Sally Akins
Sarah B. “Sally” Akins is the 60th president of the State Bar of Georgia. She was installed as the 60th president of the 52,000 member State Bar of Georgia on June 4, 2022. She is the sixth woman to serve as president of the organization. Akins has previously served as secretary and treasurer of the State Bar, and for the past year, as president-elect. Service to others has been instilled in her since childhood and she is excited to lead the State Bar of Georgia with the help of her fellow officers, Executive Committee members, and Board of Governors.
Additionally, the Supreme Court of Georgia appointed Sally to a six-year term on the Board of Bar Examiners; where she served as chair in 2020. She serves on the U.S. District Court Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Georgia and the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Court Advisory Committee.
After nearly 30 years of handling civil jury trials, Akins chose to focus on mediation and has been a full-time mediator for the past four years throughout the state with Miles Mediation. Having been with the firm since its inception, she has recently taken of counsel status at Ellis Painter in Savannah.
Sally has handled cases involving premises liability, automobile and truck accidents, professional negligence (medical, legal and pharmaceutical) litigation involving counties and municipalities including civil rights cases and zoning cases, insurance coverage litigation, and products liability. After working solely with litigation with Ellis Painter, she chose to focus on mediation, and is a registered mediator and arbitrator.
Sally has also received the General Practice & Trial Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia Tradition of Excellence Award and was recognized by the Daily Report with its Distinguished Leader Award. She has been selected by her peers as a Super Lawyer since 2010 and as a Top 50 Female Super Lawyer since 2012.
Sally is married to Dale Akins, her law school sweetheart. Dale is a Georgia and South Carolina barred plaintiffs’ lawyer practicing primarily in Bluffton, South Carolina, at Akins Law Firm. They share their home with their new puppy, Boudreaux, a French Pointer.
Education
- University of Florida (B.A., 1987)
- Mercer University (J.D., 1990)
Admitted to Practice
- All Georgia State and Superior Courts
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Court of Appeals of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Professional or Trade Affiliations
- President, State Bar of Georgia, 2022-2023
- Board of Bar Examiners, 2014-present
- President of the South East Georgia Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), S.E. Georgia Chapter (President, 2017; Charter Member; Vice-President, 2015; Secretary, 2014; Treasurer, 2011-13)
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (GDLA) (Member, Board of Directors, 2006-present; President- Elect, 2016- present; Treasurer, 2015-2016; Vice-President, 2012-2015; Editor, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Law Journal, 2011; Vice Chair and Faculty, Trial Academy, 2012; Editor-in-Chief, Georgia Defense Lawyer, 2013-2015)
- State Bar of Georgia (Executive Committee, General Practice & Trial Section 1995-present, Chairman 2000-2001; Member, Review Panel of State Disciplinary Board 2000-2006 and 2010-present, Chairman 2002-2003; Member, Disciplinary Rules & Procedures Committee 2005-2016; Chair – Law Practice Management Committee 2011-2012; Member, Advisory Committee on Legislation (2010-present); Member – Bench & Bar Committee (2010-present).
- Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (President, Savannah Chapter, 1994-1996)
- Eleventh Circuit Historical Society, Inc., Georgia Trustee
- Savannah Bar Association (Executive Committee 1999-2000; Chairman, Public Relations Committee 2001-2002; Chairman, Public Service Committee 2005-2006)
- American Bar Association (Georgia Delegate, Woman Advocate Committee, Litigation Section)
- National Council of Lawyer Discipline Boards, Treasurer, 2005
- Defense Research Institute
- Leadership Savannah Graduate, 2006
- Lawyers Foundation of Georgia, Fellow
Honors and Awards
- Top 50 Female Georgia Super Lawyer (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Georgia Super Lawyer (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Georgia’s Legal Elite by Georgia Trend Magazine (2009)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia (Eastern Judicial Circuit, Post 1, 2010 – present)
- Appointed by Chief Judge to Local Rules Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, U.S. District Court Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Georgia and to the Planning Committee for 2013 11th Circuit Judicial Conference
- Litigation Counsel of America – Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
- Awarded Best Newsletter by State Bar of Georgia during three year tenure as Editor-in-Chief of GDLA’s Georgia Defense Lawyer (2013, 2014, 2015)