“As graduates of this incredible institution, I can promise you that you have the knowledge and skill to succeed. The only thing left to decide is what justice you will commit yourself to,” said Judge Brian Fortner (J.D. ’00) to 39 Georgia State University College of Law graduates at the 2025 Winter Commencement and Hooding Ceremony.
Judge Brian Fortner (J.D. '00) returned to his alma mater and recounted sitting in the graduates’ place 25 years earlier, when he earned his law degree as an “Urban Life” alumnus before the College of Law’s move to 85 Park Place.
Judge Fortner returned to his alma mater and recounted sitting in the graduates’ place 25 years earlier, when he earned his law degree as an “Urban Life” alumnus before the College of Law’s move to 85 Park Place.
In his remarks Judge Fortner described a childhood marked by poverty, and instability. He mentioned schoolyard nicknames given by his peers, meant to single him out as poor and tear him down for being less fortunate.
“I felt those labels,” he said. “So, I committed myself to my education. It was my only real hope."
“Now people call me, ‘Your Honor,’” he said.
Reflecting on this transformation, Fortner cautioned graduates not to define themselves by titles alone and to look past the labels others place on them. “I can tell you with absolute certainty that none of the labels placed on me as a child define me,” he said. “And none of the labels or titles I have had in my career define me, either. Because at the center of everything I have done and every position I ever held, is the same heart of an attorney seeking to do justice, wanting to leave this place a little better than I found it.”
Amber Reese (J.D. ’25) is leaving Georgia State Law with this same sentiment in mind. She co-founded the Part-Time and Nontraditional Student Council and served as its chair. She also held leadership roles with the Student Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, and the Black Law Students Association.
The College of Law’s 2025 Student Leader of the Year, Reese was selected by her peers to give remarks as a member of the graduating class. A first-generation law student in Georgia State’s part-time program, she spoke candidly about the challenges of law school, from imposter syndrome and cold calls to the sacrifices many students made to balance families, careers and education.
“We arrived from different backgrounds, but we leave united by a shared commitment to the rule of law and the responsibility it carries,” said Reese.
To commemorate her years at Georgia State Law, Amber Reese (J.D. '25) made a gift to the college to name the student locker numbered 2025.
Using the metaphor of a camera lens, Reese encouraged graduates to focus on what matters, to capture meaningful moments, and to develop from negative experiences. “Focus on equity. Focus on access to justice. Focus on using the law not just as a profession, but as a tool for impact,” she said, while also reminding classmates of the importance of self-care in sustaining meaningful legal work.
Reese also leaves behind an example of paying it forward. To commemorate her years at Georgia State Law, Reese made a gift to the college to name the student locker numbered 2025. With this donation, she adds her name to a long list of supporters who help the college provide a world-class education in our community. After graduation, she will join Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP as a commercial litigation attorney, and she aspires to become an adjunct professor.
College of Law Dean Courtney Anderson told the graduates that they are ready to take on the world. “The Georgia State Law community will be right here to support your endeavors. I can’t wait to witness the impact you will have on the world and the legal profession.”