Legal Education Commons^™

Effectiveness Of Research Plans: A Case Study, Thomas "Tj" Striepe, Savanna L. Nolan

Faculty Datasets

This article presents a case study examining whether the creation and use of research plans enhance the effectiveness of legal research by law students. Despite their emphasized role in legal research pedagogy, research plans are often underutilized by students in their summer jobs, clinical work, and post-graduate employment. Through a three-part study, the authors surveyed upper-level students about their use and impressions of research plans, analyzed performance outcomes from a research simulation involving a legal hypothetical, and evaluated five years of assessment data from a 1L Legal Research course. While the experimental study did not yield statistically significant results, students …

Law School Veterans Clinics: Helping Veterans, Training Students, Improving The System, Alexander W. Scherr

Scholarly Works

This essay makes the case for law schools to create clinics and externship courses that address the needs of veterans. Veterans legal work offers excellent opportunities to represent individual veterans to obtain the benefits they earned through service to our country. At the same time, veterans clinic work can enlist students in systemic advocacy that changes how institutions address veterans' needs through appellate, administrative, and class action advocacy. Law students who work in veterans clinics develop skills they can readily transfer to other practice areas while working closely with clients and developing their professional identities. Finally, veterans clinics help law …

Values-Ambiguous Clinics, Willow Tracy

Scholarly Works

As law school clinical programs have grown in recent decades, many of the newer offerings focus on business law, entrepreneurship, intellectualproperty, and technology. It is commonly presumed that social justice values, such as the amelioration ofpoverty or theprotection offundamental rights, are notfoundational goals of these non-traditional clinics. This Article calls these clinics "values-ambiguous" to highlight the frequent uncertainty and skepticism about their relationship to traditional clinical social justice values. Importantly, "values-ambiguous"does not describe a quality of the clinic itself it describes a quality ofperception of the clinic. In other words, "values-ambiguous clinics" are clinics that are typically not perceived as …

Class Of 2024 Commencement, Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves

Graduation Addresses

Commencement took place on May 18, 2024 to recognize Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Master in the Study of Law graduates in the University of Georgia School of Law ceremony. The School of Law will held its commencement for the Class of 2024 in the Classic Center Grand Hall. The Honorable Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves, class of 2006, delivered the keynote address.

A longer set of biographical information related to the speaker was shared alongside other Commencement 2024 details via email, and is duplicated below:

"The Honorable Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves was sworn in as a Judge of the United States …

2024 Edenfield Jurist In Residence Lecture: "Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy Of William O. Douglas — Public Advocate And Conservation Champion", M. Margaret Mckeown

Edenfield & Hines Jurists in Residence

M. Margaret McKeown, senior judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, presented "Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy of William O. Douglas — Public Advocate and Conservation Champion" as the UGA School of Law's 2024 Edenfield Jurist in Residence.

2024 Hines Jurist In Residence Lecture:, Carla Wong Mcmillian

Edenfield & Hines Jurists in Residence

The Hines Jurist in Residence Lecture was delivered by Georgia Supreme Court Justice Carla Wong McMillian (J.D. 98) who discussed her path to the bench. Her talk was titled "From China to Augusta to the Supreme Court".

What I Talk About When I Talk About Charity Scott, Elizabeth Weeks

Scholarly Works

This essay pays tribute to Professor Charity Scott’s transformative impact on health law, legal education, and medical-legal partnerships. Reflecting on personal experience and Scott’s pioneering work, It highlights Scott’s integrity, compassion, and dedication to improving individual and community well-being through law. Scott’s role in establishing the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) and advancing the medical-legal partnership model is situated within the broader evolution of health justice, social determinants of health, and interprofessional collaboration. The essay underscores her legacy as a scholar, mentor, and innovator whose work continues to shape health law and inspire future generations of advocates, educators, and practitioners

Criminal Law Drafting Manual, Jean Mangan

Books

This textbook was created under a Round 19 Mini-Grant. It is hosted on the Open ALG (Affordable Learning Georgia) Projects platform. 2024 edition.

