The Advocate Alumni Magazine - Summer 2013

T HE

ADVOCATE

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Alumni Magazine | Spring/Summer 2013

Tenured Female Faculty

Tenured Female Faculty

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t the core of any great institution is a dedicated group of skilled faculty who facilitate the learning process by fostering educational and personal growth in the lives of their students. At Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS), our professors combine their real-world legal experience with practical classroom training to provide the most comprehensive and dynamic learning environment for students. In an effort to highlight faculty achievements, the law school is pleased to recognize five of its female professors who have received tenure positions; they are Joanna Apolinsky, Kathleen Burch, Liza Karsai, Lisa Taylor, and Lisa Tripp. In addition, Caprice Roberts is the only tenured professor on the faculty at Savannah Law School. These tenured faculty members balance high expectations with genuine care and compassion. A brief biography of each tenured faculty member is provided below.

Joanna Apolinsky

Professor Apolinsky worked as corporate counsel at Georgia-Pacific Corporation from 1999 until 2004, where she focused on debt finance transactions and corporate law.

Prior to joining Georgia-Pacific, she was an associate at King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta, where she specialized in public finance.

Professor Apolinsky joined the Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School faculty in 2004. She received her J.D., cum laude, at Georgia State University of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, at the University of Texas at Austin. Her publications include Rethinking Liability for Vaccine Injuries, 19 Cornell J. L. & Pub. Pol’y ___ (Issue 3 2009-2010) (with Jeffrey A. Van Detta) and Is There Any Viability to Scheme Liability for Secondary Actors after Stoneridge Investment Partners, LLC v. ScientificAtlanta, Inc.?, Cath. U. L. Rev. 411 (2009).

Kathleen Burch

Professor Burch joined the faculty of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in 2003.

She developed and directs the Micronesian Externship Program which has placed law students at externship sites in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas,

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the Territory of Guam, and the State of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. Professor Burch teaches Constitutional Law I and II, Civil Procedure I and II, Education Law, Legal Drafting, and Trial Advocacy. In conjunction with the ACLU of Georgia, Professor Burch has developed and teaches the Civil Liberties Seminar, an experiential course which allows students to work with ACLU cooperating attorneys on impact litigation and to act as ACLU lobbyists in the Georgia General Assembly.

From 2005 to 2008, Professor Burch was the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. She has taught First Amendment at Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. Before joining the AJMLS faculty, Professor Burch taught at Roger Williams Law School in Rhode Island.

From 1995-2001, Professor Burch worked for the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia, first as the Chief of Litigation, then as the Assistant Attorney General. During her six years in Yap, Professor Burch represented the state in both criminal and civil matters before both the state and national courts.

She also advised the Governor and executive branch agencies on economic development, education, and fisheries issues. From 1989-2005, Professor Burch practiced commercial litigation with the law firm of Hopkins & Sutter in Chicago, Illinois.

Professor Burch is a member of the ACLU of Georgia’s Board of Directors and chair of its Legal Committee, a member of the National Association of Women Lawyer’s Committee for Evaluation of Supreme Court Nominees, and a member of the Order of the Coif.

Professor Burch has presented at the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia’s Annual Supreme Court Update and at the Pacific Judicial Council’s Biannual Conference. She has also presented at conferences and symposia in the United States and in Pretoria, South Africa, Istanbul, Turkey, and Nairobi, Kenya. Professor Burch frequently comments on current issues in Constitutional Law in the Atlanta media.

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Professor Burch’s publications include Academic Freedom: A Comparative Analysis of Legal Protections in the United States and Turkey, 7 Bahcesehir/Kazanci L.J. 65 (2011); Free Speech in Time of War and Terror in the United States and Turkey, 7 Bahcesehir/Kazanci L.J. 108 (2011); Going Global: Managing Liability in International Externship Programs – A Case Study of Law Schools 36 Journal of College and University Law 455 (2010); Creating the Perfect Storm: How Partnering with the ACLU Integrates the Carnegie Report’s Three Apprenticeships, 3 John Marshall L. J. 51 (2009); The Gun Control Debate and the Power of the Georgia General Assembly: A Historical Perspective, 2 John Marshall L. J. 93 (2009); Marriage Amendment Violates the U.S. Constitution, Fulton County Daily Report at 5, Oct. 28, 2004; and Due Process in Micronesia: Are Fish Due Less Process, 8 Roger Williams U. L. Rev. 43 (2002).

Professor Burch earned her J.D., magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. and earned her B.A., cum laude from Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois.

preparation, and national management and coordination of pharmaceutical litigations involving numerous regional and local counsel. Professor Karzai earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles and her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law, summa cum laude. While in law school, Professor Karsai served on Law Review and the Moot Court Executive Board.

Lisa Taylor

Professor Taylor is beginning her tenth year on the faculty at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, where she has taught courses in Civil Procedure, Employment Law, Remedies, and Contracts. In addition to these courses in the law school’s J.D. program, Professor Taylor also teaches and advises in the law school’s online LL.M. in Employment Law program, which she helped design and establish in 2010.

Professor Taylor’s scholarship dovetails nicely with her teaching, focusing on issues that lie at the intersection of civil procedure and employment law. Her most recent publications include The Pro-Employee Bent of the Roberts Court, 79 Tenn. L. Rev. 803 (2012); Untangling the Web Spun By Title VII’s Referral & Deferral Scheme, 59 Cath.

U. L. Rev. 427 (2010); and Parsing Supreme Court Dicta to Adjudicate Non-Workplace Harms, 57 Drake L. Rev. 75 (2008). Outside of the classroom, Professor Taylor is intimately involved in various facets of faculty governance and has served as faculty adviser to several student organizations. At home, she is a mother to four busy children (ages 17, 6, 4, and 3), and she trains for and races, triathlons, and marathons.

