MEMBERSHIP
Legends of the Bar
A Conversation with Edward T . M . Garland and Donald F . Samuel .
JENA G . EMORY Copeland Stair Valz & Lovell LLP jemory @ csvl . la
On March 16 , 2022 , the Atlanta Bar presented the second installment of the CLE series “ Legends of the Bar .” During this program , Randy Kessler ( Kessler & Solomiany LLC ) interviewed Atlanta Bar Legends , Edward T . M . Garland ( Garland , Samuel & Loeb , PC ) and Don Samuel ( Garland , Samuel & Loeb , PC ). Garland and Samuel are criminal defense attorneys , who have been partners for 40 years . In a question and answer format , this CLE was meant to highlight unconventional trial techniques that deviate from traditional wisdom , and Garland and Samuel did not disappoint .
Garland shared that sometimes the best course of action is to refuse to cross-examine a credible witness . He recalled a trial where a witness against his defendant was a former girlfriend . During the trial , when Garland got up to cross-examine the ex-girlfriend , his client would not allow him to do so . Samuel then added that the whole interaction between Garland and his client was carefully choreographed the Sunday before trial to determine the best way for the client to stop Garland from cross-examining his exgirlfriend . Garland ’ s client was acquitted of all felony charges . Garland also shared about how he asked a credible witness to sing during trial , which caused the jury to reject the witness ’ testimony in its entirety .
In addition to the unconventional trial techniques , Garland and Samuel also shared how they found their way to the practice of criminal law . Garland ’ s father was a criminal attorney , and he remembered that on Saturday mornings , families would visit his father in their home after a family member killed someone on Friday night . Samuel , on the other hand , never considered criminal law , until the judge he clerked for made a call to Garland and asked him to hire Samuel . especially stressful because there is a lot of desperation . People are at risk of losing their freedom , and even their lives . A bad decision by a criminal lawyer can have far reaching effects on a person ’ s life . Criminal attorneys are often an attorney and a psychiatrist for people in desperate situations .
The greatest take away from this program , though , was Garland and Samuel ’ s love for the practice of criminal defense . They recognized that criminal defense lawyers are almost universally hated by the public , but they represent a crucial part of society . Many of the founding fathers were criminal attorneys . Garland and Samuels ’ passion for the criminal justice system even resulted in a campaign called “ A Thousand Lawyers for Justice ,” where attorneys who did not specialize in criminal law agreed to take on criminal cases when criminal defense attorneys were scarce . By sharing their experiences together over the past 40 years , Garland and Samuel were able to give criminal defense the dignity and respect that it deserves .
If you missed this great program , the recording is available on the Atlanta Bar ’ s online CLE Library . The third installment of the “ Legends of the Bar ” series is scheduled for May 18 , 2022 , and will feature Randy Kessler interviewing Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears , ( Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP ). Be on the lookout for the registration emails !
Garland and Samuel both recognized that the practice of law is stressful regardless of your practice area . Criminal law can be www . atlantabar . org THE ATLANTA LAWYER 35