower, Attorneys at Law.

Congratulations, Dustin! We know you will continue to represent AJMLS well from the bench.

Professor Michael Mears to Serve as Vice-Chair of ICLE Georgia’s Board of Trustees

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Professor Michael Mears has been asked to serve as the Vice-Chairperson of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) in Georgia’s Board of Trustees for the year of 2017. The Chair of the Board will be Robert Kauffman, the Immediate Past-President of the State Bar of Georgia. This is a tremendous honor, not only for Professor Mears, but for Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Mears will be succeeding The Honorable Ray Lanier from the Georgia State University College of Law.

The Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia is the not-for-profit educational service of the State Bar of Georgia; and is a consortium of the Bar and the Law Schools of the Universities of Georgia, Emory, Mercer, Georgia State and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. ICLE is fully self-supporting; and receives all of its income from tuition charges and sale of publications. ICLE exists solely to serve the educational needs of practicing lawyers; with any surplus revenues being devoted entirely to the improvement of CLE products and services.

All of the Institute’s activities are designed to promote a well organized, properly planned, and adequately supported program of continuing legal education by which members of the legal profession are afforded a means of enhancing their skills and keeping abreast of developments in the law, and engaging in the study and research of the law, so as to fulfill their responsibilities to the legal profession, the courts and the public.

2016 G. Alan Blackburn Competition Results

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The G. Alan Blackburn Competition is a culmination of all the hard work that the first year students have put into their Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (LWRA) II problem. This year’s competition was comprised of the top four students from each LWRA II class, a total of thirty-six students.

The competition was four rounds with the final round being held on Wednesday, April 20th. The competitors were judged by Advocacy Board members in the first two rounds, AJMLS Alumni in the third round, and three sitting judges and a practicing attorney for the final round. The final round judges were Presiding Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes of the Georgia Court of Appeals, Judge Christopher J. McFadden of the Georgia Court of Appeals, Judge Ural D. Glanville of Fulton County Superior Court, and Mr. Allen Wallace.

The final round competitors were: Zalak Raval, Rayshawn Williams, Andrew Puckett, and Allison Whitfield.
Williams and Mr. Puckett won Runner-Up Best Oralists this year.
Ms. Raval and Ms. Whitfield won Best Oralists for the final round.
Ms. Whitfield and Ms. Sarah Owensby won the best brief awards for their respective positions.

In addition to those results, the following students were awarded an invitation to the Advocacy Board as Provisional Members based on their performances:

Zalak Raval, Brandi Sluss, Nana-Yaa Amaning, Rayshawn Williams, Sarah Owensby, Tarla Atwell, Heather Kuhn, Andrew Puckett, Allison Whitfield, Kamaria Womack, and Bailey Edwards.

Please congratulate these students on their tremendous accomplishments!

2016 G Alan Blackburn Competition

Award winners with the final round judges: Pictured from left to right are Mr. Allen Wallace, Judge Ural D. Glanville, Zalak Raval, Rayshawn Williams, Andrew Puckett, Allison Whitfield, Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes, and Judge Christopher J. McFadden. Not pictured: Sarah Owensby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 G Alan Blackburn Competition 2

Invitees to the Advocacy Board: Pictured from left to right are Mr. Allen Wallace, Judge Ural D. Glanville, Tarla Atwell, Allison Whitfield, Rayshawn Williams, Kamaria Womack, Zalak Raval, Andrew Puckett,  Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes, and Judge Christopher J. McFadden. Not pictured: Brandi Sluss, Nana-Yaa Amaning, Sarah Owensby, Heather Kuhn, and Bailey Edwards.

AJMLS Participates in 5th Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy Competition

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The Georgia Legal Food Frenzy is a partnership between the Georgia Attorney General, the Young Lawyers Division and the Georgia Food Bank Association. Lawyers and law schools statewide are challenged to compete outside the courtroom and classroom to raise food and funds for Georgia’s eight regional food banks, which serve 156,500 unique clients in Georgia on a weekly basis. All of the food and funds collected are donated to the regional food bank that serves each competitor’s community. In its first four years of competition, the Legal Food Frenzy raised the equivalent of more than 3.7 million pounds of food for Georgians in need.

