The University of Georgia School of Law has received a generous donation of $350,000 from the Thorpe family to support the Community Health Law Partnership Clinic. The clinic, which focuses on the intersection of immigration status and health, provides essential legal services to vulnerable members of the community.
Last year, the clinic assisted over 100 individuals with the help of law students under the guidance of Associate Dean Jason A. Cade. In recognition of its outstanding work, the Community HeLP Clinic was awarded the Clinical Legal Education Association's national Award for Excellence in a Public Interest Case/Project in 2021.
Expressing their support for the clinic, the Thorpe family stated, "We appreciate the opportunity to support the amazing work that the Community HeLP Clinic is already doing on behalf of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. The importance of effective advocacy and representation in this area can hardly be overstated, and we are proud to partner with the School of Law to help ensure that this critical work not only continues but expands."
Benjamin W. "Ben" Thorpe, a 2014 alumnus of the University of Georgia School of Law and member of the Thorpe family, emphasized his personal connection to the clinic. He acknowledged the significant role that the clinical programs played in his own legal education and expressed his desire for future law graduates to have similar experiences. "Nothing I did in law school was better preparation for the realities of practice than that clinic, and I want future UGA Law graduates to share in that experience. That they can serve their own career development while directly serving clients who might not otherwise receive representation is a testament to the School of Law's extraordinary value as an institution. Our family is honored to invest in that mission," he said.
The funding provided by the Thorpe family will support the operations of the clinic and enable the hiring of post-graduate and summer fellows. This will expand the clinic's impact and provide more learning opportunities for law students.
Dean Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge expressed his gratitude to the Thorpe family, saying, "I would like to thank Ben and Barbara for their continued support. As we seek to redefine what it means to be a great national public law school, the provision of world-class, hands-on, and purpose-driven educational experiences for our students – in addition to scholarships – is of utmost importance. Offerings like the Community HeLP Clinic provide transformational experiences for our students as they gain valuable skills while learning how they can benefit society as members of the legal profession. This powerful combination has the ability to make our students stronger and more valuable leaders for the future of our state and society."
The donation from the Thorpe family is in addition to the scholarship they established in 2019 in memory of Ben's father and Barbara's husband, Lawrence I. Thorpe. The scholarship supports students who are dedicated to addressing pressing environmental challenges through the law.
The Community HeLP Clinic continues to make a difference in the lives of individuals in need, and with the support of the Thorpe family, it is poised to further expand its impact. The University of Georgia School of Law is grateful for this generous contribution, which will help shape the future of legal education and advocacy.