Joseph Bankoff, chair and professor of The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Awards as part of the 2014 Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service.

The Benham Awards for Community Service are co-sponsored by the State Bar of Georgia and the Chief Justices Commission on Professionalism, and are some of the highest recognitions given by the two professional organizations. Since 1998, these Lifetime Achievement Awards have honored lawyers and judges in Georgia who have made significant contributions to their communities and demonstrate the positive contributions of members of the bar beyond their legal or official work.

After entering law practice in 1972, Bankoff decided that he wanted to give back to his community in broader public interest activities, both as a lawyer and civic leader. Since then, his community service has been varied and broad and he has won several prestigious awards for his lifetime of service.

The award program noted that Bankoff’s name is synonymous with the arts and the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. “He is widely known and respected as an arts advocate and leader to thousands of Alliance Theater goers, Atlanta Symphony lovers, art school students, and audiences at the National Black Arts Festival.”

Bankoff’s association with Georgia Tech spans more than a decade and has been primarily focused on his work as the head of the law firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice group. He currently serves as the chair of the nominating committee for the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage as well as chair of The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. His expertise ranges across law and policy, economic development, government legislation, fiscal planning, and global issues.