Congratulations to the School of Law's students and faculty recognized as part of Awards Day 2020. While the world has entered an unprecedented time, the law school community remains resilient, connected and focused. We are pleased to honor this year's recipients through this virtual forum: /awards-day-2020.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic recently conducted a live online workshop exploring recent changes to the public charge ground of inadmissibility and what it means for low-income noncitizens seeking legal status in the United States, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Third-year law student Andrea G. Aldana, second-year law student James C. Berrigan and clinic Director Jason A. Cade presented and fielded questions from more than 40 UGA School of Social Work students and faculty as well as local community social workers. Hosted by the School of Social Work, the workshop was moderated by Assistant Professor Jane McPherson, who is the director of the school's Global Engagement Program.
Third-year student Addison Smith recently represented an Appellate Litigation Clinic client, who is seeking asylum and withholding of removal, before the Stewart Immigration Court (via telephone and Zoom) and has requested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to grant the clinic's client parole due to underlying medical conditions that make him more susceptible to COVID-19 in addition to him posing no danger if released. Third-year student Spencer D. Woody also assisted with the case.
Nine University of Georgia faculty and staff are being honored for exemplary service to the state during 2019-2020. The School of Law's Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning Eleanor "Ellie" Lanier is one of five recipients of the Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach. This honor is named for Chancellor Walter Barnard Hill, who led UGA from 1899 to 1905 and was a pioneer who helped define the university's modern public service and outreach mission.
A School of Law remote pop-up legal clinic recently assisted more than 60 local businesses with understanding the new Paycheck Protection Program, which is an unprecedented forgivable loan initiative authorized by the federal government's Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Additionally more than 20 of those businesses received virtual one-on-one direct-service legal counseling.