Skip to Main Content
Professional Photo
Professionals

Linda A. Klein

Shareholder

Linda A. Klein is senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson and is the immediate past president of the American Bar Association.

Professional Biography


Ms. Klein practice includes most types of business dispute resolution, including contract law, employment law and professional liability. She has worked extensively with clients in the construction, higher education and pharmaceutical industries.

Ms. Klein is the immediate past president for the American Bar Association (ABA), the world's largest voluntary professional association. She previously served as chair of the ABA's House of Delegates, the association's policy making body. She has also served as chair of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, chair of the Committee on Rules and Calendar of the House of Delegates, chair of the Coalition for Justice, and chair of ABA Day, the Association's Congressional outreach effort. She is a recent member of the Council of the ABA Section of International Law and also served as a columnist and on the Board of Editors of Law Practice Management Magazine. In 2013, Ms. Klein had the honor of being a McGlothlin fellow on the campuses of William and Mary's Business and Law Schools. She delivered the commencement addresses at Georgia State University College of Law (2017), Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (2017), Pepperdine University School of Law (2016), and Washington and Lee University School of Law (2012). In 2009, Ms. Klein was honored with the Randolph Thrower Award for Lifetime Achievement and was named to the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. In 2004, the American Bar Association honored Ms. Klein with the prestigious Margaret Brent Achievement Award.

Ms. Klein has authored numerous published works. Her lecture schedule has included presentations in France, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Great Britain and Canada, but most extensively in the southeast United States. She is a member of the American Law Institute, and a mediator and arbitrator, frequently serving as a neutral as well as a client advocate.

