LINDA KLEIN

Arbitrator | Mediator

Biography

Linda Klein’s practice includes most types of business dispute prevention and resolution, internal investigations, contract law, professional liability, and risk and crisis management. She has worked extensively with clients in the construction, higher education and pharmaceutical industries.

Linda is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Who’s Who in America and Chambers USA. She is regularly named to the Super Lawyers top 100 lawyers in Georgia and is also regularly named one of the top 50 female lawyers in Georgia by Super Lawyers. In 2021 she was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year in Arbitration” by The Best Lawyers in America®. In 2018, she was chosen “Attorney of the Year” by the Daily Report. In 1998, following her term as the first woman to serve as president of the State Bar of Georgia, Georgia Trend Magazine named her one of the 100 most powerful and influential Georgians.

Linda is a past president for the American Bar Association (ABA), the world’s largest voluntary professional association. She previously served as chair of the ABA’s House of Delegates, the association’s policy making body. She has also served as chair of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, chair of the Committee on Rules and Calendar of the House of Delegates, chair of the Coalition for Justice, and chair of ABA Day, the Association’s Congressional outreach effort. She is a recent member of the Council of the ABA Section of International Law and also served as a columnist and on the Board of Editors of Law Practice Management Magazine. In 2013 Linda had the honor of being a McGlothlin fellow on the campuses of William and Mary’s Business and Law Schools. She delivered the commencement addresses at Atlanta’s John Marshall College of Law (2018), Georgia State University College of Law (2017), Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (2017), Pepperdine University School of Law (2016), and Washington and Lee University School of Law (2012). In 2009, Linda was honored with the Randolph Thrower Award for Lifetime Achievement and was named to the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. In 2004 the American Bar Association honored Ms. Klein with the prestigious Margaret Brent Achievement Award.

President Jimmy Carter appointed Linda to The Carter Center Board of Councilors for the 2019 – 2022 term. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, executive committee of the Buckhead Coalition, and on the advisory board of Super Lawyers. She is a past president of Southface Energy Institute, the Board of Directors’ Network, the Caucus of State Bars, and past chair of both the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia and the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia. She also served a six-year term on Baker Donelson’s Board of Directors.

Linda has authored numerous published works. Her lecture schedule has included presentations in France, Poland, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Croatia, Japan, Great Britain and Canada, but most extensively in the southeast United States. She is a member of the American Law Institute, and a mediator and arbitrator, frequently serving as a neutral as well as a client advocate.

In addition to serving as an Alterity ADR panelist, Linda is a senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson.

