Brian C. Lea, a 2009 UGA School of Law graduate, will serve as a judicial clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court for the October 2011 term. Lea’s selection means that five former Georgia Law students have been selected in the past seven years to clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court.
“This is a tremendous achievement for Brian, and we are extremely proud of him. A U.S. Supreme Court clerkship is considered one of the most elite appointments a law school graduate can obtain,” Dean Rebecca H. White said. “Brian’s selection is a testament to his outstanding academic ability and accomplishments, and I am confident he will do an outstanding job.”
Lea graduated first in his class from Georgia Law, where he received numerous awards and honors for his academic achievements, served as an articles editor of the Georgia Law Review, and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He served as a judicial clerk for Judge Ed Carnes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit before joining DLA Piper as a litigation associate in the firm’s Atlanta office. He plans to remain with the firm until his Supreme Court clerkship begins.