University of Georgia School of Law: Difference between revisions

| motto = ''Justitia''<br/>([[Latin]] for Justice)

The '''University of Georgia School of Law''' ('''Georgia Law''','''GSL Georgia''') is the [[law school]] of the [[University of Georgia]], a [[Public university|public]] [[research university]] in [[Athens, Georgia]]. It was founded in 1859, making it among the oldest American university law schools in continuous operation.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893038|jstor = 42893038|title = America's Oldest Law School|last1 = Gabriel|first1 = Henry D.|journal = Journal of Legal Education|year = 1989|volume = 39|issue = 2|pages = 269–274}}</ref> Georgia Law accepted 14.8377% of applicants for the class entering in 2023.<ref name=rank/><ref name=admit/>

Georgia Law recent graduates include 11 governors, over 110 state and federal legislators, approximately 70 federal judges, and numerous state supreme court justices, practitioners, government officials, ambassadors, trial court judges, academics and law firm principals. Notable recent alumni of Georgia Law include former acting [[United States Attorney General]] [[Sally Yates]], former [[President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate|President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate]] [[Richard B. Russell Jr.]], former [[Chief judge (United States)|Chief Judge]] and present [[United States federal judge|Senior Judge]] of the [[United States courts of appeals|U.S. Court of Appeals]] [[James Larry Edmondson|Larry Edmondson]], and [[Ertharin Cousin]], named to the [[Time 100|''TIME'' 100 most influential people in the world list]] and Payne Distinguished Professor at [[Stanford University]]'s [[Stanford University centers and institutes|Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.law.uga.edu/about|title=About the School of Law &#124; University of Georgia School of Law|website=www.law.uga.edu}}</ref>

The law school's four-story, 40,000-square-foot separate addition, Dean Rusk Hall, opened in 1996 nearadjacent to Hirsch Hall.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/press_releases/420|title=UGA LAW SCHOOL DEDICATES DEAN RUSK HALL|date=September 10, 1996|journal=Press Releases}}</ref> Named for former [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Dean Rusk]], who was a Georgia Law professor, this building became the new home of the Dean Rusk International Law Center, founded in 1977. Dean Rusk Hall also houses additional classrooms, faculty offices, and library space, and a second law school courtroom, the James E. Butler Courtroom.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buildings & Locations – Dean Rusk Hall|url=https://www.uga.edu/a-z/location/dean-rusk-hall/|publisher=University of Georgia|access-date=24 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Carson|first1=Dorsey|title=Remembering Dean Rusk|url=http://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1408&context=gjicl |publisher=University of Georgia Law School|access-date=24 December 2016}}</ref>

More than 300 courses, clinics, and seminars are offered at Georgia Law, including business-related law, property-related law, personal rights and public interest law, trial and appellate practice, as well as global practice preparation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.uga.edu/curriculum|title=Curriculum &#124; University of Georgia School of Law|website=www.law.uga.edu}}</ref> Although academics, theory, and legal reasoning are primary, Georgia Law is also ranked A+ and 16th of all ABA law schools for practical training.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stetz |first1=Mike |title=Best Schools for Practical Training |url=https://law.lclark.edu/live/files/29724-prelaw-best-schools-for-practical-training-article |access-date=17 August 2022 |work=preLaw / National Jurist |issue= 4 Vol. 23|publisher=preLaw / National Jurist / through Lewis & Clark Law School |date=Spring 2020}}</ref> Ninety-four percent of students participate in clinics and externships.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hands-On, Purpose Driven Experience |url=https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/uga-law-redefines-what-it-means-to-be-a-great-nat-l-law-school |website=apps.dar.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref>

Degrees awarded include the [[Juris Doctor]] (J.D.), the [[Master of Laws]] (LL.M.) for foreign-trained lawyers,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.uga.edu/LLM|title=LL.M. Admissions &#124; University of Georgia School of Law|website=www.law.uga.edu}}</ref> and the [http://law.uga.edu/MSL Master in the Study of Law] (M.S.L.) for those who do not want to practice law, but wish to gain an understanding of legal principles and perspectives in order to advance their careers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Master in the Study of Law|url=http://www.law.uga.edu/MSL|publisher=University of Georgia|access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref> Students also may choose to pursue interdisciplinary coursework in other University schools and colleges, or to earn one of many dual degrees including a J.D./M.B.A. or LL.M./M.B.A.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.uga.edu/dual-degrees|title=Dual Degrees &#124; University of Georgia School of Law|website=www.law.uga.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law.uga.edu/LLM/curriculum |title=Global Practice Preparation: Flexible Curriculum {{!}} www.law.uga.edu |website=www.law.uga.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101183559/http://www.law.uga.edu/LLM/Curriculum |archive-date=2015-11-01}}</ref>