Lisa Tripp

Liza Karsai

Prior to joining the John Marshall Law School faculty in 2007, Professor Karsai was a Partner at New York City’s Kaye Scholer LLP, where she was national counsel to pharmaceutical companies in mass tort litigation. She has extensive experience in complex litigation, including product liability, antitrust, and environmental. Her experience includes trials in the U.S. and abroad, as well as various aspects of trial strategy and

8th. She teaches Contracts, Federal Courts, Jurisprudence, and Judicial Power & Restraint and formerly served as Associate Dean of Faculty Research & Development, and Chair of the Remedies Section of AALS. She has won several awards for her teaching and publications; recent articles include “Teaching Remedies from Theory to Practice” (Saint Louis University Law Journal, 2013); “The Case for Restitution and Unjust Enrichment Remedies in Patent Law” (Lewis & Clark Law Review, 2011; reprinted in Intellectual Property Law Review (WEST, 2011). She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and also serves on the Mentor Committee and the Scholarly Research Committee of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools.

Professor Roberts graduated from Rhodes College where she received her B.A. degree cum laude, (Phi Beta Kappa) and from Washington & Lee University School of Law where she received her J.D. magna cum laude, Order of the Coif. She then clerked for the Honorable Julia Smith Gibbons of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and the Honorable Ronald Lee Gilman of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She practiced civil and criminal litigation for three years with the Government Enforcement Litigation Section of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington, D.C. In 2002, she joined the faculty of West Virginia College of Law. She has also served as a visiting professor at Florida State University College of Law, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, and Washington & Lee University School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Georgia, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.

Caprice Roberts

Caprice Roberts is a Professor of Law at Savannah Law School and the co-author of a leading remedies casebook, Remedies

Lisa Tripp is an Associate Professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, in Atlanta Georgia. She teaches Health Care Law, Torts and Remedies. Professor Tripp practiced health care law for a private law firm and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services prior to joining the faculty of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in 2006. As an attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Professor Tripp focused primarily on long

term care enforcement. She litigated many cases involving physical and sexual abuse, elopements, falls, neglect and substandard quality of care.

Professor Tripp currently serves as the Chair of the Leadership Council of The National Consumer Voice for Quality LongTerm Care and has served on health quality measurement committees and panels for the National Quality Forum and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).

She is a consultant to CMS and has provided training to survey agencies in North Carolina, Kentucky, Oregon, Wisconsin and Oklahoma and provided some consulting to industry groups. Professor Tripp received her law degree, with honors, from George Washington University Law School, in Washington, D.C.

Here are some of the professor’s thoughts on what it means to be a female professor: “Ideally, it should not matter that I am a female professor versus a male professor; a good professor is a good professor. However, if because I am female - I can positively impact a student differently than a male professor could, or influence and motivate a student to do more than that student believed he or she was capable of, then that is extremely important.”

– Joanna Apolinsky “It was an honor and a privilege to be a member of the first class of tenured female faculty in the modern era of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Two female colleagues and I busted the ranks of the previously-all-male tenured faculty in 2010, and we haven’t looked back. Since that time, the tenured female faculty have not only increased in numbers, but we have also increased our presence in the governance and leadership of the institution. In so doing, I believe that we serve as role models for our students as well as the legal community at large. I strive to demonstrate, not only by my words but also by my actions, that it is possible to ‘have it all’ – to be a successful and contributing member of the legal community while also being a dedicated and loving mother.”

– Lisa Taylor “I’ve been most inspired by a tireless dedication to the law as embodied in Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. With style and grace, she embraced every aspect of life and law as a litigator, scholar, mother, advocate, professor, and jurist. Her constant and steadfast attention to the cases before her, the clerks she inspires, and the various perennial challenges she has overcome in her personal life, have demonstrated to me what participating in this legal community, vocationally and emotionally, is all about.”

– Caprice Roberts

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CAMPUS LIFE

CAMPUS LIFE M E S S A G E

F R O M

T H E

D E A N

I Hope You’re Having A Wonderful Summer.

It’s hard to believe that the school year starts in just a few days. I once read a bit of graffiti: “Time is God’s way of keeping everything from happening all at once.” I’m not one to criticize, but—more and more--things seem to be happening all at once.

If this were a State of the Union message, I would tell you confidently that the state of the John Marshall Law School is sound. The faculty is maturing as teachers and scholars; more of them are rewarded with tenure each year. The staff continues to do incredible work because of their deep affection for the students; TH E

ADVOCATE

Richardson R. Lynn Dean and Professor of Law rlynn@johnmarshall.edu Kevin Cieply Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor kcieply@johnmarshall.edu

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it’s not a job to them. The students are committed and hard-working.

The passing rate for first-time bar exam takers is climbing again. The placement rate has continued to be quite strong. Alumni respond generously to help with moot court, Career Development, and on-campus CLEs. The Alumni Board is thriving and nearly at its maximum size of 40. Other than a strong need for more scholarship funds for deserving students, the school remains on a distinctly upward trajectory.

This will be my eighth year as dean.

It is best job I’ve ever held, although I’ve had so much fun that it’s rarely felt like a job. The growth in the size of the law school, the complexity of its activities and curriculum, and our increasing reputation have resulted from the hard work of the faculty and staff, supported by the long-time Chair of the Board of Directors, Dr. Michael Markovitz. I am uncommonly proud of these improvements. I know that many other great developments in the life of the law school are ahead.

I have announced to the law school community that this year will be my last as dean. Dr. Markovitz will chair

the Dean Search Committee to look for the next leader of this amazing school. The Committee will be composed of Board members, faculty members and a student from both campuses—Atlanta and Savannah, a staff and alumni representatives.

The next dean will begin work in the summer of 2014. I’ll go on leave for the 2014-15 academic year, as is traditionally done, and then return to the faculty. No matter what else I’m doing, I’ll always be available any time I can help any of you.

As others have said about football coaches and politicians, to be a good law school dean you must be smart enough to do the job and dumb enough to think it’s important. Well, it is important, especially at John Marshall where the potential for even greater success is so clear.

Thanks for reading The Advocate.

Come see us in Atlanta and Savannah.

Stay in touch.

Richardson R. Lynn Dean and Professor of Law

Published by Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, 1422 West Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309 CONTACT US: The Alumni Office welcomes letters, photos or any other communication that highlights our alumni.

