Supreme Court justice selected for honorary teaching position at UGA

ATLANTA — Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren has been named by the University of Georgia School of Law as this year’s Hines Jurist-in-Residence, an honorary teaching position named after the late Justice P. Harris Hines.

As part of her residency, Warren co-taught a weeklong seminar titled, “Persuading the Judge and Jury,” along with School of Law Appellate Litigation Clinic Director Thomas V. Burch. In addition to classroom-based instruction, Warren met with students in small groups to discuss issues related to appellate practice in Georgia.

“It was so much fun to be back in the classroom and to be on the other side of the bench, teaching trial and appellate advocacy skills,” Warren said. “What a joy to spend time with bright students who are eager to learn.”

Allowing law students to interact directly with judges helps demystify a branch of government that might otherwise seem inaccessible, Warren added.

“And it is energizing for judges to spend time with students, who often remind us of the excitement and anticipation we felt as we embarked on our legal careers,” she said. “I’m grateful to UGA Law for the honor of being selected as this year’s Hines Jurist-in-Residence, and for the privilege of spending a week on campus with students and faculty.”

Warren also delivered a lecture to UGA law students, faculty, and staff in late January in which she recalled Hines’s legacy of kindness and professionalism.

Hines, who passed away in 2018, served as a judge in Georgia for 44 years, including 23 years on the Supreme Court and was Chief Justice from 2017 to 2018.

“You don’t have to be a Chief Justice, a judge, a CEO, or a partner at a law firm for kindness, integrity, or professionalism to be your legacy,” she said during her address. “Start with the small stuff — treating classmates, professors, colleagues, even strangers — with dignity and respect in everyday interactions.

“The small stuff adds up; you’ll often find that the people who are honest and kind in the small matters end up being the people who are eventually entrusted with the biggest responsibilities — in law, in government, in academia, in business, in life. Be the Harris Hines in the room. The legal profession — but more importantly, your own life and the lives of people around you — will be better for it.”

Warren has served almost four years on the Supreme Court, following her appointment by then-Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018. Prior to becoming a Justice, she worked in the Office of the Attorney General as Solicitor General, representing Georgia in multistate litigation and in appeals before state and federal courts, including in an argument before the U.S. Supreme Court.

While Hines was not a graduate of UGA, he regularly attended School of Law events and activities and served on the law school’s Board of Visitors. The law school established The Be Kind Fund in his memory in 2019. The fund, named for Hines’s mantra of “Be Kind,” sponsors the Jurist-in-Residence program, as well as fellowships and scholarship aid for students.

Special Photo: UGA School of Law