He served as chair of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents from 2004-2005 and was a board member from 1996-2006. He has been recognized as one of Georgia Trend's 100 Most Influential Georgians, and has been repeatedly selected as a Georgia Super Lawyer. He received the State Bar of Georgia's Tradition of Excellence Award in 2000 and the UGA Law School's Distinguished Service Scroll in 2012. Wooten earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia in 1972, and earned a law degree from the University of Georgia in 1975. He and his wife, Sybrina, have five children and four grandchildren. They reside in Columbus.