An Immodest Proposal: Ai, Llms, And The Case For A Standalone Legal Research Requirement, Sarah C. Slinger, Nicholas Mignanelli, Jordan Jefferson, Susan Drisko Zago

Presentations and Speeches

The legal research course is over a century old. As a law school subject, it predates many doctrinal courses, as well as the advent of clinical legal education. It is several decades older than its sister subject, legal writing. In spite of its age and obvious importance, the place of the legal research course in the law school curriculum remains contested. While some law faculties recognize the value of legal research instruction and require a standalone legal research course in the first year, the vast majority combine it with legal writing (often over the objections of legal writing instructors and …

Mindfulness For Lawyers Cannot Begin Too Early, Heather Simmons

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

Mindfulness can help law students handle the stress of Socratic method and cold calling. But the standard mindfulness panic practice, which is to stop and take three deep breaths, doesn’t work because the professor is waiting for an answer. In my ABA Student Lawyer article, I describe the following alternative: Step 1. Plant your feet firmly on the floor; Step 2. Sit up straight; Step 3. Take one deep breath; Step 4. Now restate the question. These steps could easily be modified to work in court when the judge asks a challenging question.

Class Of 2023 Commencement, Steve C. Jones

Graduation Addresses

Commencement took place on May 20, 2023 to recognize Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Master in the Study of Law graduates in the University of Georgia School of Law ceremony. The School of Law will held its commencement for the Class of 2023 in the Classic Center Grand Hall. The Honorable Steve C. Jones, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, former Georgia Superior Court judge, 1987 alumni, delivered the keynote address.

A longer set of biographical information related to the speaker was shared alongside other Commencement 2023 details via email, and is duplicated below:

"The Honorable …

40th Edith House Lecture With Lisa Monaco, Lisa Monaco

Edith House Lectures

The Georgia Association for Women Lawyers UGA Chapter hosted the 40th Edith House Lecture on April 11, 2023 featuring Lisa O. Monaco, the 39^th Deputy Attorney General of the United States.

This event was for members of the law school community only and was moderated by student leaders Madison Tucker and Kate Grier.

The Edith House Lecture is sponsored by the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers UGA Chapter (formerly the Women Law Students Association), in honor of one of the first female graduates of the School of Law. House, a native of Winder, Georgia, was co-valedictorian of the law …

American Democracy In Peril, J. Michael Luttig

Sibley Lecture Series

"American Democracy in Peril" was presented by Judge J. Michael Luttig as the 121st Sibley Lecture. Luttig served as a federal judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1991 to 2006. He also has worked with Boeing and Coca-Cola in the private sector.

This event was for members of the law school community only. It took place in the Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom at the University of Georgia School of Law March 22, 2023 at 3:30 pm. A reception followed in the Davenport Rotunda.

A Body Without A Soul: Why Print Still Matters In Legal Research, Mari Cheney, Heather Simmons

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

This article argues that print still has a place in legal research pedagogy and that some materials should still be collected in print in addition to online should the budget allow for it due to five primary reasons: (1) stability of legal information; (2) context; (3) information literacy; (4) algorithm bias; and (5) the discovery of information. Since many law library budgets are shrinking, there are creative ways for online legal publishers to make online material more print-like should libraries be unable to purchase both print and online material.

Lisp – An Historical Reminiscence, Heather Simmons

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

Reflections on the history of the Legal Information Services to the Public group of the American Association of Law Libraries.

2023 Hines Jurist In Residence Lecture: "Leadership In The 21st Century And Beyond: Where Are The Lawyers?", Verda Colvin

Edenfield & Hines Jurists in Residence

The Hines Jurist in Residence Lecture was delivered by Georgia Supreme Court Justice Verda Colvin (J.D.'90). Her talk was titled "Leadership in the 21st Century and Beyond: Where are the lawyers?" As a School of Law graduate herself, Justice Colvin challenged our community to think nationally and globally about our place in our world as lawyers and our obligation to the greater good.

