The University of Georgia School of Law has announced two initiatives aimed at addressing the legal needs of rural Georgians and expanding access to legal education. These initiatives align with the school's vision of providing a hands-on, purpose-driven education while maintaining affordability, according to School of Law Dean Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge.
The first initiative, the Georgia Honors Fellows Program, aims to address the shortage of prosecutors and public defenders in rural Georgia. The program is funded through a combination of public and private sources and includes two components: the Georgia Summer Honors Fellows Program and full-time positions for graduates.
The Georgia Summer Honors Fellows Program will provide stipends for up to 10 law students working in prosecutors' and public defenders' offices in rural areas. Selected students will participate in preparatory boot camps organized by Melissa D. Redmon, director of the Prosecutorial Justice Program, and Elizabeth Taxel, director of the Criminal Defense Practicum. Students can extend their summer work into a semester-long experience with private funding support.
The full-time component will support graduates working in these offices with boot camps similar to those for summer fellows. The program will cover bar exam preparation costs and contribute $10,000 annually towards reducing participants' debt for up to three years.
"The Honors Fellows and Summer Honors Fellows programs are a crucial step in addressing the critical shortage of public servants in our rural communities," Redmon said.
Taxel emphasized the impact on underserved communities: "Having the opportunity to support law students and young lawyers who are taking the initiative to ensure that constitutional ideals are upheld in every corner of the state is a true honor."
Additionally, UGA Law will host conferences for Georgia prosecutors and public defenders on its Athens campus, building on an existing partnership with the Georgia Public Defender Council.
Rutledge noted that this initiative could serve as a model nationwide: "Generous state support combined with private contributions allows some of our truly world-class faculty to help tackle an acute need within the state."
The second initiative guarantees a minimum one-quarter scholarship for every first-generation college graduate and veteran admitted to UGA Law's Juris Doctor program. This effort builds on previous reductions in student indebtedness by nearly 55% since 2013.
A transformational gift from alumna Kathelen V. Amos supports first-generation college graduates through financial aid provided by the First-Start Scholars Program. Similarly, veterans receive financial aid through another gift from alumnus Jim Butler under The Butler Commitment.
"First-generation college graduates and veterans have been priorities in our efforts to keep a legal education affordable," Rutledge said.
Rutledge expressed gratitude towards donors: "In a world of continued concern about affordability... programs like First-Start Scholars and The Butler Commitment exemplify how UGA School of Law is redefining what it means to be a great national public law school."