The winning law school will receive the coveted “Attorney General’s Cup” and the title of the Legal Food Frenzy Law School Champion.

Support Atlanta’s John Marshall in their fundraising campaign by donating through this link. The Law School Competition is from April 4-15th so be sure to make a monetary donation or bring in your canned goods by the end of this week!

 

Former Chief Medical Examiner for State of Georgia Speaks to AJMLS Students

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Dr. Kris Sperry, Retired Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Georgia, spoke to students in Professor Michael Mears’ Advanced Evidence class on Monday, March 7, 2016 about forensic pathology and autopsies.

Having served the State of Georgia as the Chief Medical Examiner for over 18 years, Dr. Sperry offered an unrivaled learning experience for Atlanta’s John Marshall students.

The Law School thanks Dr. Sperry for his time and expertise.

 

Professor Suparna Malempati Named Area Vice President for Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Professor Suparna Malempati has joined the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL) as area Vice President for Fulton County beginning in January 2016.  GACDL is a statewide association that supports criminal defense attorneys in their fight to advocate and protect the rights of the accused.  GACDL is the largest member supported statewide criminal defense association in the US and has a membership that includes criminal defense lawyers, law school students, and full-time criminal defense investigators.

Professor Malempati is a veteran trial attorney who fought many battles in her decade of service with the Fulton County Public Defender’s Office.  As an area Vice President, she will serve as liaison between GACDL and its members in the area, as well as criminal defense lawyers, judiciary, and legislators.

To learn more about GACDL, please visit the website at www.gacdl.org.

Alumnus Adam Malone Named Lawyer of the Year

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School alumnus and 2000 class valedictorian, Adam Malone, has been recognized by his peers and named Georgia’s 2016 Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice Law – Plantiffs by Best Lawyers. Malone, a Partner at Malone Law Medical Malpractice and Severe Injury Lawyers, was also featured as a cover story, Rising to the Top, for the current issue of Best Lawyers magazine.

“Lawyer of the Year” recognitions are awarded to attorneys with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized annually for each specialty and location.

After graduating from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Malone clerked for the Honorable G. Alan Blackburn of the Georgia Court of Appeals and was a prosecutor in the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office before joining his father in the practice of law. Malone also currently serves Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School on the Board of Directors.

Congratulations, Adam!

AJMLS Sports & Entertainment Law Society Hosts 2016 Sports, Music & Entertainment Summit

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Sports & Entertainment Law Society, The Atlanta Entertainment basketball League and Econtii Music Group are proud to present the 2016 Sports, Music & Entertainment Summit (SMES). The summit will take place on February 20, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s Blackburn Conference Center.

This one-day summit will feature panels, workshops, interviews, a luncheon and an evening mixer that will provide education and networking opportunities for local students and professionals. “The mission of SMES is to inspire, build and contribute to the sports, music & entertainment industry by providing educational resources to students and professionals through connections, guest speaking panels and educational materials,” said Portia Mazone, owner and creative director of Econtii Music Group, an Atlanta-based entertainment resources and consulting firm.

The founding partners of SMES plan to merge sports, music and entertainment industry insiders, college students looking to enter into the workforce and working professionals with the hopes of helping them connect, learn and build. Film, sports and music panels will be at the heart of this day-long summit. Attendees will also participate in workshops, interviews, a luncheon and an evening mixer.

SMES will take place at the Blackburn Conference Center at 1405 Spring St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.SMESATL.Eventbrite.com or upon entry. For college students with a school I.D., the entry fee is $15. For all others, general admission is $25.

SMES Schedule

9:00 A.M. – Check In/Registration

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M – Learn the Biz Workshops

Live Nation Entertainment Presents: Sync or Swim – A Workshop on syncing, micro licensing, and streaming considerations.
– Julie Roach, Principal Attorney and Owner of Julie K. Roach, Esq., LLC
– Ashley Hollan Couch, Principal at The Hollan Entertainment Law Group, LLC
– Emily Kaye, Artist Rights Acquisitions-Live Nation

Beyond The Game: Sports Law Workshop
– Cecelia Townes, Esq.

