Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp has announced his selection of Judge Carla Wong McMillian to serve on the Supreme Court of Georgia and Judges Verda M. Colvin and John A. "Trea" Pipkin III to serve on the Georgia Court of Appeals. McMillian and Colvin graduated from the School of Law in 1998 and 1990, respectively.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic recently helped two clients secure their U Visas, which grant victims of serious crime - who are helpful to law enforcement in investigation or prosecution - with four years of lawful status and a path to permanent residency in the United States.
On March 30, the University of Georgia will transition to online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester. The change is part of the university's effort to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. To be sure, that shift will be an adjustment for both faculty and students. "Many of the concerns and distractions instructors have now are shared by their students. Empathy, communication, asynchronicity, a focus on the necessary and reassessing assessments will facilitate the transition for everyone impacted by these midsemester changes," said Megan Mittelstadt, director of UGA's Center for Teaching and Learning.
The National Jurist has published a helpful guide to law school during Covid-19 within its spring 2020 edition titled "The Coronavirus Survival Guide." Sections include a guide to self care; excelling in an online course; staying healthy, positive and productive; and five truths about online education.
The Veterans Legal Clinic has successfully helped a veteran obtain benefits from the Veterans Administration for post-traumatic stress disorder caused by several incidents of sexual assault during his time in service. The condition had severely affected the veteran's life since discharge in 1991. The VA denied his claim in 2014, and he had awaited a decision on his appeal since then. Four teams of law students, working with clinic director Alex Scherr over five semesters, prepared the evidence and argument that persuaded the Board of Veterans Appeals to grant his claim. The victory gave the veteran a retroactive award of at least $105,000 and new, ongoing monthly compensation of over $1,500 per month.