College of Law News

Madeline Ross (J.D. ’21) knew growing up she either wanted to be a prosecutor or a nurse. “I know those sound very different, but they have the commonality of service,” she explained.

Jennifer McCall (J.D. ’13) did not take the most traditional route to become a successful family law attorney, but the challenges she faced along the way only helped shape the attorney she has become.

With more than 25 years of experience, she’s handled claims related to products liability, automobile liability, premises liability, mass torts defense and beyond. However, litigation isn’t where she thought her career would take her.

Georgia State College of Law graduates once again earn the overall highest bar passage rate for the February 2021 exam with a rate of 77.6 percent.

The college not only offers a certificate in IP, but also provides an array of courses to cater to students that are interested in a variety of subject areas.

The personalized events were chosen to ensure comfort and safety for all parties involved while still recognizing the graduates’ accomplishments.

It didn’t take long for Hillary Rightler (J.D. ’10) to earn her way up to partner at Kilpatrick Townsend. The College of Law graduate specializes in white collar criminal defense matters working with multinational corporations around the world.

Shreepal Zala had a successful career as a professional musician, but he wanted more. He enrolled at the College of Law to expand his career as lawyer, educator and musician.

Seeking justice for victims fuels Naeem Ramatally (J.D. ’12) as a legal advisor for the Miami-Dade Police Department. The South Florida native works alongside police officers to promote justice.

DelCampo currently has his own litigation firm, works as a mediator and sits on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia, as the incoming Treasurer.

LaVonda N. Reed, associate provost for faculty affairs at Syracuse University, has been named dean of the College of Law at Georgia State University. Reed will be the seventh dean in the college’s history and the first African American to lead the College of Law.

Seibert is graduating with his J.D. and a certificate in Health Law. He is also one of two recipients of the 2021 Charity Scott Health Law Award.

Land use law expert and professor Julian Juergensmeyer retires after more than 55 years of teaching, research, and making urban development more equitable.

Zainab Okunowo worked as an attorney working on behalf of children in Nigeria. After coming to the U.S., she enrolled in the LL.M. program at Georgia State Law so that she can make a difference for kids here.

Using big data analysis, associate professor Charlotte Alexander is decoding #MeToo defenses.

A new Georgia State lab is focused on how e-scooters and other forms of micromobility are remaking the landscape for commuters in Atlanta and beyond.

Professor Brandy Owens Domengeaux encourages Georgia State College of Law students to excel and stay true to themselves as they pursue careers in law.

When it came to deciding where to attend law school, Martin knew the College of Law’s downtown location and large alumni network made it the right choice for her.

Lee joined the faculty in 2020 and teaches Corporations, International Business Transactions, International Trade Law and Law and Economic Development.

Georgia State College of Law helped Jeffrey Gaba and his son Nick Gaba carve their own paths in the profession.

Teaching Lawyering: Foundations is not the only time Vath enters a classroom at Georgia State, she is also working towards earning her Ph.D. in English, Composition & Rhetoric.

Hayes knew early on that she wanted to be an attorney. Partially because she was known in her family to be skilled at arguing, but also because was able to see the ins and outs of the business from family members who were attorneys.

Georgia State University College of Law first-year law students share how their pro bono and volunteer experiences have made an impact thus far.

Georgia State University College of Law graduates William Hale and Brett Sanders were the first to earn the Certificate in Legal Analytics & Innovation.

The College of Law’s downtown location and strong sense of community have propelled Natalie deLatour toward her dream of practicing big corporate and real estate law.

Patel operates his own personal injury firm aimed at providing affordable services to people in need. The flexibility and independence that comes with owning his own firm has always driven his legal career.

Georgia State University College of Law has the best health law program in the country, according to the new 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The clinic hosted the event the week of March 8th, with the goal of settling cases for clients with IRS attorneys to avoid having to continue to Tax Court.

The JD/MBA dual-degree program at Georgia State allows Cole Hobbs to combine his love of music and entertainment with business savvy. He hopes to become head of legal at a record label.

She teaches Torts, Constitutional Tort Litigation and Employment Law. Though the opportunity to teach torts is what motivated Timmons to become a law professor.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (J.D. ’94) will serve as the keynote speaker at the Law Review Symposium on Friday, March 26. This year’s theme is “Social Justice and Racial Equality: What’s Next?”

Jindia is currently living in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands where he is the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer for Cane Bay Partners.

Boyer spent two years at the Douglas County Juvenile Court as a delinquent case manager before deciding to attend Georgia State Law to maximize his impact.

In the Georgia State Law Center for the Study of Comparative Metropolitan Growth, Karen Johnston works to find practical solutions to global issues facing cities, from housing to public transit.

For students in the Georgia State College of Law off-campus Mediation Clinic, the backlog of eviction cases created by the initial shutdown of the courts has expanded hands-on learning opportunities.

Georgia State Law emeriti faculty Lynn Hogue and Sylvia Caley share their memories of the college’s beginnings and how they’re involved after retirement.

Ekhlas researched the options for LL.M. bar track programs that would help prepare him to get his license in the United States. He says it was clear from the moment he walked into the College of Law that it was a great fit for him.

For the last five years she’s enjoyed teaching foreign-trained attorneys in the LL.M. program, but this semester she is taking on a new challenge. Butler designed a health law research course in support of the Center for Law, Health & Society.