The law school is among the most selective law schools in the nation, Georgia Law accepting 14.8377% of applicants for the Class entering in 2023, with that class having an ''average'' [[Law School Admissions Test|LSAT]] score of 169 and ''average'' undergraduate [[Grading in education#United States|GPA]] of 3.83.<ref name=update>{{cite web |last1=Rutledge |first1=Peter B. |title=Record-setting class enrolls at the School of Law |url=https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/recording-setting-class-enrolls-at-the-school-of-law |website=apps.dar.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref><ref name=admit>{{cite web |title=University of Georgia - 2022 Standard 509 Information Report |url=https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx |website=abarequireddisclosures.org |publisher=[[American Bar Association]] |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref name=avg>{{cite web |title=School of Law Enrolls Most Academically Credentialed J.D. Class |url=https://www.law.uga.edu/news/77547 |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=17 August 2022}}</ref> Georgia Law's 2022 ''average'' selectivity rating was 96 out of a possible maximum of 99, Georgia Law enrolled students being in the top 3% of law school applicants.<ref>{{cite web |title=University of Georgia - School of Law |url=https://www.princetonreview.com/law/university-georgia-school-law-1035782 |website=princetonreview.com |publisher=TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC |access-date=15 March 2019}}</ref> Approximately 2527% of enrolled students self-identify as belonging to historically underrepresented groups.<ref name=update/> Although grades, degrees earned, and standardized test scores are important, for each applicant the admissions committee primarily considers a mandatory personal admission essay, a mandatory resume detailing the applicant's education, employment, fellowships, skills, honors, awards, community involvement, volunteer work, and other accomplishments, as well as mandatory letters of recommendation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Standard Admissions Process |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/standard-admissions-process |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia Law School |access-date=16 March 2019}}</ref>

Georgia Law's Mentorship Program matches every law student with a faculty member mentor, an upperclassman peer mentor, a Career Development Office counselor, and an alumnus professional mentor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mentorship Program |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/mentorship-program |website=law.uda.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=15 March 2019}}</ref>
There are just six students for each faculty member.<ref name="U.S. News & World Report L.P">{{cite web |title=University of Georgia - Overview (Law School) |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/university-of-georgia-03042 |website=usnews.com |publisher=U.S. News & World Report L.P. |access-date=27 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="About the School of Law">{{cite web |title=About the School of Law |url=https://www.law.uga.edu/about |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=UGA Law School |access-date=27 February 2019}}</ref>

