The School of Law honored four of its graduates for their service during the school’s Awards Dinner at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia this spring.

Nancy E. Rafuse, Gregory L. “Greg” Roseboro and Marlan B. Wilbanks received the law school alumni/alumnae association’s highest honor – the Distinguished Service Scroll Award – for their outstanding dedication and service to the legal profession and the law school. Additionally, David B. Dove was presented with the Young Alumni/Alumnae of Excellence Award.

Dean Bo Rutledge (center) poses with award winners (l. to r.) David Dove (J.D.’14), Greg Roseboro (J.D.’87), Nancy Rafuse (J.D.’91) and Marlan Wilbanks (J.D.’86). Photo by Justin Evans.

Rafuse, a 1991 alumna, currently serves as a counselor in residence at the School of Law teaching the courses Employment Discrimination, and Wage-and-Hour Law and Litigation. She is also a member of the law school’s Board of Visitors.

She practiced employment law for approximately 30 years, most recently as an equity partner at Seyfarth Shaw in Atlanta, where her national labor and employment practice included Fortune 100 clients and large private employers. She also worked at the law firm Polsinelli from 2014 to 2019, during which time she opened the firm’s Atlanta office in 2014 and managed it for three years. In her last two years at Polsinelli, she served as the firm’s labor and employment department chair and represented clients in high profile class and collective actions.

Her award was presented to her by her sister, Patty Urban.

Roseboro is a former assistant dean and currently an adjunct professor at the School of Law, where he continues to teach the course Race and the Law.

A 1987 graduate, Roseboro worked for nearly 30 years in admissions at the law school, most recently serving as assistant dean for admissions, diversity and inclusion & strategic initiatives. His work in the area of diversity and inclusion involved liaising with faculty, staff, students and alumni/alumnae. He also served as an adviser for student organizations including the Davenport-Benham Black Law Students Association, the Asian Law Students Association, the Hispanic Law Students Association and OUTLaw. Roseboro joined the law school’s staff in 1994 as assistant director of admissions, student affairs and legal career services. He managed the entire J.D. admissions operation from 2015 to 2022.

Roseboro’s award was presented by law school 1987 classmate Sherry L. Jackson-Ellison.

Wilbanks, a 1986 alumnus, has for more than 25 years specialized in representing whistleblowers who file lawsuits when taxpayers have been defrauded by individuals or large corporations. As a practicing attorney in Atlanta with Wilbanks & Gouinlock, he has recovered more than $2 billion. In recognition of this work, he has been named National Lawyer of the Year and, in 2022, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Taxpayers Against Fraud, which is the largest body of its kind in the United States.

Wilbanks is very active in numerous organizations dedicated to protecting and representing abused children. He founded the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic at the School of Law – the first of its kind in the nation – in 2016. He also currently serves as the chairman of the law school’s Board of Visitors.

His award was presented by law school 1986 classmate Dan H. Willoughby Jr.

Dove, a 2014 graduate of the law school, currently serves as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive counsel. In this role, he has worked with the attorney general’s office to secure landmark victories in the Tri-State Water Wars and has marshaled Kemp’s nominations, resulting in the most diverse group of judicial appointments in Georgia history. He also has worked with Kemp to increase the representation of women and minorities on executive branch boards and commissions. Additionally, he serves as one of four Georgia commissioners on the Uniform Law Commission. He is also vice chair of the UGA School of Public & International Affairs Alumni Board and a member of the Law School Alumni Council.

Previously, Dove was the director of Kemp’s gubernatorial transition committee and worked as an attorney with Robbins Alloy Belinfante Littlefield.

Dove’s award was presented by Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge.