Judge in Ahmaud Arbery murder trial resigns to join Atlanta law firm

Walmsley, who was thrust into the national spotlight when handling the Arbery case in 2020 and 2021, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he’s been thinking about a career change for around a year. He said he considered a range of options before choosing the Robbins firm, which he’ll help expand in his coastal community.

“I’m excited for it,” Walmsley said Thursday. “I’m looking forward to that next chapter. It’ll be interesting to see where the business comes in and what type of business it is.”

Walmsley, appointed to the bench in 2012 by then-Gov. Nathan Deal, has won reelection without opposition in four successive election cycles, most recently in May. He said his plans to leave the bench weren’t finalized before this year’s election, and that “it just makes sense” to join the Robbins firm now.

Taking the Arbery case, in which three white men were convicted of murdering the Black 25-year-old as he jogged through a residential neighborhood, catapulted Walmsley into public recognition. He said all the cases he’s handled over the years have been important to those involved, but none match the high-profile nature of the Arbery trial.

“It’d be silly to say it didn’t change things,” Walmsley said of the case. “It definitely raised my profile. It put me in a position to do some additional things. For example, I do a lot of speaking engagements about the rule of law, about the independence of the judiciary.”

At the Robbins firm, Walmsley will tap into and build on his previous experience as a litigator.

Firm leader Richard Robbins said the judge’s “spectacular” handling of the Arbery case under extreme public scrutiny and his previous work at one of Savannah’s most prominent law firms are among the reasons he’s a catch.

After graduating from Tulane University School of Law in 1996, Walmsley, who grew up in New York, moved to Savannah to be a litigator. He worked predominantly for the law firm now known as HunterMaclean, specializing in commercial and real estate disputes.

Walmsley was a partner at the firm and a part-time magistrate judge in Chatham County when he became a Superior Court judge at the age of 42. He said being a judge had always been in the back of his mind and he jumped at the opportunity.

“I really have enjoyed public service in this community,” he said. “I’ve made a lot of connections here over the years, so I’m excited to stay.”

Walmsley, now 57, said his familiarity with attorneys at the Robbins firm, its stellar reputation and the fact his interests align with its work factored into his decision to join the team. He said the partnership is mutually beneficial, given his connections “down here on the coast.”

“They’re giving me an opportunity to really grow an office and plant a flag down in this area,” he said. “And then, in the same vein, I’ll be able to work with them on large matters up in Atlanta and around the state, and help their existing clients out.”

In his Aug. 3 resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, Walmsley said serving the state and the Chatham County community has been one of the greatest honors of his career. He applauded the work of his colleagues and all the public servants who contribute to the operation of the state’s courts.

“Although the time has come for me to move on from the bench, I remain committed to the continued success of the judicial system and will endeavor to see that the rule of law remains steadfast in Georgia,” he wrote.

Walmsley told the AJC he’s happiest working in the courtroom, “the ultimate leveler when it comes to a playing field, if it’s done correctly.”