Class Of 2022 Commencement, Lisa Godbey Wood

Graduation Addresses

The School of Law will hold its commencement ceremony for the Class of 2022 in Stegeman Coliseum.

Lisa Godbey Wood, U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Georgia and 1990 alumna, will deliver the keynote address.

Civil Right Queen: Constance Baker Motley And The Struggle For Equality, Tomiko Brown- Nagin

Sibley Lecture Series

The 120th John A. Sibley Lecture was delivered by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School. Brown-Nagin is a member of the history department at the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In 2019, she was appointed chair of the Presidential Committee on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Law Institute, and the American Philosophical Society, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians.

Brown-Nagin …

2022 Hines Jurist In Residence Lecture: Professionalism, Sarah Hawkins Warren

Edenfield & Hines Jurists in Residence

Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren served as the Hines Jurists in Residence in 2022, delivering a public lecture on professionalism in January. Extended biographical information on Justice Warren was provided prior to her public lecture thanks to the Georgia Supreme Court:

"Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor Nathan Deal and was sworn in on September 17, 2018. She was re-elected statewide for a six-year term in 2020. Justice Warren previously served as Solicitor General for the State of Georgia under Attorney General Chris Carr.

Justice Warren earned a B.A. in Public Policy and …

Cocurricular Learning In Management Education: Lessons From Legal Education’S Use Of Student-Edited Journals, Matthew I. Hall, Matt Theeke

Scholarly Works

In this essay, we draw on insights from U.S. legal education’s century-long experiment using student-edited journals as a cocurricular learning tool, to develop the argument that management education should consider introducing a new category of student-edited, practitioner-oriented journals. Student-edited journals are potentially well-suited for management education because they encourage students to learn professionally relevant skills and to develop a greater understanding of research and its role in professional education. Enlisting students to help edit practitioner journals could also benefit business professionals by increasing the availability of practitioner-oriented research. In doing so, management education can use this cocurricular learning activity to …

Law Student Mindfulness For Cold Calling, Heather Simmons

Popular Media

Consider starting a daily mindfulness practice. While nothing can completely dispel the terror that cold calling initiates, having a specific plan can help.

Introducing Students To Ethics And Professionalism Challenges In Virtual Communication, Carol Morgan, Katherine M. Koops, James E. Moliterno, Carol Newman

Scholarly Works

As the practice of law, and the conduct of business generally, focuses increasingly on virtual communication, the ethics and professionalism challenges inherent in email, videoconference, text, and telephone communication continue to evolve. These challenges are particularly prevalent in transactional practice, which involves frequent communication with a variety of parties through a variety of communication channels. Exposing law students to these challenges through exercises and simulations contributes to the continued development of their professional identity as lawyers.

This article presents a variety of exercises that introduce students to client confidentiality, inadvertent disclosure, and other ethical issues that often arise in the …

Tributes To Family Law Scholars Who Helped Us Find Our Path, Thomas Oldham, Paul M. Kurtz

Scholarly Works

At some point after the virus struck, I had the idea that it would be appropriate and interesting to ask a number of experienced family law teachers to write a tribute about a more senior family law scholar whose work inspired them when they were beginning their careers. I mentioned this idea to some other long-term members of the professoriate, and they agreed that this could be a good project. So I reached out to some colleagues and asked them to participate. Many agreed to join the team. Some suggested other potential contributors, and some of these suggested faculty members …

Class Of 2021 Commencement, Harold Melton

Graduation Addresses

Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold D. Melton delivered the University of Georgia School of Law's 2021 Commencement address on May 22 in Stegeman Coliseum, with social distancing measures in place.

