A dedicated public servant and civic-minded attorney, David B. Dove (AB ’09, JD ’14) has spent his life and professional career serving his community and setting an example for others to do the same.

Soon after his time at UGA, David began his career in Georgia state government. He was Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel for then-Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp (BSA ’87) and went on to serve the now-Governor as Executive Counsel. During this time, David was the Governor’s lead attorney working with the Attorney General’s office to secure landmark victories in the Tri-State Water Wars in 2020 and 2021. David helped navigate the Office of the Governor through the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 presidential election and over 800 days under a state emergency. He is the only person to serve as Executive Counsel at the beginning of both the first and second terms of a Georgia Governor.

David has been incredibly generous with his time and expertise, now lending both to the University of Georgia School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. When he’s not teaching the next generation of lawyers or thriving in his new position as Partner at Troutman Pepper Law Firm in Atlanta, David chairs the UGA School of Public & International Affairs Alumni Board, serves on the Law School Alumni Council, the Uniform Law Commission’s Georgia Delegation, the Atlanta Chapter of the Federalist Society Executive Board and mentors UGA law students.

In the past few years, David has received several honors and awards for his diligence and commitment to public service. In 2023, he was the recipient of the UGA Law School Young Alumni/Alumnae of Excellence Award and in 2021, he received UGA’s Blue Key Young Alumni Award. He was named an attorney “On the Rise” by the Fulton County Daily Report in 2020, as well as one of Georgia’s Top Lawyers by James Magazine. He was also honored as one of UGA’s 40 Under 40 in 2019.

David lives in Marietta, Georgia, with his wife, Courtney (AB ’09, MAT ’10), a former social studies teacher in Cobb County, and their three young children. While a student, David discovered that his ancestor William Lampkin arrived in Athens with his family in the 1800s and was an early supporter of the University of Georgia.