  • President – American Bar Association (ABA) (2016 – 2017)
    • Chair – ABA Day (2012 – current)
    • Chair – ABA House of Delegates (2010 – 2012)
    • Chair – ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) (2003 – 2004)
  • President – State Bar of Georgia (1997 – 1998)
  • Life Fellow – American Bar Foundation
  • Member – Georgia Bar Foundation Board of Trustees (1996 – 1998, 2005 – current)
  • Member – Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys
  • Member – Gate City Bar
  • Member – Georgia Association for Women Lawyers
  • Charter Member – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Georgia Chapter
  • Fellow – College of Law Practice Management (2005 – current); Board of Trustees (2012 – current)
  • Member – Best Lawyers Advisory Board (2011 – current)
  • Elected Member – American Law Institute (2002 – current)
  • Founding Member – The Georgia Academy of Mediators & Arbitrators
  • Member – American Arbitration Association – Panel of Arbitrators (Commercial and Construction Panels; Certified Mediator)
  • Member – Southface Energy Institute, Board of Directors (1994 – current)
  • Member – Board of Directors Network, President (2001); Board of Directors (1998 – current)
  • Member – Women's Forum of Georgia, Board of Directors (2005 – current)
  • Member – Buckhead Coalition, Board of Directors and Executive Committee
  • Honorary co-counsel – The Veterans Consortium's milestone 5,000th appellate case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (2017)
  • Recipient – National Association of Women Judges Florence K. Murray Award (2017)
  • Recipient – Georgia State Senate Resolution 380 (2017)
  • Recipient – Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association Women's Leadership Award (2017)
  • Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2017)
  • Named to the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (2016)
  • Recipient – State Bar of Georgia's "Distinguished Service Award" (2015)
  • Recipient – Daily Report's First "Lifetime Achievement Award" (2015)
  • Recognized as one of Atlanta's "Top 20 Women in Business" by the Atlanta Business Chronicle (2014)
  • Recipient – "Champion for Justice" by the Georgia Legal Services Program (2013)
  • Recipient – State Bar of Georgia's Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award (2010 – 2011)
  • Recipient – State Bar of Georgia Randolph W. Thrower Commitment to Equality Award (2009)
  • Recipient – ABA Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award (2004)
  • "The Leadership Crucible Podcast" (February 2024)
  • "Disrupting the Norm: Linda Klein's Trailblazing of the ABA," The Lawfully Employed Podcast with Chere Estrin (December 2023)
  • Presenter – "Supreme Court of Georgia Portrait Presentation for Former Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein" (June 2022)
  • "Linda Klein on Leading with Passion and Growing by Solving Problems," Real Relationships Real Revenue with Mo Bunnell Podcast (May 2022)
  • "Going Back In Time, What Linda Klein Would Say To Her Younger Self," Real Relationships Real Revenue with Mo Bunnell Podcast (May 2022)
  • "The Business Development Story That Changed Everything for Linda Klein," Real Relationships Real Revenue with Mo Bunnell Podcast (May 2022)
  • "Linda Klein's Favorite Business Development Strategy," Real Relationships Real Revenue with Mo Bunnell Podcast (May 2022)
  • "Linda Klein on Growth – Time To Get Great At Business Development," Real Relationships Real Revenue with Mo Bunnell Podcast (May 2022)
  • Panelist – "Building Trust Post-Covid," Horasis Extraordinary Meeting (October 2020)
  • Panelist – "An Afternoon of Good Trouble," Anti-Defamation League Speaking Out in the South webinar series (August 2020)
  • Moderator and Speaker – "Celebrating the Impact of Senator Birch Bayh: A Lasting Legacy on the Constitution and Beyond," Fordham University School of Law (October 2019)
  • Panelist – "Playbook for Success," PINK's Spring Empowerment Luncheon (May 2019)
  • "Access to Justice," Buckhead Rotary Club (March 2019)
  • Keynote Speaker – "Empower Her: Legal Services Edition," Women Veterans Leadership and Diversity Conference (November 2018)
  • Commencement Address – Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (2018)
  • "The Rule of Law and the Fundamental Role of Lawyers," Poland – U.S. Conference on the Rule of Law, the Center for American Law Studies at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Law and Administration (June 2018)
  • Panelist – "Guidelines and Best Practices Addressing Chronic Failure to Diversify Leadership Positions in the Practice of Law," Duke Law Judicial Studies Center Distinguished Lawyers (June 2018)
  • "Lawyers Preventing Truancy Means Lawyers are Stopping Crime," Truancy Intervention Project 2018 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, Atlanta, Georgia (April 2018)
  • "Access to Justice," College of Law Practice Management Futures Conference (October 2017)
  • "The Importance of Judicial Independence," National Association of Women Judges 39th Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia (October 2017)
  • Moderator – "Continuity in the Presidency: Gaps and Solutions, Building on the Legacy of the 25th Amendment," Fordham University School of Law (September 2017)
  • Panelist – "Responding to the Growing Global Refugee Crisis: The Rule of Law for All?," World Justice Forum at The Hague (July 2017)
  • "The Gamble of Public Service Loan Forgiveness," Legal Talk Network (June 2017)
  • "The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans," Legal Services Corporation (June 2017)
  • Speaker – American Law Institute Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. (May 2017)
  • Panelist – Bipartisan Policy Center's 25th Amendment Spring Program (May 2017)
  • Commencement Address – Cleveland State University Cleveland Marshall College of Law (May 2017)
  • Commencement Address – 2017 Georgia State University College of Law Commencement and Hooding Ceremony (May 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership, Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas School of Law (April 2017)
  • "Increasing Access to Justice," Legal Services Corporation Forum, Georgetown Law School (April 2017)
  • Introductory Remarks – MetLife Diverse Leadership Pipeline Workshop & Luncheon (April 2017)
  • "The Future of Law Practice and Legal Services," Kentucky Supreme Court Commission (April 2017)
  • "Will Budget Cuts to the Legal Services Corporation Diminish Access To Justice?," Legal Talk Network (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, National Federation of the Blind (March 2017)
  • Introductory Remarks – Southern Bankruptcy Law Institute (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Idaho Women Lawyers Biennial Gala (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Conference of Chief Justices Midyear Meeting (January 2017)
  • "Broken Promises and Public Service Loan Forgiveness," Legal Talk Network (January 2017)
  • Speaker – Georgia Legal Services Annual Pro Bono Luncheon, Savannah, Georgia (January 2017)
  • Closing Remarks – A Conference on Implicit (Unconscious) Bias: A New Look at an Old Problem, University of Memphis School of Law (November 2016)
  • Speaker – Georgia Lawyers for Equal Justice (October 2016)
  • Featured Speaker – Women in Leadership – Is the Glass Ceiling About to Shatter?, The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (October 2016)
  • Speaker – University of Wyoming School of Law (September 2016)
  • "Summit on Creating a National Legal Referral Network for Servicemembers, Veterans, Their Families, Caregivers and Survivors," Military and Veterans Legal Services Network Summit, Washington, D.C. (June 2016)
  • "How Technology Has, and Will, Impact the Practice of Law," the digital edge, Legal Talk Network (May 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – Best Lawyers in America, Advisory Board Meeting (May 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – "The Volunteer Lawyer Program," Boston, Massachusetts (April 2016)
  • Panelist – "Off Ramps, On Ramps and Slow Lanes," the Daily Report's "Women in Law: Making Rain, Climbing the Ladder and Forging Your Path" CLE, Atlanta, Georgia (September 2015)
  • Panel Moderator – "Creating Leaders for the 21st Century," Diversity Symposium, San Francisco, California (October 30-31, 2014)
  • "Women in Law – Delivering the Agenda for Change ," International Legal Forum, Saint Petersburg, Russia (May 2013)
  • "Criminal Matters and Allegations of Crimes in International Arbitration," International Legal Forum, Saint Petersburg, Russia (May 2013)
  • Commencement Address – Washington & Lee Law School (May 2012)
  • "Changes to the AIA Documents in Affordable Housing," American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing (May 2008)
  • "The 2007 AIA Documents: New Forms, New Issues, New Strategies," American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry (2008)
  • "Legal Issues for Professional Engineers," Seminar, Atlanta, Georgia (August 2005)
  • "Analysis of a Design Problem: What to Do," Design Professional Group, Atlanta (March 2005)
  • "To Build a Better Subcontract," AGC, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2003)
  • Bar Associations

