Congratulations to second-year law students Ian L. Kecskes and Shelby J. Bensinger for winning the 2019 J. Melvin England Mock Trial Competition. Many thanks to finalists Victoria T. Hicks and Blake A. Reed and the other competitors for contributing to a wonderful tournament.
Congratulations to third-year students Hayley J. Hudler, William D. Ortiz and Spencer D. Woody along with second-year student witnesses Anre D. Washington and Amelia K. Welch who finished as finalists in the 2019 Mockingbird Challenge. This mock trial team defeated law school teams from across the country including Villanova, Pacific McGeorge, South Texas, American University and Campbell University.
For the second year in a row, the University of Georgia School of Law has been named the best value in legal education in the country by National Jurist. These rankings are based on outcome-driven metrics such as bar passage and employment rates in addition to average indebtedness, tuition and cost of living. This recognition speaks volumes to the School of Law's relentless pursuit to be the nation's very best return on investment in legal education, according to School of Law Dean Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge.
UGA Provost S. Jack Hu has launched a task force that will help develop recommendations to enhance academic excellence at the University of Georgia, with an initial focus this fall on the areas of research and graduate education. The law school's Hosch Professor Lori Ringhand will be among the task force members identifying structures, programs and incentives that promote research and collaboration across disciplines, as well as potential partnerships with industry and other institutions based on core areas of strength.
The Office of Service-Learning has selected nine faculty members for participation in its Service-Learning Fellows program. School of Law school faculty members Elizabeth M. Grant (Civil Externship and Public Interest Practicum) and Jessica Heywood (Washington, D.C. Semester in Practice) are among those chosen. This program provides an opportunity for faculty members from a range of disciplines to integrate academic service-learning into their professional practice. Academic service-learning integrates organized service activities that meet community-identified needs into academic courses as a way to enhance understanding of academic content, teach civic responsibility and provide benefit to the community.