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OFFICERS

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

–DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

LEADERSHIP

Meet Our 2023 Executive Committee

Learn more about our current executive committee members by clicking their picture below.

Kevin Coleman

Kevin Coleman, Jr.

President

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N. John Bey

President-Elect

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Christopher-E.-Bruce-headshot

Christopher Bruce

Vice President

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Cameron Hawkins

Treasurer

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Pierce Hand

Pierce Hand

Secretary

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Henry Bailey, Jr.

Assistant Secretary

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Racquel McGee

Historian

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Precious Johnson

Member-At-Large

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Germani Hunt

Member-At-Large

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nicholas austin

Nicholas Austin

Member-At-Large

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Janelle Alleyne

Janelle Alleyne

Member-At-Large

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brent radcliff

Brent Radcliff

Member-At-Large

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Jatrean Sanders

Immediate Past President

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Honorable Brian K. Ross

Chair of the Judicial Section

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Gate City Bar Association | P.O. Box 16727, Atlanta, GA 30321 | Phone 404-419-6627

All Rights Reserved © 2023 | Site by Starborn Media

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Kevin Coleman, Jr.

Current Position: President
Current Employer: Genuine Parts Company
Undergraduate: Morehouse College
Law School:  Georgia State University

Kevin Coleman, Jr. serves as Senior Counsel – Mergers and Acquisitions at Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a Fortune 200, multinational retail and distribution company. In his current role, Kevin  leads the legal workstream for GPC’s and its subsidiaries’ M&A matters. He also advises GPC’s business units on a variety of commercial and general corporate matters.

Prior to Joining GPC, Kevin was a Senior Associate in the Corporate/M&A practice at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP. At Troutman, Kevin represented public and private companies in corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private debt offerings. In 2020, he was named one of Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch in mergers and acquisitions. He was also named a 2022 Power 100 honoree by the National Bar Association’s YLD.

Kevin has served the Gate City Bar Association as an executive committee member for the last five years. He also donates a significant amount of time to pro bono matters. His pro bono work includes volunteering with the Georgia Justice Project’s Criminal Records Clinic and the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s Saturday Lawyer Program.

A second-generation Atlantan, Kevin earned his BS in Computer Science from Morehouse College and his JD/MBA from Georgia State University. While in law school, he served as President of the Black Law Students Association and Associate Research Editor of the Georgia State Law Review. Kevin was also a national champion as a member of Georgia State Law’s mock trial team.

He currently lives in Southwest Atlanta with his wife, Rae, and their son, Kevin III, and is a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

N. John Bey

Current Position: President-Elect
Current Employer: Bey & Associates
Undergraduate: University of Cincinnati
Law School: University of Alabama

John Bey is the founder and owner of Bey & Associates, LLC. He provides representation to clients throughout Georgia and Ohio and focuses his practice exclusively on personal injury and wrongful death litigation by assisting those who have suffered harm as a result of the negligence of other parties. Mr. Bey believes that at the heart of successful representation is a commitment to justice, integrity and personal attention to every client.

Prior to founding his firm, N. John Bey pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2002. Following his graduation, he then enrolled at the University of Alabama School of Law and was awarded his Juris Doctor in 2007.

During his career, N. John Bey has been instrumental in obtaining millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards for his clients. He has also earned the respect of his colleagues for his tenacity and high degree of ethics. He is frequently asked to deliver presentations on topics and speak on panels related to his practice area to groups of fellow professionals.

John Bey was named Rising Star and has been featured in the Super Lawyers Magazine each year. He is a proud member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and was named amongst The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Under 40; and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He is a faculty member of the American Association for Justice’s National College of Advocacy and is a graduate of the American Association for Justice’s Ultimate Trial Course at Harvard University’s Law School and the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Christopher E. Bruce

Current Position: Vice President
Current Employer: Bruce Firm, LLC & ACLU of Georgia
Undergraduate: Georgia State University
Law School: University of Georgia

