Since Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School’s (AJMLS) earliest graduating classes in the 1930s, women have been prominent in the student body, student organizations, and alumni. John Marshall’s commitment to educating law students of all genders dates back to its founding, as evidenced by an exhibit on the 19th floor outside classrooms 1951 and 1952.
Four members of the 1938 graduating class were women, with Ann Kimsey delivering the valedictory address. At that time, most American law schools did not admit women. Even twenty years later, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of only nine women in a class of 509 at Harvard Law School in 1956. She went on to become one of only two women on the Harvard Law Review from 1957-1958.
At AJMLS, women have been well represented on the Editorial Board of the Law Journal since its inception in 2007. During Professor Van Detta’s ten years as Faculty Advisor, six women have served as Editors-in-Chief: Suzanne Fulcher Oldweiler, Miriam Perfecto, Marie Wofford Sussenbach, Taylor Deciano, Aryn Carpenter Sedore, and Antoinette Clarington.
Earlier faculty advisors also saw significant female leadership. Amanda Gaddis Speights was the first woman to serve as Editor-in-Chief for Volume 2 in 2009 and was Valedictorian of her class. Subsequent Editors-in-Chief included Amelia Regan for Volume 3, Kristi Barbre for Volume 4, Stacie Chapman for Volume 5, Jenna Melton for Volume 6, Rachel Morelli for Volume 7, and Brandy Porter for Volume 8.
Volume 1 (2007-2008) featured Amanda K. Kee as the first woman on the Editorial Board serving as Managing Editor. In 2014-2015, Brandy Porter became the first African American woman to lead the Law Journal as Editor-in-Chief (Volume 8), also co-chairing that year’s CLE Symposium Event.
The all-woman Editorial Board for Volume 19 (2018-2019) included Taylor Deciano as Editor-in-Chief; Heather Tucker as Executive Managing Editor; Marie Wofford Sussenbach as Executive Articles Editor; Adrienne McKay as Executive Notes & Comments Editor; and Ellen Dorsey as Executive Legislative Editor.
The substantial representation of women on the Law Journal’s Executive Board is evident from their Mastheads. The school takes pride in its contributions to diversity within Georgia's legal community and beyond. As AJMLS enters its 91st year of educating lawyers, it reaffirms its commitment to this tradition.
Volume 18 (2024-25) Editorial Board includes Jesse Moore as Executive Research Editor; Morgan Knowles and Anthony Zahn as Executive Legislative & Recent Case Summaries Co-Editors; Gloria Garcia as Executive Managing Editor; and Suzanne Fulcher Oldweiler as Editor-in-Chief.
Faculty Advisor Van Detta is pictured with Monique Cherry (Executive Managing Editor for Volume 16) and Chauncey Graham (Editor-in-Chief).
Other notable mentions include Monique Cherry (Executive Managing Editor Vol.16), Shinnay Richards (Executive Managing Editor Vol.17), Antoinette S. Clarington (Editor-in-Chief Vol.9), Miriam Perfecto (Editor-in-Chief Volumes14 &13), Naja MacIntosh (Executive Legislative Summaries Editor Vol.15), Nikki Ahmad-Khosravi (Executive Research Editor Vol.17), Wendy Carlyle (Internet Access & Online Presence Editor Vol.17), Ashley Starnes (Annual Symposium Co-Editor Vol.16), Tierra M. Monteiro (Executive Managing Editor Vol.16), Adrienne McKay (Executive Notes & Comments Editor Vol12.), Taylor Power Deciano (Editor-in-Chief Vol12.), Kamaria Womack (Executive Legislative Editor Vol11.), Heather Tucker (Executive Managing Editor Vol12.), Jessica Swords Burton (Co-Executive Legislative Editor Vol13.), Marie Tessa Martin(Executive Managing DirectorVol13.), Kristan Polard(Executive Articles Ed.Vol11.), Jasmine Barber(Exec.Comments Ed.Vol8.), Ellen Dorsey-Williams(Exec.Legislative Ed.Vol12.), Leanna Wade(Exec.Legislative Ed.Vol8.), Ayrn Carpenter Sedore(Co-EICVol12., Exec.ManagingEd.Vol11.), Rachel Roberts(Exec.ArticlesEd.Vol8.), Tanya McAdams(Dep.ManagingEd.Vol2.) Amelia Ragan(EICVol3.) Viridiana Guido Carreon(Exec.LegislativeEd.Vol6.) Irena Chernova(Exec.ArticlesEd.Vol7.) Tracee Benzo(Leg.Co.Ed.Vol1.) Glenda Mitchell(Symposium Co-ChairVol8.) Faith Richardson Lynn(Exec.ArticlesEd.Vol7.) Kristi Bankston(Leg.Co.Ed.Vol1.) Jessica Rachel Scott(Rsch.Ed.Vol1.,Valedictorian Part-Time Div2008.) Alix Orlando(Corresponding Ed-at-LargeVol13.) Amanda Marie Wofford Sussenbach(Co-EICVol13., Exec.ArticlesEdVol12.) Jenna Melton Fowler(EICVol6.)