Sheryl Harrison Associate Dean of Students sharrison@johnmarshall.edu Michelle Harris Assistant Dean for Administration mharris@johnmarshall.edu Michael Lynch Director of Law Library and Professor of Law mlynch@johnmarshall.edu

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Renata Turner Director of Pro Bono Outreach & Externships and Associate Professor of Law rturner@johnmarshall.edu Lisa Kaplan Director, LL.M. Programs lkaplan@johnmarshall.edu Ivonne Betancourt Director of Career Development ibetancourt@johnmarshall.edu

Crystal Ridgely Director of Admissions cridgely@johnmarshall.edu Barbara Chelikowsky Alumni Director bchelikowsky@johnmarshall.edu Chad Dillard Assistant Director of Alumni cdillard@johnmarshall.edu

UPDATE OF

Renovations

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n the heart of Savannah, construction continues on the former Warren Candler Hospital as part of Savannah Law School’s restoration of the building. The 194-year-old building is undergoing significant renovations to accommodate the law school. The project represents a “true preservation event”, according to Sarah Ward, the historic preservation director for the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Committee.

“Outside of the recent renovation of Ellis Square, I cannot think of another project in recent years that has done as much to preserve the urban plan and the historic district,” said Ward.

Dean of Savannah Law School Richardson Lynn believes once renovations are complete, Savannah Law School will be “the prettiest law school in America.” There will be a restaurant in the lower part of the building and there is also new access to Forsyth Street making the campus more accessible. The grand opening is scheduled for October 2013. Please visit the Savannah Law School website at savannahlawschool.org for updates and more information.

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Family Law

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Externship Clinic

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tlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) students have another opportunity to expand their legal skills in a clinical setting. In addition to the Immigration Law Clinic, thirdyear students can participate in the DeKalb County Family Law Externship Clinic (DFLEC).

DFLEC is a collaborative between AJMLS, DeKalb County Judge Mark Anthony Scott, the DeKalb Office of Dispute Resolution (ADR Office) and the DeKalb Volunteers Lawyers Foundation to provide legal assistance to pro se family law litigants. Students, under the supervision of Adjunct Professor Rebecca Crumrine, meet clients at the ADR Office assisting them with child support work sheets and other documents necessary to move their divorce case forward.

After meeting and assisting their clients, students accompany and represent them at subsequent hearings before Judge Scott.

While DFLEC offers great educational benefits to our students, it was born to fill a critical need within the community.

Judge Scott became increasingly concerned about the number of pro se litigants appearing before

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him unable to navigate their cases.

Prof Crumrine, who regularly appears before Judge Scott through her practice at Hedgepeth, Heredin, Crumrine and Morrison, also witnessed the growing gap in legal representation. As part of the AJMLS family, she saw a bridge between the pro se litigants and the need for legal assistance: AJMLS students eager to gain experience.

Through the efforts of Judge Scott stakeholders were assembled to provide the infrastructure to bring DFLEC into a reality.

Launched in fall 2012 as a pilot externship clinic, DFLEC met the expectations of both the school and the court. Students found that the one-on-one attention and instruction from Prof. Crumrine, along with the opportunity to participate in hearings, greatly enhanced their knowledge, skills and confidence. They also appreciated the consistent example of professionalism 2 0 1 3

and quality representation Prof.

Crumrine modeled before the court. The students reflected that model behavior in and outside the courtroom, impressing Prof.

Crumrine, clients, and Judge Scott.

Judge Scott found that DFLEC went beyond his s expectations. He is so pleased with its success that he wants to expand the program to include other judges.

The pilot was such a success that all partner stakeholders agreed to move forward another year with plans to formally establish it as an ongoing clinic.

The Office of Pro Bono Outreach and Experiential Learning is currently working with partners in Fulton County to start a similar program adding to the list of clinical offerings available to AJMLS students. Equally important, these and other AJMLS clinics will further AJMLS’ dedication to improving the legal community by filling the gap in affordable legal assistance.

tlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) recognizes the significant role student organizations play in law school in supplementing the educational program by affording a means to invaluable networking experiences, as well as providing events that serve the community. AJMLS’s student chapter of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (“GAWL”) strives to enhance the welfare and development of women lawyers while promoting and maintaining the honor and integrity of the legal profession. At AJLMS, the 2012-2013 school year was successful in meeting GAWL’s mission and more.

During the Fall semester GAWL offered students numerous events to participate in to develop their professional skills and encourage philanthropic activities.

“Building a Professional You” has become an annual event hosted by GAWL. The event provides students and faculty with free headshots taken by a professional photographer, information on appropriate business card formats and ordering information, as well as seminars discussing proper attire and use of appropriate beauty cosmetics. GAWL also hosted a Networking 101 event comprised of three panelists who discussed how to effectively communicate at networking events. Some of the topics the panelists provided insight into included: valuable tips on what questions to ask and avoid, how to present a business card, and actions to take following an initial interaction. GAWL also cosponsored an “Adopt-A-Highway” cleanup event in honor of AJMLS. During the Spring semester GAWL hosted its annual “Women in Law” day. This year’s theme was “Women Thinking Outside the Law.” Four panelists discussed non-traditional career paths using a law degree as well as related challenges and solutions. Panelists included: a AJMLS alumna with a private practice in immigration and adoptions, a private practice attorney for small business, an intergovernmental affairs manager for the City of Atlanta and a United States bankruptcy trustee.

GAWL members prepared and served dinner to families at the Nicholas House, a transitional housing shelter for homeless families that is structured to assist in self-

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Student Chapter of the

sufficiency. Finally, GAWL sponsored a week long benefit in memory of Tawnie Adams, an amazing 4L evening student of the AJLMS community that passed away unexpectedly in February. The fundraiser included a “Final Exam Prep Jeopardy” event which included both student and professor participation. The funds raised were donated to a scholarship in Ms. Adams’ honor.

The AJMLS student chapter of GAWL often participated in events hosted by GAWL, increasing student’s contacts with attorneys in the legal community. Many students attended the 17th Annual Judicial Luncheon Honoring Women of the Metropolitan Atlanta Judiciary. The event gave members the opportunity to converse in an informal atmosphere with over fifty sitting judges representing a variety of Metro Atlanta counties, as well as the President of the Georgia State Bar, Robin Frazier-Clark. AJMLS students also attended GAWL’s two part “Life in the Law” series that provided beneficial advice to lawyers on how to balance all life’s aspects and obstacles. Another event AJMLS students both volunteered for and attended was the GAWL Legislative Reception honoring women members of the General Assembly and the judiciary. Student members also volunteered as GAWL’s 20th Annual Art Auction which raises money for community service events, grants, and scholarships that assist women and children in the legal system.

