Attorney General Sam Olens announced that the Georgia legal community raised the equivalent of 842,317 pounds of food during the 2013 Georgia Legal Food Frenzy, a 38% increase from last year. For the second year in a row, Olens asked Georgia lawyers to challenge each other outside the courtroom during the statewide food drive benefitting the State’s seven regional food banks. The food drive took place April 22 – May 3, 2013.

A total of 249 law firms and legal organizations representing 14,000 employees in 47 cities competed for the grand prize, the Attorney General’s Cup. Solo-practitioner Walter G. “Bo” Sammons Jr, of Sammons & Sammons in Warner Robins won the honor this year -- raising an impressive 9218 pounds of food, the most per capita statewide. Mr. Sammons is a member of the Alex Tjoland Band, which performed two concerts to raise funds for his regional food bank, the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.

Georgia’s law schools held their own competition. Defending champions Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law won the Attorney General’s Law School Cup again this year and more than doubled their total last year. Mercer law students raised 8697 pounds of food, or 22 pounds per capita.

“Congratulations to Attorney General’s Cup winner Bo Sammons of Warner Robins, all of the 2013 Georgia Legal Frenzy winners, and everyone who participated in this year’s competition,” said Olens. “Due to the generosity of lawyers statewide, we not only met, but substantially exceeded our goal of raising 750,000 pounds of food for our regional food banks. Georgia lawyers have once again demonstrated a strong commitment to the less fortunate in their communities.”

“On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I wholeheartedly commend the Attorney General's Office and the YLD of the State Bar for their unprecedented leadership in the Legal Food Frenzy program,” said Robin Frazer Clark, President of the State Bar of Georgia. “I also commend our city representatives who have worked tirelessly and creatively to find news ways to raise critically needed funds for this worthy cause. I also humbly thank those Georgia Bar members who participated in this fun, worthwhile event to help feed Georgia's poor. I am very proud of each of you. These participants should be proud of their efforts, knowing what they have done has made a difference in a fellow Georgian's life and has made our state a better place to live in because of their love and care for others less fortunate.”

“On behalf of the Georgia Food Bank Association, I want to express our deep gratitude to the legal community across the State for their support of the Legal Food Frenzy,” said Danah Craft, Executive Director of Georgia Food Bank Association. “The food and funds donated during this competition will provide more than 700,000 additional meals to families who need food assistance during the summer months.”

“The Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia is honored that the Attorney General asked us to partner with him again for the 2nd Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy,” said Jonathan Pannell, President of the Young Lawyers Division. “The annual competition is a terrific way for lawyers all over the state to give back directly to their individual communities by raising money and donating food for their local food banks.”

The Georgia Legal Food Frenzy was specifically timed to coincide with Law Day and the end of the school year to help the food banks prepare for the summer. During the summer months, the demand for food increases because children who depend on free or reduced school lunches are at home. Nearly 60% of Georgia’s public school students are eligible for either a free or reduced lunch each day.

Georgia’s seven regional food banks work with more than 2300 partner agencies and pantries to distribute over 90 million pounds of food annually to all 159 counties in Georgia. All of the food collected has been donated directly to the regional food bank that serves each competitor’s community.

Olens expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the 2013 competition. “I’d like to thank YLD President Jonathan Pannell, YLD Community Service Co-Chairs Deepa Subramanian and Kristi Wilson, Legal Food Frenzy Co-Chairs Jessica Nix and Lisa Robinson, State Bar President Robin Frazer Clark, Georgia Food Bank Association Executive Director Danah Craft, and the city representatives throughout the state whose hard work and dedication made this year’s Legal Food Frenzy a success. Last, but not least, I appreciate the generosity of all of the Georgia lawyers and legal staff who contributed to this important campaign.”

The Winners of the 2013 Legal Food Frenzy

Attorney General’s Cup: Walter G. Sammons, Jr., Warner Robbins (4,609 lbs./person)

Attorney General’s Cup (Law School): Mercer Law School, Macon (22 lbs./person)

Sole Proprietor (Per Capita): William Woodhull Stone, PC, Atlanta (1,900 lbs./person)

Sole Proprietor (Total Pounds): Joe S. Habachy, PC, Atlanta (2,840 lbs.)

Small Firm: Nathan M. Jolles, P.C., Augusta (2,364 lbs./employee, 7,093 lbs.)

Medium Firm: Coleman Talley LLP (930 lbs./employee, 43,756 lbs.)

Large Firm: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (484 lbs./employee, 96,703 lbs.)

Legal Organization (Per Capita): Georgia Tech Office of Legal Affairs (1566 lbs./person)

Legal Organization (Total Pounds): Office of Dekalb County Solicitor General (55,824 lbs)

Corporate Law Department: Georgia Power General Counsel Organization (426 lbs/person, 16,598 lbs total)