Professionalism Page

• Jurisdiction: Georgia,United States
• Citation: Vol. 29 No. 1 Pg. 0070
• Publication year: 2023
• Pages: 0070
• topic: Business of Law,Civil Procedure

Professionalism Page Vol. 29 No. 1 Pg. 70 Georgia Bar Journal August, 2023

Living Legends of the Macon Bar

The Bootle Inn of Court in Macon presented a series of programs titled, "Living Legends of the Macon Bar," which told the stories of Manley F. Brown, Hon. Lamar W. Sizemore Jr. and Virgil L. Adams.

BY TATE CRYMES AND SIENA BERRIOS GADDY

Manley F. Brown

One of the best ways to learn professionalism is to hear about the lives and careers of distinguished lawyers and judges. In that spirit, the Bootle Inn of Court in Macon presented a series of programs titled, "Living Legends of the Macon Bar." The programs told the stories of Manley Brown, Hon. Lamar Sizemore and Virgil Adams. These are Macon's "Living Legends."

Manley F. Brown

Manley Brown^[1] was born into humble but loving circumstances in the mountain community of Sols Creek, North Carolina. His mother was the only formally educated person in Sols Creek and, because of her influence, Brown learned to read at age five. He attended Western Carolina University but, after three years, was running out of money. He learned that Mercer University School of Law would admit him without an undergraduate degree. Brown enrolled at Mercer, hoping that he would do well enough that he might find a way to stay.

Brown did well but still found himself without enough money to continue. After Brown missed one quarter, Dean Jim Quarles offered Brown a scholarship to return. Brown accepted and graduated with the class of 1964.

Brown then clerked for Hon. William A. Bootle on the federal district court in Macon. After his clerkship, Brown became an assistant U.S. attorney, where he tried more than 75 cases. Brown speaks of the importance of that experience by comparing it to his time as a high school basketball star: in lawyering-like in basketball- "you can't learn ... from sitting on the bench."

Brown then entered private practice in Macon with legendary trial lawyer Hank O'Neal. O'Neal and Brown worked together for 15 years until O'Neal passed away. Brown attributes much of his success to lessons he learned from O'Neal. Until Brown retired, he kept O'Neal's name first in the name of his law firm.

Over more than 40 years of private practice, Brown established a reputation as a superb attorney. In 1985, he was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. Brown became a mentor to generations of trial lawyers and, as an adjunct professor of law at Mercer for 44 years...