Retired Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Georgia Norman Fletcher shares "Reflections on a Life in the Law" with Shorter University students

April 19, 2012 - Faculty, staff and students at Shorter University had a living textbook on hand Thursday, April 19, as they listened to guestlecturer Norman S. Fletcher, retired chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia and an attorney with Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Richardson and Davis of Rome. Fletcher’s remarks, titled “Reflections on a Life in the Law,” included lessons learned from four decades of experience as a trial lawyer,counselor, and justice on Georgia’s highest court.

Fletcher told his audience that cultivating excellent communication skills is important not only for a job in the courtroom, but also for a job in any field. He stressed the importance of networking and building relationships, as well as developing high moral standards, no matter the occupation. “You’ll want to be able to look back on your life and say that you have made a difference for the better,” Fletcher said. “Live to a high standard. This concept reminds me of the verse in the Bible that states, 'to whom much is given, much is required.' Be an active participant in your community and in your church and hold fast to your morals.”

Assistant Professor of Political Science Rick Crawford, who coordinated the visit, said, “Justice Fletcher has decades of experience practicing law, serving on our state’s highest court, and in numerous community service endeavors. He is one of a handful of people still with us who have held the highest judicial office in our state. The opportunity to interact directly with someone of his stature and experience is invaluable, not only to our students but also to the entire university community.”

Retired Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Georgia Norman Fletcher

Appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court on Dec. 28, 1989, Fletcher became its chief justice in June 2001. Reforming the state’s indigent defense system was a primary focus of his tenure as chief justice. He retired from the Georgia Supreme Court in 2005 and returned to Rome, where he has been an active participant in community life.

Fletcher is the recipient of more than a dozen professional honors, and the Lookout Mountain Bar Association named its annual award for professionalism in his honor. He serves as chairman of the board of the University of Georgia Arch Foundation and as a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Georgia’s College of Public and International Affairs. Fletcher began his law practice in 1958 as an associate in the law firm of Matthews, Maddox, Walton and Smith in Rome.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian university committed to excellence in education. The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Leadership. General education and calculus courses are offered in an online format, and Shorter recently launched online programs that lead toward the Associate of Science, the Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Master of Accountancy degrees. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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