NEWS BRIEF: Page Pate, regarded Atlanta criminal defense attorney, drowns off of St. Simons Island
‘Super-Lawyer’ was a founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project
Sunday afternoon, Page Pate, an Atlanta-based criminal defense attorney with more than 25 years experience, tragically drowned off the coast of St. Simons Island at Gould’s Inlet beach. Emergency crews responded to the report of two swimmers in danger after being pulled out by a strong rip current. Sadly, Pate was pronounced dead after he was transported to a local hospital. The person with Pate was able to safely swim back to shore. Pate is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his sons, Chatham and Asher, his parents Robert and Mary Elizabeth, and his younger brother, Lane.
“Super Lawyer” Page Pate was supremely regarded in his field. With his law firm, Pate, Johnson & Church, he represented clients across the nation. He also co-founded numerous justice organizations, including the Federal and Atlanta Bar Associations, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Georgia Innocence Project.
Pate, Johnson & Church released the following in a statement to USA TODAY:
“Page Pate was many things to many people — a husband, a father, a son, a mentor, a colleague, a friend, and most prominently, a trial lawyer, one who poured himself into his practice and fought hard for his clients. Above all, he was a true gentleman who embodied service and grace.
Some of the best things about Page won’t be in the news but will live on in the memories of the people whose lives he touched. Though he was a formidable, sometimes intimidating, attorney in the courtroom, Page had an easy smile, an earnest laugh, and a great sense of humor. He was guided by his faith and his creator, but he had an open heart and an open mind to all. Page’s passing is an enormous loss to his family, his friends, his community, and the entire legal profession. He will be deeply missed.” usatoday.com