Ex-chief justice leaves law firm for custom education role

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Speaking exclusively to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since leaving Troutman Pepper on June 30, Melton said GSU Law, opened in 1982 to expand access and affordability to quality legal education, has “earned a high buzz rate” and the next step is making sure everybody knows about it.

“The people within the legal community, especially in the Atlanta area, know that it has come from humble beginnings and has arrived,” Melton said of the school. “Outside of the metro Atlanta area, word may not have gotten out to that extent.”

GSU Law is the youngest of Georgia’s five law schools by almost 50 years, and the only public one to open since the state’s first law school was established at the University of Georgia in Athens in 1859.

Based in downtown Atlanta, GSU Law has around 750 students, the most of the state’s law schools behind Emory University School of Law, a private institution founded in 1916 that has more than 1,000 students.

Last year, GSU Law announced its first-time bar exam takers achieved the highest pass rate in the state.

Melton said he fell in love with the mission at GSU Law in 2021 when he left the state Supreme Court and applied for the law school’s deanship, vacant at the time.

He said the opportunity now to be part of a new era at the school under its current dean, Courtney Anderson, drew him away from Troutman Pepper — where his work included defending large corporations in some of Georgia’s biggest court cases.

Credit: Bita Honarvar

Credit: Bita Honarvar

“I had such a great time there,” he said of Troutman Pepper. “That’s my firm.”

Anderson, who became GSU Law’s dean last June after serving as interim dean for a year, said Melton’s role is part of her plan to expand the school’s footprint and impact in the community. She said the law school and the university as a whole are privileged to have Melton, who is “so respected” within the legal, government and business sectors.

“We want to make sure that our students have the same networking and professional development opportunities and relationships,” Anderson told the AJC. “It’s a really great partnership.”

Melton’s official title at GSU Law is special adviser to the dean for institutional engagement. He starts July 16 and will also be referred to as the law school’s first expert in residence.

His role is centered around building connections with alumni, donors, policymakers, court staff, community leaders, corporate executives and others who can help provide opportunities for students and support the school.

Melton said he’s already having conversations with contacts eager to get involved. He said the goal includes securing more opportunities for GSU Law students so they can “be seen for the talent that they have.”

“There’s a lot of talent out there that has not formed in the context of the legal community, and so there has to be some entree at some point into that, so that that talent can be exposed,” he said. “And once it’s recognized, you know, they’re up and running.”

A graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, Melton spent over a decade as an assistant attorney general in the state’s law department and a couple of years as executive counsel to then-Gov. Sonny Perdue before being appointed by Perdue to the state Supreme Court in 2005.

Melton became chief justice based on seniority in 2018 and held the role through his departure in 2021, having steered the state’s courts through the coronavirus pandemic.

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

“He is a man of remarkable character and impeccable integrity as well as a sharp legal mind,” Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said about Melton when his role at GSU Law was announced. “His experience as chief justice brings a rare level of expertise to the institution, and our students will benefit immensely from the wisdom of a leader who helped shape our state’s judicial system.”

Melton said he’s not aware of another law school role like his, which is loosely defined and “took some thinking outside the box.” He said it’s important for law students to learn that the connections they develop while at school can be critical to their career success and satisfaction.

“I’m a big believer that life is about relationships,” he said. “If I look at my journey, it’s relationships that have made the difference and also made it rewarding.”