Han C. Choi, 52, who as managing partner of the Atlanta office of the Ballard Spahr law firm led its Korea Initiative, died March 16. A memorial service for Mr. Choi will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 15, at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Pechtree Street NE, Atlanta, Ga.
Born in Korea, Mr. Choi immigrated to the United States as a toddler and grew up in Little Rock, Ark. Before becoming a lawyer, he was Special Assistant for Health and Human Services to Bill Clinton, then-governor of Arkansas. Mr. Choi received his B.A. from Northwestern University in 1988 and then his J.D. from Emory Law School of Law in 1993.
The American Korean Friendship Society recently presented Mr. Choi with a Lifetime Achievement Award as a cherished and influential leader who was “inspirational, generous and courageous.”
Mr. Choi has been recognized by numerous other organizations as well.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Law Foundation partnered with the Choi family to create the Han C. Choi Scholarship to honor a “trailblazer, mentor, and leader who embodies grit and courage in the face of great adversity.” Mr. Choi was a member of the foundation’s Board of Directors and recipient of its Trailblazers Award.
The Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA) announced the inaugural Han C. Choi Mentor Award, which will recognize members of the legal profession who demonstrate “a remarkable commitment to mentoring the next generation of Asian Pacific American attorneys.” Mr. Choi had served as a Board Member and President of GAPABA.
He served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia and was a Board Member of the Decatur Education Foundation. He was past President of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, and was a founding member and past President of the Korean American Bar Association of Georgia. He served as Regional Governor of the International Association of Korean Lawyers and led the committee that is planning the group’s annual conference in Atlanta this fall.
Mr. Choi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2017.