This year was full of events that both served the community and helped to enrich the student chapter members of AJMLS’s GAWL chapter. We are looking forward to another exciting year in 2013-14.

Georgia Association for Women Lawyers

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GRADUATION

James David Williamson, Full-time valedictorian

Thomas James Backes, Part-time valedictorian

Kim Milstead and Kenneth Plaisance

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n Saturday, May 18, 2013, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School held its Commencement Ceremony at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Over 230 graduate, along with hundreds of family and friends gathered to celebrate the occasion.

This year’s Commencement address was given by Representative Doug Collins (’07) of the U.S. House of Representatives – 9th District of Georgia. An Honorary Degree was awarded to Dean James P. White for his contributions to legal education and society. The 2013 Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients were Representative Collins (‘07) and Mr. Tavis Knighten (’05). This year’s valedictorians were James David Williamson III (Full-time) and Thomas David Backes (Part-time).

BLSA Members getting ready for the ceremony

Representative Doug Collins (’07)

Jemila Lea, Mehreen Punja, Faris Zejnelovic, Zach Davis, Debra Dutton

Keren Barrios, Crystal Tran

Dean White 8

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Maintaining A Balance Between

WORK&PLAY

by Professor Tim Saviello

M

“

ake sure you maintain a balance in your life between work and play.” This phrase was a platitude when I heard it as a new public defender, but became words of wisdom when I began repeating it to new public defenders 15 years later. Such is the manner in which wisdom is [l]earned.

After 17 years of practice as indigent defender in State and Federal courts across the South, and with two children under age eight at home, it was time for me to take my own advice. One step was moving from a full time indigent defense practice to joining the faculty at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Once I settled into full-time teaching, the next step was renewing my love of running. Lest you imagine me enjoying leisurely jogs during lazy afternoons, the reality was that my runs took place in the pre-dawn hours, allowing me to get the running done before my other daily duties came due. Simply put, changing my work didn’t give me more time to play, but instead gave me more energy, which allowed me to play more.

I am always more productive when I have a deadline, and in March of 2012 a good friend provided one when he proposed that I join some friends him on a grand running 1 0

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adventure: a double crossing of the Grand Canyon. A little research revealed that this is one of the holy grails of the ultra-marathon, trail running tribe, and commonly called “Rim-To-Rim-To-Rim” or when texting “R2R2R.” Some quick research revealed that completion involved 47 miles in distance and 11,000 feet in elevation loss and gain. I have done a number of marathons, with marginal success and much more than marginal pain, but was intrigued by the sheer arrogance of the ordeal.

Several factors influenced our chosen date of October 12, 2012.

We needed the temperature warm enough for the 3 water spigots in the canyon to be on, but not so warm that the canyon floor temperatures would be unbearable. On the drive up from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, compulsive checks of the weather showed a cold front coming through on our chosen day. 23 straight days of sunshine before, scheduled thunderstorms our day, then sunshine ad infinitum afterwards. Nothing to be done as plane flights in and out where already scheduled, so we chalked it up to heightening the experience.

A Rim to Rim to Rim crossing involves starting at the South Rim, where there is a full village with lodges to stay, descending, running up the 2 0 1 3

canyon to the North Rim which is not nearly as populated, then back again, ending up at the South Rim village.

There were no refueling stops once in the canyon, so everyone had to carry enough to get them through the day, but not too much more as added weight was, well, added weight. My pack contained a combination of energy bars, homemade energy gel, my mom’s secret recipe beef jerky, and 4 slices of Papa John’s pepperoni pizza, along with Gatorade/Carb powder to mix with water at our water stops.

After a generally fitful sleep the night before, we were up at 3:15 for a planned 4:00 A.M. departure. The storm was upon us, so we decided to wait another hour for the squall to pass. At 5:00 A.M. we stood at the precipice of the South Kaibob trail.

Normally, I would have paused to contemplate the moment, consider the enormity of the undertaking ahead, and weighty things like that.

But because it was 35 degrees and raining, we paused only to make sure our shoes were tied and our packs strapped on before plunging over the edge.

It was dark, and with headlamps lighting the way, for the first hour the only thing I saw were the feet in front of me. When I did venture a look over the side of the trail, endless blackness quickly brought me back to focusing on my footsteps. Eventually the rain stopped, and the sun illuminated the canyon through the clouds. After

Photos courtesy of Professor Tim Saviello

almost 7 miles and a 4,800ft drop we finally saw the Colorado River below.

We paused for some photos, then geared up for the 9 mile run to the beginning of the North Rim ascent.

The run along the canyon floor was breathtaking, with everything from expansive views up and down the canyon, to running creek-side threading our way through narrow canyon walls towering above. The sun had come out and spirits were high during this relatively flat portion.

We started the climb up to the North Rim full of energy and still relatively pain-free, with the sun on our shoulders. The climb is about 5,800 feet in about 5.4 miles. About 1/3 of the way up, the sky darkened, the wind picked up, the rain began to fall and the temperature started dropping fast. By this point we were power-hiking through the mud, just focusing on getting to the top. When we finally reached the top of the North Rim about 6.5 hours from when we started, it was 20 degrees and snowing, so we didn’t hang around.

A couple photographs, a couple of cathartic yells, and back down we went, searching for some warmth and dry footing.

The descent down from the North Rim was the hardest part, by far. The trail was mud and rocks the entire way down, with a fair amount of mule excrement added in for good measure. My legs were tired, and the constant beating from the descent coupled with the freezing weather

made it all the harder. Finally, we reached the floor of the canyon, and stopped at the Cottonwood campground to refuel. A slice of pizza, more fluid and we were ready to move on.

It was a relief to run the relatively gentle 9 miles back down the canyon to the Colorado River. The sun came out, everything dried up, and we even saw two elk on the hillside above us.

We finally arrived at the River, about 9.75 hours into the run. More eating and drinking, and then we started on the 9 mile, 4,500 foot climb up the Bright Angel trail to the South Rim, and out of the canyon.

By this point, we were all pretty beaten up, and only ran in the relatively flat spots of the trail, which were few and far between. As we moved upwards, the views were forever changing, including a beautiful double rainbow over the canyon behind us.