College of Law student Jeannine Holmes (J.D. ’22) has made history as the first Black editor-in-chief of the Law Review.

Between owning a practice in Atlanta, developing an app with potential to be used by lawyers around the world, and spending time with his family, he doesn’t have many moments to spare but wouldn’t have it any other way.

Through the Georgia State College of Law advocacy program and externship opportunities, Bryce Boggs is on track to become a formidable litigator.

As a Georgia State Law student, Furhawn Shah wanted help domestic violence survivors get justice. Now, he’s doing that and more as an assistant district attorney in Fulton County.

In the new Hip-Hop and the Law course, students discuss the many ways in which hip-hop artists interact with the legal system.

The program’s goal was to prepare attendees, which included undergraduate, graduate and law students, how best to seek roles and be on the frontlines in tackling the current housing crisis.

The Georgia State University College of Law Immigration Clinic was awarded a grant from the American Bar Endowment to train attorneys on how to advocate for noncitizens who have been unlawfully denied work permits.

Georgia State Law allowed Johnson-Long to continue her work in Atlanta while getting the opportunity to learn from several faculty members who are also doing important abolitionist legal work.

Georgia State Law professor Neil Kinkopf’s scholarship on presidential power has led him from the Justice Department and testifying before Congress.

Georgia State Law honored attorneys Robert B. Remar and Bernard Taylor Sr. with the Ben F. Johnson Jr. Public Service Award for their work with the ACLU, Anti-Defamation League and UNICEF.

As executive director of the Georgia State College of Law Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative, Ben Chapman equips students with the skills to use algorithms, data analytics and machine learning to make a positive impact on the legal profession.

Having students roll up their sleeves and dive into big, complicated contracts might not be expected in a typical law school course, but that’s exactly how Associate Professor of Law Robert Weber teaches his students.

This Black History Month, we’ve decided to reflect on the courage and commitment of our Black students and faculty who have fought for equity and inclusion over the years.

Last fall, attorney Kendall Minter taught Copyright and Music Publishing, a new course in the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative, focused on the creation, protection and exploitation of intellectual property in the music industry.

As the field of family law continues to evolve and grow, the faculty at the Georgia State University College of Law remains focused on ensuring students graduate ready to practice.

When it came time to choose a law school, the opportunities that Georgia State Law could provide being in the heart of downtown Atlanta made the decision an easy one.

As an associate at Baker Donelson and president of the Law Alumni Council, Brett Switzer, encourages students to take advantage of experiential learning opportunities and use their education to make a difference.

Georgia State University College of Law will honor attorneys Robert B. Remar and Bernard Taylor Sr. with the Ben F. Johnson Jr. Public Service Award, the college’s highest honor, in virtual ceremonies on Feb. 16 and 18.

Graduates who passed the bar in October were sworn into the Georgia Superior Court, Court of Appeals and/or the Supreme Court of Georgia during the event.

Min had an interest in patents but did not know that there was a whole legal profession behind them. Realizing that opened up her eyes to a world where she could combine her science and math background with her interest in law and patents.

As the son of Pakistani immigrants and entrepreneurs, Zain Haq witnessed at an early age the impact that small businesses have on communities. Now, as a young associate at Swift/Currie, he represents companies with worker’s compensation cases, so that they can keep America working.

Next school year, first-year law students will be required to take a Legislation & Regulation course. Georgia State Law joins 40 other law schools that require the first-year class. Other curriculum changes follow.

Knowing his goal in life is to help the most people in as many ways as he can, Hassan believes law is the best way to make that happen. Whether its policy making or private practice, “law is everywhere,” Hassan said.

Georgia State College of Law has announced the five winners of its first ever Racial Justice Innovations Initiative. The program funds projects to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion within the College of Law.

At Georgia State College of Law, dedicated faculty and a variety of both foundational and specialized courses encourage students to explore the depths of criminal law further.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Print Email Reddit The Georgia State College of Law community is wide-reaching and we celebrate the accomplishments [...]

As an Air Force JAG, GSU Law graduate Irene Liscano juggles marriage and motherhood, while pursuing justice for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.

Law librarian Patrick Parsons teaches students conduct legal research, and he ensures that they are on top of the latest tools being used by attorneys and the ramifications of using those tools in the workplace.

Interim Dean Leslie Wolf and Board of Visitors chair Beth Tanis have endowed an Equity Scholarship Fund at Georgia State University College of Law.

Danish foreign exchange student Rene Seiersen practiced intellectual property law in Denmark. Now, he hopes to practice law in the U.S.

When Culverhouse started looking at law schools, Georgia State Law was the easy choice because of its nationally ranked health law program and downtown Atlanta location.

The College of Law’s rate was 89.6 percent for first-time test takers and 87.2 percent overall, ahead the state average of 73.8 percent.

This fall, Georgia State Law students in the Legal Life of Kandi Burruss course, taught by Professor Mo Ivory, learned from the entertainer/entrepreneur’s real life contracts.

Professor Michael Landau previously would have suggested people limiting their online presence if they don’t want to be tracked. Because the pandemic now requires most people to login to different websites for work or school, that’s not possible.

Daniel McClendon (J.D. ’15) and Danielle Pollack (J.D. ’19) both participated in the Tax Clinic while at GSU Law and now work as attorneys for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in Atlanta.

Not only is James balancing her personal life with her studies at Georgia State Law and Robinson College of Business, but she also has a full-time job as a freelance content producer at CNN Newsource.