Christopher E. Bruce is a community attorney, advocate and activist. As the lead attorney at The Bruce Firm, LLC, he fulfills his passion of helping people find quality legal representation. He advocates for his community as a political consultant, advising elected officials and government entities on effective and efficient policies for change. Bruce served as Deputy Campaign Manager in the highest raised State Judicial race and currently works as the Special Assistant to an Atlanta Mayoral candidate.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Bruce graduated Cum Laude from Georgia State University’s Honor’s Program with a degree in Political Science with a concentration in Governmental Affairs and a minor in Sociology. He later attended the University of Georgia School of Law where he was very active on his campus. He served as an Honor’ Court Member, Senator in the Student Bar Association, Chair of the Student Affairs Committee and Vice-President of the Black Law Students Association. After law school, he worked as a prosecutor at the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office. Before opening his firm, Bruce worked at an insurance defense law firm practicing in Workers’ Compensation and General Liability matters.

As an activist, Bruce serves his community in several ways. He was appointed to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics during a very tumultuous period in the county. He continued to advocate for change in the county by creating the DeKalb Young Professionals, an organization focused on retaining and recruiting leaders through social, educational and networking events.

Bruce is a 2013 Fellow of the New Leaders Council, member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Hands on Atlanta, Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Gate City Bar Association, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorney’s and the State Bar of Georgia. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Atlanta Award and was on the cover of Atlanta Magazine’s Millennial Issue.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Cameron D. Hawkins

Current Position: Treasurer
Current Employer: Edwards & Hawkins
Undergraduate: Morehouse College
Law School: University of Georgia

Mr. Cameron D. Hawkins is a trial lawyer who specializes in civil litigation with an emphasis on wrongful death, catastrophic injury, premises liability, transportation, and trucking law. Mr. Hawkins is passionate about the law and fervently advocates for each of his clients.

A Des Moines, Iowa native, Mr. Hawkins has established deep roots in Georgia. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College and later earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law.

While in law school, Mr. Hawkins was on the UGA Mock Trial Board and the UGA Moot Court Board. Mr. Hawkins has participated in and won multiple advocacy competitions throughout his law school career, where he received numerous awards for outstanding trial advocacy. He served as a research assistant for Professor Ron Carlson, an expert in Georgia Rules of Evidence. Mr. Hawkins was also selected as a pupil of the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Inn of Court and as an inductee into the National Order of Barristers.

Prior to founding Edwards & Hawkins LLC, Mr. Hawkins enjoyed a multi-dimensional professional legal career, where he practiced civil litigation for several well-respected law firms in the metro Atlanta area. Mr. Hawkins’ experience also includes immigration law for the federal government and criminal defense; he now uses that experience to the benefit of his clients.

Mr. Hawkins is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Morehouse College Alumni Association and the University of Georgia Alumni Association. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Rho Chapter.

Mr. Hawkins is committed to community service, to youth and young professionals. He has served as Program Director for the Fulton County Youth Leadership Academy and as an assistant coach for numerous Mock Trial and Moot Court Teams. For his continued demonstrations of commitment to the community, Mr. Hawkins was recognized in 2017 as University of Georgia School of Law Young Alumni of Excellence. He is also a frequent panelist and lecturer, speaking upon his legal expertise.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Pierce Hand

Current Position: Secretary
Current Employer: Fulton County District Attorney’s Office
Undergraduate: Emory University
Law School: Georgia State University

Pierce Hand is a Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office where he reviews, investigates, indicts, and prosecutes felony criminal cases on behalf of the citizens of Fulton County. Pierce is passionate about public service, including his former role as staff attorney at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) where he provided and arranged free legal representation for indigent tenants facing housing matters. In that role, he worked to preserve and improve tenants’ housing and in turn reduce the negative impact of transiency caused by wrongful evictions on children’s academic performance in school and educational continuity.

Prior to AVLF, Pierce practiced as a commercial litigation associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, representing clients in commercial disputes in state and federal courts, trust and estate litigation, and ERISA litigation. He attended college at Emory University and graduated law school cum laude at Georgia State University College of Law. In between college and law school, Pierce taught high school students for two years at Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta.

Currently, Pierce serves as Chair of the Young Lawyers Division Steering Committee. He is also a member of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2022, Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, and the Emory Alumni Board.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Henry Bailey, Jr.

