GEORGIA GOVERNOR TO SPEAK AT UGA SCHOOL OF LAW GRADUATION

Monday, April 24, 2000 WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172, pharr@jd.lawsch.uga.edu CONTACT: Marc Galvin, (706) 542-0335, magalvin@arches.uga.edu GEORGIA GOVERNOR TO SPEAK AT UGA SCHOOL OF LAW GRADUATION ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia Governor Roy Barnes will deliver the address at the University of Georgia School of Law\u27s commencement exercises on Saturday, May 20. Ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. in front of the law school on North Campus or, in the case of rain, in Stegeman Coliseum. Barnes, Georgia\u27s 80th governor, earned both his bachelor\u27s and law degrees from the University of Georgia and is the tenth UGA law alumnus to hold the office. Upon his graduation, he became a prosecutor in the Cobb County District Attorney\u27s Office. Just two years later, at the age of 26, he was elected to the first of eight terms in the State Senate. Four years into his Senate tenure, he was named chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and in 1983, he was chosen by Governor Joe Frank Harris to be the administration floor leader, a position he held until 1989. After completing 16 years of service in the Senate, Barnes continued his political career in 1993 with election to the State House of Representatives, where he served as vice-chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and was a member of the Rules Committee and the Banks and Banking Committee. Barnes has maintained a private law practice in Cobb County since 1975 and has been a successful businessman, banker and active member of his church and many civic organizations. The University of Georgia School of Law will confer Juris Doctor degrees upon approximately 220 students who have successfully completed three years of legal study. Twenty-five Master of Laws students, who have finished a one-year course of graduate legal studies, will be recognized. Selected faculty and student awards will also be presented. Jeffery Monroe of Sparta and Jin Kim of Augusta, president and vice president of the 2000 graduating class, will speak on behalf of the students. John Noell of Athens, chair of the Board of Visitors, an alumni advisory group to the law school, will welcome graduates into membership of the Law School Alumni Association. Other speakers include: UGA Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Karen Holbrook, School of Law Dean David Shipley, and Associate Deans Paul Kurtz and Gabriel Wilner. Music will be provided by The Athens Brass. Athens-Clarke County Sheriff Jerry Massey will lead the graduation procession, in keeping with the ceremonial role of the local sheriff in University commencements since the early 1800s. -##