Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Selects 2014-2015 LEAD Program Class
ATLANTA, GA – The Georgia Trial Lawyers Association is pleased to announce that selections have been made for the 2014-2015 Leadership Education & Advanced Direction (LEAD) Program. First launched in 2013 to identify those with leadership potential from among the Association's younger lawyers, the LEAD Program trains and equips those members to serve in future leadership roles in GTLA, at their firms and in their legal and local communities. In order to qualify, applicants must have less than 10 years of practice experience or be 35 years of age or younger.
After a Summer-long application, review and selection process, 17 attorneys were chosen to participate in the 2014-2015 GTLA LEAD Program. They are as follows:
Andrew S. “Drew” Ashby
The Cooper Firm, Marietta
Michael J. “M.J.” Blakely, Jr.
Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick, Morrison & Norwood, Atlanta
Joshua A. “Josh” Carroll
Buzzell, Graham & Welsh, Macon
Christopher S. “Sutton” Connelly
Cook & Connelly, Summerville
Dustin E. Davies
Hasty Pope, Gainesville
Catherine Gibson McCauley
The Gibson Law Firm, Tucker
Yvonne S. Godfrey
Harris Penn Lowry, Atlanta
Robert M. “Rob” Hammers, Jr.
Law Offices of Jason T. Schneider, Atlanta
Michelle Izquierdo King
Woodward + Stern, Atlanta
James R. “Jimmy” Miller
Langdale Vallotton, Valdosta
John C. “Buddy” Morrison, III
Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak, Columbus
Pamela M. “Ela” Orenstein
Morgan & Morgan, Atlanta
Dallas J. Roper
Sell & Melton, Macon
Zachary H. “Zach” Thomas
Bergen & Bergen, Savannah
Michael B. “Blake” Tillery
Smith & Tillery, Vidalia
Darren M. Tobin
Butler Tobin, Atlanta
William F. “Trey” Underwood, III
Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, Albany
“When looking at this year’s remarkable LEAD Program class, it is easy to see why I am so optimistic about the future of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association,” remarked GTLA President Linley Jones. “These individuals represent some of the best and brightest attorneys in Georgia and they have already exhibited an abundance of leadership potential both in and out of the courtroom. I have no doubt that their participation in the LEAD Program will make them even better trial lawyers and future leaders of GTLA. Congratulations to each of them on this wonderful accomplishment.”
“As we transition from the inaugural LEAD Program class and strive to build upon the tremendous momentum from year one, we both are thrilled with the truly-impressive qualifications of this year’s applicants,” continued LEAD Program Co-Chairs Ryals Stone and Jennifer Coalson. “These seventeen attorneys represent a wide array of legal practice areas, hometowns, backgrounds and demographics, and we are confident that they accurately reflect the diverse composition of the 2,000 members in our Association. We look forward to working alongside them over the next eight months.”
The 2014-2015 LEAD Program consists of six sessions, and will begin on November 21-23 in Athens. The program concludes with graduation at the GTLA Annual Convention & Gala in Atlanta on April 30 – May 1, 2015.
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Since 1956, GTLA has worked tirelessly to ensure that everyday citizens, Georgia families and small businesses are never deprived of their constitutional guarantee of access to true justice. The Mission of GTLA is simple: We are dedicated to protecting the Constitutional promise of justice for all by guaranteeing the right to trial by jury, preserving an independent judiciary, and providing access to the courts for all Georgians.