Janice Griffith, who served as College of Law dean from 1996 to 2004, has endowed a chair in the Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth.

Emeriti faculty members Roy Sobelson and Mark Budnitz reflect on the ways the legal field has been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as challenges they see on the horizon.

During the month of December, we are celebrating alumni who have been promoted to partner, published books and been appointed to the state’s highest court.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Print Email Reddit Students in the Georgia State Applied Legal Analytics Lab gave a virtual presentation of [...]

Deanroy Bernard (LLM ’21) has always had a passion for the law and travel. He worked as a police office and attorney in Jamaica before enrolling at the College of Law in order to practice law in the U.S.

As co-founder of the Justice Benham Law Camp and partner and diversity chair at King & Spalding, Harold Franklin is on a mission to give back and be the kind of mentor that he always wanted.

Knowing his heart was in public service, Walton applied for the Presidential Management Fellowship during his 3L year as a path into government.

The desire to teach lead Boyd to joining the faculty of the Lawyering: Foundations program at Georgia State Law in 2014. She’s since transitioned to teaching Civil Procedure, Professional Responsibility, Advanced Strategies in Legal Writing and Animal Law.

Breonna Glover’s love of the law started at an early age and was cemented by her experience as a student activist in D.C. It inspired her to want to pursue a law degree at Georgia State in order to rectify injustice.

Professors Courtney Anderson and Lauren Sudeall along with law student Lisa Hwang (J.D. ’21) discussed the importance of secure housing to public health in the midst of a global pandemic.

Ngan Nguyen (J.D. ’20) and Alex McDonald (J.D. ’21) co-authored “What States Can Do to Address Out-of-Network Air Ambulance Bills” with associate professor Erin Fuse Brown.

COVID-19 has heightened housing insecurity in the U.S. Here, Georgia State faculty share eight research-backed ways to help keep Americans off the streets.

Hunt Revell (J.D. ’22) spent most of his early career working in restaurants. Now, as a law student, he’s interested in using the law to enact more sustainable processes for getting food to your table.

Caitlin Herndon’s (J.D. ’12) interest in practicing family law stems from her own family experiences. As a partner at HF Family Law, she works to help families and children.

After earning her master’s degree in political science, Stinson’s career wasn’t panning out the way she pictured. After taking a step back to evaluate what she wanted, she decided attending law school would be the best next step.

With the advent of COVID-19 and the global rise of Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the Georgia State Law community spent the summer leading the way toward justice.

Allie Armbruster Bennett (J.D. ’20) climbed from the depths of addiction to graduate summa cum laude from the College of Law. With five years of sobriety under her belt, she’s more determined than ever to prove she was worth taking a chance on.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Print Email Reddit The Georgia State College of Law community is wide-reaching and we celebrate the accomplishments [...]

With just 12 weeks to prepare, students in the Immigration Clinic helped a woman who had been waiting for four and half years to get her green card.

While first waitlisted, Mckeel stayed persistent before getting accepted just days before orientation began. Now, she can’t imagine what her life would be like had she not attended the College of Law.

Adams is with her students for the year-long Lawyering Foundations course. Ultimately, the goal is to teach the students how to become better advocates, which includes learning how to write for your audience.

Now, in her first year of working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michelle Ellis wants to encourage current law students to never give up on their dreams.

At Georgia State Law, students have several opportunities to learn about international law while further developing their legal analytical skills.

As a dual-degree bachelor’s and J.D. student, Carissa Lavin found a diverse community in the College of Law and wants to pay it forward.

Georgia State Law hosted its first virtual Law Review Symposium with the theme “Prioritizing Prevention in Human Trafficking: Research, Innovation and Advocacy.” Susan Coppedge, former Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, was the keynote speaker.

The College of Law Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth received a grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation to research legal issues related to right-of-way land acquisition for highway projects crossing navigable waterways.

James Dean got involved with the Black Law Student Association during his first year as a member looking to help out any way he could. Now, as treasurer he continues to provide opportunities for other students.

While originally open to all kinds of law, she’s spent the past two years honing her skills in tax law, where she is in her fourth semester with the Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.

The College of Law offers students numerous hands-on learning opportunities and mentorship in a diverse learning environment.

Originally scheduled for March, the event was first postponed to October because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then eventually the decision was made to instead host it online.

Students in the Georgia State Law Legal Analytics Lab worked with the NAIC to assess state application of model consumer protection laws this summer.

Majoring in journalism during undergrad at the University of Georgia, her plan was always to make a career out of it, but her idea of what it meant to be a storyteller shifted when she took a course on public communications law.

Now in his third year at Georgia State Law, Espitia is getting hands on experience in this area by participating in the Immigration Clinic.

Peggy Walker retired in 2019 after 29 years on the bench. She continues her advocacy for Georgia children and families through policy work.

Varadarajan’s scholarship explores the balance between protecting creative output without dissuading follow-on creativity and innovation.

Professors Charlotte Alexander and Anne Tucker received funding from the NSF for their research into the use of computational methods and data science to improve legal transparency.

Georgia State Law is one of the top schools for public interest law in the country, and a myriad of funding opportunities offered through the Center for Access to Justice help students make the most of it.

One year out from graduating, Burnett is beginning as an associate at Parks, Chesin & Walbert, after completing a judicial clerkship with a federal judge in the Southern District of Georgia.

