Justice Leah Ward Sears | Partner at SGR LLP
Justice Leah Ward Sears is a partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, specializing in Business Litigation and Appellate Practices. She serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and is recognized for her leadership and contributions to the legal community. A trailblazer in Georgia’s legal history, Justice Sears was the first woman and the youngest person appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1992. She later became the first woman to win a contested statewide election to retain her seat on the court.
Born in Heidelberg, Germany, and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Justice Sears earned her Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her law degree from Emory University. She then completed an LLM in appellate judicial process at the University of Virginia. Throughout her career, she has received several honorary degrees from institutions such as Spelman College, Morehouse College, and John Marshall Law School.
Justice Sears began her legal career at Alston & Bird before transitioning to public service, where she became a judge on the City Court of Atlanta. As a Georgia Supreme Court Justice, she founded the Commission on Children, Marriage, and Family Law to address the challenges facing Georgia’s families. She also played a pivotal role in establishing the Committee on Civil Justice, which works to improve access to the courts for low-income Georgians.
Her leadership within the legal community is extensive. Justice Sears served as chair of the American Bar Association’s Board of Elections, the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, and its Minority Clerkship Program. She also founded the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), which supports Black women in law and promotes social justice. Additionally, she was twice shortlisted for a U.S. Supreme Court appointment and consistently ranks among Georgia Super Lawyers’ top attorneys. Justice Sears is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an exclusive organization for distinguished appellate practitioners.
Beyond her legal career, Justice Sears has been deeply involved in academia and community service. She serves on the Board of Trustees for Emory University and the Carter Center and has taught pretrial litigation at Emory and the University of Georgia. She has also contributed to advisory boards for various legal organizations.
In addition to her professional work, Justice Sears has been active in her community. She founded the Battered Women’s Project in Columbus, Georgia, and has supported numerous organizations, including the Woodruff Arts Center and the Georgia Chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews. She is also an active member of the Atlanta chapter of Links, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Justice Sears’ life and achievements were chronicled in Seizing Serendipity, a biography published in 2017. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ADL Southeast 2021 Virtual Jurisprudence Luncheon. After retiring from the Georgia Supreme Court in 2009 following 27 years of service, she continues to be a respected leader in legal and community circles. Justice Sears is married to Haskell Sears Ward and is the proud mother of two children, Addison and Brennan.
Q. Throughout your distinguished career, you have been a trailblazer, breaking barriers as the first woman and the youngest person to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as you navigated these uncharted paths, and how did you overcome them?
A. Throughout my journey, I have navigated uncharted paths with a steadfast determination and unwavering resolve. Serving as the first woman and youngest person on the Georgia Supreme Court, as well as one of the youngest African American jurists at the age of 36, required breaking through barriers that were often formidable. At the core of my success was persistence. I simply refused to give up, no matter the obstacles I encountered. Every challenge became an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and persevere. When I encountered a roadblock, I refused to let it deter me. Instead, I focused on finding a way forward whether it meant going over, around, or through the obstacle. My approach was deliberate and relentless.
It was not just about ambition but also a deep commitment to purpose. I understood that my success was bigger than myself; it was about paving the way for others who might follow. With every step, I remained laser-focused on my goals, refusing to allow doubt, discouragement, or setbacks to derail my progress.
In short, my journey has been defined by a simple but powerful mindset: I was determined to succeed, and I approached every challenge with resilience, creativity, and an unshakable belief that there was always a path forward.