Current Position: Assistant Secretary
Current Employer: Morris, Manning & Martin
Undergraduate: Morehouse College
Law School: Case Western Reserve University

Henry A. Bailey, Jr. is an Associate with the firm’s Real Estate Development & Finance practice. Mr. Bailey practices all aspects of commercial real estate, representing real estate investment funds, institutional landlords, tenants, developers and property managers in the acquisition, disposition, financing, leasing and management of retail, multi-family, office, commercial, and industrial projects.

Mr. Bailey assists clients in a broad range of real estate, zoning and land-use related matters, including drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, commercial leases, easements, and other related documents. Mr. Bailey also has extensive experience helping clients navigate zoning and land-use regulatory processes in addition to other state and local economic and community development incentive programs. 

Accolades

Selected, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Real Estate Law, 2021, 2023

Selected, “Five to Watch in Law”, Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine (2017)

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Racquel McGee

Current Position: Historian
Current Employer: Lewis Brisbois
Undergraduate: Oglethorpe University & Kennesaw State University; Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Law School: Georgia State University

Racquel McGee is an associate at Miller & Martin. She offers strategic representation to clients from a wide range of industries on their commercial law matters, focusing primarily on contractual, business tort, and intellectual property disputes. She has experience working with domestic and foreign companies in litigation matters related to complex business, class action, entertainment and media, copyright and trademark infringement, trade secrets, and general liability disputes.

Racquel has served the Gate City Bar Association as an executive board member for the past two years. She also donates a significant amount of time to community and social justice efforts through volunteerism and pro bono advocacy.

Racquel is a founding member of the Law Students Coalition for Civil Rights and, as a law student, was a Gate City Judicial Section scholar.

A native of Chicago, Racquel graduated cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law. She completed her undergraduate studies at Kennesaw State University and received her Masters Degree in forensic psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, earning cum laude and summa cum laude honors, respectively.

In her spare time, Racquel enjoys traveling and attending concerts, musicals, festivals, and sporting events

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Precious Johnson

Current Position: Member-At-Large
Current Employer: Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Undergraduate: Florida State University
Law School: Emory University

Precious is a Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, & Products Liability Litigator at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Precious worked as a judicial law clerk at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana to the Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle. As a federal judicial law clerk, Precious was substantially exposed to a variety of federal and state law claims at the motion to dismiss, motion for summary judgment, and motion to remand stage. She also gained valuable experience in case management of complex litigation and trial preparation of complex cases.

Precious graduated from Emory University School of Law in 2018. While in law school, Precious served on the Executive Board of the Black Law Students Associate and the Bankruptcy Development Journal. She also served as a legal intern at the State Bar of Georgia’s Office of General Counsel; the Superior Court of Fulton County to the Honorable Kimberly Esmond Adams; and the Supreme Court of Georgia the Honorable Robert Benham. Precious graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science in political science from Florida State University in 2014. At Florida State, Precious served a founding member of the Women in Pre-Law Society.

Precious has been active with Gate City Bar Association since her first year of law school. She has served the organization in several capacities. Precious was both a Gate City Hall or Fame Scholar and Gate City Judicial Section Scholar. She is very excited to serve Gate City this year!

In her spare time, Precious enjoys reading, traveling, and being of service to our youth.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Germani Hunt

Current Position: Member-At-Large
Current Employer: DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center
Undergraduate: Spelman College
Law School: Loyola University

Germani Hunt is an attorney with the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center. She represents the legal interests of children who have been abused or neglected and determined dependent upon the state of Georgia to meet their needs. She is passionate about advocating for her clients who would otherwise have no voice.

Germani obtained her J.D. with an International Studies Certificate from Loyola University College of Law New Orleans in 2012. During her law school career, Germani was devoted to helping incarcerated youth through a diversion program in the Juvenile Court. She also advocated for the rights of the indigent of New Orleans through the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice. Germani participated in the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Team where she competed and won a National Competition. She served as President of the Black Law Student Association and Secretary of the Student Bar Association.

Germani obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Pre-Law from Spelman College. While at Spelman, she served in numerous leadership roles including Senior Class President. Germani has served on the March of Dimes Atlanta Young Professional’s Board and is a 2019 graduate of Georgia Association of Women Lawyer’s, Edu Leadership program. She currently serves as a mentor in the Spelman College Alumnae program for students with an interest in law.

