ATLANTA (March 17, 2021) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Partner Justice Leah Ward Sears (Ret.) has been appointed chair of the 2021 Federal Nominations Advisory Commission for Georgia by Georgia United States Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. The 16-person commission, comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds and careers, will review candidates on an ongoing basis for the positions of U.S. district court judge, U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal positions in all three of Georgia’s federal districts. The senators will take the commission’s findings under advisement before making their final appointment recommendations to President Biden.
A retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice, Justice Sears is now a partner in SGR’s Litigation and Appellate practices and serves on the firm’s executive committee. Since returning to private practice, Justice Sears has concentrated on prosecuting appeals in both the state and federal courts in jurisdictions across the U.S. She is also a trusted advisor to executives and institutions that face misconduct allegations including sexual harassment and other claims of bias, where she works to prepare and respond to claims, develop strategies to minimize legal exposure, and move swiftly to protect their reputations. Justice Sears also defends businesses in a wide range of product liability, business torts, medical malpractice, employment, contract and other commercial disputes.
Justice Sears was the first woman and youngest person to sit on Georgia’s Supreme Court when she was appointed in 1992 and the first woman to hold a position on the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia. She was twice on the President’s shortlist for appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Justice Sears retired from the bench in 2005 and returned to private practice in 2009.
Due to her distinguished career and continued involvement in the community, Justice Sears has been honored with numerous awards within the legal profession and from local organizations and regularly serves on various committees and boards. In 2021, Justice Sears began serving a full term as Outside General Counsel to MARTA, and in 2019, she was appointed by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to chair the City of Atlanta Task Force for the Promotion of Public Trust to explore ways to improve integrity, accountability and transparency in city government.
To see the official press release visit, https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warnock-ossoff-announce-federal-nominations-advisory-commission/.
About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s 250 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, construction, employment law, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Jacksonville, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Southampton, and Washington, D.C.