IN THE PROFESSION process can be on people . In private practice , some days I will joke that I use my psychology degree more than my law degree . In a court where most litigants are representing themselves , it is critical to explain what is going on , my expectations for how they should act , and the litigation process — while also having grace for people who find it all difficult .
The other benefit of representing real people is having lots of practice explaining the law in simple terms , although I will admit the Magistrate Court ’ s broad subject matter jurisdiction requires me to do some after hours studying . After taking the bar exam I thought I could forget tenancy at sufferance , usufructs , dispossession , and the like , but here we are !
Judge Mau : I have practiced law for over 30 years , beginning on the criminal defense side and transitioning to the role of prosecutor . In between , I served for over a decade in the public realm at both the state and local levels .
Before graduating from law school , I began my legal career , first as a “ runner ” for a civil law firm during college and then as a law clerk for a civil firm throughout law school . My first job upon graduating was as a public defender in a five-county , rural circuit in Northeast Georgia , followed by service as a trial attorney in Superior Court at the Fulton County Public Defender Office . I was subsequently recruited by the Georgia Indigent Defense Council ( now the Georgia Public Defender Council ) to the newly created Capital Defender Office where I served as co-counsel in capital trials throughout the Georgia . That position required me to file briefs in and to appear before the Georgia Supreme Court . Subsequently , for more than 15 years , I maintained a private practice focused primarily on civil litigation in the areas of plaintiff ’ s work , real property , landlord / tenant and business transactions . During that time I provided countless pro bono legal hours in service to the community through local government and through programs such as the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation .
In 2018 , I returned to Fulton County courts as a prosecutor at the invitation of Solicitor-General Keith Gammage where I helped implement a diversion program that has provided second-chance opportunities for thousands of non-violent , first-time misdemeanor offenders . I also prosecuted criminal offenses involving animal cruelty , neglect and irresponsible pet ownership in the Fulton County State and Magistrate Courts .
Because my legal experience is diverse and spans many years , I believe this has prepared me well for my role in the Magistrate Court of Fulton County where I preside over a wide range of criminal and civil matters in both the Magistrate and Superior Courts . My background has afforded me the opportunity to learn and practice many areas of the law and to expand my advocacy skills in order to represent people on all sides of a legal matter . I am now able to apply this knowledge and experience in a way that honors my commitment to public service .
Judge Witherspoon : After graduating from law school , I took two state bar exams and passed , so my next venture was to work as a Public Defender . As I have always been drawn to the plight of the “ underdog ,” that being the poor and the indigent , it was important to me personally to serve in the public sector , so working as a trial attorney in the Public Defender ’ s Office gave me the satisfaction of serving my community . I did three separate stints there during my 30- year career and having garnered exceptional trial experience from there , I decided to take that experience and knowledge and venture out on my own .
I opened my law firm and my practice consisted of diverse areas of the law . After having a successful law practice for many years , I had an opportunity to work for the federal government as an Administrative Judge , Mediator and Trial Attorney . There , I retired after many years of service and returned to Fulton County Government .
Additionally , during my 30 years , I have been an adjunct instructor teaching law to college students studying to become paralegals . I was one of the first consulting
“ Because my legal experience is diverse and spans many years , I believe this has prepared me well for my role as Judge in the Magistrate Court of Fulton County .”
attorneys hired for the newly established Fulton County Family Law Center when it began operating . I was given the opportunity to be a guest host on a radio talk show addressing various legal topics “ of the day ,” and all a while maintaining my passion for volunteerism with many community “ legal projects .”
The fact that this is a part-time position , in what area of law will you continue to practice and how will you juggle your full-time work with the demands of your new role ?
Judge Locke : I will continue my personal injury and criminal appeals practice at Locke Law Firm . Thankfully I have an amazing paralegal , Jamie , who can keep me on track at the firm . We were fully remote even before the pandemic , so we have great systems and technology in place to keep everything moving .
My wife , Loren , is a partner at a large firm practicing business immigration and we have three children - we homeschooled two
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