  • "What is the Damage? The Evolution of Business Litigation Damages in a Post-Pandemic World," ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (March 2022)
  • Panelist – "Women in Construction, Professionalism Considerations," State Bar of Georgia Construction Law Section (February 2021)
  • Speaker – State Bar of Georgia Virtual Annual Meeting (June 2020)
  • Panelist – "Where does the Construction Industry Stand: A Candid Conversation with Industry Leaders about Inclusion, Diversity, & Professionalism," American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law Fall Meeting (October 2019)
  • "Growing your Bar Association and Serving Your Community," Dunwoody Bar Association (September 2018)
  • Keynote Speaker – "Achieving Equality in Business and the Legal Profession," Memphis Bar Association, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (August 2018)
  • "Using Technology to Bring Better Access to Justice," ABA 2018 Paris Sessions, Paris, France (June 2018)
  • "Veterans Initiatives for Metro Bars," National Conference of Bar Presidents (February 2018)
  • "Working Together, Bringing Justice to Veterans," North Carolina Bar Association's Veterans Continuing Education and Awards program (November 2017)
  • "Legal Assistance for Veterans," New Jersey State Bar Association Military Law and Veterans Affairs Section Symposium (October 2017)
  • Speaker – American Bar Association Law Practice Division Meeting (October 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) Latina Commission Program, HNBA Annual Meeting (September 2017)
  • "ABA Annual Meeting 2017: Linda Klein on Her Tenure as ABA President," Legal Talk Network (August 2017)
  • "ABA president shares a sneak peek into ABA Annual Meeting in NYC," Legal Talk Network (July 2017)
  • "How We Work Together," Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy, Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 2017)
  • Panelist – "Engaging Allies: A Panel Discussion With Bar Leaders on How to Effectively Collaborate with Partner Organizations to Engender Meaningful Change," Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy, Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – Indiana State Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Conference (June 2017)
  • Introductory Remarks – "The Importance of an Independent Judiciary and a Free Press," Louisville Bar Association CLE seminar (June 2017)
  • Panelist – "Boost Your Bottom Line: Why Retaining and Promoting Minority Talent is Good Business," Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association Rainmakers Forum (May 2017)
  • "American Bar Association's Sustainability Work," American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy and Resources second annual Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference, New York (May 2017)
  • ABA TECHSHOW 2017, Chicago, Illinois (April 2017)
  • Speaker – American Bar Association Business Law Section Spring Council Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana (April 2017)
  • Speaker – Bar Leadership Institute (March 2017)
  • "ABA TECHSHOW 2017: Women Are Powerful in Legal Technology," Legal Talk Network (March 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – American Bar Association Tech Show (March 2017)
  • Speaker – Croation Bar Association (March 2017)
  • Keynote Address, House of Delegates, American Bar Association Midyear Meeting (February 2017)
  • Keynote Speaker – Address to the ABA House of Delegates, Miami, Florida (February 2017)
  • "ABA Midyear Meeting 2017: Updates from ABA President Linda Klein," Legal Talk Network (February 2017)
  • "The ABA's Newest Project: Blueprint," Legal Talk Network (January 2017)
  • Opening Remarks – American Bar Association Section of Litigation Professional Success Summit, Atlanta, Georgia (November 2016)
  • Speaker – American Bar Association's Section of International Law Paris City Chapter (November 2016)
  • Opening Remarks – American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security 26th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law, Washington, D.C. (November 2016)
  • Speaker – ABA Litigation Leadership Fall Meeting (October 2016)
  • Speaker – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Annual Convention, San Diego, California (October 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – Hawaii State Bar Association Annual Meeting (October 2016)
  • Speaker – American Bar Association Section of International Law Fall Meeting, Tokyo, Japan (October 2016)
  • Opening Remarks and Q&A – American Bar Association Section Officers Conference Fall Leadership Meeting, Chicago, Illinois (October 2016)
  • Keynote Speaker – Wyoming State Bar's annual luncheon (September 2016)
  • Panelist – "Effectively Representing the Veteran Client: Legal and Cultural Basics," American Bar Association webinar (August 2016)
  • "ABA Annual Meeting 2016: President Linda Klein's Year To Come," Legal Talk Network (August 2016)
  • "The American Bar Association: A Look Ahead Under New President, Linda Klein," Lawyer 2 Lawyer, Legal Talk Network (July 2016)
  • "ABA President-elect Linda Klein: We are the gold standard for the profession," American Bar Association video (August 2015)
  • Keynote Speaker – "Lawyers Working Together Make the Profession Strong," Atlanta Bar Association luncheon (February 2015)
  • "President-elect Nominee Linda Klein Addresses House of Delegates," American Bar Association (February 2015)
  • "ABA Law Practice Division: Linda Klein on Female Leadership in the Legal World," On the Road, Legal Talk Network (November 2014)
  • "ABA Members Encouraged to Converge on Capitol Hill on Behalf of the Profession," ABA Video (January 2013)
  • "Concluding Remarks to the ABA House of Delegates," ABA Video (August 2012)
  • "Linda Klein Explains the Work of the ABA House of Delegates," Part 2, ABA Video (August 2012)
  • "Linda Klein Explains the Work of the ABA House of Delegates," Part 1, ABA Video (August 2012)
  • Featured – "Chair of ABA Policy-Making Body Describes Work of Profession's 'Best and Brightest' ," ABA video (August 2011)
  • Dispute Resolution Topics

