Familiar Macon name chosen as new law school leader

Mercer University’s law school will pass the gavel to a new dean this summer.

Cathy Cox was announced Thursday afternoon as the school’s new leader, and she will take over the post July 1.

She follows in the footsteps of Daisy Floyd, who served as dean from 2004-2010 and 2014-present. Cox, a Bainbridge native, has been the president of Young Harris College since 2007.

“I am thrilled that Cathy Cox will be the next dean of Mercer Law School and am excited about the future of the Law School under her leadership. She brings extraordinary experience, talent and skill to the position,” Floyd said in a news release. “I, and the other members of the Law School community, look forward to working with her to continue to provide the distinctive Mercer legal education that prepares our students for lives of service and meaning as lawyers.”

A 1986 Mercer law school graduate, Cox will be the first alum to be dean since William Bootle served from 1933-37. She practiced law for 10 years in Atlanta and Bainbridge, and is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia.

Cox represented District 160 in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1993-96 and was assistant secretary of state from 1996-99. She was the first woman elected as secretary of state in Georgia and served two terms.

She holds a bachelor of arts in journalism degree from the University of Georgia and was a newspaper reporter for three years before starting law school. She also has an associate’s degree in agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. Cox is to married to attorney Mark Dehler.

“I am very excited about building on the deep foundation and rich heritage at Mercer’s School of Law to educate practice-ready lawyers who want to make a genuine difference for their clients and have a positive impact in their communities,” Cox said in a news release. “The opportunity to do this at my alma mater makes it even more meaningful.

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Familiar Macon name chosen as new law school leader."