Sara L. Doyle

Judge Sara L. Doyle was elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals in December, 2008 and took office on January 1, 2009. Born in Dallas, Texas, Judge Doyle lived in several states before entering the University of Florida where she graduated in 1990 with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. She graduated cum laude from Mercer Universitys Walter F. George School of Law in 1994. Judge Doyle was admitted to the Georgia Bar in June, 1994 and began her legal career as a civil litigator with Wilson, Strickland & Benson, P.C. Just prior to taking office, she was an equity partner with the national law firm of Holland & Knight, LLP where she had practiced law with a focus on education issues since August, 2000.

As a practicing attorney, Judge Doyle received an A.V. peer-reviewed rating from Martindale Hubbell. She was selected as a Georgia Super Lawyer, and in 2006 and 2008, was named one of the top 50 female attorneys in Georgia. She has also been recognized as one of Georgias legal elite by Georgia Trend Magazine. Judge Doyle is a member of the American Bar Association, the Atlanta Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL), the Gate City Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta, where she currently holds the position of Treasurer.

Judge Doyle has been involved in many professional, civic and religious organizations. She has been a member and director of the Atlanta Bar Association Bard show and is a current member of the Atlanta Bar Editorial Board. Judge Doyle is currently a member of the State Bar’s Law Related Education Committee, a member of GAWL’s Advisory Board and a Master in the Lamar Inn of Court. She has sat as a fee dispute arbitrator for the State Bar of Georgia and is currently the co-chair for the State Bar of Georgias Commission on the Unlicensed Practice of Law. Judge Doyle has participated in Leadership Midtown, the Atlanta Regional Commission Leadership Institute and the American Bar Association Tort Trial Insurance Practic e Insurance Section Leadership Academy. Judge Doyle was a Barrister in the Bleckley Inn of Court and a faculty member for the Emory University Trial Advocacy Program. Judge Doyle has participated as a Hands On Atlanta Day team leader, an American Cancer Society Neighborhood fundraiser, as co-chair for her firms United Way Committee and a volunteer for the Georgia Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts.

Judge Doyle is married to Jay Doyle and has one daughter, Mary Donovan. They are members of the Lutheran Redee mer Church and live in historic Inman Park in Atlanta, Georgia.