Nelson Mullins is pleased to welcome former Atlanta Legal Aid (ALAS) leader Steve Gottlieb to join the firm’s Pro Bono program. Gottlieb joins after a distinguished 50-year career with ALAS, where he served as Executive Director for 42 years before retiring in 2023.
“Steve’s unmatched legacy in legal aid aligns perfectly with our firm’s commitment to serving the public good,” said Elisa Kodish, Pro Bono Partner for Nelson Mullins.
Gottlieb, regarded nationally for leading a model legal aid program, will assist with strategic planning, project development, and helping to capture how case results translate into community impact. He will also devote some of his time to chronicling his own leadership journey.
“Steve is helping us to quantify our successes, and we are encouraging him to capture his,” said Kodish. “He’s a historian with a knack for storytelling and has lessons to teach us all about how to serve and to lead.”
“I have been fortunate to be a part of and to lead an organization which for over 100 years has brought justice to those who need it," Gottlieb said. “Supporting Nelson Mullins' long tradition of pro bono service is a natural continuation of that work, and I’m honored to contribute in any way I can.”
Gottlieb’s long career at ALAS began in 1968, and he became Executive Director in 1980, serving for more than four decades. Under his leadership, ALAS expanded its reach and services, helping tens of thousands of Georgians with matters ranging from housing and healthcare to family law and consumer protection.
He co-founded the Health Law Partnership, a collaboration among ALAS, Children's Hospital and Georgia State School of Law. He also led Atlanta Legal Aid in bringing the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Olmstead v. L.C., known as the Brown v. Board of Education of disability rights, and in representing about 2000 Cuban ("Marielitos") who came to the U.S. at the invitation of President Jimmy Carter but who were detained in the Atlanta Penitentiary Marial without due process protections. During his tenure as Executive Director, ALAS also created new programs to address particularly vulnerable populations including seniors, veterans, people with AIDS and cancer, homeowners subject to predatory mortgage lending, and minors fleeing violence in Central America.
During his tenure as Executive Director, ALAS also created new programs to address particularly vulnerable populations including seniors, veterans, people with AIDS and cancer, homeowners subject to predatory mortgage lending, and minors fleeing violence in Central America.
Gottlieb’s contributions earned widespread recognition locally and nationally, with former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes praising Gottlieb as “one of the greatest men I have ever known.” In 2022, the Supreme Court of Georgia awarded Gottlieb its prestigious Amicus Curiae award, recognizing extraordinary contributions to public service and the legal profession.
“We are proud to have Steve join our team and look forward to the positive impact he will have on our pro bono program,” said Atlanta Office Managing Partner Michael Hollingsworth.
Gottlieb’s relationship with Nelson Mullins has been longstanding and multifaceted. The firm has been a dedicated pro bono partner, board supporter, and financial supporter of ALAS, with several Nelson Mullins partners serving as Chair of Atlanta Legal Aid’s Board of Directors. Reflecting on this enduring relationship, Kodish remarked, “20 years ago, I was a junior associate participating in a firm-sponsored fellowship with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, where I had the privilege of working under Steve’s leadership. That Steve is now in the trenches with us—it’s beyond my wildest imagination.”
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