Approximately 215 students will be eligible to participate in this year's ceremony for Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Master in the Study of Law (M.S.L) candidates.

The ticketed event began at 10 a.m. with a virtual program is available at 2021LawCommencementProgram.pdf and an archived copy attached to this record. The ceremony was ivestreamed at /graduation21.

From the School of Law calendar event webapge for this …

Who's Going To Law School? Trends In Law School Enrollment Since The Great Recession, Goodwin Liu

Sibley Lecture Series

Lui joined California's highest court in 2011. Previously, he was an associate dean and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law specializing in constitutional law, education law and policy, and diversity in the legal profession.

Liu continues to teach constitutional law as a visiting professor at both Harvard and Stanford universities.

He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Stanford and attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship earning his master’s degree. Upon returning to the United States, he helped launch the AmeriCorps national service program in Washington, D.C., and worked for two years as a senior program officer …

Legal Writing Manual (2nd Edition), Jean Mangan, Brittany Blanchard, Gabrielle Gravel, Chase Lyndale, Connely Doizé

Books

This manual provides you with an overview of first-year legal writing topics and provides checkpoints during your writing process. On the other hand, this manual does not answer every question you have ever had on any legal writing concept and it is certainly not a spellbook that will make you instantly awesome at legal writing. Writing as a skill is a lifelong development process. Everyone can be an effective legal writer. Put in the time to study the concepts and then to practice using those concepts in your writing. Seek feedback on your writing and implement the feedback you receive. …

A Fireside Chat With Supreme Court Justices Mcmillian And Warren, Carla Wong Mcmillian, Sarah Hawkins Warren

Edith House Lectures

The Women's Law Student Association is hosting the 38th Annual Edith House Lecture featuring Georgia Supreme Court Justices Carla Wong McMillian and Sarah Hawkins Warren. Inaugurated in 1983, the Edith House Lecture Series honors one of the first female graduates of the School of Law, Edith Elizabeth House. House was co-valedictorian of the law class of 1925 and enjoyed a distinguished career in public service.

In a moderated “fireside chat” format, Justices McMillian and Warren spoke about their backgrounds, experiences as women in the legal profession, and paths to Georgia’s highest court. Students and faculty had the opportunity to ask …

Georgia Legal Research, Amy Taylor

Books

This open source textbook authored by Amy Taylor was designed to provide University of Georgia School of Law students with a comprehensive guide to Georgia legal research. Using this text in combination with appropriate assignments, student objectives include the ability to select, evaluate, and use appropriate legal research tools with an emphasis on cost-effective research and proficiency in the following topics:

• Developing an efficient and cost effective research strategy
• Advanced searching skills in legal research databases
• Case law, including docket research, court rules, and verdicts & settlements
• Statutory law, including legislative materials and legislative history
• Administrative regulations, rules, and related …

No Jd? No Problem: Aall Annual Conference Review, Rachel S. Evans

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

This installment of ALL-SIS Newsletter’s short reviews of AALL2020 conference programs is by Rachel Evans, Metadata Services and Special Collections Librarian at the University of Georgia School of Law’s Alexander Campbell King Law Library. It was originally published to the ALL-SIS blog. The session recording is available to conference registrants, and will be available to all members in 2021. The full review will appeared in the fall issue of the Newsletter.

How Intelligent Ci Instruction Gives Law Students A Competitive Edge, Heather Simmons, Beau Steenken, Liz Whittington, Joshua Pluta

Presentations

"Competitive intelligence" (CI) is a term that gets bandied about across many sectors, but how exactly do law firms use it to further their business? Academics are aware of CI as a concept, but teaching students how to conduct competitive intelligence requires a more nuanced understanding of how it is actually used. In a discussion moderated by a newer academic librarian who will be teaching competitive intelligence for the first time, a firm librarian will share insights into how competitive intelligence can and should be used, and an academic librarian who regularly teaches competitive intelligence will offer tips on how …