The University of Georgia has awarded 12 grants to faculty-led teams from 17 academic units to support research that promotes diversity and inclusion. Associate professor Cheryl Fields-Smith in the Mary Frances Early College of Education has partnered with Andrea L. Dennis, associate dean for faculty development and the John Byrd Martin Chair in the School of Law, to study home education in rural Georgia to better understand reasons some Black parents have chosen to opt out of public education in their communities.
The Appellate Litigation Clinic recently won its case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In Naranjo Garcia v. Barr, the court remanded on asylum and withholding of removal, finding that the agency applied the wrong nexus analysis on each. The case was argued by third-year student Sarah A. Nelson during November. Nelson and 2020 graduates Jonathan Kaufman and Joe Scarborough wrote the briefs, while third-year student Madison "Maddie" Conkel assisted with oral argument preparations. Several other Appellate Litigation Clinic students assisted with the writing of the briefs to the Board of Immigration Appeals when the clinic first took the case two years ago.
Congratulations to third-year students Devin M. Sinclair and Christopher P. "Chris" Summers for finishing as regional semifinalists in the National Trial Competition. Sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association, the National Trial Competition was "established in 1975 to encourage and strengthen students' advocacy skills through quality competition and valuable interaction with members of the bench and bar." This year's team was coached by B. Elizabeth "Liz" Tarver (J.D.'18) and Jeremy B. Dailey (J.D.'14).
The University of Georgia School of Law unveiled a new painting by William Elliott Stiles Jr. - an accomplished artist, Atlanta attorney law school alumnus - to commemorate the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA. The piece, titled "1961," will be displayed alongside other pieces of Stiles' "Concept Collection" that were donated to the school in 2018. This latest submission depicts the historic events of the desegregation of UGA and the Georgia public school system.
A free virtual legal clinic for Georgia veterans will be held Saturday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Veterans in the Augusta and Savannah areas will be able to access the clinic through physical locations in each city, while veterans from across the state can connect for services via webcam or telephone. Interested veterans need to register in advance for an appointment by calling (706) 542-6439 or emailing uga.veteransclinic@gmail.com before noon on Feb. 24.