MEMBERSHIP
A Converstaion with Marty Ellin,
Newly Appointed Dean of Atlanta ' s John Marshall Law School
TERRY BUSHELL Atlanta ' s John Marshall Lawy School terry. p. bushell @ gmail. com
TAL: As in any new leadership role the start of which invites introspection and future thinking about the state of the organization what are the most pressing challenges you see facing Atlanta’ s John Marshall Law School now, and what is your strategy to conquer those challenges?
ME: AJMLS is thriving! Our faculty is first rate and offers outstanding legal education. Applications to the school are up markedly, ultimate Bar passage rates are soaring, we are housed in a lovely new facility, we are offering exciting new internship / externship opportunities, and the practice-ready graduates from AJMLS are increasingly finding good employment opportunities. And too few people know of the good news. So, my colleagues and I will be much more engaged in the Atlanta legal community.
22 MAY / JUNE 2025
We look forward to re-introducing AJMLS to everyone who thinks they know the school. Yes, the school has been open continuously for 92 years, but it is essentially a“ new school now non-profit, and with a seasoned faculty, a new location, and with an emphasis on learning not just what is taught in classes but in engaging fully in the many ways people become successful lawyers. Our school is well worthy of being known and well regarded throughout our community.
TAL: During our conversation you mentioned you were excited to take on this responsibility and as we jump into this interview U. S. News & World Report for“ Best Law Schools” ranked AJMLS 178 out of 195 for 2025. I have to ask the ultimate first question … besides UP and FORWARD, what is your direction for AJMLS within the next 6-12 months? Where do you see Atlanta’ s John Marshall Law School within the next three years?
ME: Terry, AJMLS is not ranked by U. S. News. It is in the 178-195 range: the > 177 range is not assigned values, and we do not report this status in our communications. A better future ranking will be welcomed and be a natural byproduct as AJMLS continues its current trajectory. But, it is not a key focus.
Over the next year, we will continue to emphasize the programs and ideas that have caused us to pick up momentum, and we are beginning new opportunities for our students. Our Academic Achievement and Bar Success program, which bolsters and accelerates the learning process for every AJMLS student, will be fully supported and even enhanced. The introduction of the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute, a groundbreaking partnership with Gideon’ s Promise and The Barristers Society, forms collaboration between legal education and frontline advocacy. It establishes new standards for immersive learning opportunities and for developing compassionate lawyers for the people of our community who might otherwise face a legal issue without the benefit of counsel. We will be introducing a new level of comprehensive virtual health and well-being care for our students. And, we will be reaching for every chance to confirm our student-centered approach to the operation of our school.
Longer term, with the benefit of a newly developed strategic plan, we will aim to connect AJMLS with the breadth of the legal community. We’ re doing that so that paired with our continuously enhanced academic achievements and