Jennifer Davis Ward ’84

Jennifer Davis Ward is the Executive Director of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (GDLA), the state’s civil defense bar. After earning her B.A. from Emory University, she began her career at the State Bar of Georgia, where she served as the Director of Communications. During her 12-year tenure, Jennifer was elected chair of the American Bar Association's (ABA) National Association of Bar Executives Communications Section and received a Luminary Award for Excellence in Public Relations. In 2000, Jennifer entered the law firm marketing arena, working for numerous Atlanta-based offices before moving to GDLA in 2009. In 2011, she was appointed by the State Bar President to serve as a public member on the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism (CJCP); she was reappointed in 2013 and currently serves alongside retired Supreme Court chief justices and other dignitaries as an advisor to the CJCP. She also serves as a lay member on the State Disciplinary Board, which investigates and adjudicates alleged lawyer misconduct. In 2016, Jennifer was honored by DRI, the national association for civil defense lawyers, with the Executive Director Award, recognizing her as the best such leader in the country. Under her leadership, GDLA has twice been named by DRI as Outstanding Defense Organization. Also, the GDLA magazine she edits and publishes is a nine-time winner of the State Bar of Georgia’s Best Newsletter Award. Today, Jennifer resides in her hometown.