“If you're wondering [whether you can] live a virtuous life, do things the right way, and be successful doing [your job] in the way that [you] think things ought to be done; there's a blueprint in Harold Melton for how to do that. He's a walking testament to that kind of life,” said Georgia Court Appeals Judge Trea Pipkin (J.D. ‘05) at the 2026 Ben F. Johnson Jr. Public Service Award Ceremony.
Justice Melton received the Ben F. Johnson Jr. Public Service Award at Georgia State University College of Law. The award recognizes Georgia attorneys whose careers reflect the tradition of public service that founding dean, Ben F. Johnson Jr., exemplified during his life and throughout his career.
(L to R) Georgia Court Appeals Judge Trea Pipkin (J.D. ‘05) and Georgia Supreme Court Justice Shawn LaGrua (J.D. ‘87) each spoke to Justice Melton's career and commitment to public service.
More than a dozen state judges attended the award ceremony, from the Supreme Court of Georgia to the Georgia Court of Appeals and others, along with local attorneys, university leadership and friends of the college, representing a wide-reaching legacy of legal excellence and commitment to public service.
Justice Melton, now a partner at Troutman Pepper Locke, was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor Sonny Perdue in 2005 and was named chief justice in 2018, ultimately serving on the court for 16 years before retiring in 2021. His service in that role, including during the pandemic, exhibited a sustained commitment to the fair administration of justice and the responsibilities of public leadership.
Before joining the court, Judge Melton served as executive counsel to Governor Perdue and previously worked as an assistant attorney general in the Georgia Department of Law where he led the Consumer Protection Section for four years, strengthening enforcement efforts on behalf of Georgia residents.
“He has exemplified the ideal of attorneys who use their personal time to make the world better,” said Justice Shawn LaGrua (J.D. ‘87), the first Georgia State law graduate to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court. “He is that rare gem in the legal community, a leader who is universally respected by his peers for his legal acumen, but who is better known for his integrity, his kindness and his strength of character.”
Ben F. Johnson III, retired managing partner of Alston & Bird and son of the award's namesake, congratulated Justice Melton on being the 2026 recipient.
In addition to his work on the bench, Melton has remained active in civic and community organizations. He serves as a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the State of Georgia and as a member of the Board of Councilors for The Carter Center. His community involvement also includes board service with Young Life and Atlanta Youth Academies, reflecting a continued investment in education and youth development.
Melton’s initial path to leadership began as a young man during his time at Auburn University, where he became the first African American president of the Student Government Association in 1987. The university later named the Harold D. Melton Student Center in his honor, a facility students affectionately refer to as “The Melt.” He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.
“As soon as you finish law school, all the other stuff comes back to the forefront again: who you are as a person, how well you treat people and how well you do the task before you,” Melton said, reflecting on the importance of character. “That, to me, has been the lesson that I have learned and tried to live out: being faithful to the task before me and being faithful to the people around me.”