11:15 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. – Lights, Camera, Action: Television & Film in Atlanta – Moderated by Rea Davis, Entertainment Journalist

– M. Scott Boone, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Associate Professor
– Patty Miranda, Digital Entertainment Officer, Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment, City of Atlanta
– Lee Cuthbert, Georgia Department of Economic Development Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office
– Tory Edwards- Vitamin E Media
12:30P.M.-1:30P.M. – The Playbook: The Business of Sports – Moderated by Bria Janelle of LoudGenius.Com
– Nzinga Shaw, Atlanta Hawks, Chief Officer of Diversity & Inclusion
– Jahi Rawlings, CEO, Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League
– Jay Pearson, WNBA Agent and Owner of Sports Wire Management and Media Company
– Sunny Wilkins, Esq.
– Cecelia Townes, Esq, Beyond The Game, LLC

1:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M. – Lunch Mixer

3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. – The Future of the Music Business – Moderated by Karen Marie Mason of Artist Launch

– Ray Daniels, Sr. VP of A&R Interscope Records
– Jenny Drake, Music Industry & Marketing Executive
– Jason Reddick, Promotions Director Of Radio One Atlanta Hot 107.9
– Tamiko Hope, PR to The Stars, WordInk
– Mike Walbert, Executive Director A3C Hip Hop Festival

4:15 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. – Networking Mixer

ABOUT Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s Sports & Entertainment Law Society:
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s Sports and Entertainment Law Society (SELS) provides students with access to practitioners and other individuals in the sports and entertainment law fields, to afford students the opportunity to pursue and explore the many areas of sports and entertainment law.

ABOUT The Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League:
Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL), founded by Jahi Rawlings in 2013, is Atlanta’s newest live sports and entertainment attraction for competitive basketball played by current, former and aspiring NBA players, celebrities, entertainers and local athletes.

ABOUT Econtii Music Group:
Econtii Music Group (EMG) is an entertainment consulting firm based in Atlanta, geared towards assisting professionals who are seeking project guidance in the entertainment industry. EMG specializes in legal research, branding and connecting professionals to the resources they need in order to successfully navigate throughout the entertainment industry.

For additional information, please contact Jah Rawlings at Jahirawlings3@gmail.com

For media inquiries, contact inf.smes@gmail.com

New Student Orientation This Saturday

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Welcome

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School is pleased to welcome the incoming spring 2016 class. The semester begins Monday, January 11, 2016 and the mandatory Orientation for first-year students is this Saturday, January 9, 2016.

The event is hosted by the Office of Student Affairs and Pro Bono Programs, and all event information may be found on the Orientation page.

On behalf of the entire Atlanta’s John Marshall community, we welcome you to campus and look forward to meeting you!

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Named to Victory Media’s 2016 Military Friendly Schools List

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and Savannah Law School jointly announced that they have each been designated as a 2016 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs®, STEM JobsSM and Military Spouse.

Institutions competed for the elite Military Friendly® School title by completing a survey of over 100 questions covering ten categories, including military support on campus, graduation and employment outcomes, and military spouse policies. Survey responses were scored against benchmarks across these key indicators of success. In addition, data was independently tested by EY (Ernst & Young) based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media with guidance from an independent Advisory Board of higher education and recruiting professionals.

The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation. The methodology used for making the Military Friendly® Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent, and has played a significant role over the past seven years in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.

“Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and Savannah Law School are firmly committed to fostering an environment that enriches the lives of our service members–both academically and professionally– as they prepare for careers in the legal field”, said Dean Malcolm L. Morris, who is the dean of both law schools.

“Post-secondary institutions earning the 2016 Military Friendly® School award have exceptionally strong programs for transitioning service members and spouses,” said Daniel Nichols, Chief Product Officer of Victory Media and Navy Reserve veteran. “Our Military Friendly® Schools are truly aligning their military programs and services with employers to help students translate military experience, skills and training into successful careers after graduation.”

For more information on either school’s the commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit the Atlanta’s John Marshall Veterans Benefits page or the Savannah Law School Veterans Benefits page.

Congratulations to the December Graduates

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School congratulates its December 2015 graduates. Happy holidays!