Georgia State Law graduate Ana Maria Martinez was inspired to become an attorney by her grandfather. Now, she’s giving back to the next generation through the Georgia Latino Law Foundation.

Georgia State Law health law students demonstrated resilience in responding to the challenges of the pandemic and seized the opportunity to work on COVID-19-related legal issues.

Jayla Grant wants to combine her interests in social justice and technology to eradicate the school-to-prison pipeline. She is set to be the first graduate of the J.D./M.S.D.A. dual degree program.

Kreis specializes in civil rights and constitutional law, where he’s been able to make an impact not only with his scholarship but also with public facing work.

Georgia State Law’s Center for Law, Health & Society hosted a virtual panel discussion to dive into the recent important cases impacting the LGBTQ community.

Georgia State Law faculty members have responded to the pandemic’s legal issues through policy development, research and advocacy.

Georgia State Law faculty reflect on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s visit to the College of Law as well as her impact on legal education and the nation.

All three off-campus clinics are dealing with new challenges this year working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of these challenges, students are continuing to gain valuable practice experience beyond the classroom.

After working as a public defender and civil rights attorney, Nirej Sekhon started researching constitutional regulation of American criminal justice practices.

While the world shifted toward remote work over the summer, Georgia State Law students built on their classroom experiences by participating in virtual externships.

Known for their capability to spark engaging debates and critical thinking, constitutional law courses at Georgia State College of Law are often a favorite of our students.

The law students’ project, “Standing with Our Neighbors: How Community Lawyering Can Break the Cycle of Children’s Health Disparities” was recognized with the “Break the Cycle” award.

Advocacy is at the core of Davynn Brown’s legal interests. Her long-term goal is to run a firm that helps small, minority-owned businesses startup and stay in motion.

Scott was instrumental in developing the College of Law to be the accredited school it is today. The health law program has been ranked in the top 10 in the country consistently over the past decade, currently sitting at the #2 program in the nation.

Mary Jo Schrade saw a need to give back to Georgia State Law amidst the pandemic and the rising visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement. She recently made a significant gift to provide tuition assistance to students.

Professor Anne Tucker joined an exclusive group of legal professionals recently when she was elected into the American Law Institute.

The Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth has published a new edition of its Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy in honor of Julian Juergensmeyer, who is retiring at the end of this semester.

The Center for Access to Justice hosted its annual Public Interest Keynote to inspire law students to pursue careers in public interest law and policy.

The idea for law school came to Shah as she was negotiating contracts with the landlord of a studio. Not only did she enjoy it, but she realized how much there was to it through her own research.

As CEO of Alvarez & Marsal’s tax practice, Georgia State Law graduate and Board of Visitors member, Ernesto “Ernie” Perez, strives to set his clients and employees up for success.

The goal of the Center for Professional Development is to help students navigate their legal careers, but the COVID-19 pandemic has the department pivoting to determine how best to teach these skills.

Georgia State Law’s reputation early on for training lawyers in a meaningful and practical way was what drew McEvoy to attend. He’s used that practical preparation to launch a successful career serving in the judicial, prosecutorial and private practice sectors.

Before joining the Georgia State Law faculty as part of the Lawyering: Foundations program, Byrd was the lead writer at her firm. She was winning cases without even walking into the courtroom, by drafting complex motions and appeals.

Initially, she figured she would become a criminal defense attorney. But as she got older, she started shifting her interest towards health law, which is also a field where she can make a large impact on people’s lives.

In this edition of the Georgia State Law class notes, judges are on the move and graduates are embarking on new adventures in the profession.

Georgia State University College of Law welcomes 256 new students—one of the largest incoming classes in recent years– and the most women in the college’s history.

As the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, Georgia State Law student Rahma Taha, is deeply invested in helping immigrants who are caught in a broken system.

Georgia State Law students will have the opportunity this fall to take a course on the career of entertainer and entrepreneur Kandi Burruss. The course will be taught by professor Mo Ivory as a part of the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative, which began in 2018 to prepare students for practice in Georgia’s growing entertainment industry.

Trey Barnett has spent most of his life strengthening his empathy muscle. This summer, he participated in a virtual clerkship Fulton County Public Defender’s Office and is ready to pound the pavement to help the people who are often left behind.

As one of the leading scholars on children’s rights issues, Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Law Jonathan Todres recently published a new book, The Oxford Handbook of Children’s Rights Law.

The mathematician turned lawyer joined the faculty in February 2020. His scholarship focuses in the areas of privacy, cybersecurity law and policy, and the ethics of technology and innovation.

Now, in his second year at the Georgia State College of Law, Cohen is soaking up every experience he can with the hopes of becoming a formidable district attorney.

Timothy Graves’ path to law school was anything but traditional. Graves (J.D. ’20) first attended art school, but quickly realized he preferred it to be a passion, rather than a career. Once he decided law school was the right next step, he said Georgia State Law was the obvious choice for where he would pursue his degree in Atlanta.

As assistant director of the Georgia State Law Center for Access to Justice, Darcy Meals believes that her job is to get law students out of the textbooks and into the community.

She’s heading into her final year at Georgia State Law, where Watkins has excelled not only in the classroom, but also as the president of the Black Law Students Association and a member of the Moot Court Competition Team.

Anna Foote (B.I.S. ’83) helps clients learn financial survival skills and get access to financial resources that are often lacking in communities of color.

