February 3, 1997
Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute Inc.
Establishes Drake Professorship
With $300,000 Gift
The Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute Inc. has made a gift of more than $302,000 to establish the Walter Homer Drake Endowed Professorship of Bankruptcy Law at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.
The gift, which was announced at a Woodruff House reception today, honors Mercer alumnus, trustee and United States Bankruptcy Judge Walter Homer Drake Jr., A.B. ’54, LL.B. ’56, of Newnan.
"We are thrilled that the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute has chosen to establish the Homer Drake Professorship at Mercer," said Law School Dean Larry Dessem. "Judge Drake has been for many years a national force in the area of bankruptcy law, and the professorship in his honor will greatly supplement our teaching resources in this increasingly important area of the law."
Judge Drake is a United States bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Georgia and served as chief judge from 1968 to 1976. He is a former partner in the Atlanta law firm of Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers. He is a founder of, and adviser to, the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, a former member of the Judicial Conference of the United States’ Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System, is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, and is a past president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.
A loyal alumnus, Judge Drake is a past president of the Mercer Law School alumni association and a past chairman of the Law School board of visitors. Last November he was elected to a five-year term on the Mercer board of trustees.
He has served as an adjunct professor of law at both Emory University School of Law and the University of Georgia School of Law. The author of two books and numerous articles, he was recipient of the first David W. Pollard Achievement Award presented by the Atlanta Bar Association for contributions to bankruptcy law and practice (1994).
I am excited and extremely pleased about the establishment of this professorship at my alma mater, and I want to express my deep appreciation to the officers and directors of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute for making this possible," Judge Drake said. "This is a very special and generous gift, which I know will have a positive and beneficial effect on the teaching of bankruptcy law and related courses here at the Law School."
Professor Michael Sabbath, who has been on the Law School faculty for more than 18 years, will be the initial holder of the endowed professorship. Sabbath earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and holds the J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Emory University and Columbia University, respectively.
Gus Small, J.D. ’69, serves as president of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute and played a significant role in arranging the gift to Mercer. Established in 1974, the SBLI provides quality continuing legal education through semiannual seminars to members of the Bar in the field of bankruptcy law and procedure. The non-profit organization contributes funds generated from conducting these seminars to law schools throughout the Southeast in order to enhance their bankruptcy law programs. Through the years, the Institute has given more than $1 million to law schools, including a substantial amount to the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer.