Summer public interest fellowships provide important hands-on learning opportunities for law students. At the School of Law, financial support for these experiences has been on an upward trajectory since 2017. In fact, over the last five years, there has been a roughly 450% increase in support. This growth continues with the establishment of the Bool Simkins Summer Fellowship for Public Interest Fund. Created by married 2010 graduates Kevin Murphy and Elizabeth (Freeman) Murphy, the fellowship will be the law school’s largest annual public interest fellowship award and will support a top performing student with a full summer public interest/pro bono placement after completing his or her second year of law school.
Due to anticipated inclement weather and as a state of emergency will be in effect for Clarke County, the Alexander Campbell King Law Library will remain closed through Sunday (1/16). Please note this is a complete closure and includes the 24/7 card swipe access. Current plans are for the library to re-open at 1 p.m. on Monday (1/17). At this time, the law school buildings will remain open. Further updates will be sent as they become available.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic successfully settled Oviedo de la Cruz et. al. v. Mayorkas et. al., a lawsuit filed in 2021 against the Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The lawsuit alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act. As a result of the lawsuit, 17 clients received favorable agency determinations resulting in deferred action and employment authorization pending final adjudication when their visa numbers become current. Additionally, three family members currently residing abroad were granted relief through the lawsuit, which will help one of the individual plaintiffs reunite her family.
Congratulations to Amy Weaver, winner of the 2021 Emma Terrell Distinguished Employee Award. Presented annually by the Law School Staff Representative Group, the award recognizes “individuals who have demonstrated a strong work ethic, commitment to service, and exceptional job performance as well as the cooperation needed to ensure the School of Law meets and exceeds its goals.”
The School of Law was recently ranked among the best law schools in the nation for its classroom experience and for the number of its students securing federal clerkships. The annual rankings produced by The Princeton Review are based on its survey of students and school-reported data.