Eight Georgia State Law students participated in virtual summer internships offered through the Georgia Latino Law Foundation.

Kelli Wolk (J.D. ’99) talks about how Georgia’s Probate Courts are adapting during COVID-19 and why she ranks Georgia State Law among her best life choices.

While the COVID-19 pandemic required many aspects of life to be shut down or put on hold, the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic has learned how to transform to continue representing its clients.

Brooke Silverthorn has been named co-director of the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic in the College of Law and assistant clinical professor.

Students and faculty in the Center for the Comparative Study for Metropolitan Growth contributed research to a new book from UN-Habitat, “Effectiveness of Planning Law in Land-Rich Developed Countries.”

This summer she’s working for Baker Hostetler and is hoping to continue after graduating. Outside of the classroom, she’s involved in several co-curriculars including Law Review, the Jewish Law Student Association and she serves on the board of Wellness in Law Society.

Professors Lauren Sudeall and Daniel Pasciuti are working with Georgia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice and a number of other organizations to track eviction proceedings in courts across the state in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic is becoming a model for how other in-house clinics at Georgia State College of Law will operate in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The clinic had already planned to offer the course in the summer semester before the pandemic hit. Instead of scaling back, it has been operating completely virtual.

The case, Norman v. Xytex, concerns whether a commercial sperm bank is subject to any form of liability for marketing and selling sperm with readily knowable undisclosed genetic abnormalities which cause genetic abnormalities in a fetus.

Eli Cohen (J.D. ’20) shares his journey of balancing life as a soldier, police officer, and now, attorney.

After finishing out his undergrad degree at Georgia State University, Theodore had his eyes set on Georgia State Law because he had grown to love Atlanta and the opportunities the city was filled with. Now, one year after graduation, he’s working as an Equal Opportunity Specialist for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Georgia State Law professors Charlotte Alexander and Anne Tucker co-authored an amicus brief filed in the Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org Inc. Supreme Court case. In the brief, they urged the court to keep legal codes with their corresponding annotations available to the public.

Sharnell Simon (J.D. ’19) says growing up, she was always witty with a lively personality, and people were quick to point out she would make a good lawyer. Increasingly noticing the need for change at a young age, while she originally wanted to be a teacher, she set eyes on her goal of becoming an attorney.

In Patrice Ruffin’s 15 years working as a city planner, she sat across from countless zoning attorneys. Now, she’s decided to pursue a career in law.

In his 36 years with the institution, Kaminshine has made an impact in both the classroom and the administration, teaching courses such as Civil Procedure, Labor Law and Employment Discrimination Law and serving as the dean of the College of Law from 2004 to 2017.

The Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic is paving the way for how clinics will interact with clients as social distancing is continually encouraged. On June 16th, the clinic hosted its first virtual IRS Pro Bono Day.

Hannah-Lynn Apicelli (J.D. ’19) has always been a champion for the underdog. At Georgia State Law, she worked in the Olmstead Disability Rights Clinic and Animal Legal Defense Fund. Now, as an associate at Shewmaker & Shewmaker, she is getting a full education on family, military, and criminal law.

The team composed of Georgia State Law students Brian Aton, Brittany Stocus and Kayla Watkins successfully convinced the judge to grant their client Supplemental Security Income benefits for her child.

After graduating from Georgia State Law in 2019, Ptacek now practices full time as an associate for Finch McCranie. In her six months of practice, she’s done her own depositions, mediations and settled several cases.

Mary Katherine Byrne has a passion for service and teamwork. Her ambitions are set toward the JAG Corps and eventually becoming the U.S. Secretary of Education.

A second-year student in the College of Law, Stacy Marie Psomiadis, a mother of six, has relied on her experience as a longtime nurse to balance her studies with work, her new role during the pandemic as a teacher to her children and preparations for a November wedding.

Tanya Washington Hicks has felt the impacts of the coronavirus first-hand. It will forever change the way she helps educate future generations of lawyers.

In this month’s class notes, two Georgia State Law graduates are appointed to the Superior Court, and Dawn Jones takes the helm of the State Bar of Georgia.

As Professor Mary Radford puts it, the College of Law was “just a toddler” when she joined the faculty in 1984. She’s survived many of the growing pains, and now, retiring after 36 years of dedication to the institution she watched grow, she finally has the chance to look back and reflect on her time.

Steven Kaminshine, Mary Radford, Charity Scott, Doug Yarn and Julian Juergensmeyer are all retiring in 2020. Together, the professors have contributed more than 150 years of service to the College of Law.

For the first time, the College of Law held its annual Swearing-In Ceremony virtually on June 5. Hosted in an online meeting, 22 Georgia State Law graduates who passed the State Bar’s February exam were sworn into the Georgia Superior Court.

Jarvarus Gresham shares experiences from his first year of practice at Baker Hostetler and reflects on his time at the College of Law.

As the associate dean for library and information services in the College of Law and a clinical professor of law, Kris Niedringhaus encourages students to explore legal technology.

Georgia State University College of Law has the highest bar passage rate in Georgia based on results for the February 2020 exam. The College of Law’s rate was 88.9 percent for first-time test takers and 84.2 percent overall.

From law student to professor, Leila Lawlor shares how the LLM program allows her to see students’ dreams come back to life and why she loves the College of Law.

