The Atlanta Lawyer March 2013 | Page 10

scholarship nelson mullins Establishes The Ken millwood Law Scholarship at The University of Georgia Law School by S. Wade malone Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP K en millwood left us much too soon when he passed away on april 11, 2011 at the age of 63. Ken's passing was devastating to his colleagues at Nelson Mullins. he had meant so much to us as a leader, mentor and friend. the lawyers and staff of Nelson Mullins wanted to make sure that Ken's memory and spirit would live on in the future. We quickly settled on establishing a scholarship in Ken's memory at the university of georgia law school. We thought Ken would approve as he was a proud "Double Dawg," having received both his undergraduate and law degrees from uga. Ken's family enthusiastically supported establishing a scholarship in Ken's memory. We believed a scholarship was particularly fitting as Ken himself had attended georgia military academy (now Woodward academy) on a scholarship that afforded him an opportunity he otherwise would not have had. Ken valued his tenure at gma for many reasons, but chief among them was his belief that the scholarship he received and the gma experience/education changed the course of his life. We thought it was befitting that the same spirit and need-based focus be mirrored in a scholarship bearing Ken's name at the university of georgia school of law. in his life, Ken certainly paid his own scholarship forward to those he encountered. he was just an utterly decent man. Ken was the soul of the Nelson Mullins' office. Ken's coin of the realm was respect. he gave it out and he got it back unequivocally. one staff member observed that Ken treated everyone he met with the same care, compassion and energy regardless of title. You could be the most successful partner or a high school summer intern and Ken gave you his attention, time and kindness. Ken was an incredible mentor to young lawyers. Ken just had a gift for that role. Whenever a meeting would be held on a case, Ken would always turn first to the youngest lawyer in 10 ThE aTLanTa LaWYEr march 2013 [email protected] the room and ask for their opinion. he always complimented the young lawyer on his or her idea or suggestion. Ken never told a young lawyer how to act or how to