www.law.uga.edu

Civil Programs

Get experience in a range of civil matters through Georgia Law's civil programs. Find opportunities in:

• Nonprofits & Government
• Environmental Law
• Family and Education Law
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Corporate Counsel
• Appellate Litigation

Nonprofits & Government: Civil Externships and Public Interest Practicum Explore litigation and transactional law working with attorneys and judges as part of the Civil Externship, or take a look at how law can meet the needs of disadvantaged community members through the Public Interest Practicum. Students in this program work with homeless and incarcerated individuals and local service institutions to coordinate resources and information on housing, child custody, debt, benefits and health care. Alexander Scherr, Civil Externship Director

Environmental Law: Environmental Practicum Georgia Law offers an experiential learning program for students interested in environmental preservation: the Environmental Practicum. Students in the Environmental Practicum work to improve water quality and protect and restore native aquatic species in targeted watersheds and the Upper Etowah River Basin. Laurie Fowler, Environmental Practicum Director

Family and Education Law:  Family Violence Clinic
Prepare for a career in family law with the Family Violence Clinic. Students in this clinic help to protect victims of domestic violence. Clinic work includes interviewing, case preparation, counseling and advocacy.

• Susan Schaffer, Managing Attorney, Family Violence Clinic
• Alexander Scherr, Civil Externship Director

Mediation Practicum
Become a certified Georgia mediator through the Mediation Practicum. Students in this program mediate cases in Small Claims Court to meet requirements for certification under standards set by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

• Eleanor Lanier, Managing Attorney, Mediation Practicum

Corporate Counsel Externship
Explore the practice of law from the perspective of an in-house counsel.  This course will benefit not only students interested in an in-house career but also those who will work in law firms and deal with in-house counsel as their primary client contact.  Students will be placed with a corporate legal department and will attend a weekly seminar where they will develop skill sets required in an in-house setting, such as interviewing, counseling, negotiation, legal analysis, problem-solving, and drafting.  Organizations currently participating in the program include the American Cancer Society, Asbury Automotive Group, Cox Communications, John Deere and St. Mary's Hospital, among others. The course was created in conjunction with Georgia Law's Business Law and Ethics program.

• Carol Morgan, Business Law and Ethics Program Instructor

Appellate Litigation Clinic
The year-long Appellate Litigation Clinic is designed to teach students to be appellate litigators. The clinic essentially operates as a small firm and will accept clients with cases before both federal circuit courts of appeals and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Students work in teams of two or three to review the record of the case, identify the issues that should be raised in the appeal, draft the briefs (both opening brief and reply brief), and may do the oral argument if permitted and if oral argument is scheduled.

• Erica Hashimoto, Appellate Litigation Clinic