"Congratulations to our 2020 graduates on their incredible success in Georgia and around the country, during a year that required them to show incredible grit and resilience," UGA School of Law Dean Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge said. "Their success on the bar exam represents a key test of our school's vision to be the nation's best return on investment in legal education. Thanks to the faculty and staff, especially Tony Waller and other members of the bar preparation working group for supporting our students during their preparations; thanks too to the School of Law's generous contributors who provided over $120,000 in support toward our bar prep stipend program over the past two years. That authentic support for our students distinguishes our community and will continue to be there for them."
The Appellate Litigation Clinic has won one of its cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In Arellano Herrera v. Barr, third-year student Jason N. Sigalos argued for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture with the main issues being whether the clinic's client could relocate and whether a government official would acquiesce to her torture. Sigalos co-wrote the briefs with fellow third-year student Mollie M. Fiero and 2020 graduate John Lex Kenerly IV. Notably, this was the first virtual oral argument for the clinic and its students.
The School of Law recently honored several employees for their years of service to the institution. Additionally, four individuals who are retiring were recognized.
The First Amendment Clinic has settled its case involving online censorship by a public official. In Bohanan v. Robinson, a county commissioner blocked a county resident's access to his interactive Facebook page that he used to communicate with the public about his official activities after she criticized his response to constituent concerns. The settlement includes significant protections from online censorship for the county resident and other members of the public, as well as damages, including attorneys' fees. Third-year student Anish Patel and second-year students Mark L. Bailey and Davis M. Wright as well as First Amendment Clinic Legal Fellow Samantha Hamilton helped litigate the case, under the supervision of clinic Director Clare R. Norins.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic and the First Amendment Clinic joined forces to assist women who allegedly endured abusive gynecological and other medical treatments, as well as inhumane conditions and retaliation, while in the custody of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Georgia. Third-year student Anish Patel helped with the preparation of a motion addressing immigration and free speech issues that the U.S. District Court for Middle District of Georgia granted in its entirety. Specifically, the motion allows the women to submit their statements to the court under seal and using Jane Doe pseudonyms in order to protect the women against further retaliation for speaking out. The clinics also co-represent one of the detained women individually and are pursuing remedies for her release in multiple state and federal forums.