--- title: SR 1066. Clay IV, Alexander Stephens "Steve"; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr1066 cite_as: SR 1066, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1066 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1066.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1066/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74522 date: 2026-03-31 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1065.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1067.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1066.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 1066 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-31 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - RaShaun Kemp - Kenya Wicks - Elena Parent - Randal Mangham - Gail Davenport - Donzella James text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR1066/2025 upstream_id: 2139200 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Georgia Senate resolution - condolences - legal profession - Georgia Appleseed --- # SR 1066. Clay IV, Alexander Stephens "Steve"; condolences ## Text Senate Resolution 1066 By: Senators Kemp of the 38th, Wicks of the 34th, Parent of the 44th, Mangham of the 55th, Davenport of the 17th and others A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and legacy of Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV was a distinguished attorney, civic leader, and devoted champion of public service whose integrity, professionalism, and commitment to justice strengthened the State of Georgia and enriched the lives of all who knew him; and WHEREAS, Steve Clay passed away on Friday, November 21, 2025, leaving behind a loving wife, Helen Harrison Straus "Henny"; his cherished family; and a legacy defined by excellence, compassion, and service; and WHEREAS, Steve Clay was born on October 23, 1942, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was educated at E. Rivers Elementary School, The Westminster Schools, and the Phillips Exeter Academy; and WHEREAS, he graduated from Yale University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and later earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1967, where he served on the Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif; and WHEREAS, after beginning his legal career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Steve Clay returned to Atlanta and joined Kilpatrick & Cody, now Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, where he practiced law for 48 years until retiring in 2018; and WHEREAS, during his remarkable career at Kilpatrick, Steve Clay served in senior leadership roles, including as Chairman of the Executive Committee for many years, and he helped guide the firm through its merger with Petree Stockton in 1997, a significant milestone in the firm's history; and WHEREAS, Steve Clay was a business litigator and trial attorney renowned for helping clients resolve complex disputes, and he developed internationally recognized expertise in arbitration, including service as one of ten United States representatives on the International Chamber of Commerce Commission on Arbitration and as a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; and WHEREAS, beyond his professional accomplishments, Steve Clay was widely respected for his commitment to pro bono service and civic leadership in organizations dedicated to defending human and constitutional rights, and he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anti-Defamation League of Atlanta in 2011; and WHEREAS, Steve Clay was the founding Chair of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, where he played a defining role in helping launch the organization and setting an enduring standard of rigor, credibility, and seriousness of purpose that continues to guide Georgia Appleseed's mission to improve systems affecting children's lives throughout Georgia; and WHEREAS, under Steve Clay's founding leadership, Georgia Appleseed established a statewide model that brings together volunteer lawyers and partners to advance practical, accessible justice for children and families across this state; and WHEREAS, Georgia Appleseed celebrates its 21st anniversary this year, made possible in part by the solid foundation Steve Clay helped build; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper to honor the life and legacy of Steve Clay for his exceptional professional leadership, steadfast commitment to public service, and enduring contributions to justice and to the well-being of Georgia's children. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV, commend his extraordinary leadership and dedication to public service, and express deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who were blessed to know him. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV and the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution honors the life of Atlanta attorney Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV, who died in November 2025, and offers condolences to his family and colleagues. ### Plain-language summary This is a memorial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a law that changes anyone's rights or duties. It recounts the life of Steve Clay, a longtime Atlanta attorney who practiced for 48 years at the firm now known as Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, served in firm leadership, and built a national reputation in arbitration. It also credits him as the founding board chair of the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, an organization focused on legal issues affecting children. The resolution formally states that the Senate honors his legacy and expresses condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to Clay's family and to the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and honors the life and career of attorney Alexander Stephens "Steve" Clay IV, who died November 21, 2025. - Expresses the Georgia Senate's condolences to Clay's family, friends, and colleagues. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to Clay's family and to the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. - Creates no new statutes, funding, or legal obligations, since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Steve Clay's family, including his wife Helen Harrison Straus Clay, as well as his former law firm colleagues and the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, which will receive an official copy. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal force or funding, but it gives Clay's family, friends, and the organizations he helped build an official public record of the Georgia Senate's recognition of his career and civic contributions. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses detail Clay's education, his 48-year legal career, and his leadership roles at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. - The resolved clause formally honors Clay's life and legacy and expresses condolences on behalf of the Senate. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies to Clay's family and the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-31) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-31) - Sponsors: RaShaun Kemp, Kenya Wicks, Elena Parent, Randal Mangham, Gail Davenport, Donzella James - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74522 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr1066.md?full=1