ATLANTA – Aug. 24, 2021 – Ernest LaMont Greer, co-president of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and his wife, Patrice Greer, will be honored as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta’s 2021 Legacy Awards honorees at the organization’s Legacy Awards Live gala on Sept. 18, 2021.
The Greers were selected for their “continued commitment to lifting up communities facing adversity in metro Atlanta.” The annual fundraising event recognizes deserving honorees and celebrates the power of mentoring while delivering a fundraising event that blends the best of live and virtual experiences.
“Furthering the wellbeing of our city by igniting the power and promise of the next generation is fundamentally important to me and Patrice,” Ernest Greer said. “We are humbled to be recognized by Big Brothers Big Sisters as Legacy Awards honorees and incredibly proud to play a role in helping to build a better tomorrow for children in our community.”
The couple has worked with numerous organizations in Atlanta for decades. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, The Center for Civil and Human Rights, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Foundation, and the Woodruff Arts Center are just a handful of the organizations on which they have made a positive impact.
Ernest Greer plays a key role in the strategic direction of the firm and firmwide day-to-day operations. Prior to his role as co-president, he served as vice president of the firm, co-chair of the U.S. Strategic Committee, and the Atlanta office’s managing shareholder. Ernest Greer is not just a highly accomplished business attorney, but he is an outstanding leader and champion for his community. He uses his global position to reflect the firm’s commitment to dedicating time and talents through active involvement in communities in which they live and work. In doing so, Ernest Greer served as the Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2014, where he was the first lawyer to serve in this capacity in the Chamber’s more than 100-year history. At present, he serves on the boards for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center, Achieve Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Equal Justice Works. Ernest Greer also currently serves as the Director of Buckhead Coalition and is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Guardsman, Inc. Past board memberships include the Center for Civil & Human Rights, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, and The Carter Center’s Board of Councilors, which he joined at former President Carter’s request.
Patrice Greer is president of Creative Concourse Concepts, LLC, an airport concessionaire in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airports. Previously, she worked in the corporate world as a director of strategic planning for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and in commercial real estate for GE Capital and JLL. Patrice Greer has always been active in her community. In August 2021, she joined the board of the nsoro Educational Foundation. She recently ended a five-year term on the board of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA) on December 31, 2020. During her time with CFGA, Patrice Greer played a pivotal role as its Community Committee Chair, while also working on the search committee that successfully identified its new CEO, replacing an executive who had led the organization for over 40 years. In 2020, Patrice Greer also served as a member of the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Advisory Group – a partnership between CFGA and the United Way of Greater Atlanta. She was one of two CFGA board members appointed to this committee, which worked diligently to address the overwhelming community needs created by the pandemic by distributing over $20 million in grants in the region.
Patrice Greer has served on the boards of Trinity School (Governance Committee Chair), Southeast Energy Assistance (Board Chair), Atlanta Ballet (2013 Ballet Ball Co-Chair), Zoo Atlanta, Junior League of Atlanta (Board Parliamentarian), Alliance Theater (Advisory Board), and the Fulton County Arts Council. Patrice Greer was chosen as one of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Women of Style and Substance in 2014.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT), has approximately 2200 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified. Web: www.gtlaw.com