Jamie Christy | Atlanta Circuit, Post 14

Candidate Statement

I am seeking election to the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors to provide thoughtful, practical leadership that strengthens our profession while remaining responsive to the needs of today’s attorneys.

I believe the Board should reflect the full breadth of our membership. Younger lawyers remain underrepresented in leadership despite being essential to the profession’s future. My desire is to grow opportunities for engagement, mentorship and participation across all career stages while ensuring decisions remain grounded in practical experience.

As a native Atlantan and practicing attorney, I bring both a deep commitment to our legal community and a current, active understanding of the realities facing all Georgia lawyers. As a law clerk to the former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, I developed a lasting respect for judicial ethics, accountability and the fair administration of justice. My contribution to the Board of Governors will be based on my respect for our profession and our Bar.

My commitment to access to legal services began in law school when I mediated disputes for lower-income individuals. I will advocate for policies that bolster and broaden expanding legal assistance programs while supporting attorneys and their paraprofessionals who provide pro bono and reduced-cost services.

Through leadership roles, including co-chairing the national moot court program and coaching mock trial students at The Westminster Schools, I have worked to develop the next generation of advocates.

Our profession also is navigating rapid technological change. I will assist the Board in developing clear, practical guidance on emerging issues, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence to allow attorneys to adapt while maintaining public trust.

If elected, I will be accessible, thoughtful and balanced focusing on professional and practical solutions ensuring the Bar remains strong, credible and responsive to our members.

Education

• University of Southern California, cum laude (2016)
• Loyola Law School (2020), annual rank top 15%

Personal/Family

• Resides in Atlanta
• Competitive swimmer, ranked top 10 in the world
• Former student athlete (swimming) at the University of Southern California
• Created learn to swim program for economically disadvantaged children and taught 100 children to swim
• Has two cats, Oreo and Keiko

Professional Background, Bar Activities, Civic Activities

• Licensed in California, Georgia and Florida
• Associate at Schreeder, Wheeler & Flint, LLP; practice areas are business and commercial litigation, bankruptcy
• Former law clerk to Hon. Timothy C. Batten Sr., former chief judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
• Co-chair of the YLD National Moot Court Committee
• Mock trial coach for The Westminster Schools
• Service Award for most pro bono hours in 2020 law school class
• Certified mediator, Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution
• Senior note and comment editor, Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review
• Loyola Scott Moot Court Honors Board; regional champions and 3rd best brief at National Moot Court Nationals (2020)
• Author of “The Almost Always Forgotten, Yet Essential Part of Our World: An Examination of the Seafarer’s Lack of Legal and Economic Protections on Flag of Convenience Ships,” published May 2020 in the University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal; first honors Appellate Advocacy
• President of under-40 professional organization; Buckhead Forest representative for the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods

Main Issues Facing the State Bar/Position

The two most pressing issues facing the Bar are access to lawyers for civil matters and regulating the use of artificial intelligence.

First, in 2023, at least 75% of Georgians represented themselves because they could not afford legal counsel. Additionally, 94% of rural Georgians do not receive sufficient legal assistance. These statistics are concerning. If elected to the Board, I will continue the Committee on Legal Regulatory Reform’s work and focus on creating and implementing a Limited Licensed Legal Practitioner (LLLP) Program. In this program, the practitioners would not be lawyers, but rather, paralegals or similar para-professionals. These para-professionals can prepare legal forms and give guidance in limited areas such as landlord-tenant disputes and consumer-debt issues. Lawyers would supervise the LLLP Program and the para-professionals. To encourage lawyer participation, I would propose CLE credit to incentivize lawyers to help those who cannot otherwise afford our services.

Second, we must regulate the use of artificial intelligence. While AI may save time, it also provides hallucination cites and erroneous analysis, resulting in sanctions and embarrassment. Generally, AI errors are unverified legal assertions submitted by lawyers. I would advocate for a requirement that pleadings submitted to a tribunal contain a certification that all legal authorities cited were verified independently. Failure to submit the certification would be considered an ethical violation. My proposed enforcement scale would begin with education and correction for minor errors, progressing to sanctions if the lawyer intentionally or recklessly misuses AI. Further, the Bar should mandate an annual AI CLE program to guide us on appropriate use.