The University of Georgia's Commit to Georgia Campaign ended June 30 after raising $1.45 billion, becoming the university's most successful fundraising effort in its history. The campaign publicly launched in November 2016 with a $1.2 billion goal--a mark it surpassed 16 months ahead of schedule--and garnered donations from 175,488 donors, who hailed from all 50 states and 62 countries. The law school raised over $61 million and grew financial aid resources to benefit nearly 70% of our student body, expanded the number of clinical and experiential offerings to 18 and helped solve grand challenges by providing a first-rate legal education to tomorrow's leaders.
The School of Law's Veterans Legal Clinic held a virtual event on Saturday, July 11, that connect veterans in 15 counties surrounding Athens with volunteer attorneys for information and quick advice on legal issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic. This Virtual Clinic was held on Zoom.
The University of Georgia School of Law's Veterans Legal Clinic, in partnership with the Georgia Legal Services Program, has received funding from the American Bar Association that will extend its work for veterans throughout Georgia. Called the Georgia Veterans Outreach Program, this partnership will deliver virtual legal clinics to veterans in underserved parts of Georgia.
Martin Chair of Law Andrea L. Dennis has been named the School of Law's new associate dean for faculty development. As associate dean, she will work closely with the law school's faculty to promote world-class scholarship, to support the pursuit of extramural funding, to oversee promotion and tenure matters and to work with the other associate and assistant deans on strategic initiatives. Dennis will assume the role on July 1, when Kirbo Chair Elizabeth Weeks - the current holder of the position - takes on the role of UGA's associate provost for faculty affairs.
This summer, roughly 230 University of Georgia School of Law students are benefiting from more than $560,000 of support for summer fellowships, research assistantships, bar exam preparation expenses and Bridge to Practice grants. "Service to state and society is part of the law school's core mission," Dean Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge said. "To further that mission, we have prioritized our efforts to increase these valuable experiential learning opportunities allowing our students to further their knowledge of the law and gain real-world experience."