For nearly a decade, students from the University of Georgia School of Law have collaborated with UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant to provide legal and policy expertise aimed at improving the environmental, social, and economic health of Georgia’s coast. This partnership began in 2015 when Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant joined with the university’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government to create the Legal Program.
Mark Risse, director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, explained that using legal fellows expands the program's reach while offering law students practical experience. "The use of legal fellows helps to expand the reach of the program while also offering professional development opportunities to law students, giving them an opportunity to apply their education in real-world settings," he said.
Katie Hill (J.D.’08), public service faculty member at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and director of the Legal Program, emphasized the importance of objective policy analysis. “Often, the work we do focuses on objective policy analysis to inform decision-makers. … Students understand why this type of policy work is extremely valuable for our governmental clients, the state of Georgia, and beyond,” she said.
Legal fellows contribute to projects in four main areas: environmental literacy and workforce development; sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; resilient communities and economies; and healthy coastal ecosystems.
Tamaris M. Henderson, a third-year law student who served as a Legal Fellow earlier this year, focused on derelict crab and lobster traps in coastal states as part of her involvement with the Nationwide Fishing TRAP (Trap Removal, Assessment and Prevention) Program. The TRAP Program is managed by the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences (VIMS) with funding from NOAA. Henderson created a database cataloging current laws and policies related to derelict fishing traps across U.S. coastal states. She presented her findings to the Sea Grant Legal Network.
Reflecting on her experience, Henderson said it allowed her to meet “amazing lawyers, marine biologists and other researchers” dedicated to trap removal efforts. She noted that working on this project matched her interest in environmental law.
This semester, Leighlee M. Mahony—a third-year student—has continued expanding Henderson’s database for state derelict trap laws as part of ongoing work with the TRAP Program. Mahony presented their findings at November’s UGA River Basin Center Annual Graduate Water Research Poster Contest. She also prepared memorandums used at VIMS’s annual TRAP Program meeting and is drafting an article addressing key differences in state derelict trap policies.
Mahony was drawn to the fellowship out of a desire to help protect animals through legal means. Her experience has led her to consider pursuing policy work after graduation.
Risse expects increased demand for support along Georgia's coast as its population grows. He hopes future plans will allow expansion of both funding for fellowships and participation by law students from other universities.
Since its inception in 2015, more than 25 School of Law students have participated as Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Legal Fellows on projects including sea level rise adaptation, salt marsh restoration, flood mitigation strategies, military installations’ impacts on coastal communities—and more information about these opportunities can be found at https://gacoast.uga.edu/georgia-sea-grant-legal-fellowship/.