 

 

 

 

Jacques Alpacino Barker
Chantiel Denise Bell
Anthony W Berry
Audra Braswell Bleecker
Michael Allen Bodiford
Shalena Mary Broadbelt
Garrett Michael Emmons
Carl Von Epps III
Robert Mason Frisbie
Corey Dwayne Givens
Noor Elizabeth Janho
Georgia Kasidakis
Tom Katusabe
Paul Christopher Kunst
Jennifer Marie McLaughlin
Douglas Mihalik
Kelly Leigh Morton
Joseph Grady Nickel Jr
Brandy L Porter
Amber Holly Reed
Alyssa Marie Sawicki
Jeffrey Sayer
David Morris Schlachter
Shana Leinaala Scott
Audrey Antoinette Simmons
Gina Renee’ Billingsley Smith
Lisa Sonoda
Tangelita Quiimaii Taylor
Adrienne Leigh Thornton
LeAnna Gail Wade
Corey DuWayne Woods
Jeremy A Yakle

Alumni Sworn Into U.S. Supreme Court

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

On Monday, November 30, 2015, Dean Malcolm L. Morris sponsored eight AJMLS alumni and two guests to be sworn into the U.S. Supreme Court (Court). In order to be sworn into the Court, an attorney must have been sworn into the highest court in the state in which they are licensed for at least three years and be in good standing with that court. Those who were sworn in were: Ginger Arnold (’11), David Blackburn and his daughter, alumni Lara Blackburn Carillo (’12), Jesse Kent (’09), Prof. Stacey Mitchener, Terrye Nash (’10), Hon. Ronald Ramsey, Sr. (’92), Heather Riggs (’11), Joshua Smith (’00), and Margaret Spencer (’05.)

The evening before the swearing in, everyone enjoyed a wonderful evening with their family and friends at a reception hosted by the Alumni Office at the esteemed Willard Hotel. They dined on delicious hand-passed hors d’oeuvres and sipped on refreshments from the bar. It was a lovely event in the beautifully decorated room called “The Nest.”

On the day of the swearing in, the soon-to-be admittees had breakfast with their guests in the East Conference room of the Court. It was a wonderful photo opportunity as a large picture of former Chief Justice John Marshall hangs over the mantel of the fireplace. After breakfast, the Clerk of the Court escorts the guests into the courtroom and the attorneys are ushered in just before the Court begins its session. After being sworn in by the Clerk of the Court, the newly admitted attorneys and guests remained in the courtroom to watch the first oral argument. Needless to say, they were happy they weren’t presenting a case that day!

Despite the rain on the morning of the swearing in, everyone enjoyed beautiful weather in Washington, D.C. and had a once in a lifetime experience. It is definitely an experience you don’t want to miss!

2015 Alumni Supreme Court Swearing In 2015 Alumni Supreme Court Swearing In 2

Assistant Dean Ortega and Professor Malempati Present at 2015 Georgia Conference on Children and Families

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Assistant Dean Ortega and Professor Malempati of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School presented at the 2015 Georgia Conference on Children and Families (GCCF) held in Augusta, Georgia October 21-23, 2015.

The GCCF is the largest annual interdisciplinary event in Georgia designed to bring together the community that serves children and families, including child advocacy, juvenile justice, social service, legal counsel, and the faith-based community.

The conference provided a forum to improve competencies, network, and learn from experts in the field with the goal of improving outcomes for children and families. Dean Ortega spoke on Post-Disposition Advocacy for Delinquent Youth and Professor Malempati spoke about Bridging the Gap between Dependency and Delinquency.

Student Advocacy Board Placed As Quarter Finalists in Carolinas Invitational

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

2015.10 Carolinas InvitationalThe Advocacy Board of Atlanta’s John Marshall is pleased to announce that our trial team placed as quarter finalists in the Carolinas Invitational Mock Trial Tournament. Twelve teams competed in the tournament which was hosted by the Charlotte School of Law and which involved a state criminal charge of Murder in the First Degree.

Competitors were: James Boles (3L), Sara Wardlow (2L), Sarah Pomella (3L), and Adrienne Thornton (3L). The team was coached by attorney Mitchell McGough of Atlanta.

AJMLS Team Awarded Best Defendant’s Memorandum of Law at Stetson Pretrial Competition

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Stetson Law hosted their eighth annual National Pretrial Competition this past weekend and the team from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School has once again been awarded Best Defendant’s Memorandum of Law. This is the third time during the past five years that Atlanta’s John Marshall has won the best brief award at the Stetson competition.

