When it comes to launching a career in law, what makes Emory University School of Law stand out is legacy. Its graduates come from different backgrounds - some from families with no history of Emory Law attendance and others with generations of law school graduates. Yet each has created a legacy of success, born from their shared academic struggles, challenges, and triumphs, that continues to grow from generation to generation.
The
Schlossberg brothers,
Mark Alan 85L,
Jason B. 89L, and
Blair G. 91L 00B, grew up knowing their father expected them to attend law school. When oldest sibling Mark was the first to be accepted to Emory Law, the family tradition began, expanding years later to include Mark’s son,
Brett Edward 11C 15L. “When Mark got accepted, it was absolutely expected that Blair and I would also go there,” explains Jason. “Right off the bat, I knew I had a challenge.” Blair agrees, “The hard work and drilling into the details that make a difference in your grades also carry on after law school. In my career, every time a difficult problem has come up, I’ve been able to figure it out because I was trained by the law school.”
Lisa Branch 94L also has a strong family connection to Emory Law, beginning with her late grandfather, Harllee Branch Jr. 31L. “My grandfather, his brother John E. Branch 40L (deceased), and I were the only members of our family to graduate from Emory Law, although many of us attended other Emory colleges,” Branch explains. “I knew I wanted to attend Emory Law, in large part because my grandfather was such a source of inspiration. My family was very proud when I made the decision to attend - as they were equally proud of all the educational choices of the other children and grandchildren.”
Although Emory Law–trained lawyers go back two generations in his family (
Henry Bowden 32C 34L, deceased, and
Henry Bowden Jr. 74L),
Henry Bowden III 08C 12L was initially undecided about continuing that legal legacy. “My parents encouraged me to pursue my other passions,” he says. “My mother (Jeanne Johnson Bowden 77L) always wanted me to be an urban planner, and my father wanted me to follow my passion for history and become a teacher. When I decided to get into the ‘family business,’ there was a lot of excitement - and I was excited to be able to talk knowledgeably about legal issues around the dinner table.”
For
Beth Tyler 70C 84L, the legacy of law she passed on to her daughter,
Corey Fleming Hirokawa 00L, began when Tyler was awarded the first Woodruff Scholarship in 1980, a distinction also offered to Hirokawa years later. “I was the first one in my family to go to Emory Law, and I loved it,” Tyler recalls. “When Corey was also offered the Woodruff, we were delighted.” Hirokawa, now an adjunct professor at Emory Law, is proud to have continued her mother’s legacy. “The fact that Mom had gone there and had a good experience was part of my decision,” she says. “My children are 12 and 9, and if they choose to attend Emory Law, I would be excited for them to have the same opportunities my mom and I had.”
When
Rita T. Williams 87L learned her son,
Brandon R. Williams 02L would be following in her footsteps, she was “beyond ecstatic.” “I was the first person in my immediate family to not only graduate from college but also to attend law school,” recalls Rita. “When Brandon was accepted, it was confirmation to me that my becoming a lawyer changed the course of my entire family - I knew that I had created a legacy of studying law.” For Brandon, choosing law - and Emory Law - was easy. “I have a super analytical mind and, like my mother, I have always been a good public speaker. When I was in college, I made the decision to become a lawyer, and it was the best decision I ever made.”
One of the great privileges of a legacy of law is having the opportunity to use those commonalities of a quality education and experience to collaborate professionally. “My son,
William Bost III 01L, my niece,
Jennifer Bost Thomas 14L, and I are all engaged in private practice in the Atlanta area and frequently confer on legal matters or discuss legal files with each other,” explains
Bill Bost Jr. 73L. “Emory Law is an important tradition to the Bost and Thomas families and will be carried on by future generations.”
Each of these families - and many more like them - began their careers with the same foundation of academic excellence, yet the legacy they started at Emory Law didn’t end at graduation. It lives on in every achievement and every success. It grows in impact as these men and women put the experiences and knowledge they gained through their education to work for the clients they serve. And it’s a legacy that continues to inspire others to follow in their footsteps, to create their own legacy of law.
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