Admitted Georgia Bar Association, 1985
Passed Away, January 14, 2016
Obituary

Educational Background:
Emory University School of Law,
Atlanta, Georgia 
Juris Doctor, 1985

University of Wisconsin-Madison, 
Madison, Wisconsin
B.A., Economics, Top 5%, 1981 

Employment History:
1989 to 2016: Partner,
Summer & Summer, Attorneys At Law
Criminal Defense
Gainesville, Georgia 

1985 - 1989: Assistant District Attorney
Northeastern Judicial Circuit
Gainesville, Georgia  

In Memoriam
Daniel Aaron Summer
​(1960 - 2016)

Daniel Aaron Summer was a beloved criminal defense attorney in Gainesville, Georgia for over 30 years. Mr. Summer was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 28th, 1960. His family moved to Dayton, Ohio at an early age. He graduated from Miami Valley High School in 1978, and then went on to graduate the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1981 with a Bachelors of Arts in Economics with honors.

After graduating from Emory Law School in 1985, Mr. Summer began work as an Assistant District Attorney in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. In 1988, Mr. Summer co-founded Summer & Summer, Attorneys at Law.

​Mr. Summer' many significant contributions to the practice of criminal defense include a groundbreaking genetic defense in a capital murder case, the repeal of mandatory life sentences for certain felonies; in addition to establishing new protections for criminal defendants at trial. Mr. Summer's leadership in the legal community was recognized in 2011 when he was selected by Governor Nathan Deal for the Judicial Nominating Committee.

Mr. Summer was integral in the preservation of the Historic Downtown Gainesville Square. Mr Summer realized his vision for the downtown square by restoring and renovating many of Gainesville's original landmarks. Posthumously, Mr. Summer was recognized by Main Street Gainesville through placement of a plaque in his honor on the downtown square.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016, Mr. Summer died in his home after a long and courageous battle with ALS at the age of 55. He was with his family and his loyal dog, Shiner.

Accomplishments:
  • Indigent Defense Award, Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL), 2015
  • A.R. Kenyon Award, Northeast Georgia Bar Association, 2015
  • Member, Judicial Nominating Commission, State of Georgia, (2011 - 2015)
  • Fellow of the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia (2003)
  • Author, Genetics and Criminality; The Use of Human Genome Research in Criminal Defense and Mitigation of Punishment.  American Psychological Association. (1999)
  • President, Northeastern Bar Association 2001-2002
  • Board Member, Federal Defender Program, Inc., 1999-2000
  • Chairman, Board Member, Gainesville Main Street, 1998-2001
  • Board Member, Gainesville Redevelopment Authority, 1998-2001
  • Board Member, Georgia Chapter American Civil Liberties Union, 1995
  • Board Member, Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, 1995-1998
  • Drum Major of the Year, Civil Rights Award, King Celebration Presented by Newtown Florist Club, January, 1995
  • NAACP Ann Butts Humanitarian Award Gainesville-Hall County NAACP, December, 1994
  • Lead Counsel,3 Stephens v. State, 265 Ga. 356 (1995), Case No. S94A1854 Constitutional Challenge to Mandatory Life Sentence Law, OCGA §16-13-30(d)
  • Lead Counsel, Mobley v. State, 265 Ga. 292 (1995), Case No. S94P1271 Death Penalty Case, Genetic Defect Defense.  Case featured on CBS Evening News, ABC Evening News, Wall Street Journal, National Law Journal, BBC Film Documentary, The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel
  • Lead Counsel, Williams v. State, 261 Ga. 640 (1991), Landmark Similar Transaction Case
  • Lead Counsel, State  v. Cannon, Cop shoots dog trial.  Acquittal. Aired live on Court TV and featured in documentary on NBC Dateline
  • Lead Counsel State v. Kolokouris, Jailer shoots armed robbery suspects. Acquittal.  Aired live on Court TV, Court TV Documentary
  • Chairman and CEO of Summer Historic Acquisitions LLC, a historic redevelopment company.

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