Honorable Carla Wong McMillian, Court of Appeals of Georgia EXPERIENCE JUDGE, COURT OF APPEALS OF GEORGIA Atlanta, Georgia • Appointed by Governor Nathan Deal • Sworn in on January 24, 2013; Elected May 20, 2014 • First Asian-American elected to statewide office in the State of Georgia JUDGE, STATE COURT OF FAYETTE COUNTY, GEORGIA Fayetteville, Georgia • Appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue • Sworn in on October 4, 2010; Elected July 31, 2012 in a contested race • First Asian-American Woman Elected Judge in the State of Georgia SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP Atlanta, Georgia Partner (2007-2010), Associate (1999-2006) . Areas of Practice: Complex Business Litigation; Dealer and Franchise Litigation; Professional Malpractice Defense; Administrative Law . Handled numerous appeals, trials, and administrative hearings . Argued before the Eleventh Circuit, Third Circuit, the Georgia Supreme Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Louisiana Court of Appeals U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA Atlanta, Georgia Law Clerk to the Hon. William C. O’Kelley, 1998-99 EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SCHOOL OF LAW Athens, Georgia Juris Doctor, 1998, summa cum laude Order of the Coif Editorial Board, Georgia Law Review DUKE UNIVERSITY Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts in History and Bachelor of Arts in Economics, 1995, magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa Duke Review, 1994-95 Senior Editor; 1992-94 Associate Publisher SELECTED SERVICE ACTIVITIES • Board of Advisors, Atlanta Chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies • Board of Trustees, Landmark Christian School • Board of Directors, Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association • Dogwood Church, Tyrone, Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission State of Georgia 500 14th Street, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30318 Tel: 678-701-9381 Brian P. Kemp Governor This questionnaire is submitted in connection with a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia 1. Please provide your full name. Include any former names that you have used. Carla Wong McMillian. My maiden name was Carla Renee Wong. 2. Please provide your current office and home addresses, including office, home, and cellular telephone numbers and email addresses. Office: Court of Appeals of Georgia Nathan Deal Judicial Center 330 Capitol Avenue S.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 (404) 656-3455 [email protected] 3. Please provide the date and place of your birth. 4. If you are a naturalized citizen, please give the date and place of naturalization. Not applicable 5. Please indicate your marital status and if married, the name of your spouse. If you have any children, please provide the names and ages of your children. Judicial Nominating Commission Applicant Questionnaire 6. Please identify any service in the United States Military, including the periods of your military service, the branch in which you served, your rank or rate, and the type of discharge you received if you are no longer active. None 7. Please list in reverse chronological order each college and law school you attended, including the dates of attendance, the degree awarded, and your reason for leaving each school if no degree from that institution was awarded. University of Georgia School of Law, 1995-98, J.D. Duke University, 1991-95, A.B. in History and Economics 8. Please list all courts in which you have been admitted to practice (excluding pro hac vice admissions), including the dates of admission for each and any lapse in membership. Please explain the reason for any lapse in membership. Give the same information for administrative bodies having special admission requirements. Superior Courts of the State of Georgia, December 14, 1998 Court of Appeals of Georgia, November 18, 2000 Supreme Court of Georgia, February 21, 2000 United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, January 6, 2000 Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, February 8, 2000 Second Circuit Court of Appeals, September 6, 2007 Third Circuit Court of Appeals, September 6, 2002 Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, December 14, 2000 9. Are you actively engaged in the practice of law at the present time? If you are connected with a law firm, a corporate law department or a governmental agency, please state its name and indicate the nature and duration of your relationship. No. I serve as a judge on the Court of Appeals of Georgia. Prior to my appointment in 2013, I served as the State Court Judge of Fayette County. From 1999 to 2010, I was actively engaged in the practice of law as an associate and then as a partner with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (now Eversheds Sutherland). 10. What is the general character of your practice? Indicate the character of your typical clients and mention any legal specialties which you possess. If the nature of your practice has been substantially different at any time in the past, give the details, 2 Judicial Nominating Commission Applicant Questionnaire including the character of such and the periods involved. I joined the litigation group of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, LLP in October 1999, and was elected to the partnership in 2007. I remained with the firm until just prior to my appointment to the State Court of Fayette County in October 2010. At Sutherland, my law practice focused on the three areas: (1) franchise law, specifically dealer litigation and corporate counseling; (2) accountants’ and professional liability defense, and (3) other complex business litigation. I have represented automobile and motorcycle manufacturers nationwide in various state courts, federal courts, and administrative bodies in disputes over dealer terminations, relocations, add points, warranty reimbursement, and vicarious liability for dealer actions. I have also represented an automotive manufacturer in appeals from a product liability action. Outside of the franchise context, I have handled a range of business matters, including professional malpractice claims, tax litigation against the Georgia Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service, and allegations of insurance company fraud under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. I have also represented a software development company in a trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract action against a former business partner in Austin, Texas. Finally, pro bono matters were a very important part of my private practice. Besides allowing me to help those in need, these cases provided the opportunity to tackle issues that I did not regularly face in my practice. One highlight includes representing a single mother who was seeking full custody of her child from her child’s allegedly abusive father. This particular representation came from a referral from the predecessor organization to the Real Life Center, a non-profit organization serving persons in need in Fayette County. Other pro bono cases in which I have been involved include representing a criminal defendant in oral argument before the Eleventh Circuit over a denial of the return of certain funds and firearms under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g). I was also involved in Sutherland’s representation of a former death row inmate in his habeas petitions. 11. If, in the past, you have practiced in other localities or have been connected with other law firms, corporate law departments or governmental agencies, please give the particulars, including the locations, the names of the firms, corporate law departments or agencies and your relationship thereto, and the relevant dates. Also indicate any period in the past during which you practiced alone. From June 1998 through August 1999, I served as a law clerk for the Honorable William C. O’Kelley in the Northern District of Georgia. In the summer of 1997, I worked as a summer associate at Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson in Charlotte, North Carolina and Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston, Texas. In the summer of 1996, I worked as a summer associate at Fulcher Hagler Reed Hanks & Harper (now Fulcher Hagler LLP) in Augusta, Georgia. 3 Judicial Nominating Commission Applicant Questionnaire 12. State chronologically any judicial offices you have held, including positions as an administrative law judge, state whether such position was elected or appointed, state the length of service in each position, give a description of the jurisdiction of each such court and describe the scope of your responsibilities in this court. State Court of Fayette County – I was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue to the State Court of Fayette County, taking office on October 4, 2010. On July 31, 2012, I was elected in a contested race with 66% of the vote. I served on the State Court for approximately 27 months. As State Court Judge, I presided over civil cases without regard to the amount in controversy, except for those cases in the exclusive jurisdiction of the Superior Court, and criminal misdemeanors. As the sole State Court Judge in Fayette County, I disposed of over 7000 cases per year and handled all administrative matters related to the county government. Court of Appeals of Georgia – I was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to the Court of Appeals of Georgia, taking office on January 24, 2013, and am presently in that position. I was elected in an uncontested election in 2014. The Court of Appeals has statewide appellate jurisdiction of all cases except those involving constitutional questions, election contests, habeas corpus, and all cases in which a sentence of death was imposed or could be imposed. Since June 2019, I have served as Vice Chief and Presiding Judge. As Vice Chief, I assist the Chief Judge in his discretion. As Presiding Judge, I handle scheduling for oral argument and preside at oral argument. I also serve on the Court’s Executive Council. 13. Have you ever held public office, other than judicial office, or have you ever been a candidate for such an office? If so, give the details, including the offices involved, whether elected or appointed, and the length of your service.