Germani and her husband, Jared Hunt, have a beautiful son Wesley and reside in North Atlanta.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Nicholas Austin

Current Position: Member-At-Large
Current Employer: Microsoft
Undergraduate: Morehouse College
Law School: Georgetown University

Nicholas “Nick” Austin’s work primarily focuses on providing expert counsel to Fortune 500 companies. He currently serves as Principal Corporate Legal Counsel at Microsoft, Inc. where he focuses on cloud technology transactions and other strategic initiatives.  Nick recently relocated to Atlanta, where he plans to remain long-term.

Nick previously worked at Wells Fargo Bank as Vice President and Senior Counsel in the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Venture Capital (VC) and Strategic Transactions Group. While at Wells Fargo Nick also served as a diversity leader for the bank. He also serves as the current Treasurer of the National Bar Association. Nick is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the The Black Student Fund.

Nick worked as M&A and VC Counsel at Caterpillar, where he advised senior company executives on legal matters pertaining to M&A and Caterpillar’s VC and joint venture projects. Nick helped establish Caterpillar’s first corporate VC initiative, and served as General Counsel of Caterpillar’s Toronto based tunneling business, Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corporation, where he led legal operations for the entity.

As an associate at the Washington, DC offices of Foley & Lardner, LLP, Nick handled M&A and Business Transactions where he advised clients on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, securities and energy related matters. While at Foley, Nick served two secondments as in-house counsel for Cummins, Inc. and Sunoco.

Nick also recently completed a term as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association (NBA YLD). Nick is also a member of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA YLD). During his term as NBA YLD Chair Nick partnered with the ABA YLD on numerous initiatives and events. During his bar year, the NBA YLD was selected as a winner of the annual Embracing Diversity Challenge due to the NBA YLD’s pipeline diversity work with law students all across the country that year. The grant money is being used to help fund the NBA YLD’s continued diversity pipeline efforts. The ABA YLD’s EMBRACING Diversity Challenge recognizes and awards top young lawyer organization’s that increase diversity in the legal profession.

Nick is a proud recipient of the American Bar Association’s Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer award as well as the National Bar Association’s Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer Award.

Nick earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center where he competed on the Moot Court team and also served as BLSA President. Nick is a Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Morehouse College where he served as Editor-In-Chief of the student newspaper, The Maroon Tiger.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Janelle Alleyne

Current Position: Member-At-Large
Current Employer: Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Undergraduate: Tougaloo College
Law School: Georgia State University

Ms. Alleyne represents clients in the defense of corporations in high-stakes cases in state and federal court. Her practice is devoted to complex civil litigation with an emphasis in insurance coverage matters, franchise claims, eminent domain, catastrophic injury, professional liability, and commercial litigation. She also represents employers in a range of employment matters, including the enforcement of non-compete agreements. Additionally, Ms. Alleyne has experience representing insurers and long term care facilities in personal injury and wrongful death matters. Her recent advocacy practice includes assisting in the defense of a major restoration company in a multi-million-dollar catastrophic injury claim.

 

Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Ms. Alleyne spent three years with a defense firm focusing her practice primarily on medical malpractice defense, nursing home defense, and general insurance defense. Additionally, Ms. Alleyne previously worked with the Health Law Partnership as a children’s advocate, working primarily in securing Social Security Income benefits for those previously denied coverage. In addition to her Juris Doctorate, Ms. Alleyne holds a Certificate in Health Law as well as Master of Public Health degree.