As Brewer explains, tax is a giant puzzle that permeates every area of the law. Whether it’s divorce, selling a house, starting a business or non-profit, etc., tax is implicated. If tax law merely was about “doing the math,” there would be no need for tax lawyers.

Morrison says the exploration in her scholarship over the past 11 years at Georgia State Law has allowed her to learn and grow, but it’s her students and colleagues that she most enjoys.

After a career in entertainment law and radio, professor Mo Ivory shares her contract negotiation and intellectual property law skills with the next generation of entertainment attorneys.

Georgia State College of Law held a virtual celebration to acknowledge the class of 2020 featuring photos, videos and well wishes.

Ryan Malone (J.D. ’20) realized pursuing a career in law was the right path for him after thriving on the debate team at the University of Texas. While Malone studied English and Philosophy during undergrad, he was drawn to Georgia State for the Center for Law, Health & Society. The college being in an urban setting with tons of opportunity and staying in the south checked Malone’s other boxes, and made Georgia State Law the clear choice for him.

Professors Natsu Saito and Tanya Washington reflect on how classroom conversations have and have not changed after 25 years of teaching Race, Ethnicity and the Law.

It’s no surprise that after practicing law for a couple years, Spencer established the Arden Group in 1989, a fully integrated real estate company focusing on acquiring, developing and managing high quality real estate assets throughout the U.S.

After working in human resources for more than a decade, Georgia State Law alumna and Board of Visitors member Lisa “Lee” Schreter decided to go to law school and pursue a new career.

Segall is now going on 29 years at Georgia State Law, where he is yet to take one semester off. In addition to teaching federal courts and constitutional law, he has also authored two books, Supreme Myths: Why the Supreme Court is not a Court and the Justices are not Judges and Originalism as Faith.

Faculty and students in the Center for Access to Justice engage with housing justice issues through research, pro bono work and the annual State of the South Conference.

As student director of the Pro Bono Program at Georgia State Law, Alex Estroff’s passion for service started early. Now, he encourages everyone to give back.

Courtney Anderson, associate professor in the College of Law, studies the intersection of health equity and the law.

Hansinger says with their power, a prosecutor can ensure that justice is served and fair punishments are handed out, but also can be progressive in their approach and advocate for social change.

Imagine being able to produce a child with your favorite movie star using the DNA from a strand of hair or flake of skin. What sounds like the plot to a sci-fi thriller is actually not that far from reality.

Curcio’s scholarship stretches from critiquing the bar exam as a measure of competence in lawyers, to gender equity issues, and campus sexual assault. While these topics may appear distinct, Curcio does find a common denominator amongst them.

Not forgetting where he started is important for Najjar, which is why he’s remained so involved with Georgia State Law. Along with serving on the Board of Visitors, Najjar also endows a scholarship that a first-year law student receives every year.

Growing up during the Civil Rights Movement inspired Professor Bill Edmundson to pursue a career in law. In his class ‘What is Justice,’ he teaches students the principles of social contract theory.

Georgia State Law opened a new Immigration Clinic in spring 2020 in order to address the state’s growing need for immigration attorneys and judges. Students in the clinic work with clients who are facing deportation.

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. In recent years, Georgia State Law alums with experience in the Tax Clinic have become top choice recruits.

Beginning law school is a tough adjustment for most, and Lamarr was not exempt. But he’s not one to back down from following his dreams, even when it doesn’t go according to plan.

Georgia State Law professor Corneill Stephens keeps students on their toes in the classroom in order to prepare them for the courtroom.

Growing up, Georgia State professor of law Russell D. Covey never pictured himself becoming a lawyer. The idea only occurred to him while attending graduate school studying political philosophy at Princeton University. Political philosophy can get pretty esoteric, and Covey was on the hunt for a career that would be filled with practical as well as engaging work.

Steve Dickson talks about how his Georgia State Law education prepared him for his new role as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

The College of Law has added two new experiential courses designed to give students a closer look at two highly-specialized legal areas: Mental Health & Criminal Law Practicum and Legal Technology Competencies & Operations.

After sleeping in his car on a Chicago winter evening, Glenn Wells enlisted in the Marines and decided to change his life.

College of Law class notes include an appointment to the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Atlanta Magazine 500 list, new partnerships and more.

Every spring, Georgia State College of Law hosts an Honors Day Program to celebrate student accomplishments. Due to the Coronavirus, the College of Law held a virtual Honors Week by recognizing outstanding students on Facebook and Instagram.

Georgia State Law graduate Bill Grob gives back by serving on the Board of Visitors while co-chairing the Sports and Entertainment Practice Group at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Georgia State Law graduates share how taking coursed offered through the Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative helped them find unexpected careers.

Ted Afield, director of the Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic and Georgia State associate professor of law is hoping to bring his unique viewpoint to IRSAC. Afield began a three-year term on the council in January.

Since starting at Georgia State in 2012, Anderson has developed a course in law, health and equity, and also teaches real estate transactions and property. She said an advantage to being in Atlanta is having students that care about their community and want to remain attached to it.

Professor Tameka Lester, associate director of the Tax Clinic, gives back to the community and trains law students to help real clients reconcile their accounts with the IRS.

Heled wants to ensure that the law reflects a balance between innovation and patient access to these new pharmaceuticals. However, biologics also cost significantly more to develop and manufacture than traditional drugs, and thus cost significantly more for patients needing these advanced therapies.

