MACON – Mercer University School of Law announced Supreme Court of Georgia Justice Verda M. Colvin has accepted an invitation to speak at the School’s commencement on May 14.
Justice Colvin was appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by Gov. Brian Kemp on July 29, 2021, after having been appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by Gov. Kemp on April 9, 2020. She previously served as a Superior Court Judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit which serves Macon-Bibb, Crawford and Peach counties, having been appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal on April 16, 2014.
“In a way, Justice Colvin’s career evolved like ours did,” said third-year student Akash Patel. “When we were first-year students, Justice Colvin was at the Superior Court. When we were second-year students, she was on the Georgia Court of Appeals, and by the time we started our final year of law school, she was on the Supreme Court of Georgia.”
Justice Colvin welcomed the Class of 2022 during orientation as Superior Court Judge.
“During orientation, Justice Colvin shared how the legal profession is a profession of servitude and how basing her career on being the best servant has always been her driving force,” said Sedaries Mathis, third-year student and 3L Concerns Committee co-vice chair. “Ever since then, I’ve been inspired by her words in the process of choosing my career path to prioritize service over financial gain or status.”
Justice Colvin is committed to service professionally and personally. She is a member of the Macon Bar Association, GABWA (Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys), GAWL (Georgia Association of Women Lawyers), Rotary Club of Downtown Macon, Fuller Center of Macon, Macon-Bibb Citizen Advocacy, Mount de Sales Board of Trustees, Jack & Jill of America (Macon Chapter), and several Inns of Court. She also serves as co-chair of ONE MACON. She continually serves on various committees in her role as a jurist.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller declared March 2022 as “Justice Verda M. Colvin Month” to recognize her contributions to the Macon-Bibb County community.
“We are honored to have Justice Colvin as our commencement speaker this year,” said Mercer Law School Interim Dean Karen J. Sneddon. “Justice Colvin has consistently been generous of her time and service to Mercer Law students whether welcoming students during orientation, serving as adjunct faculty or hiring students for clerkships. Her dedication to the legal community and her contributions to the Mercer community are appreciated.”
Justice Colvin will come full circle with the Class of 2022 as commencement speaker.
“Justice Colvin was one of the first voices we heard speak life into us during orientation,” said Ashley Ferguson, third-year student and 3L Concerns Committee chair. “It will be fitting to have her close out our journey as law students and provide words of encouragement as we enter the legal profession.”
Mercer Law School will host commencement at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, in Hawkins Arena inside Mercer’s University Center. The event will be livestreamed online.