The sun was going down, and our hour delay in the morning meant that our hoped-for arrival at the South Rim for sunset was not going to happen.

Instead, the sun went down, the dark came in, the headlamps came back on, and the temperature dropped again. Without the breathtaking views, the climb became primarily a focus on one foot in front of the other, the world having diminished to the

cone of light immediately in front of each of us.

Finally, we passed through the rock tunnel that meant we were close to the top, and spirits rose again. A few more hairpin turns, and we could see the summit above us, and then we arrived. Exhausted, filthy, sore, and exhilarated. 47 miles, 11,000 feet of elevation gain and loss, over 13.5 hours. A nice couple used my phone to take a blurry picture of us so I could text my wife to let her know we were out of the canyon safe and sound, then we stumbled back to the lodge for a shower, and as much food and drink as we could manage.

I’ve never been so sore in my life, nor so satisfied with a physical event.

At 45, it was a wonderful affirmation that there is more to life than the practice of law, that there are physical challenges that enrich the soul as much as a lifetime of helping others.

It confirmed my belief that there is a way to balance work and play, and combine them both to make for a more fulfilling life.

Special thanks go to my wonderful wife (for supporting me, mostly by kicking me out of bed in the morning when I didn’t feel like running), my kids, Professors Rapping and Mears for covering my classes, and for my students that term, who tolerated my brief absence with understanding.

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CAMPUS LIFE Mr. Robert A Bolin, Mr. Brice Cooper,

The 1930s were excellent years for

Mr. Theodore D. Fenster, Mr. Lee Moore

the law school.

Hunter, Mr. Walter Garland Patton, Mr. George W. Powell, Jr., Mr. Sherril T. Wills, Mr. Joseph Guy Larkin, Mr. James Richard Price, Mrs. Georgia Barbara Pruitt, and Mrs. Victoria Wilbanks. The commencement program will open Thursday night when graduates will be honored at an assembly of the entire student body in the school auditorium.

AJMLS Dedicates

Mr. Robert King White of the Georgia

LAW LIBRARY

Department of Education, will deliver the baccalaureate address at the graduation exercises Saturday night. The valedictory address will be delivered by Mrs. Marjorie P. Amendola.”3 A little later that year,

to Esteemed Faculty Member

O

the Atlanta newspaper announced a scheduled

John Marshall’s Early Years:

debate on the Monroe

John Marshall Law

1933-1939 - Mary Wilson*

Doctrine by the student

School dedicated its

1933

council. “The first debate

law library to Michael

John Marshall Law School was

of the term will be held at

founded in 1933. The school’s initial

9 o’clock Friday night by

n April 29, 2013, Atlanta’s

J. Lynch, Director of

the Law Library and Professor. The

charter from the Superior Court of Fulton

Holbrook, Miss Sarah Irene Brown,

the student council on ‘The

dedication ceremony, attended by

County was issued August 28, 1933.

Mrs. Lucine Milan Dalton, Miss Ann

Monroe Doctrine should be

faculty, staff and students, was a fitting

In the early years, the school was

Kimsey, valedictorian, Mr. Richmond I.

continued as a part of the permanent

recognition of Professor Lynch’s work

located in very small quarters in a

Barge, Jr., Mr. Eli Howell, Mr. Herschell

policy of the United States.’ Ora Eads

in expanding the library and library

downtown office building, and the

V. Shelton, Mr. John D. Parker, and Mr.

and W.N. Eason, affirmative, and

services, a key part of obtaining full ABA

collection of law books began to develop.

George B. Vandiver. The graduation

Cliford Oxford Jr., and L.A. Hopkins,

approval for the law school.

1938

ceremony is to held at the John Marshall

Negative. Officers of the student council

“His success with the library, given

During 1938, the law school leased

Law School, 1000 Peachtree Street,

are to be elected Friday night, with

the resources he had to work with, could

the entire third floor of the Zahner office

Atlanta, Georgia, on June 4, 1938. And

Oxford as president, Mrs. Olivia N. Van

not have been duplicated by any other

building at 1000 Peachtree Street for

Dean Fenster will confer the degrees

Vaulkenburg, secretary, Walter D. Swift,

law librarian in the country,” said Dean

a long term of years.1 This was an

on the students with an open house

treasurer, and J.J. Elliott, vice president.”4

Richardson Lynn. “Professor Lynch

important year for the school, as the first

following the graduation ceremony.”2

“Mr. Herschell V. Shelton is the

has been important in the life of the

class graduated in June 1938.

1939

president of the newly organized

law school in multiple roles, including

The John Marshall Law School’s first

The Atlanta newspaper article

John Marshall Law School Alumni

his teaching of Contracts. His support

graduates were very impressive. There

mentioned the 1939 graduating class

Association. Other officers chosen

for our students and the way he roots

were ten students altogether, with four

consisted of fourteen graduates which

are: Mr. Joseph G. Larkin , first

for them is most inspiring.” Thank you

females and one couple, as mentioned

consisted of three females. “These

vice president; Miss Victoria

Professor Lynch for your hard work

in the newspaper article:

students include: Mrs. Marjorie P.

Wilbanks, second vice president;

and commitment to the John Marshall

“These outstanding students

Amendola, the valedictorian, Mr. Paul

Miss Georgia Pruitt, secretary, and

community. Congratulations!

include: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lawrence

Randolph Astin, Mr. Robert C. Astin,

Mr. R.C. Astin, treasurer.”5

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___________________ * Head of Public Services, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Library, Atlanta, Georgia.

1 Leases Top Floor Zahner Building. (June 5, 1938). The Atlanta Constitution, p. l C. Retrieved from Proquest Historical Newspapers.

2 Marshall School Will Graduate 10: Four Women to Receive Law Degrees at Exercises Tonight. (June 4, 1938). The Atlanta Constitution, p.5. Retrieved from Proquest Historical Newspapers.

3 Monroe Doctrine Debate Planned: John Marshall Law Students to Argue it Friday.

(October 1, 1939). The Atlanta Constitution, p. 8A. Retrieved from Proquest Historical Newspapers.

4 Law School finals Start on Thursday: John Marshall Graduates wi ll be Honored

by Student Body. (May 30, 1939). The Atlanta Constitution, p.6. Retrieved from Proquest Historical Newspapers.