Georgia State University College of Law alumnus Robert Rohr (J.D. ’90) recently joined the Sun Life Family Health Center as the director of human resources and corporate compliance.

Georgia State Law professor Anne Tucker expands the bounds of legal analytics by using computer analysis to assess whether mutual funds are working for you.

In her latest book, Georgia State Law professor Natsu Saito unpacks the 17th century colonial attitudes that are undergirding race relations in America today.

Georgia State Law Review is hosting its annual symposium; this year’s topic is “Prioritizing Prevention in Human Trafficking Research, Innovation and Advocacy.” Susan Coppedge, who served as the Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons under President Barack Obama, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Scott says student well-being should to be an institutional priority. She is working to make that commitment to the students with her new course, The Reflective Lawyer.

The clinic and IRS jointly invite Georgia residents with upcoming court dates for federal tax disputes to the College of Law. The event allows them access to free legal representation from the clinic and an opportunity to discuss their case with IRS attorneys.

College of Law students, faculty and alumni were in attendance for the 65th Henry J. Miller Distinguished Lecture held in the ceremonial courtroom Thursday, March 5.

Georgia State Regents’ Professor and Bobby Lee Cook Professor of Law Paul Lombardo is known across the globe for his work on the legal history of the American eugenics movement, but what’s now the focal point of his career actually came about by accident.

Georgia State Law research centers collaborate on micromobility research with a focus on the pervasiveness of e-scooters in Atlanta.

Lester and Yaun educate the volunteers on basic components of the tax return such as filing status and what to look for to make sure the people actually qualify for different credits. More recently, Lester has also created an advanced training program to help volunteers address more complicated tax scenarios such as self-employment.

Will Miller joined the Immigration Clinic faculty this spring. He talks about what it is like to practice immigration law and what he hopes to achieve at Georgia State.

Kendall Kerew has been leading the externship program at Georgia State Law for the past decade. She says that she has a passion for clinical legal education, which is rooted in the unique way that it blends student learning of the profession’s knowledge, skills, and values through hands-on experiences.

Amid the continuing opioid epidemic in the United States, a new report on opioid prescribing from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine claims guidance for treating acute pain is lacking, which could play a factor in the crisis.

The Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth hosted a lunchtime lecture with Brazilian professor Romulo Sampaio.

The opportunity to do clinical work played a big factor in her decision to attend Georgia State Law. At the time, she never imagined practicing law. Instead, she saw herself as a researcher. After two semesters in the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic, her desired career path had changed.

Georgia State University’s College of Law has partnered with the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation to offer a prestigious public policy fellowship to law students with an interest in public service.

Racquel McGee came to Georgia State Law after working as a psychologist in the penal system and public defender’s office. Now, in her final semester of law school, she shares her path from family law to entertainment law.

An increase in donor generosity is helping more students at Georgia State Law get the most out of their education. This year, 183 students are scholarship recipients, the greatest number the college has ever seen.

As a fourth generation educator, Georgia State Law professor Tanya Washington wants to encourage all of her students to change the world.

The Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic allows law students to work on health-related legal cases, representing families of children with disabilities, most often fighting for supplemental security income. While the clinic usually has one or two hearings to prepare for, in the fall of 2019, there were five.

Georgia State Law professor Jonathan Todres and Dr. Angela Diaz spoke about their new book, which looks into how sex and labor trafficking can be prevented using public health methods.

Georgia State health law student Ngan Nguyen shares her family’s immigration story from Vietnam and talks about going from pre-med to pursuing a legal career.

On Jan. 16, Georgia State Law alumni and students gathered to celebrate a 26-year partnership with the Atlanta Law School Foundation. They have provided $3.7 million in support to the College of Law since 1994.

Veronica Macias talks about her journey from working in her parents’ Mexican restaurant to giving back to her community as president of the Latinx & Caribbean Law Students Association.

Associate professor Erin Fuse Brown has been named the director of the Center for Law, Health & Society at Georgia State College of Law effective January 1. She follows Leslie Wolf, who was appointed interim dean of the law school last summer.

The Center for Access to Justice has announced five Alternative Spring Break opportunities for Georgia State Law students in 2020.

In the new book, “Preventing Child Trafficking,” College of Law professor Jonathan Todres and Dr. Angela Diaz, director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, recommend a using public health approach to end trafficking. 

Experts from around the globe gathered at the College of Law on Dec.10 for the annual meeting of the Academy of Food Law & Policy. The Center for Law, Health & Society hosted the event, where scholars discussed pressing issues ranging from reducing obesity to the future of beef.

The Georgia State Law LL.M. program helped Robert Moses return to environmental law after moving to the U.S. from Australia. As an assistant attorney for the City of Atlanta, he provides legal counsel for the Department of Watershed Management and Atlanta City Council.

From pre-med to post-grad, Jasmine Becerra plans to use her education in health law to make healthcare accessible to everyone.

A new course in the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Certificate program focusing on rapper Ludacris gives students an inside look at key contracts in the Atlanta rapper’s career.

David A. Martin, Warner-Booker Distinguished Professor of International Law Emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Law, delivered the 64th annual Henry J. Miller Distinguished Lecture in the College of Law on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the ceremonial courtroom.

Georgia State Law swore in 99 graduates to various state courts on Nov. 15. Held in the college’s ceremonial courtroom, family and friends gathered to see graduates take oaths for the State Superior Court, Court of Appeals and/or Supreme Court.