 

A native of Jackson, MS with a strong Barbadian heritage, Janelle graduated from Tougaloo College with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2008. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Master of Public Health in 2012. Thereafter, she obtained her Juris Doctor (JD) degree and Certificate in Health Law from the Georgia State University College of Law. As a student at the Georgia State University College of Law, Janelle was a member of the Moot Court Board, and was nationally recognized as a member of the 2nd place National Health Law Moot Court Competition in 2013. Additionally, she spent two years with the Health Law Partnership as an advocate for children, working primarily in securing Social Security Income benefits for those previously denied.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Brent Radcliff

Current Position: Member-At-Large
Current Employer: Genuine Parts Company
Undergraduate: Howard University
Law School: Howard University

Brent Radcliff is Associate Attorney – Intellectual Property and Technology at Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) where he manages Genuine Parts’ global IP portfolio. Prior to joining Genuine Parts, Brent was a member of the Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice groups at Taylor English Duma LLP. Mr. Radcliff’s practice at Taylor Duma focused on intellectual property analysis, counseling and litigation, and he routinely handled trademark and copyright prosecution and brand enforcement issues.

Before joining Taylor Duma, Brent was a trademark examining attorney for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) in Washington DC. While at the USPTO, Brent gained extensive trademark prosecution experience regularly performing trademark searches to identify likelihood of confusion issues, while also resolving complex trademark issues, interpreting trademark rules, reviewing applications and appearing before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Brent also served as an Attorney Advisor for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Office of International Trade.

Brent currently lives in Southwest Atlanta with his wife.

2023 GATE CITY BAR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jatrean M. Sanders

Current Position: Immediate Past President
Undergraduate: Spelman College
Law School: University of Tennessee College of Law

Jatrean M. Sanders is a native of Mobile, Alabama where she was actively involved in her church and community. Jatrean attended Spelman College where she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and served as her Chapter’s President. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a Pre-Law concentration from Spelman College and graduated magna cum laude. Upon graduating college, Jatrean continued her education at the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville, Tennessee. During her tenure in law school, Jatrean was actively involved in multiple student organizations and received several awards in recognition for her service. She graduated with honors and obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 2009. After sitting for both bar exams, Jatrean obtained and retains her license to practice law in Georgia and Tennessee.

In the early stages of her career as an attorney, Jatrean practiced civil litigation defense in both Georgia and Tennessee at Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC. While there, Jatrean gained invaluable experience as a trial lawyer and was entrusted to travel throughout both states to conduct depositions, present oral argument and engage in trial preparation. After five years with the firm, Jatrean continued her career at Cozen O’Connor, and later took her talents to Drew, Eckl & Farnham, where she matured as a lawyer. After 8 years of practicing law in a firm environment, Jatrean decided to pursue her interest in legal writing and public service. During the 2017 Georgia State Legislative Session, Jatrean worked as the Legal Aide to the Senate Judiciary Committee. While there, she served directly under the leadership of the Senate Judiciary Chair, interfaced with State and local legislators, conducted legal research on legislative amendments, and offered recommendations to Committee members.

After the legislative session ended, Jatrean served as the Staff Attorney to the Honorable Kimberly M. Esmond Adams in Fulton County Superior Court. While in that capacity, Jatrean conducted legal research, analyzed pleadings and observed oral argument, and offered recommendations to the Court in civil and criminal cases based on her findings. She also drafted memorandums addressing pleadings ranging from criminal habeas corpus petitions and motions for new trial, to the application of sovereign immunity in litigation arising out of Campus Carry legislation and objections to the election process in Georgia during the 2020 Presidential Election. As a Staff Attorney, while working under the tutelage of Judge Adams, Jatrean refined her legal writing and expanded the breath of her knowledge of criminal law.

On June 12, 2021, Jatrean pursued a childhood dream of writing and self-publishing her first children’s book, Today Was Not the Same. The book, written as a narrative poem, allows adults to have a meaningful and hopeful conversation with the children in their lives about police brutality within Black and Brown communities. Since launching her book, Jatrean has sold over 1,000 copies in-person or through e-commerce on her website. She has also presented her book, led book readings or panel discussions, and shared her experience as an attorney and author with law students at the University of Tennessee College of Law, children at Jack & Jill of America events, parents and students at Ivy Prep. Academy, and employees attending McDonald’s African-American Counsel (MAC²) Be Golden Series, just to name a few.

Jatrean maintains her membership and continued service in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Georgia Association Black Women Attorneys, and leadership within the Gate City Bar Association. She also continues to devote her time to mentoring students at Spelman College, partnering with the Black Law Students Association at the University of Tennessee College of Law and participating in service activities throughout Atlanta.