For the 2020–21 academic year, more than 450 Georgia Law students enrolled in clinical and field placement programs for approximately 94,000 hours.<ref>{{cite web |title=Law students provide approximately 94,000 uncompensated hours of service |url=http://law.uga.edu/news/76011 |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=20 September 2021}}</ref> There are over 100 organizations, experiential learning and practical training offerings, and other additional education opportunities at Georgia Law.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the School of Law |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/about |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=Univ. of GA |access-date=15 March 2019}}</ref> Some of the offerings include, without limitation, the Business Law Clinic, Civil Law Practice Externships, the Corporate Counsel Externship, the Environmental Law Practicum, the Washington D.C. Semester in Practice, the First Amendment Clinic,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Katheryn |title=UGA Law Signs NY Civil Rights Lawyer as First Amendment Champ |url=https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2020/02/10/uga-law-signs-ny-civil-rights-lawyer-as-first-amendment-champ/?slreturn=20200705050810 |access-date=5 August 2020 |newspaper=Daily Report|publisher=ALM Media Properties, LLC |date=February 20, 2020}}</ref> the Atlanta Semester in Practice,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.uga.edu/experiential-learning-programs |title=Experiential Learning Programs |publisher=University of Georgia|access-date=2016-04-24}}</ref> Corsair Law Society (transactions and litigation in major financial markets),<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Panter |first1=Lona |title=Corsair Law Society expands |journal=Advocate |date=2017 |volume=51 |page=13}}</ref> the Family Justice Clinic, Labor & Employment Law Association, Public Interest Law Council, Real Estate & Other Property Organization,<ref name=org>{{cite web |title=Student Organizations |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/georgia-law-student-organizations |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=Georgia Law |access-date=27 March 2019}}</ref> the Mediation Clinic, the Community Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Clinic, Business Law Society, American Constitution Society,<ref name=org/> the [[Public interest law|Public Interest Practicum and Fellowships]], Health Law Society, Intellectual Property Law Society, International Law Society,<ref name=org/> the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic, Family Law Society, Association of Law and Politics,<ref name=org/> the Criminal Defense Practicum, the Prosecutorial Justice Program, Environmental Law Association,<ref name=org/> Veteran Legal Services Clinic, Trial Lawyers Association,<ref name=org/> Practicum in Animal Welfare Skills, Entertainment & Sports Law Society, [[Federal Bar Association]], Tax Law Society,<ref name=org/> national award-winning [[moot court]], mock trial, and negotiation programs (for example, in last five years members have been awarded 13 national and ten regional titles),<ref>{{cite web|title=Mock Trial|url=http://www.law.uga.edu/mock-trial|website=law.uga.edu|publisher=University of Georgia|access-date=12 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Moot Court|url=http://www.law.uga.edu/moot-court|website=law.uga.edu|publisher=University of Georgia|access-date=12 October 2017}}</ref> Georgia Law–Leuven Centre Global Governance Summer School in Belgium],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://law.uga.edu/RuskIntl/study/GGSS |title=Global Governance Summer School {{!}} www.law.uga.edu |website=law.uga.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427144328/http://law.uga.edu/RuskIntl/study/GGSS |archive-date=2016-04-27}}</ref> Georgia Law at the [[University of Oxford]] program, and the Capital Assistance Project.<ref name="U.S. News & World Report L.P"/><ref name="About the School of Law"/> Students in the Appellate Litigation Clinic have briefed and argued before the [[United States courts of appeals|U.S. Courts of Appeals]] for the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit|Fourth]], [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth]], [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit|Eleventh]], and [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|D.C. Circuit]]s (with students winning five times in four courts in 2020–2021).<ref>{{cite web|title=Students argue before the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Fourth and D.C. Circuits|url=http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b101c6e2d0021e76afa8cdc73&id=71cf93716d&e=f45cf599af|[email protected]|publisher=University of Georgia School of Law|access-date=6 April 2017}}</ref><ref name=dar>{{cite web |title=Together we are making a difference. |url=https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/making-a-transformational-difference-thank-you |website=apps.dar.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=24 November 2021}}</ref> The Global Externship initiative provides global practice preparation for many students each summer, for instance past practice preparation included, without limitation, placement with law firms like DLA Piper in Russia, GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB in Germany, Priti Suri & Associates (PSA) in India, Siqueira Castro Advogados in Brazil, and King & Wood Mallesons in China.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.uga.edu/global-externship-overseas|title=Global Externships &#124; University of Georgia School of Law|website=www.law.uga.edu}}</ref> To educate students in the benefits of public service and the functioning of the judiciary, up to 20 jurists, including U.S. Supreme Court justices, U.S. Court of Appeals judges, and trial judges, visit Georgia Law to teach classes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Five jurists, including a U.S. Supreme Court justice, teach law courses |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/news/47853 |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia School of Law |access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=20 jurists interact with law students during 2018 |url=https://mailchi.mp/uga/school-of-law-may-18-newsletter-466361?e=f45cf599af |website=mailchi.mp/uga/school-of-law-may-18 |publisher=University of Georgia School of Law |access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>