Register for the Center for Access to Justice’s State of the South Conference, Feb. 20-21. The focus of this year’s conference is housing justice.

Law professor Clark Cunningham is using linguistic analysis to shed light on the original meaning of America’s founding documents.

Law student Sierra Lawrence wants to use her competitive drive to ensure that everyone has access to legal representation.

Georgia State Law interim dean, Leslie Wolf, discusses her path to academia and her plans to expand the school’s reputation for diversity, value and innovation.

Entertainer and entrepreneur Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, and Tom Luse, former executive producer of “The Walking Dead,” will participate in a full-day master class Nov. 16 presented by the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative and the Creative Media Industries Institute.

Georgia State Center for Law, Health & Society hosted a lecture with professor Timothy D. Lytton about his book “Outbreak: Foodborne Illness and the Struggle for Food Safety” on October 30, 2019.

Georgia State Law graduate Abby Howd shares her passion for helping the wrongfully convicted and how her theater degree made her a better litigator.

John T. Marshall discusses working in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina, building resilient cities and teaching students to consider the environment first.

Georgia State College of Law is No. 2 in bar passage for the July 2019 exam, with an overall bar passage rate of 84.8 percent — the state average is 65.8 percent.

In his new book, law professor Timothy Lytton examines the history and complex workings of the country’s food safety system.

College of Law graduate, Paul Panusky, uses his experience as an ASL interpreter to bridge the gap between the Deaf community and the legal system.

Eugene Butler grew up in South Georgia and chose to attend Georgia State for his bachelor’s and law degrees. Now, he wants to use the law to serve underprivileged youth.

Georgia State Law hosted the LatCrit Biennial Conference, featuring scholars from across the country discussing how marginalized people experience the law.

Georgia State Law alumna Catherine Henson uses her legal experience to advocate for educational equity and give back her alma mater. In the College of Law, she serves on the board of visitors, named the atrium, and endowed a professorship and scholarship.

Linguists and attorneys collaborate on young scholars’ papers at Law & Linguistics Workshop hosted by professor Clark Cunningham at Georgia State Law.

Kinda Abdus-Saboor, a lecturer and externship supervisor in the College of Law, talks about helping young attorneys develop cultural awareness and her passion for juvenile justice.

College of Law alumnus Mawuli Davis on fighting for justice, giving back and why he stays connected to Georgia State Law.

The College of Law is ranked No. 7 overall Best Value in preLaw Magazine, and received accolades for its business law, tax law and trial and advocacy programs.

Recent College of Law graduate Furhawn Shah wants to use his law degree to help domestic violence victims and make his mom proud.

The Georgia State Law community includes successful alumni from around the world. Look at what our graduates have been up to in our digital class notes.

2019-2020 Georgia State University Law Review editors Kassi Conley and Parth Matalia discuss why law reviews still matter and tackling human trafficking.

Jason Fletcher’s work as a state trooper inspired him to transfer his law enforcement experience from the streets to the courtroom.

Faculty in Georgia State Law’s Center for Law, Health & Society have been awarded a grant to develop an undergraduate diversity in bioethics course. Students in the Honors College can enroll in spring 2020.

The Georgia State Law chapters of The Order of the Coif and The Order of Barristers inducted 27 students and two honorary alumni this week.

Alexis Martinez joined the Georgia State Law leadership team last year. She is making it her mission to help students make the most of their law degree.

Attorneys Carolina Antonini (J.D. ’89) and Martin Rosenbluth came to Georgia State Law to discuss the state of immigration law in Georgia and the college’s new clinic.

PreLaw Magazine featured Georgia State Law in the 2019 Back To School issue for excellence in employment outcomes and health law.

The College of Law marked Constitution Day with a debate about Originalism vs Living Constitutionalism, and whether judges should be bound to, or persuaded by, history.

Dan Johnson (J.D. ’19) was determined to change his life after working in the restaurant industry. He came to Georgia State Law and fell in love with data privacy law.

Brooke Silverthorn wants to help professionals in the M.J. program expand their career possibilities and discover their passions.

College of Law professor, Erin Fuse Brown, received a grant to study policy and regulation of air ambulance bills in order to protect consumers.

Meagan Chinnis decided to pursue a career in law after losing a close friend to violent crime. Here, she talks about finding her place and the pursuit of justice.

Georgia State Law student Lina Machado Bejarano shares her journey of leaving Colombia, seeking asylum in America and preparing to graduate from law school.

Georgia State Law alumnus Gregory Fosheim (J.D. ’14) combines his experience as a microbiologist and passion for health law to help underserved communities.

Three law students from the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic won a court victory for a child with a disability this spring.

Professor Jonathan Todres, whose research areas of expertise include children’s rights and human trafficking, was one of three faculty members awarded the title of Distinguished University Professor this year.

Susan Navarro Smelcer joins the Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative after starting her career in antitrust law. Here, she talks about her journey to teaching and why there’s no getting around big data.

Mawuli Davis (J.D. ’02) Davis delivered the Public Interest Keynote through the Center for Access to Justice. Davis encouraged students to find what they’re dedicated to and build a career in public interest law.

The Center for Law, Health & Society at Georgia State University College of Law and Atlanta Legal Aid Society hosted the “Olmstead at Twenty: The Past and Future of Community Integration” symposium on August 8 and 9.