Alex Woollcott of Morris Manning & Martin. (Courtesy photo)

"He was a gentleman in every sense of the word—a terrific lawyer, for sure, but more importantly, a good human being." That is how one of Alex Woollcott's clients, as well as his colleagues and friends, remember him.

Alex passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest at his home on Thursday, Dec. 12. He was a great lawyer who lived an enviably balanced family life. No matter how busy he was, he not only met his work deadlines and brought in new business—he also made it to his children's sporting events and performances.

He also had a passion for music, sport and gardening. His gardens featured several rare palms he sometimes gathered himself from the Georgia and Alabama swamps. They were the featured gardens for the 2010 summer meeting of the Southeastern Palm Society, of which he was general counsel. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published several of his photos—including one of a 24-foot Queen palm, the largest of its kind north of Florida—wrapped up and tucked in for the winter so it would return even more gloriously in the spring.

"Alex loved his garden," recalls Morris, Manning & Martin senior counsel Chuck Beaudrot. "He would always wax eloquently how much joy it gave him. That and his children. He always posted about them on Facebook."

He grew up in Palm Beach, Florida and Asheville, North Carolina. He attended Christ School in Asheville, where he qualified for state cross-country. He stayed involved in the community  for many years, serving as a trustee and alumni council president. It shows the continuing theme of gratitude and giving back that lasted throughout his life.

He also remained committed to Yale, where he graduated with honors with a special divisional major combining elements of biology and philosophy. In addition to serving as president and chairman of the board of Yale Club of Georgia, he also co-chaired the Yale Alumni Admissions Committee, interviewing high school students interested in going to Yale.

The Truong, who chairs the Yale Club's Alumni School Committee, recalls Alex's compassion for the applicants. "He always wants us to remember these are high school applicants," Truong recalls. "'We're not looking for someone with a 30-year-old mindset,'" he recalls Alex saying. "These are what these applicants really are like so I appreciate that a whole lot," Truong says. He notes that Alex also encouraged him to expand the committee to serve more applicants. Truong also appreciated a trait that Alex's colleagues and clients appreciate as well—doing a great job on time, without delay.

He earned his J.D. from Cornell Law School, where he was notes editor of the Law Review. He became an entrepreneur as founder and CEO of Educational Preparation Services, which operated standardized law school test preparation seminars from 1986 to 1992. He had worked at several Atlanta law firms when Beaudrot—impressed by his credentials—recruited him to MMM's tech practice, where he established and chaired the firm's Global Sourcing and Strategic Transactions Practice.

Alex made his mark in many ways—including anticipating the significance of developments that led to the GDPR privacy rules, which impact virtually every business in the world. He also represented one of  the nation's largest payment processors and other high profile clients for several years, earning the Martindale-Hubbell AV PREEMINENT rating. He was also recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer for 12 years in a row.

In addition to the many achievements already mentioned, he also had served on the board of the Atlanta Opera, the development council of the Westminster School, various leadership initiatives with the Atlanta Botanical Garden and was co-founder, board member and president of the Habersham Park Neighborhood Association. He was a member of the Buckhead Club and Piedmont Driving Club.

We know that his wife, Susan, and children, May Collins, Benjamin and Anna, are devastated, but we want them to know how much we here at the firm and his clients appreciated him.

"He always took time for my questions to ensure I had clear understanding of the requirements and the law around it," one client recalls. "We have great admiration for Alex," said another. "He had our utmost trust."

Our managing partner, Simon Malko, sums Alex up best.

"He was a really smart, nice guy, and a great lawyer who was kind to people," Malko recalls. "He cared about the firm; he cared about his clients and he was easy to get along with. Alex was just a great partner."

We are all deeply saddened by his passing. He will be missed.

A celebration of his life will be held Friday Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 634 W. Peachtree St. N.W. in Atlanta. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to All Saints Episcopal Church or to the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Paul Arne and John Yates are partners in the technology practice at Morris, Manning & Martin in Atlanta.