The School of Law regrets to announce Professor Emeritus Donald E. Wilkes, Jr., one of the world's leading experts on the writ of habeas corpus, passed away on June 7, 2019, at the age of 74. Wilkes, who taught at the law school for more than 40 years before retiring in 2012, was recognized for his scholarship in the fields of criminal procedure, capital punishment and postconviction remedies. He will be greatly missed by his colleagues and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 17, from 3:30-4:45 p.m. at the UGA Chapel on North Campus with a reception to follow at the School of Law.
Law students in the Veterans Legal Clinic recently won a significant victory for a 71-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam. The veteran had several medical conditions that resulted from exposure to Agent Orange. Clinic students successfully persuaded the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to grant him total disability, a finding that increased his monthly income, expanded health insurance for his family and resulted in tuition assistance for his adopted son. Second-year student Tyler C. Mathis took the lead in drafting the brief to the VA, while third-year student Megan McDonough and second-year students W. Chad Kimbrough and A. Chase Keith contributed to the development of the case.
Congratulations to rising third-year student Hanna C. Karimipour for being elected to be one of three student directors of the International Law Students Association for the 2019-20 academic year. She will attend ILSA's Board of Directors meetings and communicate with schools to help improve and increase participation in ILSA programming, including the Jessup Competition.
Employment statistics for the Class of 2018 place the School of Law at 13th in the nation for federal clerkships, 18th for "gold-standard" full-time law jobs and 21st for jobs requiring bar passage or where a J.D. is considered an advantage, according to Law.com. Statistics are based on employment 10 months after graduation and underscore the first-rate training our students receive and employers prefer.
The Watkinsville law firm Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC, has created the Kellie R. Casey Scholarship Fund at the University of Georgia School of Law to recognize Casey's contributions to the school and its storied advocacy program. Under Casey's 19 years of leadership, the law school's advocacy program has won 25 national championships, more than 40 regional titles and 15 state trophies. In honor of their inspirational gift, the office space currently used by the school's advocacy program will be named the Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC Student Advocacy Program Suite.