Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is proud to announce that seasoned attorney Sam Starks is serving as the Executive Director of the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute (CCJI) at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. With more than three decades of civil and criminal trial and appellate experience, Mr. Starks brings both a wealth of legal expertise and a deeply personal commitment to advancing justice and training the next generation of lawyers.
As the founder of The Barristers Society, one of CCJI’s partner organizations, Mr. Starks has long been dedicated to providing mentorship, training, and resources to practicing lawyers. When Professor Jonathan Rapping encouraged him to bring the Society’s work to AJMLS, he saw a unique opportunity.
“For years, we were teaching, training, and working with practicing lawyers in the community through The Barristers Society, but often felt frustrated that they weren’t leaning into everything we wanted to give,” Starks reflected. “Professor Rapping convinced me that [Atlanta’s] John Marshall students would be more open and invested, and that as practicing lawyers, we should focus our efforts on training and developing you all. I am here because of you. This is personal for me. I’m not a professor, I’m not on the faculty, and I’m not being paid to do this. This is a volunteer effort where I’m investing my own time and resources, and encouraging other lawyers to do the same, because I believe in you.”
Beyond his commitment to students, Mr. Starks brings his passion for art into the very heart of CCJI. The artwork that adorns the Institute’s walls is part of his personal collection, curated to provoke thought and reflection on the Pain, the Power, and the Possibilities of the Rule of Law. Visitors encounter images of Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, and George Floyd, representing the pain of lives lost to police violence. They also see the power of law reflected in the work of iconic lawyers such as Constance Baker Motley, Johnnie Cochran, Ben Crump, Ed Garland, and Steve Bright. And finally, they are invited to consider the possibilities of the law through the legacies of Gideon’s Promise, Black Lives Matter, Thurgood Marshall, John Lewis, and Supreme Court Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor.
“This art is meant to make students and visitors think, feel, and reflect,” said Starks. “It’s a reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and criminal justice, and of the responsibility we carry as lawyers.”
Mr. Starks’ distinguished career includes serving as founder of The Starks Law Firm, former Senior Attorney with The Cochran Firm Atlanta, partner at Martin & Jones, and associate at Garland, Samuel & Loeb. He clerked for Judge Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit after graduating from Duke University School of Law in 1992, where he was a Note Editor on the Duke Law Journal. His early career included positions as a staff attorney at The Washington Post and with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia before relocating to Atlanta in 1999.
Today, as Executive Director of CCJI, Mr. Starks is combining his professional experience, passion for justice, and dedication to AJMLS students to help shape the next generation of leaders in criminal and civil law.
Learn more about the mission of CCJI here.