Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears of Georgia will speak at the First Things First’s 11th Annual Fall Banquet.
Chief Justice Sears has achieved a distinguished position in Georgia's history. When appointed by the governor of Georgia, she was the youngest person ever to serve in the Georgia Supreme Court. In retaining her appointment, Justice Sears became the first woman to win a contested state-wide election in Georgia.
Chief Justice Sears has received numerous honors including: Emory University's "Outstanding Young Alumna" and Barkley Forum "Georgia Speaker of the Year"; Georgia Trend magazine's "100 Most Influential Georgians"; and the "Excellence in Public Service" award from the Georgia Coalition of Black Women and she was also named as one of ten "Outstanding Woman of Achievement" by the YWCA of Greater Atlanta.
"As a judge I am often frustrated that I must work within a system designed only to pick up the pieces after families have already fallen apart or failed to come together," said Chief Justice Sears. "We must work to prevent family fragmentation, because the consequences for children and society are severe."
"Chief Justice Sears is a pioneer and pacesetter as well as a true advocate for families," said Julie Baumgardner, president and executive director of First Things First. "Her insight on what she sees in the judicial system in reference to families will be informative."
The celebration will take place on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $75 per couple. Corporate table sponsorships begin at $500.
To purchase tickets or a table, please call First Things First at 267-5383 or visit firstthings.org.
First Things First's 11th Annual Fall Banquet is presented by Covenant Transport with additional sponsorship from The Sports Barn, Personal Fitness Specialists, Cornette & Associates, Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, Wingfield Scale Company, Chattanooga Funeral Home, Thrivent Financial For Lutherans, Mountain View Ford, Mr. & Mrs. Ward Petty, Cornerstone Community Bank, Yerbey Concrete, Shaw Industries, Mr. and Mrs. Ric Godwin, Ivy Rose Foundation, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.