The winning team was composed of Michael Barrett (3L), Amber Reed (3L), Sadia Ali (2L), and Olivia Fisher (2L). The team was coached by Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School alumnus Mathis Wilkens, Assistant District Attorney in Dekalb County, and the team Director was Professor Suparna Malempati.

Congratulations to all the competitors!

Stetson 2015-2 Stetson 2015-3 Stetson 2015-1b

AJMLS Professor and Death Penalty Legal Expert Michael Mears Interviewed

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Associate Professor, Michael Mears, is one of the top death penalty legal experts in the state of Georgia.

Over the course of his career, Professor Mears has worked on 167 death penalty cases, published numerous death penalty related works, and is a frequent expert contributor to multiple media outlets.

Having worked on an earlier appeal in the recent case of Kelly Gissendaner, he has also been called upon frequently to comment on her case, the appeals process, and future of the death penalty in the state of Georgia.

Below are his most recent interviews and quotes:

CBS46 Interview:
CBS46 News
Georgia Public Broadcasting: On Second Thought (September 30, 2015)

 

AJMLS Father Daughter Alumni Team Featured in Daily Report

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Alumni, Michael Puglise (’93) and Brooke Puglise (’14) of Puglise Law Firm, are featured in today’s Daily Report.

The article, Suit: UGA Cop Fired for Following ‘Amnesty Law’ for Overdose Calls, details their representation of Jay Park, the former University of Georgia police officer who filed suit in Fulton County last week.

Read the full article featuring the AJMLS alumni duo here: Suit: UGA Cop Fired for Following ‘Amnesty Law’ for Overdose Calls

Two Alumni Selected for 2015-2016 GTLA LEAD Program Class

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The Georgia Trial Lawyers Association has announced that John Marshall Law School Alumni Thomas Lyman of the Mulholland Law Firm and Kyle Moore with the Lazenby Law Group have been selected for the 2015-2016 Leadership Education & Advanced Direction (LEAD) Program. Now entering its third year, the widely-acclaimed LEAD Program serves to train and equip GTLA members who have been identified as potential leaders in the Association with the necessary tools to take the next steps in their legal careers, both in and out of the courtroom.

In order to qualify, applicants must have less than 10 years of legal practice experience or be 35 years of age or younger. After an exhaustive application review and selection process, at total of 16 attorneys were chosen to participate in the 2015-2016 GTLA LEAD Program.

“For three years now, the GTLA LEAD Program has helped identify many of the best and brightest young lawyers in our state and prepare them for long and successful careers as leaders in the courtroom, their communities and our Association. I am proud to see that tradition continue with the selection of this year’s class,” remarked Darren Penn, President of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. “The qualifications of this year’s applicants were remarkable, and I am eager to work alongside this outstanding group of young leaders throughout this year’s program and for many years to come.”

The 2015-2016 LEAD Program will consist of six sessions, and begins on November 20-21 in Athens, Georgia. The program concludes with graduation at the GTLA Annual Convention & President’s Gala in Atlanta on April 28-29, 2016. Sessions will also take place in Savannah and Macon, as well as at the State Capitol and the Georgia Judicial Building.

“As graduates of the GTLA LEAD Program, we have seen first-hand the profound and lasting effects that the program can have on members’ legal careers,” continued LEAD Program Co-Chairs Jennifer Coalson and Yvonne Godfrey. “The stellar qualifications, diversity of experience and impressive professional backgrounds of this year’s applicants not only made the selection process quite difficult, but also reassured us that this program will continue to thrive for many years to come. With rising stars like Thomas and Kyle climbing the ranks of GTLA, the future of our Association is brighter than ever.”

About GTLA: Founded in 1956, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA) is dedicated to strengthening and upholding Georgia’s Civil Justice System and protecting Georgia citizens’ Constitutional Right to Trial by Jury.

Original Press Release provided by Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Media Contact: Chris Kelleher (770) 355-6052.

