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.
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.
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.
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.