Annual ADL Lunch Makes Stylish Return

As lawyers bumped elbows and circulated at the Anti-Defamation League’s 25th Anniversary lunch, attorney Jeff Fisher exclaimed, “I’m just glad to be back in person with the Jewish (among others) legal community after such a long pause.”

More than 350 guests convened at The Whitley hotel in Buckhead on Sept. 15 to salute three esteemed pillars of the Atlanta legal community for promoting justice: Ernest LaMont Greer, Jamie Perez and Liz Price.

Each year the ADL’s Southeast Division pays tribute to lawyers who have dedicated themselves to securing justice and fair treatment for all. This year’s theme highlighted the organization’s mission to fight all forms of hate, expose extremism and educate people about the corrosive effects of bias and discrimination. The luncheon also served as a fundraiser, helping the ADL raise approximately $310,000.

Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Kilpatrick Stockton was one of the many firms who came to show support. From left: Jeff Fisher, Andrew Saul and Richard Goldstucker.

Especially moving was the Elbert P. Tuttle Jurisprudence Award, which was presented to Elizabeth A. Price, a partner at Alston & Bird, where she serves as the firm’s chief legal talent partner and alumni relations partner. Price also serves on the ADL national board of directors as well as on the board of the Southeast Region of ADL and is the former national chair of civil rights for ADL among many other leadership roles.

Her story began in 1969, along with two siblings who were adopted by a kind couple after their Jewish parents perished. She said, “My parents died within 18 months of each other due to illness. We were separated, left in the care of friends and foster homes. I was 9, my sister was 5, and my brother was almost 11. My oldest brother, over 18, was left on his own. Through word of mouth in Dallas, news that three siblings were available to be adopted made it to Bill and June Price. The Prices, who were Christian, didn’t hesitate to bring us together to live as a family.”

New ADL Southeast regional director Eytan Davidson told of his family’s escape from the Holocaust.

The Prices were aware of the children’s heritage and enrolled them in Jewish schools, took them to synagogue and observed the Jewish holidays at home. As a child in Dallas, Price recalled her first blush with antisemitism when a child terminated her friendship.

That incident stayed with her in her quest for fair treatment for all. She concluded by saying, “Combating hate is a group endeavor.”

She began her talk with a quote by Hillel and ended with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “The difference between dreams and visions is that (the latter) is done with eyes open.”

Award recipient Liz Price related that she was raised as a Jew by kind Christians who adopted her and her siblings in Dallas.

Price said, “I have visions,” and then emphasized the importance of inclusively and that the ADL brings everyone together, not just Jews.

ADL Southeast Regional Director Eytan Davidson spoke about his grandparents’ escape from the Holocaust to the U.S., seeking a haven from persecution. He stated, “I’m proud to be a Jewish American and that my kids just had a bar mitzvah last week.”

Davidson spoke of the important relationship between law enforcement and the ADL, noting the recent leak of the names of the Oath Keepers group consisting of approximately 1,000 members in Georgia, 19 of whom work in law enforcement. Additionally, Davidson stressed the importance of added efforts to combat political violence, further election security and seek volunteer attorneys to observe at polls. He also highlighted the ADL education program in which 200 schools studied No Place for Hate curricula.

Ryan Buchanan and Brent Gray, U.S. States Attorney for the Northern District, provided updates on their vigorous motivation to go after hate crimes, including violent attacks on houses of worship, and how the Ahmaud Arbery case has made such a huge impact. Noted was a recent event at the Carter Center where the ADL shared best practices on security, a form of which is available to local temples and synagogues.

Randy Gorod, Joshua Spielman and Gil Wolchuck were among the 350 who came to The Whitley ballroom.

Before the program, board member Lynne Borsuk told the AJT, “I’m proud that the ADL is doing the essential work on behalf of the Jewish community along with all others. And we need this especially now!”

Richard Goldstucker, who specializes in intellectual property at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, said, “Our firm is very involved in the ADL and wanted to show our support today.”

ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization which was founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry.