For the 13th consecutive year, University of Georgia School of Law graduates have led the state in the Georgia bar exam passage rate. UGA Law grads who sat for the July 2026 exam posted the highest rate for first-time takers among the state’s law schools and exceeded the overall first-time average passage rate by more than 9%.
Congratulations to second-year student Lucy O. Raisch for winning the 2026 Negotiation Intramural Tournament. Second-year student Harrison M. Russ finished the tournament as a finalist. The NIT also serves as the tryouts for the Negotiations Team. Many thanks to all the second-year law students who contributed to a wonderful tournament.
Stembler Family Distinguished Professor in Business Law Christopher Bruner presented a keynote address for a conference titled “Sustainability Law: Law’s Response to the Convergence of Crises” at the University of Oslo in Norway during September. Bruner’s keynote was titled “Navigating Sustainability Backlash: Advancing Reform in Turbulent Times” and the conference was organized by the Research Group Sustainability Law and the Centre for Global Sustainability at the University of Oslo.
Assistant Professor Desirée LeClercq published “Private monitoring and reporting in public international law” in 27 Theoretical Inquiries in Law 187 (2026).
Dean Usha R. Rodrigues was featured by Reuters regarding artificial intelligence in legal education. The article titled "From laptop bans to new tech courses, US law schools grapple with AI" was written by Karen Sloan and published 9/21/26.
Caldwell Chair in Constitutional Law & Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor Lori A. Ringhand presented on her book We the Voters: The Constitutional Choices That Shape America's Elections (Stanford University Press, 2026) as part of the Randall-Park Speaker Series at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law during September.
Earlier this month, Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp and University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead gathered at the UGA School of Law to announce the establishment of an endowment providing scholarly and fellowship support in memory of the late John E. “Buck” Griffin. The endowment will support scholarships and fellowships benefiting law students who have served or are planning to serve in the U.S. military and/or hail from South Georgia, particularly around Griffin’s hometown of Hazlehurst, and North Georgia, particularly around Athens, where he resided for over 50 years.
The Appellate Litigation Clinic recently argued Albarran-Sotelo v. Blanche before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Third-year student Olivia G. Haas presented the case while fellow third-year student Katherine H. “Kate” Branch helped with preparation.
Assistant Professor Mateusz “Matt” Blaszczyk was featured by Business Insider regarding regulation of artificial intelligence. The article titled "Researchers explain why you shouldn't freak out about AI unleashing a killer virus" was written by Thibault Spirlet and published 9/16/26.
Caldwell Chair in Constitutional Law & Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor Lori A. Ringhand was featured by The Washington Post regarding election law. The article titled "A barrage of cases hitting the Supreme Court is stirring midterm confusion" was written by Julian Mark, Mark Berman and Justin Jouvenal and was published 9/14/26.
The Appellate Litigation Clinic recently argued Hansen v. Islamic Republic of Iran before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Third-year student Eliana R. “Eli” Werbel presented the case and third-year student Elijah T. Echols assisted with preparing the brief.
Associate Dean & Cleveland Distinguished Chair Nathan S. Chapman and his research were featured by The New York Times regarding recent First Amendment legislation. The article titled "Defying Precedent in Ten Commandments Case" was written by Adam Liptak and published 9/10/26.
Alston Chair in Corporate Law Anne M. Tucker published “The Form & Function of Boilerplate in Mutual Fund Disclosures” (with S. Navarro Smelcer and Y. Xia) in 22 New York University Journal of Law & Business 627 (2026).
In its ongoing effort to redefine what it means to be a great national public law school, the School of Law is pleased to share that 100% of first-generation college graduates and military veterans enrolled in its Juris Doctor program are receiving scholarships for the sixth straight year. In 2024, the minimum award was raised to a one-quarter tuition scholarship. This effort is supported by a range of funds focused on these two cohorts. Key catalytic donors include 1982 alumna Kathelen V. Amos and the Daniel P. Amos Family Foundation, 1980 alumnus E. David Hart Jr. and the Hart Family Foundation, and 1977 alumnus James E. “Jim” Butler Jr.
The School of Law regrets to share the news of the passing of John L. Douglas on September 3, 2026, at the age of 75. He taught at the University of Georgia School of Law as an adjunct professor in the areas of banking law and mergers and acquisitions for several years. He was also a member of the school's Board of Visitors. Douglas earned his law degree magna cum laude in 1977 from UGA, where he served as the notes editor of the Georgia Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. In 2019, his family established the Douglas Family Student Support Fund, which benefits law students with spouses and/or families.
Congratulations to members of the First Amendment Clinic on being recognized as Open Government Heroes by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation. The honor “commemorates the public interest impact” of the clinic. The collective work of First Amendment Clinic Director Clare R. Norins, Georgia Journalism Attorney Ward Evans and clinic students and fellows will be recognized at the foundation's awards banquet in October.
Chaffin Chair in Fiduciary Law Victoria J. Haneman was featured by Bloomberg regarding estate planning practices. The article titled "Epstein Tax Advice, Payments Focus of Apollo’s Leon Black’s House Deposition" was written by Dylan Sloan, Tom Maloney and Francesca Maglione and was published 9/3/26.
Hosch Professor & Community Health Law Partnership Clinic Director Jason A. Cade published “The U Visa at 25: Legislative Missteps, Bureaucratic Neglect, and Geographic Roulette” in 101 New York University Law Review Online 161 (2026).
Assistant Professor Meighan Parker published “State Medical Licenses Without Borders” in 104 North Carolina Law Review 1339 (2026).
Congratulations to second-year students Lydia M. Ebbs and Anthony E. Hill for winning the 2026 J. Melvin England Mock Trial Competition. Second-year students Madyson B. Gennett and Spencer E. Sullivan finished the tournament as finalists. The teams were coached by Drake Jones (J.D.'25) and Haley Kairab (J.D.'22), respectively.