Background
Patterson, Lyman Ray was born on February 18, 1929 in Macon, Georgia, United States. Son of Dallas DeVotie and Ida Gertrude (Smith) Patterson.
law professor scholars translator of Russian
Patterson, Lyman Ray was born on February 18, 1929 in Macon, Georgia, United States. Son of Dallas DeVotie and Ida Gertrude (Smith) Patterson.
He graduated from Mercer University, and obtained a masters degree in English from Northwestern University. After teaching English at Middle Georgia College, he joined the Army where he studied Russian at the Army Language School. Following the Army he attended law school at Mercer University.
During Patterson"s tenure at Mercer he attended Harvard Law School and wrote his South.J.D. dissertation on the history of copyright law.
During the Korean War he served as a translator of Russian radio broadcasts. After practicing law for two years with the firm of Matthews, Maddox, Walton and Smith in Rome, Georgia he returned to the Mercer Law School to teach. He received the South.J.D. degree from Harvard in 1966.
The dissertation became the foundation for his influential book Copyright in Historical Perspective, published in 1968 and still in print as of 2007.
Patterson joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University Law School in 1963, and served as an assistant United States Attorney while teaching at Vanderbilt. In 1973 Patterson joined the faculty at the Emory University School of Law and was that school"s Dean.
In 1987, he joined the University of Georgia (UGA) School of Law faculty and remained there until his death in 2003. During his career he was a visiting professor at Georgia State University Law School, Duke University School of Law, and the University of Texas School of Law.
The American Library Association L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award was established in his honor.
The first three winners were Kenneth Crews (2005). Prue Adler (2006); and Peter Jaszi (2007). Ray Patterson died at age 74.
He also left behind four grandchildren who consider him an inspiration to this day.
He constantly stressed the importance of an education to which all four grand children took to heart.
(Book by Patterson, Lyman Ray)
(Book by Patterson)
Served with Intelligence Corps United States Army, 1951-1954. Member American Bar Association (reporter Commission for Evaluation Professional Standards), Atlanta Lawyers Club. Clubs: Commerce (Atlanta).
Married Laura Adelyn Davis, August 30, 1958. Children– Laura Adelyn, Barbara Idaho.