Thua G. Barlay

Thua G. Barlay, originally from Monrovia, Liberia (West Africa) with family roots in neighboring Sierra Leone, is a partner with the law firm of Lueder, Larkin & Hunter LLC. He manages the operations and affairs of the firm's Conyers and Covington offices and co-manages the firm's Estate Planning and Probate group. His areas of practice are Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts) and Real Estate (Residential Closings). He is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with existing clients in addition to creating new opportunities.

He received his law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. During law school, he was a board member of the Indiana International and Comparative Law Review. He also received a Master’s in Business Administration (Finance) from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

Thua earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Technology from Purdue University (Indianapolis). While in school, he served as president of the student government, president of the local chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and a four-year letterman with the men’s soccer team. In addition to being named an Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honorary, he was the recipient of the Charles K. Barker Award for the most outstanding minority Computer Technology major.

He remains an active participant in his community having served as Chairman of the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce (2013), twice President of the Rotary Club of Conyers (2014-15 and 2019-20), and Chairman of the March of Dimes Rockdale/Newton/Walton March for Babies Campaign (2019). He also serves or has served on the boards of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, Children's Museum of Atlanta, Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council, Family Promise of NewRock, and the Rockdale County Public Schools Foundation.

Thua believes strongly in developing his leadership skills and is an alumnus of Leadership Rockdale (2009), the State Bar of Georgia’s YLD Leadership Academy (2011), the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute (2011), the Georgia Academy for Economic Development (2013), New Leaders Council Institute (2015), Leadership Atlanta (2018), and Leadership Georgia (2014).

He received the 17th Annual Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service in 2016. In addition, he was the 2014 Jerry Barboe Small Business Person of the Year award for the Conyers-Rockdale area. He has the unique honor of receiving young professional awards from two major publications (in the same year): "40 Under Forty - Georgia's Best & Brightest" award by Georgia Trend magazine; and the "40 Under 40 - Atlanta's Rising Business & Community Leaders" award by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Thua is married to the former Andrea R. Miles. They are blessed with two sons, Emmanuel, a junior Architecture major at Florida A&M University and Ethan, a senior at the Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology. In his leisure time, he enjoys spending time with family and playing golf and soccer.