Congressman Bob Barr First Speaker at 2015-2016 Professionalism Series

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Christian Legal Society and the Office of Student Services is pleased to present Congressman Bob Barr as the first speaker in the 2015-2016 Professionalism Series on Monday, September 14, 2015, at 3:15 p.m. in the Blackburn Conference Center Auditorium. Congressman Barr will be speaking on the topic of Morality and the U.S. Constitution.

Bob Barr is a former Congressman who represented the citizens of Georgia’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. Barr is a practicing attorney, former Federal Prosecutor, and was the Libertarian Party’s nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 election.

He has taught Constitutional Law at the law school and runs a consulting firm, Liberty Strategies, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Welcomes New Faculty

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Fall classes are officially underway and the law school is pleased to welcome its new and returning faculty.

 

New to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School

Derek Alphran, Adjunct Professor

Judith Barger, Distinguished Teaching Professional

Ronald Blasi, Adjunct Professor

Sujata Chanani, Adjunct Professor

Erin Corken, Adjunct Professor

Joe Habachy, Adjunct Professor

Susan Jackson, Adjunct Professor

Michael Loudenslager, Legal Writing Professional

Keith McCrickard, Legal Writing Professional

Loren Pratt, Legal Writing Professional

Dena Sonbol, Adjunct Professor

Jennifer Spreng, Legal Writing Professional

Returning to Campus this Fall

K. Lee Adams, Associate Professor

Joanna B. Apolinsky, Associate Professor

Anthony Baker, Professor of Law

Robert Black, Adjunct Professor

Scott Boone, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Associate Professor

Kathleen M. Burch, Professor of Law

Robert D’Agostino, Professor of Law

Kari Mercer Dalton, Associate Professor

Helen de Haven, Associate Professor

Kimberly Williams D’Haene, Assistant Dean for Academic Achievement

Jace C. Gatewood, Associate Professor

Jonathan Goins, Adjunct Professor

Howell Haunson, Adjunct Professor

Elizabeth M. Jaffe, Associate Professor

Browning Jeffries, Associate Dean of Academic Administration, Associate Professor

Honorable Willie Lovett Jr., Adjunct Professor

Michael Lynch, Director of Law Library, Professor of Law

Suparna Malempati, Associate Professor

Lance McMillian, Associate Professor

B. Michael Mears, Associate Professor

John Melvin, Adjunct Professor

Joseph Mitchell, Adjunct Professor

Stacey L. Mitchener, Adjunct Professor

Jonathan Rapping, Director of Criminal Justice Honors Program, Associate Professor

Joseph Rosen, Adjunct Professor

Stan Schoolcraft, Adjunct Professor

Heather Scribner, Adjunct Professor

Lisa Durham Taylor, Professor of Law

Lisa Tripp, Associate Professor

Jeffrey A. Van Detta, The John E. Ryan Professor of International Business and Workplace Law

Erika Walker-Cash, Director of Academic Achievement

Virginia (Ginger) Arnold

Posted on by Ian Ford

Virginia (Ginger) Arnold’s AJMLS Story carries an underlying theme: service. As a non-traditional student, Ginger earned her J.D. in the part-time day program while also serving as an elected class representative, Student Ambassador, Peer Mentor, Law Journal Editor, research assistant, member of the nationally ranked Client Counseling team, and full-time mom. Since graduating from the law school in 2011, Ginger has opened the Law Office of Virginia C. Arnold, been co-leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, served as a member of the Board of Directors for Girl Talk, Inc., a non-profit peer mentoring program for middle school girls that helps them deal with bullying and other important issues they face, and serves as the law school’s Alumni Director. As the Alumni Director, Ginger leads the not-for-profit Alumni Association and seeks to connect, engage, and encourage current students and alumni through networking and scholarship fundraising events throughout the year. Ginger’s AJMLS Story is ongoing as she is often found in the Alumni Offices on the 7th floor of the law school.