Education
  • B.A. Union College, cum laude
  • J.D. Washington and Lee University School of Law
  • Court Admissions
  • Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Georgia Supreme Court
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • Legal Employment
  • Baker Donelson
  • American Bar Association
  • Gambrell & Stolz, LLP
  • Membership & Community Involvement
  • Board of Councilors – The Carter Center (appointed by President Jimmy Carter) (2019 — 2022)
  • Board of Directors and Executive Committee – Buckhead Coalition (Vice Chair, 2019)
  • Board of Directors – Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (2018)
  • Board of Directors – The Warrior Alliance (TWA) Co-chair – Friends Committee of the National Association of Women Judges Mid-Year Meeting and Southeastern Leadership Conference (2009)
  • Board of Directors – Brain Injury Association of Georgia (1998 — 2003);Executive Committee (2000 — 2001); Chair, Public Affairs Cabinet (2000 — 2001); Chair, Legislative Committee (1998 — 1999); Chair, Special Committee on Legislation (1993 — 1998)
  • Board of Directors – Southface Energy Institute (Not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable development) – (1994 — 2016); Chair, Board Development Committee (1999 — 2015); Chair, Legal Committee (1994 — 2000)
  • Board of Directors – Board of Directors Network (Not for profit organization with a mission to diversify corporate boards of directors), President (2001); Board of Directors (1998 — current); Chair, Women of Color in Corporate Governance Program (2001); Chair, Program Committee (2002); Moderator, Women Presidents Forum (2000); Co-chair, Membership Division (1999)
  • Board of Directors and Secretary – Neighbor to Family, Inc. (2005 — 2016)
  • Women's Forum of Georgia (local affiliate of the International Women's Forum), (1999 — current); Board of Directors (2005 — 2009) Atlanta Women's Alliance (2000 — 2001); (non-profit) Women Presidents and Board Chairs Scholarship Fundraising Committee – Cool Girls (2003 — 2004)
  • Leadership Georgia, Class of 1997; Leadership Georgia Foundation (1997 — current)
  • Leadership Atlanta, Class of 2000; Leadership Atlanta Foundation (2000 — current)
  • Co-chair – National Association of Women Judges, Local Friends Committee (1996)
  • Publications & Speaking Engagements
  • Panelist – "Women in Construction, Professionalism Considerations," State Bar of Georgia Construction Law Section (February 2021)
  • Panelist – "Diversity in International Arbitration: Progress in Times of COVID?," presented by JAMS and Arbitral Women (December 2020)
  • "Alternate Dispute Resolution," Cyber Law, Due Process, Arbitration and Mediation, Cyber Future Summit 2020 (October 2020)
  • Panelist – "Building Trust Post-Covid," Horasis Extraordinary Meeting (October 2020)
  • Panelist – "An Afternoon of Good Trouble," Anti-Defamation League Speaking Out in the South webinar series (August 2020)
  • Moderator and Speaker – "Celebrating the Impact of Senator Birch Bayh: A Lasting Legacy on the Constitution and Beyond," Fordham University School of Law (October 2019)
  • Panelist – "Playbook for Success," PINK's Spring Empowerment Luncheon (May 2019)
  • "Access to Justice," Buckhead Rotary Club (March 2019)
  • Keynote Speaker – "Empower Her: Legal Services Edition," Women Veterans Leadership and Diversity Conference (November 2018)
  • Commencement Address – "Atlanta's John Marshall Law School" (2018)
  • "Women Veterans Interactive Atlanta Pink and White Empowerment Brunch" (August 2018)
  • "The Rule of Law and the Fundamental Role of Lawyers," Poland – U.S. Conference on the Rule of Law, the Center for American Law Studies at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Law and Administration (June 2018)
  • Panelist – "Guidelines and Best Practices Addressing Chronic Failure to Diversify Leadership Positions in the Practice of Law," Duke Law Judicial Studies Center Distinguished Lawyers (June 2018)
  • "Lawyers Preventing Truancy Means Lawyers are Stopping Crime," Truancy Intervention Project 2018 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, Atlanta, Georgia (April 2018)
  • "Access to Justice," College of Law Practice Management Futures Conference (October 2017)
  • "The Importance of Judicial Independence," National Association of Women Judges 39th Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia (October 2017)
  • Moderator – "Continuity in the Presidency: Gaps and Solutions, Building on the Legacy of the 25th Amendment," Fordham University School of Law (September 2017)
  • Panelist – "Responding to the Growing Global Refugee Crisis: The Rule of Law for All?," World Justice Forum at The Hague (July 2017)
  • "The Gamble of Public Service Loan Forgiveness," Legal Talk Network (June 2017)
  • "The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans," Legal Services Corporation (June 2017)
  • Speaker – American Law Institute Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. (May 2017)
  • Panelist – Bipartisan Policy Center's 25th Amendment Spring Program (May 2017)
  • Commencement Address – Cleveland State University Cleveland Marshall College of Law (May 2017)
  • Commencement Address – 2017 Georgia State University College of Law Commencement and Hooding Ceremony (May 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership, Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas School of Law (April 2017)
  • "Increasing Access to Justice," Legal Services Corporation Forum, Georgetown Law School (April 2017)
  • Introductory Remarks – MetLife Diverse Leadership Pipeline Workshop & Luncheon (April 2017)
  • "The Future of Law Practice and Legal Services," Kentucky Supreme Court Commission (April 2017)
  • "Will Budget Cuts to the Legal Services Corporation Diminish Access To Justice?," Legal Talk Network (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, National Federation of the Blind (March 2017)
