UGA LAW SCHOOL TO NAME NEW ETHICS CHAIR IN HONOR OF GUS CLEVELAND

Abstract

Tuesday, January 19,1999

WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, 706/542-5172, pharr@jd.lawsch.uga.edu

CONTACT: Dean David Shipley, 706/542-7140

UGA LAW SCHOOL TO NAME NEW ETHICS CHAIR IN HONOR OF GUS CLEVELAND

ATHENS, Ga. - The University of Georgia School of Law will name its newest endowed chair the "A. Gus Cleveland Distinguished Chair of Legal Ethics and Professionalism." Cleveland, widely regarded as the "father of continuing legal education in Georgia," attended the UGA law school and served as one of the first presidents of its alumni association. U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson recommended Cleveland to receive the honor.

The chair was created by a consent order reached in U.S. District Court at the end of 1998. DuPont Co. is paying $2.5 million to each of the state's four accredited law schools to settle an action seeking sanctions against it for alleged litigation misconduct in earlier product liability cases. Judge Lawson ordered that the money would be used to endow chairs devoted to teaching professionalism and ethics in the practice of law, and also ordered DuPont to pay $1 million to endow an annual ethics symposium which will be hosted by each law school on a revolving basis.

"This chair will enable the law school to significantly enhance its strong commitment to teaching, writing and outreach on ethics and professionalism concerns," said David Shipley, dean of the UGA law school. "We are proud to name our chair after Gus Cleveland, who has long been one of the most staunch and active leaders of the cause of professionalism and ethical lawyering in Georgia."

Cleveland has dedicated his career to professionalism, serving as chair of the Georgia Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education Committee from 1962-65, during which time statewide continuing legal education programs in Georgia were established. He was one of the founders of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia (ICLE) and has served ICLE since that time as chairman, member and advisory member of the board of trustees. Cleveland was also a founder of the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia (ICJE) and has served as a member or advisory member of the ICJE board of trustees since its creation in 1979; he has recently been named ICJE trustee emeritus.

Cleveland served numerous years on the ABA's Standing Committee on Continuing Education of the Bar and the ALI-ABA Committee on Continuing Professional Education. He chaired the State Bar of Georgia Standing Committee on Professionalism when the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism was established in 1989, and has served the commission in various membership roles since that time, currently as trustee emeritus.

Cleveland served as a member of the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission from 1973-77, and was a member of the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission from 1971-90, chairing the latter group for a decade.

In 1976 Cleveland received the Harrison Tweed Award from the national Association of Continuing Legal Education Administrators; in 1981 he was the recipient of the first Distinguished Service Award issued by the State Bar of Georgia; in 1985 he received the American Judicature Society Herbert Harley Award for service in promoting the effective administration of justice; and in 1994 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Bar Association. The ICLE board of trustees created the "A. Gus Cleveland Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education" in 1990, and named him as the first recipient. The ICLE print building in Athens also bears Cleveland's name.

Cleveland's distinguished career began in 1940 when he joined the predecessor of the Atlanta law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton. He was named a partner in 1953 and retired at the age of 70 in 1988, then became of counsel to the firm.

Cleveland earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia in 1939 and attended the UGA law school. While at UGA he was member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, ODK and Sphinx. Cleveland was one of the founders of the University of Georgia Law School Association in 1952 and was its second president. He received the association's Distinguished Service Scroll Award in 1977 for outstanding contributions to the law school and legal profession.

Cleveland served for several years as a member of the board of governors of the State Bar of Georgia, was a member of the executive committee of the State Bar, and president of the State Bar in 1971-72. He led the Lawyers Club of Atlanta and the Old War Horse Lawyers Club, and was a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates for many years.

Cleveland and his wife Lollie have been married for more than 50 years and have four children: Jealyn, Howard, Ward and Dave. Howard and Dave are both lawyers in Atlanta.

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