David Lee Windecher

Posted on by Ian Ford

Stories - David Lee Windecher

David Lee Windecher credits his career and success to the law school. “John Marshall gave me an opportunity to redefine my life,” said David. “They believed in me. AJMLS gave a poor kid from the hood an opportunity to engage his passion and realize his American dream.” Since graduating from the law school in 2012, David has opened The Windecher Firm, chronicled his life journey in American Dream: HisStory in the Making, signed an exclusive rights Shopping Agreement with Tyler Perry’s production company 34th Street Films for a movie on the book, joined Nancy Grace’s panel as a criminal defense attorney, and founded RED, Inc., a non-profit organization which sponsors GED programs for young juveniles that are facing non-violent criminal charges who are capable of rehabilitation through an education. RED Inc. has also teamed up with the Dekalb County Solicitor General’s office to assist non-violent offenders rehabilitate through the SG’s diversion program GOALS (Gaining Opportunities And Living Smarter) by mentoring youthful offenders and sponsoring their GED programs. David’s AJMLS Story has just begun; follow the rest on Twitter @DavidWindecher.

Travis Foreman, Class of 2016

Posted on by Ian Ford

Atlanta John Marshall Law School provided me with the opportunity to attain a legal education in a diverse community of students, professors and staff. It also prepared me for future endeavors as a lawyer by equipping me with knowledge that allowed me to excel during my internships and by presenting occassions to network with leaders in the legal community.

Jasmine Rowan, Class of 2014

Posted on by Ian Ford

I was afforded access to a plethora of legal opportunities while at John Marshall. The rigors of the classroom paired with knowledgeable and resourceful faculty challenged my work ethic while molding my legal mind. As a non-traditional student I sincerely value John Marshall believing in me and assisting in my being prepared for the bar and work as an attorney.

Sam Moore, Class of 2015

Posted on by Ian Ford

As a transfer student at John Marshall I was welcomed into a hospitable and student-friendly law school community. The faculty and administration were always willing to offer their support and guidance whenever I needed since there was no communication barrier with their open-door policies. At John Marshall the faculty and administration genuinely invest themselves in assuring not only your success as a law student, but also as a future attorney.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Welcomes State Bar of Georgia President as 2015 Commencement Speaker

Posted on by Ian Ford

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is pleased to announce Mrs. Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, State Bar of Georgia President, as the law school’s 2015 commencement speaker. Commencement exercises are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on May 23, 2015 at the Georgia World Congress Center – Sidney Marcus Auditorium, Building A.

Dean Malcolm L. Morris notes,

The law school has the distinct pleasure of welcoming President Perkins-Hooker as the commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony. She is a leading luminary in the profession who has consistently demonstrated her commitment to providing access to justice for all Georgians. No doubt, her words will guide the graduates on a successful path for their future professional careers.

About Mrs. Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker

President Perkins-Hooker is the first African-American to lead the State Bar of Georgia. Perkins-Hooker has a long list of professional accomplishments. She is best known, however, for her role as general counsel and vice president for the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. where she is responsible for land acquisitions, as well as a wide range of other real estate related legal issues.

Prior to joining the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. she was a partner at Hollowell, Foster & Gepp, PC, where she led the law firm’s Commercial Real Estate Group. Perkins-Hooker is also the immediate past chair of Hosea Feed the Hungry’s Board of Directors.

Additional 2015 AJMLS Commencement Information

Tickets are not required for entry. For information regarding parking or other venue related topics, you may visit www.gwcc.com. Additionally, there will be a small reception immediately following the ceremony for the graduates and their guests, faculty, staff and volunteers.

To join the commencement conversation on Twitter, follow the hashtags #AJMLSGrad and #LawGrad.

Former Chief Justice Norman Fletcher Mentions Professor Mears While Accepting Gideon’s Promise Award

Posted on by Ian Ford

Professor Michael Mears, a former public defender and leading expert on the death penalty in Georgia, was mentioned in high regard by former Chief Justice Norman Fletcher as he accepted the Gideon’s Promise Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights.

During Fletcher’s award acceptance, he addressed Steve Bright (Southern Center’s president and senior counsel) by saying,

Steve, I am going to shock you, and probably most everyone here, for I must now admit that your criticism of my death penalty decisions was justified. For with wisdom gained over the past 10 years, I am now convinced there is absolutely no justification for continuing to impose the sentence of death in this country. In 2001 when the Georgia Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision ended the use of electrocution and turned to lethal injection as the sole means of inflicting the death sentence, a colleague remarked that Mike Mears and Steve Bright would never be satisfied until the death penalty itself was totally abolished in Georgia and in this country. Time has proved that colleague to be right, and I thank God for Mike’s and Steve’s resolve. Our death penalty system is unsupportable.

