Bankruptcy Judge W.L. Norton, Jr. to be remembered at Saturday services

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday for retired Judge William L. Norton, Jr. of Gainesville.

 

 

Norton, who opened his private law practice in 1957, served as a federal bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Georgia for 15 years between 1971 and 1986.  In his private practice, Norton specialized in corporate and tax law and represented the Georgia Poultry Federation. 

 

Norton was also a noted author, writing volumes of documents on bankruptcy law and practice. He was the author and Editor in Chief of Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice (a 13 volume treatise), along with several other monthly and annual publications published by Thomson-Reuters. He was chairman of the Bankruptcy Rules Committee of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges 1979-86.  In 1983, he created Norton Institutes on Bankruptcy Law, which sponsored national seminars on bankruptcy law and practice. As a bankruptcy judge, he also taught bankruptcy law at Emory University Law School and taught new bankruptcy judges at the Federal Judicial Center.

 

Norton was also known for his community involvement and was instrumental in the creation of the Hall County Historical Society.

 

Norton was honored with numerous awards during his lifetime: 1972 Special Commendation and Appreciation Award given by the Georgia Poultry Federation, 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, 1999 Distinguished Service Award given by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, 2002 Distinguished Service Award given by the American College of Bankruptcy, 2003 Outstanding Alumnus Award given by Oxford College, 2004 Gainesville Rotary Club Man of the Year, 2005 Emory University Law School Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006 R. Carl Chandler Award given by Oxford College and 2007 J. Pollard Turman Alumni Service Award given by Emory University.  Most notably, he has two awards given annually in his name: William L. Norton, Jr. Judicial Excellence Award given annually at the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and the William Norton Outstanding Alumnus Award given annually by Oxford College.