  • "Mediator Insights: What You Should Know (and What Your Mediator Needs to Know) to Improve the Mediation Process," ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference (April 2023)
  • "Subpoenas and Third-Party Evidence in International Arbitration," 7th Annual International Arbitration Symposium (March 2023)
  • Panelist – "Diversity in International Arbitration: Progress in Times of COVID?," presented by JAMS and Arbitral Women (December 2020)
  • "Alternate Dispute Resolution," Cyber Law, Due Process, Arbitration and Mediation, Cyber Future Summit 2020 (October 2020)
  • Panel Moderator – "Criminal Matters and Allegations of Crimes in International Arbitration ," International Legal Forum, Saint Petersburg, Russia (May 2013)
  • "Best and Worst Practices in Arbitration," Georgia ICLE (August 2012)
  • "How to Make Commercial and Construction Arbitration Faster and Less Expensive," ABA Section of Dispute Resolution (February 2010)
  • "Is Arbitration Broken?," Georgia ICLE (December 2009)
  • "Ways that Discovery & Presentation of Evidence in ADR Differs from Trials," ABA Section of Litigation (April 2009)
  • "Resolving Board Room Conflicts," Atlanta Women's Foundation, Women on Board Training (July 2005)
  • "The Green Tree Case and Class Action Arbitrations," Moderator, Georgia ICLE (November 2003)
  • "Mediation Skill Building," Facilitator for Most Experienced Mediators Workshop, 10th Annual ADR Institute and Neutrals Conference (November 2003)
  • "Arbitration in the New Millennium," American Arbitration Association, Joint Program (January 2001)
  • Ethics Topics