  • Introductory Remarks – Southern Bankruptcy Law Institute (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Idaho Women Lawyers Biennial Gala (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Conference of Chief Justices Midyear Meeting (January 2017)
  • "Broken Promises and Public Service Loan Forgiveness," Legal Talk Network (January 2017) Speaker – Georgia Legal Services Annual Pro Bono Luncheon, Savannah, Georgia (January 2017) "Washington Health Law Summit" (December 2016) "VA2J - Symposium on Veteran Access to Justice" (December 2016)
  • Closing Remarks – A Conference on Implicit (Unconscious) Bias: A New Look at an Old Problem, University of Memphis School of Law (November 2016)
  •  Speaker – Georgia Lawyers for Equal Justice (October 2016)
  • Featured Speaker – Women in Leadership – Is the Glass Ceiling About to Shatter?, The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (October 2016)
  • "VA2J – Symposium on Veteran Access to Justice" (October 2016) Speaker – University of Wyoming School of Law (September 2016)
  • "The Future of the Legal Profession" (August 2016)
  • "Summit on Creating a National Legal Referral Network for Service Members, Veterans, Their Families, Caregivers and Survivors," Military and Veterans Legal Services Network Summit, Washington, D.C. (June 2016)
  • "How Technology Has, and Will, Impact the Practice of Law," the digital edge, Legal Talk Network (May 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – Best Lawyers in America, Advisory Board Meeting (May 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – "The Volunteer Lawyer Program," Boston, Massachusetts (April 2016)
  • Panelist – "Off Ramps, On Ramps and Slow Lanes," the Daily Report's "Women in Law: Making Rain, Climbing the Ladder and Forging Your Path" CLE, Atlanta, Georgia (September 2015)
  • Moderator – "Creating Leaders for the 21st Century," Diversity Symposium, San Francisco, California (October 30-31, 2014)
  • "Women in Law – Delivering the Agenda for Change ," International Legal Forum, Saint Petersburg, Russia (May 2013)
  • Commencement Address – Washington & Lee Law School (May 2012)
  • Awards & Rankings
  • Named to Atlanta Magazine's "The Atlanta 500 – Our City's Most Powerful Leaders" (2019, 2020, 2021)
  • Recipient of the Anti-Defamation League Southeast Region 2020 Elbert P. Tuttle Jurisprudence Award (2020)
  •  Listed in The International Who's Who of Construction Lawyers (2019, 2020) Named one of the "100 Women Who Inspire Us" by the American Bar Association (2019)
  • Awarded a Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (2018)
  • Recipient of the Daily Report's Attorney of the Year Award (2018)
  • Recipient of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys 2018 Zenith Award for Distinction in the Profession Recipient of the State Bar of Georgia's Marshall-Tuttle Award for service to veterans (2018)
  • Named honorary co-counsel for The Veterans Consortium's milestone 5,000th appellate case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in recognition of National Military Appreciation Month (2017)
  • Recipient of the National Association of Women Judges Florence K. Murray Award (2017)
  • Recipient of the Lewie Donelson Award (2017)
  • Awarded a Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (2017)
  • Awarded a Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Pepperdine University School of Law (2016)
  • Recipient of the Georgia State Senate Resolution 380 (2017)
  • Recipient of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association's first Women's Leadership Award (2017)
  • Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2017)
  • Named to the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (2016)
  • Recipient of the State Bar of Georgia's "Distinguished Service Award" (2015)
  • Recipient of the Daily Report's First "Lifetime Achievement Award" (2015)
  • Recipient of the Susan E. Rich Women's Initiative Award (2015)
  • Recognized as one of Atlanta's "Top 20 Women in Business" by the Atlanta Business Chronicle (2014)
  • Named by Georgia Trend magazine in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 as one of Georgia's Legal Elite Named to Profiles in Diversity's 2013 Women Worth Watching Named a "Champion for Justice" by the Georgia Legal Services Program (2013)
  • Recipient of the State Bar of Georgia's Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award (2010 – 2011)
  • Recipient of the inaugural "Fastcase 50" award (2011)
  • Fellows of the American Bar Association Outstanding State Chair Award (2010)
  • Named to Lawdragon 3000 (2010) YWCA Women of Achievement Award (saluting women who embody the YWCA's mission of empowering women and eliminating racism), (2009)
  • State Bar of Georgia Randolph W. Thrower Commitment to Equality Award (2009)
  • Listed since 2009 in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers in the area of Construction and Commercial Litigation Listed in Georgia Super Lawyers since 2004; listed among the top 100 attorneys in Georgia; listed among the top 50 female attorneys in Georgia Listed in The Best Lawyers in America,® since 2006 in the areas of Commercial and Construction Litigation, Insurance Law, and Arbitration and Mediation ABA/TIPS Pro Bono Honor Roll (2005)
  • Recipient of the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award (2004)
  • First recipient of Atlanta Bar Association's Outstanding Woman in the Profession Achievement Award (2001)
  • Atlanta magazine's Woman Making a Mark (2001)
  • Sol H. Clark Pro Bono Award (1999)
  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers Woman Lawyer of Achievement Award (1999)
  • Partnership Against Domestic Violence Award (1998)
  • Georgia Minority/Elected and Appointed Officials Naomi Henson Humanitarian Award (1998)
  • experience

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