5 H.V. Shelton Heads New Alumni Group. (11/ 15/ 1939). The Atlanta Constitution, p.17. Retrieved from Proquest Historical Newspapers.

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CAMPUS LIFE

MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD CHAIR

LL.M

in Employment Law Program

Professor Mears’

TRIVIA Trivia Question Number

38 There were nine (9) states

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JMLS recently hosted its third Thesis Presentation event for the LL.M. in Employment Law program.

The inaugural event was held in May 2012, the day before the inaugural cohort graduated, and a second event took place in December. To date, twelve students have received the Masters of Law degree in Employment Law. Academic year 2012-13 also marked the launch of two additional LL.M. programs: the Masters of Law in American Legal Studies, both online and residential.

Anna Sokol, who received her first degree in law from The University of Lodz in Poland, graduated in May as the first graduate of the residential American Legal Studies program. The online American Legal Studies program launched in January, with that cohort scheduled to graduate in May 2014.

We encourage you to contact LL.M. Director Lisa Kaplan about any of the three exciting LL.M. programs.

AJMLS graduates are eligible for scholarships to the Employment Law program. We also encourage you to let your foreign-educates colleagues know about the American Legal Studies programs. Whether they reside in Atlanta or abroad, these programs offer an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge of American law and our legal system.

For LL.M. information, contact Lisa Kaplan at lkaplan@ johnmarshall.edu.

in the Union that voted against the ratification of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote. Which state was the first state to vote against giving women the constitutionally protected right to vote.

Answer: Georgia did not vote to ratify the 18th Amendment until 1970. The other states which followed Georgia’s lead in voting against ratifying the 19th Amendment were Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia Trivia Question Number

39 The Great Seal of Georgia is two-sided. On one side of the Great Seal are the words “Constitution, Wisdom, Justice, Moderation.” What words are inscribed on the other side of the Great Seal of Georgia?

Answer: On the other side of the Great Seal of Georgia is the inscription is “Agriculture and Commerce, 1776.”

Source: See, OCGA Section 50-3-30.

A

s Chair of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s Alumni Board (the “Board”), I want to give you some insight into what the Board is all about. The Board is a supportive body consisting of invited graduates of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (“AJMLS”) that assist in the advancement of both AJMLS and the John Marshall Law School Alumni Association. There are currently 38 members on the Board, including graduates from 1971 to 2012. The Board meets three times a year to discuss various initiatives and ways to continue to support AJMLS. In addition to being a general member of the Board, members

further the Board’s purpose and initiatives through service on the following Standing Committees: Nominating Committee, Development Committee, Communications Committee, Events Committee, and Student Liaison Committee. As the Board continues to grow and new goals and projects become identified, the Board is empowered to create additional committees to further those initiatives.

In fact, the Student Liaison Committee was created as result the Board’s appreciation of the necessity to build and foster relationships between the Board and the AJMLS student body.

As a result of the efforts of the Student Liaison Committee to address this need, the Alumni Mentor Program was created.

Beginning with 2013-2014 academic year, first year students will be paired with one of the program’s alumni mentors. This mentor-mentee relationship is one that will allow students to learn from the practical advice and guidance of an alumni-mentor during the law school years; and to benefit from the same relationship

as students graduate and transition into the practice of law or to other professional post-law school endeavors. It is a program aimed at creating lifelong personal and professional relationships and strengthening the AJMLS alumni community. I hope that you will become a part of this program and make a positive difference in the life of future AJMLS alumni!

I invite and encourage each of you to become an active member in the AJMLS alumni community.

Your real world experience, your legal expertise, and your dedication to service and community are the biggest assets of the AJMLS alumni community!

For more information on the AJMLS Alumni Board and its programs and initiatives, please do not hesitate to contact Ginger Arnold, the Alumni Director at AJMLS, or myself. With kindest regards, I am, Yours very truly, Boris Y. Milter

Print for King Article Reprinted with permission from Military & Veterans Law, Winter 2013. Copyright State Bar of Georgia.

Statements expressed within this article should not be considered endorsements of products or procedures by the State Bar of Georgia.

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Section Member

Seriously Social:

Cary King

Using Social Media in Your Law Practice

Honored at State Bar Midyear Meeting

by Heather Hale (’11)

S

ocial media is increasingly recognized as an acceptable component of a marketing strategy in a professional context.

The American Bar Association reports that ninety-six (96) percent of lawyers are using LinkedIn and thirty-eight (38) percent of lawyers are using Facebook for career development and networking. Where once these sites were reserved only for sharing baby pictures and commenting on that latte you just had, now Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Twitter can be used as powerful tools to turbo charge your practice. And best of all, it can all happen amazingly close to real time with social media apps for a range of devices, from tablets to smart phones.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when deciding which form of social media to use for each task you hope to accomplish is to know your audience. Let’s start with the platform that each of you are most likely already on - Facebook. Now I can’t emphasize this enough: if you are going to use Facebook in a professional capacity, keep your posts professional, or at least “safe for work.”

All of them. Typically Facebook marketing will target two groups: friends/family and clients. Friends and family can be some of your best referrals, so I encourage you to be shameless when dropping hints about your practice (think Garth Brooks here, not Snooki). Update your status on the go saying something like “Off to court to finalize my fifth adoption this month.

Could you or someone you know be the sixth?” Take photos at your next CLE or section luncheon and upload them directly using the camera on your mobile device

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to showcase all the great professional endeavors you are pursuing. You can even make a dedicated Facebook Page for your firm, separate from your Facebook Profile, and maintain it with the Pages* for Facebook app.

LinkedIn is incredibly popular among a variety of professionals, which is why connecting with colleagues should be your aim with this platform.

Given the ABA statistics above, you are probably already familiar with LinkedIn to some degree. But did you know that LinkedIn has a companion app for iPhone called Card Munch? This app allows you to snap a photo of a business card, one you received at a networking event or conference for example, and upload that photo in the app. Using tech magic the app recognizes the pertinent information from the card (name, company or firm, and email address) and gives the option to connect with that person on LinkedIn directly from there.

It’s a great time saver and a no brainer for following up with new contacts. I also use LinkedIn to brush up on information about a new colleague’s firm or practice areas prior to meeting with them for the first time to avoid any faux pas. You can view their profile picture as well in case you’ve connected through peers without having met in person.

