Professor Lance McMillian, creator of the best-selling Atlanta Murder Squad crime series, recently appeared at the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals to discuss the craft of writing and the rise of artificial intelligence to summer interns working in both courts. Justice Carla Wong McMillian of the Supreme Court hosted the event.
Drawing on his experience as a civil litigator, legal scholar, and novelist, Professor McMillian provided his audience a series of tips for becoming powerful legal writers. These insights included the importance of knowing your intended audience, how to add meaningful value to your work in a world where attention spans are shorter than ever, and embracing the power of story as a tool of persuasion. Professor McMillian also discussed the limits of artificial intelligence in creating written product, emphasizing the continuing importance of lawyers utilizing their legal judgment to craft arguments that move people.
The event marks the second consecutive summer Professor McMillian has been invited to lecture to the interns.
Death to the Chief, Professor McMillian’s second novel, revolves around the murder of the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, leading to a number of questions from the students about the creative process and the line between fiction and reality.
In addition to Death to the Chief, Professor McMillian has published six novels in the last five years: The Murder of Sara Barton, To Kill a Lawyer, A Hard Way to Die, The Just and the Unjust, Street Girls, A Town on Trial, and the recently-released Prescription for Homicide. His books have reached best-seller status on Kindle, Audible Plus, Apple Books, and Nook, including holding the position as the #1 Best-Selling Legal Thriller in the world. His scholarly work has appeared in leading journals such as the North Carolina Law Review, the Wisconsin Law Review, the Washington and Lee Law Review, the Alabama Law Review, and many others.