Clinical Associate Professor & Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic Director Emma M. Hetherington presented “University-Based Law Clinics: A Mechanism to Promote Therapeutic Jurisprudence from the Classroom to the Courtroom” at the XXXIX International Congress on Law and Mental Health hosted by the Université du Québec à Montréal in Montréal during July.
Associate Dean for Faculty Development & Cleveland Distinguished Chair Nathan S. Chapman presented “Christianity and Early American Constitutionalism” as part of the America at 250 Conference at the University of Padua in Padua, Italy.
Congratulations to the four School of Law faculty members who have recently received new titles. Desirée LeClercq was promoted to associate professor with tenure, while Washington, D.C., Semester in Practice Director Jessica L. Heywood was named a full clinical professor. Rob McNiff was promoted to clinical associate professor, and Caitlin May has been named a lecturer.
Two members of the School of Law faculty have been appointed to named professorships as of Aug. 1. Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor Lori A. Ringhand was appointed to the Harmon W. Caldwell Chair in Constitutional Law and William Ortman was awarded a J. Alton Hosch Professorship.
Assistant Professor Desirée LeClercq published “Workers’ Empowerment as U.S. Trade Policy” in 64 Columbia Journal of Transnational Law 326 (2026).
Brumby Distinguished Professor in First Amendment Law Sonja R. West presented “The History and Tradition of Press Freedom” as part of the Comparative Media Law Workshop hosted by University College London during July.
Congratulations to Callaway Chair Elizabeth Chamblee Burch on receiving the Civil Justice Award from the Defense Association of New York. The DANY is a specialty bar association that exists to promote continuing legal education, collaboration and the spirit of collegiality in the civil justice system.
Congratulations to first-year student Hunter E. Ongaro who was selected for the 2026 Sumner Memorial Fund Fellowship which supports School of Law students entering their second or third year who intend to work in municipal law. The Sumner Fellowship was established in memory of School of Law graduate Walter Edwin “Ed” Sumner (J.D.’76) who dedicated his career to municipal law.
Congratulations to second-year student Meghan Brockman who was selected for the 2026 Spurgeon Public Service Fellowship, which was created by former School of Law Dean Edward Spurgeon. The Spurgeon Fellowship supports School of Law students who seek to work in the public interest during the summer and covers costs associated with unpaid public interest lawyering.
Stembler Family Distinguished Professor in Business Law Christopher M. Bruner was featured by Bloomberg Law regarding Delaware’s proposal to create a new form of company managed entirely by artificial intelligence. The article titled "AI-Run Company Gamble Tests the Limits of Delaware Corporate Law" was written by Mike Leonard and published 7/27/26.
Congratulations to second-year students Fatime Niane and Kaley A. Terlep who were selected for 2026 Melburne D. and Jacqueline K. McLendon Fellowships, which provide funds for practical legal education and training in civil and criminal law. The McLendon Fellowships are funded by an endowment from Melburne D. McLendon, a 1948 graduate of the School of Law, and his wife, Jacqueline K. McLendon.
Callaway Chair Elizabeth Chamblee Burch was featured by Deseret News regarding legal advertisements. The article titled “‘You may be entitled to compensation’ — inside the rush to recruit parents to sue social media companies” was written by Jennifer Graham and published 7/23/26.
Brumby Distinguished Professor in First Amendment Law Sonja R. West was featured by Newsweek regarding defamation cases. The article titled "Trump’s Family, Inner Circle Face Subpoenas After Judge Ruling" was written by Hannah Parry and Giulia Carbonaro and published 7/23/26.
Stembler Family Distinguished Professor in Business Law Christopher M. Bruner was featured by Bloomberg Law Delaware’s proposal to create a new form of company managed entirely by artificial intelligence. The article titled "AI-Run Companies Are Coming. Delaware Wants to Get Ahead of Them" was written by Mike Leonard and published 7/23/26.
The University of Georgia School of Law was named one of the best law schools for paying off debt based on salary-to-debt ratios for graduating students. The U.S. News & World Report article titled “25 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt” was written by Sarah Wood and published 7/21/26.
Assistant Professor Assaf Harpaz presented his article “The New Tax Sovereignty” at the Tenth International Roundtable on Taxation and Tax Policy hosted by the Netanya Academic College School of Law in Netanya, Israel, during July.
Graduates Walker W. Beard (J.D.’13), Ellen R. Clarke (J.D.’14) and Braden T. Meadows (J.D.’24) were selected by the UGA Alumni Association as members of its 2026 Class of 40 Under 40, which honors graduates who uphold the three pillars of the Arch: wisdom, justice and moderation. The article titled "UGA’s 40 Under 40 spotlights the next generation of leaders” was written by Rachael Andrews and published 7/22/26.
Congratulations to first-year students Chloe A. Fenster and Samuel A. Wombough, as well as second-year student Samantha J. Northenor, who were selected for 2026 Equal Justice Foundation Fellowships, which are supported by the annual Equal Justice Foundation Auction. The 2026 EJF Auction raised approximately $16,612.
Brumby Distinguished Professor in First Amendment Law Sonja R. West published "Press Freedom’s History and Tradition" in 58 Connecticut Law Review 1035 (2026) (with R.A. Jones).
Congratulations to first-year student Katherine D. Burch who was selected for the 2026 Be Kind Fellowship, which is supported by The Be Kind Fund established in the memory of the late Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Harris Hines. Burch is working with Presiding Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren of the Georgia Supreme Court.