The last platform I’ll cover is Twitter, my personal favorite. One of the best things about Twitter is that you have a lot

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of creative control in terms of who you’d like to target and what sort of information you’d like to include. Each post must be brief (120 characters or less), so you can get a lot of information in a short amount of time when reading tweets by others. I use Twitter as a form of thought leadership in my practice areas geared toward other attorneys as well as current and potential clients who made need an advocate in those areas. Most often I’ll tweet blog posts, news articles, or event information to help others stay on top of new developments in the law and demonstrate that I am doing the same. Tweet while you’re waiting in line at Starbucks, in between appointments, or if you arrive early to a meeting.

Social media should be fun and easy, but the reason I hear most consistently from other attorneys who don’t use social media in their practice is that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Well, I have a solution for that too! HootSuite is a social media management tool that allows you to view updates across each platform I’ve mentioned all in one place. Perhaps the most useful feature of HootSuite is the option to schedule social media posts ahead of time.

Take a few minutes at the end of the week to scan all those listserv emails you undoubtedly get and choose a few interesting articles to tweet next week, setting a date and time for them to go out. Have a great seminar to attend in a few days? Schedule a status update about it now and eliminate the stress of remembering later. Use these tips and tricks to make your firm seriously social in no time.

A

tlanta native, Cary S. King was honored by the State Bar of Georgia during its Midyear Meeting on Jan. 12 for his outstanding support of the Bar’s three-year old Military

During his military service and among other personal decorations, King was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge,five Bronze Star Medal (two with “V” device for

Legal Assistance Program. The program makes available

valor), the Purple Heart Medal, two Air Medals, two Army

legal services to active duty military personnel, National Guard

Commendation Medals (one with “V” device), the Vietnamese

members, Reservists, and veterans on a pro bono or reduced

Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Air Crewman’s Badge, and

fee-basis. Mr. King is also a combat veteran himself.

three Meritorious Unit Citations.

King was cited for having provided extraordinary and

Among other charitable and civic organizations, Mr.

outstanding legal services over the past 12 years to hundreds

King is a member of the Dekalb County Veteran’s Advisory

of military veterans at the VA Medical Center in Decatur, Ga.,

Committee,former president and chairman of the Atlanta Vietnam

on a variety of civil and criminal law issues including, among

Veterans Business Association, and board member of the

others,family law, consumer law, landlord tenant matters,

Crohn’s & Coliits Foundation. He is a member of the USO and is

employment law, and military discharge characterizations.

a regular greeter of service members arriving and departing at

King is currently senior attorney in the firm of Jacobs & King

the Hartsville-Jackson International Airport.

and previously for 17 years was senior partner with firm of Slater

For his efforts, King received the Marshall -Tuttle Award,which

& King and prior to that for 11 years was a partner the firm of

was named in honor and memory of Army Cpl. Evan Andrew

Shuster, King & King. Over the years he has handled significant

Marshall, a soldier from Athens, Ga., who was killed in action

trial litigation including many high profile civil matters in state

in Iraq in 2008, and in honor and memory of U.S. Circuit Judge

and federal courts cases. He is a member of the bars of the

Elbert Parr Tuttle. Tuttle was in the Army for 30 years, was a

United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of Georgia, the

founding partner of the Atlanta law firm of Sutherland Asbill and

U.S.Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, and the District Court

served as a federal judge for 43 years. He also provided pro

for the Northern District of Georgia.

bono legal services to many people, including John Johnson, a

Mr. King and his wife, Sherry King, are both 1959 graduates

young Marine. In 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Johnson

of Henry Grady High School. They have five children and

v. Zerbst that counsel must be provided for all defendants

six grandchildren. He graduated in 1963 from Georgia State

infederal criminal trials who cannot afford to hire their own

University with a BA degree and in 1983 from John Marshall

attorneys. The State Bar determined that these two men, Evan

Law School. He also attended graduate school at Georgia State

Marshall and Elbert Tuttle, each contributed mightily to the

University and at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

state of Georgia and the nation and to the ideal of service and

Following his undergraduate studies including the ROTC

sacrifice for the public good.

program, King was commissioned as a Regular Army officer

Since the Military Legal Assistance Program began, help

under the Distinguished Military Graduate Program. He served

has been provided to more than 900 military service members

almost seven years on active duty and then served in the

and veterans throughout Georgia. Through its Continuing Legal

National Guard and Army Reserves, retiring in 1987 after 24 total

Education programs, the Bar has also provided training for more

years of service including overseas tours of duty in Germany

than 500 lawyers seeking accreditation to practice before the

and in Vietnam. In Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1967 and

U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs. Georgia is home to more

1968, he served with the 1st Infantry Division supervising and

than 1oo,000 men and women on active duty or in the National

conducting search and seal operations, and commanded both a

Guard or Reserves, and to more than 774,000 veterans.

field artillery battery and a headquarters battery.

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REAL LIFE

Alumni News

R

epresentative Doug Collins (’07) & Tavis Knighten (’05) have been named the 2013 Distinguished Alumni. Each year, the Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni who have achieved distinction in their professional careers and personal lives. Those honored share the same characteristics of leadership, progressive thinking, high standards, uncompromising integrity, commitment, courage, and confidence. Their careers serve as models for Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School students and alumni.

At the State Bar Annual meeting in June, Jackson Oliver (’11), Boris Milter (’11), and Tiffany Simmons (’09) were elected to the State Bar of Georgia’s YLD Executive Council as Members-AtLarge for the 2013-14 year. As part of their service to the council, some of their duties include: being project coordinators for a district service project, serving as liaisons between the YLD and young lawyers and organizations, and keeping local bar associations updated on current YLD projects and events.

Starting in August 2013, Heather Hale (‘11) will serve as the District 12 Representative for the American Bar Association (ABA) Young

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Lawyers Division. District 12 covers the states of Georgia and Alabama. Heather was selected for this position by the State Bar of Georgia, and will represent the GA Young Lawyers Division at ABA meetings and assemblies. Her other responsibilities will include coordinating all disaster relief legal aid through the ABA for Georgia and Alabama. District Representatives serve a two year term, and Heather is excited for this opportunity.