To read more of his acceptance speech, click here.

Professor Michael Mears is an Associate Professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School where he teaches Evidence, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Ethics. He is considered one of Georgia’s leading experts on the death penalty and is a frequent contributor on NPR and WPBA on the subject.

Alumnus David Lee Windecher Publishes Book, Credits Law School

Posted on by Ian Ford

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Alumnus, David Lee Windecher (’12), has chronicled his extraordinary life journey of going from defendant to defense attorney in his soon to be released book* “AmerIcan Dream: HisStory in the Making”. He hopes to utilize his personal story to inspire others to overcome challenges and pursue their dreams.

“John Marshall gave me an opportunity to redefine my life,” said David. “They believed in me. JMLS gave a poor kid from the hood an opportunity to engage his passion and realize his American dream.”

David Lee Windecher became a leader of his class at John Marshall Law School. Windecher was elected President of the Sports and Entertainment Society and was voted Peer Mentor of the Year in 2011.

Today, David Lee Windecher is a practicing criminal defense attorney at Atlanta firm Arora & LaScala and the founder of RED, Inc. (Rehabilitation Enables Dreams), a non-profit organization which sponsors GED programs for young juveniles that are facing non-violent criminal charges who are capable of rehabilitation through an education. RED, Inc.’s mission is to decrease recidivism and increase literacy amongst America’s youth.

“My career, my success… John Marshall was instrumental in it all,” said David.

Congratulations, David!

 *A book release party is planned for Thursday, May 21, 2015 in Buckhead. For more details email: americandreampress@gmail.com.

Family of Alumnus Judge G. Alan Blackburn Establish Memorial Scholarship

Posted on by Ian Ford

As printed by AJC.com on May 11, 2015:

Chief Judge Gerald Alan Blackburn, 76, of Marietta, died on May 9, 2015. He was born May 6, 1939 in East Bend, North Carolina. After serving four years on active duty in the United States Air Force, returned to Atlanta and entered John Marshall Law School and later received his LLM degree from the Virginia School of Law. He engaged in the private practice for twenty years and served as Administrative Law Judge for the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance, before being elected to the Court of Appeals in 1992. He was a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Georgia Association of Administrative Law Judges; the American Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, and the Cobb County Bar Association. He served as chairman of the Cobb County Salvation Army Advisory Board; chairman of the Board of Directors of New Horizons Ministries and served on the Board of Directors of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse- Ga Chapter. Survivors include his wife, Linda Blackburn and their four children, Daughters, Jennifer (Ralph) Alewine, Merideth (Dylan) Manning, Elizabeth (Evan) Watkins; Son, Christopher Blackburn; and Grandchild, Ward Manning. Other surviving daughters include, Susan Winger, Jackie Carver, Sandra Blackburn and their families. The funeral will be at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church on May 13, 2015 at 11 am with a reception following the service. Interment will be at 1:30 pm in Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to Atlanta’s John Marshall Alumni Association/ Judge Blackburn Scholarship 1422 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta Ga 30309, where a building has been named in his honor. Sandy Springs Chapel is overseeing the arrangements. 

Professor Jonathan Rapping Speaks at Bold Moves TEDx Talk

Posted on by Ian Ford

Professor Jonathan Rapping, Director of the Criminal Justice Honors Program and 2014 MacArthur Genius Fellow, spoke at the April 28, 2015 Bold Moves TEDx Atlanta talk.

TEDx described the Bold Moves event on their website,

What’s a bold move and why does it matter? It’s a challenge to go where you’ve never gone before. It’s the sounding of a wake-up call that draws attention to a situation or shows a different way forward. Without them it becomes ever more difficult to initiate much needed change in our lives and communities. With TEDxAtlanta 2015 we’ll explore bold moves from individuals and organizations who are providing ideas and platforms that shift our thinking and calls to actions in impactful ways—through their courage, conviction and commitment.

Professor Rapping spoke of his organization, Gideon’s Promise, and how it is inspiring a new generation of public defenders facing “the nation’s greatest civil rights issue today” – the tragic shortage of representation for those who can’t afford a lawyer.

You may view the video in its entirety on YouTube here.