Campus News

Former Department of Justice deputy attorney general teaches corporate responsibility course at law

Larry D. Thompson, former deputy attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice and current senior vice president of government affairs, general counsel and secretary for PepsiCo, has joined the School of Law as a visiting professor. Thompson is teaching a course entitled “Corporate Responsibility.”

“We are thrilled Mr. Thompson has returned to Georgia Law this semester,” said Dean Rebecca H. White. “He is one of the nation’s finest lawyers, and for our students to be able to take a course from Mr. Thompson is an incredible opportunity for them. He is an outstanding addition to our faculty.”

Thompson has been a visiting professor at UGA on three occasions and a guest lecturer several times since 2001. In addition, he has delivered the law school’s Commencement address. While teaching a course on white collar crime at the law school during spring 2001, Thompson was confirmed as the second in command at the justice department.

As deputy attorney general from 2001-2003, he supervised the overall operations of the justice department and led its National Security Coordination Council, the Corporate Fraud Task Force and the Enron investigation.

In 2004, Thompson became responsible for the worldwide legal function of PepsiCo. He oversees its government affairs organization and the PepsiCo Foundation.

Previously, he worked as a partner in the Atlanta office of King and Spalding and served as the U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia. He also has served as a Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

Thompson earned his bachelor’s degree from Culver-Stockton College, his master’s from Michigan State University and his law degree from the University of Michigan.