Like Father, Like Son
R
andall Jordan, more commonly known as RJ, knew early on that he would pursue a career in law. RJ grew up in Glynn County and credits his initial interest in law to two of his parents’ friends. “Mr. Russell Tuten was a congressman, and my parents took me to D.C. often to visit with him at the Capitol and see how government works in person,” says RJ. After learning how fascinated RJ was by the speeches and debates on the House floor, RJ’s dad told him that if he wanted to do that, he needed to be a lawyer. That advice stuck. RJ also spent a lot of time at the home of his best friend, Bob Killian. Bob’s dad, Billy Killian, was a lawyer, legislator, and later a Superior Court judge. RJ enjoyed his wit and “the clever ways he talked about almost anything.”
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ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING
Chris Jordan, the oldest of RJ’s three sons, was born in Chapel Hill, NC, but grew up in Glynn County. Neither parent pushed any of the boys towards a particular career, but when Chris was growing up, the family joke was that he was cut out to be either a lawyer or a priest. As Chris got older, he realized that lawyers had to know how to speak and write, both of which interested him. Chris’ path went from Glynn Academy to Duke University, then to the Vanderbilt University School of Law. Both schools have special meaning to the family. Chris’ grandfather graduated from Vanderbilt, as did Chris’ mother, who later went to Duke for grad school. RJ also received his undergraduate degree from Duke. Chris says that while his school choices were “unimaginative,” they were “great experiences nonetheless.”
After law school, Chris joined a large firm in Atlanta and met his wife, Christy, through a mutual friend. Christy was a recent graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and was working in Atlanta. Chris and Christy eventually moved to St. Simons Island so that Chris could practice with RJ. “My wife left her family and a great job to come down, so it was a big decision for us,” Chris notes, “but we’re extremely thankful to live where we live.” Chris joined RJ at The Jordan Firm, and Christy joined Southeast Georgia Health System’s legal team in Brunswick, where she now serves as the general counsel. In 2017, Chris joined HunterMaclean, a business law firm with offices in St. Simons Island and Savannah. A couple of years later, RJ dis
