Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Selects 2014-2015 LEAD Program Class

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 an application, review and selection process that is summer-long, 17 attorneys were chosen to participate in the 2014-2015 GTLA LEAD Program. They are as follows:

 

The Cooper Firm, Marietta

Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick, Morrison & Norwood, Atlanta

Buzzell, Graham & Welsh, Macon

Cook & Connelly, Summerville

Hasty Pope, Gainesville

The Gibson Law Firm, Tucker

Harris Penn Lowry, Atlanta

Law Offices of Jason T. Schneider, Atlanta

Woodward Stern, Atlanta

Langdale Vallotton, Valdosta

Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak, Columbus

Morgan & Morgan, Atlanta

Sell & Melton, Macon

Bergen & Bergen, Savannah

Smith & Tillery, Vidalia

Butler Tobin, Atlanta

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."

LEAD Program Co-Chairs Ryals Stone and Jennifer Coalson also offered congratulations to the new class. "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," they said. "These 17 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 Nov. 21-23 in Athens. The program concludes with graduation at the GTLA Annual Convention & Gala in Atlanta on April 30 – May 1, 2015.