University of Georgia School of Law

Introduction

The University of Georgia School of Law (The School of Law), founded in 1859, is on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The university provides an excellent setting for the study of law with superb libraries and outstanding academic, cultural, recreational, and social opportunities. Athens, a town of approximately 100,000, is the commercial and legal center for northeast Georgia and is 70 miles from downtown Atlanta. Athens also features a cultural richness ranging from local restaurants and quirky shops to the latest in the alternative music scene.

The School of Law is approved by the ABA, is a member of the AALS, and has a chapter of the Order of the Coif.

The Student Body

The law school student body shares a strong sense of community, and the school prides itself on the collegiality among students, faculty, and staff. The entering class usually numbers just under 200, and the entire student body, including LLM and MSL students, averages around 600 students. The law school is also a vital part of the university community, which supports a cosmopolitan mix of over 35,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Many law students take advantage of these assets by taking courses in other schools and colleges of the university and by participating in the intellectual and social life of the campus.

Curriculum

The law curriculum is rich and diverse. The first year of study consists primarily of required core courses; after its completion, students may choose from a wealth of classes, seminars, and clinical programs to suit their interests.

Clinical program opportunities, both criminal and civil, abound. Clinical education expands upon the classroom knowledge by providing essential experiential learning. Students interested in criminal law can participate in the Prosecutorial Justice Clinic, the Criminal Defense Clinic, or the Capital Assistance Project. Students interested in civil matters will find that the Appellate Litigation Clinic, Business Law Clinic, Civil Externship Clinic, Community Health Law Partnership Clinic, Corporate Counsel Externship, Environmental Practicum, Family Violence Clinic, Mediation Clinic, Public Interest Practicum, and the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation (“CEASE”) Clinic add to their understanding and preparedness. Students also have the opportunity to spend a semester working in the nation’s capital through the Washington, DC, Semester in Practice program, as well as in the capital of Georgia through the Atlanta Semester in Practice program.

Faculty

While some law schools choose to emphasize either scholarship or teaching, the University of Georgia School of Law seeks a balance of the two, firmly believing that classroom teaching is enhanced by scholarly expertise. The college town setting fosters student-faculty interaction by increasing faculty availability and promoting a conducive atmosphere for dialogue.

The faculty includes authors of some of our country’s leading legal scholarships, recipients of the university’s highest honors for teaching excellence, Fulbright Scholars, and former law clerks for the US Supreme Court and appellate courts. Most bring practical experience to the classroom as well; they have been trial and corporate attorneys, and many continue to accept pro bono cases or serve as consultants.

Faculty expertise is expanded by the addition of outstanding adjuncts, attorneys from the region’s most powerful firms, international attorneys, government leaders, and prominent practitioners. The School of Law has also started a Jurist in Residence Program to allow sitting judges to teach mini-courses to second- and third-year students. In addition, the law school’s Dean Rusk International Law Center annually hosts several international scholars who may teach mini-courses in their areas of interest. Recent courses include international human rights, dispute settlement in the World Trade Organization, and EC competition law.

Educational Enrichment Programs

University of Georgia law students have several opportunities to expand their educational horizons. First, dual programs with other schools and colleges in the university enable students to complete two degrees in less time than it would take to pursue them separately. Existing dual programs include JD/MBA (business administration, three-year and four-year programs), JD/MPA (public administration), JD/MHP (historic preservation), JD/MPH (public health), JD/MSW (social work), and JD/MS in Sport Management and Policy.

Students may also take graduate coursework in other schools and colleges of the university and have it count as elective credit toward the 88 semester hours required for graduation. For example, students interested in tax law might take courses in the school of accounting, and students interested in public policy might take courses in the School of Public and International Affairs. Finally, those who are not interested in the dual-degree programs, but want more coursework than can be satisfied by elective credit, may pursue other advanced degrees at the same time they are fulfilling the requirements for the law degree.

Study Abroad

Nothing helps one to better understand the culture of another country than actually studying and living in a foreign land. At the School of Law, this concept is fully embraced. Several opportunities for legal study and work experience in other parts of the world are provided on an annual basis. They include

• Global Externships Abroad: Established in 2001, this initiative provides students with up to 12 weeks of study or work experience in one of more than 70 placement opportunities in 30 countries on 5 continents. Each participant receives funding from the law school to help offset travel and living costs. This international internship experience helps law students refine their areas of interest and secure legal employment.
• Equal Justice Foundation Fellowships: These awards provide grants to law students who engage in public interest legal work in positions that otherwise would not be funded. Recently, EJF fellowship recipients have used their funds to gain international experience and aid foreign causes.

Library and Physical Facilities

The Alexander Campbell King Law Library provides access to more than 470,000 digital and print titles. While it has extensive holdings in international law, it focuses on being a functional library serving the needs of students. The spectacular windows overlooking UGA’s historic North Campus make it a bright and popular spot for law students to study and prepare for class. The university’s main library is adjacent to the law school and is one of the largest research libraries in the nation.

The law school is headquartered in Hirsch Hall on the northern edge of the UGA campus, the most scenic and historic section of the university. A multiphase renovation of the main building began in 2011 and has resulted in almost 4,000 square feet of additional building space—designed primarily for student use—and a beautiful interior courtyard. Dean Rusk International Law Center, adjacent to Hirsch Hall, provides an additional classroom and office space. The majority of clinical settings are just a short walk away in the downtown area.

Career Development

The University of Georgia School of Law provides vigorous support services and resources to help current students and alumni explore and discover their career options and goals, prepare for interviews and perfect résumés, and locate job openings and other opportunities. Students are encouraged to begin interacting with the Career Development Office from the start. Graduates typically get jobs in private practice, government, public interest, and in federal judicial clerkships.

Beyond being a good return on investment, a degree from the School of Law opens doors in a variety of local, national, and international careers. Our alumni and alumnae work in 50 states and 58 countries. For recent graduates, the State of Georgia remains the top choice for employment, with Washington, DC, as our second largest market. In recent years, other states such as New York, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and Colorado have been popular places where graduates have secured employment.

Advocacy Programs

The law school’s accomplished Moot Court and Mock Trial programs focus on developing critical oral and written advocacy skills. Team members learn how to write persuasively and how to make convincing oral presentations that will withstand intense scrutiny by the court. Through this incredible practical learning experience, students at the School of Law become powerful advocates.

The law school’s Moot Court and Mock Trial programs have won numerous national titles, regional crowns, and state trophies. The School of Law also boasts a nationally recognized Negotiations and Transactional Team. Students on the team hone their document drafting, mediating, and negotiating skills.

Student Publications

Students at the School of Law publish three highly regarded legal journals: the Georgia Law Review, the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Journal of Intellectual Property Law, a nationally recognized IP specialty journal. The journals, which are frequently cited by federal and state courts, textbooks, treatises, and other law reviews, follow the customary format, with articles from leading scholars and practitioners comprising the bulk of the content and another section consisting of student notes. The journals provide selected students the opportunity to develop their legal analysis skills beyond the classroom experience. Previous journal members have gone on to clerk for members of the federal judiciary, practice with the most respected law firms in the nation, and distinguish themselves in public service.