Atlanta attorney Page Pate, regarded for his courtroom prowess and thoughtful radio and TV commentary, died Sunday in a drowning accident off of St. Simons Island.
According to the Brunswick News, a man drowned after being swept offshore in strong currents off the beach at Gould’s Inlet. Glynn County Fire-Rescue officials took the man back ashore and administered CPR. He was taken to a hospital in Brunswick where he was pronounced dead.
On Tuesday, authorities and friends confirmed that man was Pate. The 55-year-old attorney had been swimming with his son, who also got caught in the riptide but managed to swim back to shore, the Brunswick News reported.
“He was an incredible lawyer and person,” said state Sen. Jen Jordan, who briefly practiced with Pate more than a decade ago. “He was larger than life and always incredibly kind.”
In a statement, his law firm, Pate, Johnson & Church, said Pate is survived by his wife and two sons.
“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,” the firm said. “Above all, he was a true gentleman who embodied service and grace.”
Pate, a native of Dublin, specialized in criminal defense and defended numerous high-profile cases. He was a founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project and was also a regular legal analyst for WABE, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and both local and national TV outlets.
“He was really generous with his time,” Atlanta lawyer Esther Panitch said. “He was confident in court and a leader in the legal community. He mentored many young lawyers and was always willing to talk through cases with you.”
Decatur attorney Jason Sheffield, president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said the organization mourns Pate’s passing.
“Page was a larger-than-life person and attorney,” Sheffield said. “Page’s dedication, creativity, knowledge and compassion for those persons facing prosecution across the United States was legendary.”
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