James Smith (’09) has been appointed as the Magistrate Judge for McIntosh County. In addition, Mr. Smith has been selected to be the Darion County Public Defender.

Katie Andrews Smith (’09) has been elected President for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit Bar Association.

This bar association serves the southern Georgia counties of Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Tattnall.

Ms. Smith is also the Ludowici Deputy City attorney.

Tash J. Van Dora is proud to announce the formation of The Van Dora Law Firm, L.LC. Attorney Jeremiah Van Dora, a graduate of Furman University and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, joins his father in the practice. In addition, The Van Dora Law Firm has restored and 2 0 1 3

renovated a historic building in Hartwell for use as its office. The Van Dora Law Firm, L.LC., specializes in workers’ compensation, employment law, personal injury, and business formation. The firm is located at 21 Vickery Street, Hartwell, GA 30643.

Please go to www.vandoralawfirm. com for more information.

Simmons Law (Tiffany Simmons (’09)) is pleased to announce the grand opening of its Marietta Location of the firm. The address is 12 Powder Springs Suite 240 Marietta, GA 30064. The firm specializes in business, criminal, and entertainment law.

Maria Keller (‘12) started O’Driscoll Keller, P.C. which is located at 107 Colony Park Drive, Suite 700, Cumming, Georgia, 30040. We practice in the areas of family law, elder law, estate planning, special needs, and social security disability. Maria is the mother of a child with special needs. She is passionate about serving this deserving population in this way. The website is www. odriscollkeller.com.

Mande Moyer (’11) joined The Millard Law Firm in Alpharetta practicing Family Law and Personal Injury.

Thomas Lyman (’12) and his wife Lindsay Champanis-Lyman welcomed a son, James Lawrence on March 18, 2013.

Jenn Gore Cuthbert (’12) and her husband, Angus, welcomed a daughter name Julia Claire on April 1, 2013.

AJLMS Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients ’13 Representative Douglas A. Collins (’08)

Tavis L. Knighten (‘05) ’12 Judith M. Alembik (’71)

E. Michael Moran (’97) ’11 Thomas C. Chambers, III (’77)

Senator Ronald B. Ramsey, Sr. (’92) ’10 Honorable Judge James G. Bodiford (’79)

Neera A. Bahl (’00) ’09 Honorable Judge Alvin T. Wong (’76)

Sonja N. Brown (’04) ’08 Honorable Judge G. Alan Blackburn (’68)

R. Adam Malone (’99)

Blake Scoggins and guest, Thomas Backes, Mariette Clardy-Torres, Peter and Anna Steckl

Audrey Holiday and Aaron Jones

Kimberly Roholt and Samanatha McClinton

Contact List for Alumni

One of the most rewarding ways alumni can support the AJMLS community is by volunteering their time. Each year, numerous alumni choose to do so by volunteering their time in support of student activities and organizations. From preparing students for competitions, and acting as judicial officials in mock trials, to supporting various events hosted by student organizations, our alumni play key roles in promoting the academic success of AJMLS students. As our school and its community continue to grow and prosper, there will be more opportunities for our alumni to give back through volunteer work. If alumni would like an opportunity to connect with AJMLS students, please do not hesitate to do so. By volunteering their time, alumni not only help students succeed, they also set an example for those students to themselves become active alumni.

Volunteer Activity Contact Email Moot Court Competition....................................Prefessor Lucy Jewel.......................... ljewel@johnmarshall.edu Client Interviewing and Counseling Mock Trial Competition......................................Professor Suparna Malempati............. smalempati@johnmarshall.edu Law Review.......................................................Professor Liza Karsai.......................... karsai@johnmarshall.edu Student Organizations.......................................Miessha Stennis.................................. mstennis@johnmarshall.edu Career Development.........................................Ivonne Betancourt............................... betancourt@johnmarshall.edu Pro Bono Outreach and Externships.................Renata Turner...................................... rturner@johnmarshall.edu For more information about volunteer opportunities, please contact Chad Dillard, Assistant Director of Alumni at cdillard@johnmarshall.edu or 404-872-3593 ext. 287.

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H

ello fellow alumni! I hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of The Advocate. I know I always enjoy hearing about other alumni and finding out what’s been going on at the Law School.

I want to take a few moments and let you know why I took on the role as Alumni Director. As some of you may know, I was heavily involved in school activities while attending AJMLS and continued to be a part of the adjunct faculty after I graduated. When I found out Mr. Dillard was leaving his position as Alumni Director, I jumped at the chance to fill his role because I wanted to continue to be more active with the school as an alumna myself; I wanted to give back to the school that had given me so many opportunities.

I remember Professor Mike Mears saying at my Accepted Student Open House, “John Marshall doesn’t make you a lawyer, YOU make you a lawyer.”

Even though I wholeheartedly agree with that statement, I feel AJMLS gave me the tools and education I needed to be a successful lawyer. And the caring

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faculty and staff played a huge role in my success during school and while studying for the Bar Exam. Because of all of the great memories I have of law school and my desire to give back to the school that gave me so much, I accepted the role of Alumni Director. I couldn’t be more pleased with my new role and truly enjoy all of the contact with you, our alumni. The State Bar annual meeting reception was well attended and I look forward to an even larger gathering next year. We are planning other alumni gatherings throughout the year as well, so be sure to check out the Alumni News and Events in our E-newsletters and follow The Official Alumni Group of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School on Facebook.

One question I am asked by alumni is “Why should I give to the Alumni Association?” The Alumni Association is a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) so any contribution is tax exempt to the fullest extent allowed by law. Money donated to the Alumni Association is used for student need-based scholarships and student and alumni events,

such as bar exam lunches, alumni gatherings, and alumni merchandise.

There is always something going on at the school that the Alumni Association is willing to participate in.

In addition to the Alumni general fund, the Alumni Association sponsors various scholarship funds. Scholarships provided through the Alumni Association help fund the legal education of a student or students who might not otherwise be able to afford a legal education and awards students of exceptional merit or service.

Please consider donating to either the Alumni Association general fund or to one of the scholarship funds. Your contribution is greatly appreciated and will ensure the AJMLS Alumni Association remains committed to the Law Schools mission to prepare highly competent and professional lawyers.

Ginger Arnold Alumni Director, JMLS Alumni Association