Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1546131
118 maconmagazine.com | August/September 2026 In this series, we turn to the passionate Maconites, those who call this vibrant city home, to curate their very own guides to experiencing Downtown Macon. Whether you are a resident seeking to rediscover your city or a curious visitor eager to immerse yourself in the local culture, these guides will open doors to new ideas and lasting memories. Discover what defines Downtown Macon: from feeling the energy of our bustling streets and exploring historic landmarks to savoring the mouthwatering cuisine and engaging with the vibrant arts and music scene. We'll let the insiders share more. M y M a c o n I N P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H N E W T O W N M A C O N I N S I D E R G U I D E S T O D O W N T O W N M A C O N INTERVIEW BY MILIND RUGNATH AND SUSANNAH COX MADDUX | PHOTOS BY MATT ODOM D riving down Forsyth Street into the heart of Downtown Macon, it's impossible to ignore — a colorful mural with a B&W face of Albert Billingslea, once known for his "Cotton Avenue Mafia" civil rights meetings in that very building. One of the names behind the revitalized building honoring Billingslea is Virgil Adams, an attorney and Macon native who fights for a new downtown just as much as he does for his clients. He has a vision for the future of his city. YOU GREW UP HERE, GRADUATED FROM MERCER LAW, AND YOU'RE STILL HEAVILY INVOLVED. WHY HAS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REMAINED A PRIORITY THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? I think it's important that we get involved in our community, and we give back to the community that has given so much to us. There are people in Macon who helped shape my career, my life, and for them to take the time to do that, I think that's the least I could do for the next generation. YOU'RE QUITE THE DECORATED ATTORNEY AND ADVOCATE. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE YOUR CURRENT PATH? When I was a senior at Central High School, I had a teacher, Betty Phillips, who taught, I believe it was a business law class at the time... but she took us on a field trip down to the courthouse to sit in and watch a trial. I remember sitting in the courtroom and I was just fascinated about what I saw. They were actually trying a criminal case, and this guy had been accused of assaulting women in the South Macon area and they called him the "Barefoot Rapist" because apparently, he would take his shoes off, leave them outside of a window... And then following that, Ms. Phillips had the DA at the time, Fred Hasty, come speak to our class. So up until that time, the only thing I was thinking about, I wanted to be the next Willie Mays. I wanted to be a ball player. A professional baseball player. But from that point on, I decided I wanted to be an attorney, and I wanted to be one of those attorneys who was in the courtroom just like the attorneys I had seen that day on the field trip. YOU'VE WORKED IN BOTH GOVERNMENT AND IN PRIVATE PRACTICE. HOW DO THEY COMPARE? With government, you know, you can't escape politics because that's who you work for: politicians. So you have to be mindful of the different personalities, the goals and objectives of each. You have to still give the advice that you believe is correct... not trying to play favorites or curry favor with any particular politician but just be straight up; tell them what you think, and that's the bottom line. With private practice, obviously you don't have the politics involved. You're dealing with individuals' lives, people who have had traumatic experiences, and people who need help on an individual basis. And I must say, it's much more rewarding from a personal standpoint when you do something for an individual that makes a difference in that individual's life, or that individual's family member's life. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR YOUNG LAWYERS STARTING OUT IN CENTRAL GEORGIA WHO HOPE TO BUILD A CAREER? It depends on the type of law you want to practice. For example, if you want to be a trial lawyer like me — and as I said before, that's really how I saw an attorney in the practice of law, being in the courtroom. But if that's it, what I would strongly advise a young lawyer to do would be to go to work in either a district attorney's office or a public defender's office. The reason being those are the two best places for you to get trial experience. Because that's all they do, is try cases — and that's what I did. That's how I honed my skills as a trial lawyer, by working in the district attorney's office and trying cases, being in front of juries all the time and getting a feel for the courtroom. That served me well when I decided to go out in private practice.