MEMBERSHIP
attorneys, particularly those working in solo or small-firm practices. Additionally, CCJI will provide mentorship and career counseling to AJMLS students and alumni, creating a sustainable support system for legal professionals.
The Criminal and Civil Justice Institute at Atlanta’ s John Marshall Law School embodies a shared vision for a legal system that delivers just outcomes for all. This innovative partnership marks a transformative moment in legal education and advocacy, setting a new standard for collaboration and impact.
TAL: Do you think the program could possibly serve as a conduit to BIG 10 firm training in improving pro bono services?
ME: We certainly hope it is a conduit to every setting, and we plan to promote that possibility!
TAL: Are you a forward thinker? How do you plan to engage with the legal profession and build relationships with alumni and potential donors?
ME: I certainly am thinking about both short-term and long-term opportunities and success for AJMLS!
Atlanta is my home and the Atlanta legal community is my professional home. As a practicing lawyer for decades in nearly every jurisdiction, and as a member of many local Bar associations, I know Bar members to be extremely generous with their time and their talent. I also know that when this legal community identifies organizations and programs that add real value to the legal process, they are also generous with their charitable donations. We hope to give our friends much more information about the strengths of our students, the brilliance of our faculty, the creative approach to service, and the other benefits of AJMLS to encourage them to see the school as a solid investment in the community.
TAL: As a leader, you understand the importance of being able to lead as well as being led. How do you plan to continue and maintain the existing positive and inclusive environment that the school possesses?
ME: The faculty and the staff of our school will work very hard to anticipate the things we can do to support the students and our alumni, meeting them at the point of their interest and empowering them to work hard to achieve their goals. And you may be sure that I will be listening to students, alumni, and everyone who has questions, comments, and concerns. I will always seek the information that will allow me to make the best informed decision possible.
TAL: You attended your first, I would say, graduation as the Dean of the law school. What feelings emerged as you watched students, faculty, and families embrace success?
ME: The graduation ceremony was exhilarating! I am always moved by pomp and circumstance, by the processions and the caps and gowns, by the cheers and the tearsit is all thrilling. But this ceremony was especially compelling for me, as three of our speakers paid tribute to the ideas that, and the people who, gave them emotional sustenance in the toughest parts of their journeys. The graduates embraced their new status with such dignity and such pride. I plan to attend every AJMLS graduation as long as I live. TAL: How will the law school continue to meet the needs of the students and provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their careers?
ME: Everything that we do will be for that purpose! All of the plans we make, the staff and faculty we hire, the members we add to our Board, the events we plan with our Alumni, the externships that we develop, the enhancements to our student experience, the support we offer to our students at every turn- all of it is to meet the needs of our students and to promote the possibility that they will find engagement, meaning, and even joy as lawyers.
TAL: What are your thoughts on the current financial challenges facing law students and how can we best support them?
ME: It can certainly be a challenge to make a financial go of law school. We are committed to keeping tuition as low as possible and to identifying scholarship and financial support opportunities for our students at every turn. I personally am committed to raising significant funds for student scholarships.
TAL: How will you engage with students and make them feel heard and valued?
ME: Our approach begins even before orientation, with our departments introducing themselves to incoming students and student leaders reaching out to incoming students with notes of encouragement before they even step foot on campus. We set the tone at orientation about the rigors of the law school experience and have an opendoor policy to welcome students to take advantage of every resource needed to succeed.
TAL: JMLS is now a 501c3. What does that mean for the organization and the students?
ME: As passionate non-profit entities, Atlanta’ s John Marshall Law School, The John Marshall Law School Foundation, Inc., and Atlanta’ s John Marshall Law School Alumni Association fundraises for our students. Our efforts continually seek to ease the financial burden of attending law school and our generous contributors rise to the occasion of creating scholarships.
TAL: Do you believe the current economic downturn will impact your financial goals for the school?
ME: When economic circumstances are murky, law school applications
24 MAY / JUNE 2025