First-year law student Noah C. Nix is the winner of the School of Law's 2021 1L Closing Argument Mock Trial Tournament. Congratulations to all who competed, including finalist N. Molly Laughlin, on their performances.
The University of Georgia Alumni Association has announced eight recipients of its 2021 Alumni Awards, an annual program dating back to 1936 that recognizes individuals and organizations who demonstrate a commitment to the university. Among the 2021 honorees are the late Chester Davenport, the first African American graduate of the School of Law who passed away during August 2020, and the Paris family, which includes 2020 School of Law graduate Thomas Paris.
The Veterans Legal Clinic recently helped a 91-year-old veteran receive disability compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs after many years of denials. The veteran served for over 24 years, in both the Vietnam and Korean wars. He survived the 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir, an important battle of the latter conflict. For over one decade, he had received only minimal payments from the VA. After learning of his leukemia, the clinic successfully argued for service-connection due to exposure to Agent Orange. The increase of $3,146 per month more than doubled his combined compensation and retirement pay. This outcome reflects the efforts of several Veterans Legal Clinic teams under the direction of Associate Professor Alexander W. Scherr, including current third-year students Taylor E. Pernini and Patrick D. Testa along with 2020 graduates Anne M. Reynolds, L. Andrew "Andy" Bastone and Tyler C. Mathis.
Congratulations to third-year students Tyler D. Fabbri, Mollie M. Fiero and Devin Mashman for finishing as national semifinalists in the National Moot Court Competition. This trio won the Region 5 round of the National Moot Court Competition in November to advance to the national tier of the tournament. The National Moot Court Competition is the oldest and most prestigious moot court competition in the country. Each year, teams from more than 120 law schools across the nation compete in this contest, which is sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
On Feb. 15, William Elliott Stiles Jr. - an accomplished artist, Atlanta attorney and University of Georgia School of Law alumnus - will unveil a new work of art that was commissioned by the law school to commemorate the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA. The new creation will be displayed alongside other pieces of Stiles' "Concept Collection" that were donated to the school in 2018. Stiles said in his new piece, titled "1961," he tried to depict the historic events of the desegregation of the University of Georgia and the Georgia public school system. The artwork will be unveiled during Black History Month on Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. Those wishing to virtually participate need to register by Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. to lawalum@uga.edu or 706-542-7959.