Background
Sears, Leah Ward was born on June 13, 1955. Daughter of Thomas E. and Onnye J. Sears.
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Leah Ward Sears
Edit Profilelawyer State supreme court judge
Education
Bachelor, Cornell University, 1976. Juris Doctor, Emory University, 1980. Master in Apellate Judicial Process, University Virginia.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), Morehouse College, 1993.
Career
Judge City Court Atlanta. Attorney Alston & Bird, Atlanta. Trial judge Superior Court Fulton County.
Justice Georgia Supreme Court, 1992—2009, chief justice, 2005—2009. Partner Schiff Hardin LLP, since 2009.
Achievements
Membership
Board directors Conference Chief Justices, southeast chapter United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, Emory Law School Council, Woodruff Arts Center. Member Cornell University Women's Council, steering committee Georgia Women's History Month, Children's Defense Fund Black Community Crusade Children. Founder Battered Women's Project, Columbus, Georgia.
Member American Bar Association (chair board elections), National Association Women Judges, Georgia Bar Association, Women's Forum Georgia, Gate City Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association (past chair judicial section), Georgia Association Black Women Attorneys (founder, president), Fourth Tuesday Group, Jack & Jill American (Atlanta chapter), Links Inc. (Atlanta chapter), Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Connections
Married; children: Addison, Brennan.
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Born
Awards
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Recipient Outstanding Young Alumna award Emory University, Excellence in Public Service award Georgia Coalition Black Women, 1992, Outstanding Woman of Achievement Young Women’s Christian Association Greater Atlanta, One of Under Forty & On the Fast Track, 1993, Georgia Woman of Year Georgia Commission Women, Margaret Brent Women Lawyer of Achievement American Bar Association, Leadership award Atlanta Bar Association, Trumpet award for Distinction in Law, Woman Power award National Urban League, Drum Major Justice award Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Emory medal, Emory University, 2001, Legal Trailblazers award, National Bar Association, 2007. Named One of The Under Forty & On the Fast Track, 1993, The 100 Most Influential Georgians Georgia Trend magazine, 1992, 2004-2008. Named an Outstanding Woman of Achievement Young Women’s Christian Association Greater Atlanta. Named Georgia Woman of Year Georgia Commission Women, Margaret Brent Women Lawyer of Achievement American Bar Association.Recipient Outstanding Young Alumna award Emory University, Excellence in Public Service award Georgia Coalition Black Women, 1992, Outstanding Woman of Achievement Young Women’s Christian Association Greater Atlanta, One of Under Forty & On the Fast Track, 1993, Georgia Woman of Year Georgia Commission Women, Margaret Brent Women Lawyer of Achievement American Bar Association, Leadership award Atlanta Bar Association, Trumpet award for Distinction in Law, Woman Power award National Urban League, Drum Major Justice award Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Emory medal, Emory University, 2001, Legal Trailblazers award, National Bar Association, 2007. Named One of The Under Forty & On the Fast Track, 1993, The 100 Most Influential Georgians Georgia Trend magazine, 1992, 2004-2008. Named an Outstanding Woman of Achievement Young Women’s Christian Association Greater Atlanta.
Named Georgia Woman of Year Georgia Commission Women, Margaret Brent Women Lawyer of Achievement American Bar Association.