''U.S. News & World Report'' ranks Georgia Law as having the lowest tuition of the top 20 law schools.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creating Access |url=https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/uga-law-redefines-what-it-means-to-be-a-great-nat-l-law-school |website=apps.dar.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref> The total of tuition and fees for one year at Georgia Law is $18,994 for Georgia residents and $37,752 for non-residents. The total cost of attendance (including the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses) for the 2022–23 academic year is estimated to be $36,694 for Georgia residents living on-campus, $39,860 for Georgia residents living off-campus, $56,286 for non-residents living on-campus, and $59,452 for non-residents living off-campus.<ref>{{cite web |title=J.D. Tuition & Expenses |url=https://www.law.uga.edu/tuition-expenses |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Standard 509 Information Report-University of Georgia: 1L Tuition and Fees 2022 - 2022 / Tuition & Expenses 2022 - 2023 |url= http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx |website=abarequireddisclosures.org|publisher= [[American Bar Association]] |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref> Non-resident students are able to obtain Georgia residency at the beginning of their second year of law school, and besides other scholarships, available are tuition reduction scholarships that allow non-residents to pay resident tuition for one or two semesters of the first year of Georgia Law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tuition & Expenses |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/tuition-expenses |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=Univ. of Georgia |access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref> Further, over 73% of the members of the class matriculating in 2022 received merit based scholarships funded by donors.<ref name="University of Georgia"/> ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked Georgia Law as a top ten law school in having the 4th best salary to debt ratio,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Powell|first1=Farran|title=10 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/slideshows/10-law-schools-where-you-can-pay-off-your-debt?slide=8|website=usnews.com|publisher=U.S. News & World Report L.P.|access-date=12 October 2017}}</ref> while Georgia Law has been ranked #1 as the best value in legal education in the United States by ''the National Jurist'' for the last three straight years.<ref name="law.uga.edu">{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Heidi |title=UGA School of Law named best in nation for return on investment |url=http://law.uga.edu/news/50719 |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia School of Law |access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=brief/>

Living Georgia Law graduates work in all 50 states and more than 60 countries.<ref name="Global network of more than 10,500">{{cite web |title=Global network of more than 10,500 |url=http://www.law.uga.edu/about |website=law.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=15 March 2019}}</ref> Those who graduated in 2021 are working in 26 states and abroad.<ref name=NAT/> According to ABA required disclosures, ''not including'' those choosing to open their own practices, to pursue additional education, etc., 98% of the 2022 graduating class were hired to perform high-value jobs within nine months after graduation, and 94.79% held full-time, long-term, JD-required positions at that point (Georgia Law being the nation's #1 law school for high-value jobs out of 196 ABA-approved schools).<ref name=reuters/><ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref name=NAT>{{cite web |title=National Champions! |url=https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/national-champions |website=apps.dar.uga.edu |publisher=University of Georgia |access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref> For the class graduating in 2022, Georgia Law was ranked 4thin the top four of all 196 ABA approved law schools for the highest percentage of graduates obtaining full-time legal jobs requiring bar passage.<ref name=reuters>{{cite news |last1=Sloan |first1=Karen |title=These law schools crushed the job market in 2022|url= https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/these-law-schools-aced-job-market-2022-2023-04-27/ |access-date=3 November 2023 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=April 27, 2023}}</ref> Georgia Law was among the top law schools that sent the highest percentage of juris doctor graduates into associate positions at the largest 100 law firms in the country.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Charnosky |first1=Christine |title=Here Are the Law Schools Most Likely to Land You a Job in Big Law |url=https://www.law.com/2022/03/13/2022-go-to-law-schools-columbia-tops-list-for-9th-straight-year-but-there-is-some-reshuffling-near-the-top/?slreturn=20220723003129 |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=ALM Global - Law.com |date=March 13, 2022}}</ref> Of 202 students who graduated in 2021 - ''not including'' those who opened their own practices, pursued additional education, etc. - 57 went to law firms with up to 50 attorneys, 54 to law firms with 51 to over 500 attorneys including 25 to law firms of over 500 attorneys, 5 to business organizations, 38 to government and public interest organizations (not including judicial clerkships that 38 graduates obtained) and six to academia.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite web |title=ABA Employment Summary for 2021 Graduates |url=http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/EmploymentOutcomes.aspx |website=abarequireddisclosures.org |publisher=[[American Bar Association]] |access-date=22 August 2022}}</ref>

* [[M. Neil Andrews]] (LL.B. 1956), former special assistant to the [[Attorney General of the United States]], Chief of the Trial Section of the [[United States Department of Justice Criminal Division]], [[United States Attorney]], [[Chief judge (United States)|Chief Judge]], [[United States district court|U.S. District Court]]

* [[Robert Benham (judge)|Robert Benham]] (J.D. 1970), [[Chief Judgejudge (United States)|Chief Justice]] state [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Supreme Court]], first African-American to serve as [[Judge|Justice]] of the [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Supreme Court of Georgia]]