  • "Ethics for Construction Professionals," Construction Industry Section of the Alabama State Bar and the Alabama AGC (December 2021)
  • "E-Discovery and other Emerging Issues," American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry (April 2015)
  • "It Could Happen to You: A Discussion of Ethical Choices Professions Make in Everyday Practice," Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (March 2012)
  • "Ethics and Professionalism for Young Lawyers," Civil Litigation Seminar, ICLE, Georgia (April 2004)
  • "Sarbanes Oxley and the General Practitioner," ICLE, Georgia, Statewide Broadcast (November 2003)
  • "Beyond the Billable Hour," American Bar Association Annual Legal Malpractice Symposium, New Orleans (April 2003)
  • "Multidisciplinary Practice: is it Possible After Enron?," ICLE, Georgia, Statewide Broadcast (February 2002)
  • "Ethics Issues for Your Practice," ICLE, Georgia, taped for Statewide Broadcast (November 2001)
  • "Multidisciplinary Practice Issues in Commercial Real Estate," ICLE, Georgia (November 2001)
  • "Ethical Considerations for Construction Lawyers," Construction Law for the General Practitioner, Georgia ICLE (October 2001)
  • "How to Start a Successful Professionalism Commission," Mid-Year Meeting of the American Bar Association, San Diego (February 2001)
  • "Law Practice Management: Ethics, Conflicts and Money," ICLE Georgia (January 2001)
  • "New Trends in the Legal Profession, Multidisciplinary Practice, Multijurisdictional Practice and Others," Atlanta Bar Association (December 2000)
  • "The New Ethics Rules and How They Could Change Your Practice," ICLE Georgia (November 2000)
  • "Handling Conflicts of Interest," ICLE Georgia (June 2000)
  • "Multidisciplinary Practice," Litigation Section, Atlanta Bar Association (March 2000)
  • "Can a Small Firm Compete Despite Multidisciplinary Practice," Solo Small Firm Section, Atlanta Bar Association (January 2000)
  • "Will We Have Multidisciplinary Practice in Georgia?," Georgia State University Alumni (January 2000)
  • "Gender Issues in the Profession," Legal Issues Affecting Women, ICLE Georgia (January 2000)
  • "Ethical and Other Pitfalls in Surety Bond Litigation," Fidelity & Surety Committee (TIPS), American Bar Association, Annual Mid-Winter meeting, New York (January 1991)
  • "Construction Attorney's Ethical Considerations," Construction Law: Issues for Today's Economy, ICLE Georgia (November 1990)
  • "Ethical Considerations for Construction Lawyers," Construction Litigation: The Basics and More, ICLE Georgia (October 1987)

Education

  • Washington & Lee University, J.D.
    • Order of the Coif, Honorary Member
  • Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School
  • Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
  • Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, Pepperdine University School of Law
  • Union College, B.A., cum laude

Admissions

  • Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Georgia Supreme Court
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits

Email Disclaimer

NOTICE: The mailing of this email is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. Anything that you send to anyone at our Firm will not be confidential or privileged unless we have agreed to represent you. If you send this email, you confirm that you have read and understand this notice.
Cancel Accept