The start of a new academic year is a time of great joy, as our new 2Ls and 3Ls return to campus and we welcome a fresh cohort of eager 1Ls. Inevitably, each August brings back memories of my own 1L year. Although the first year of law school remains in many ways the same, there are changes and opportunities ahead for us in legal education. I want to share the School of Law’s direction in three key areas.

Usha R. Rodrigues, Dean, University Professor & M.E. Kilpatrick Chair of Corporate Finance and Securities Law

First, artificial intelligence poses a challenge not just for legal education but for the entire practice of law. The School of Law is implementing a multilayered strategy to guide our efforts to train graduates who can navigate cutting-edge technology and – as importantly – continue to possess those basic critical thinking skills that have always been essential to successful lawyering. We call this an “analog meets digital” approach that emphasizes analytical thinking as much as technological fluency. Associate Professor Christian Turner chairs a faculty task force leading this initiative, and two of our new faculty hires will teach in the areas of AI law and policy, data privacy, law and technology, and AI and ethics.

Second, changes to the Georgia bar exam administration coming in 2028 offer another example of challenge and change. For the first time in roughly 30 years, our students will be able to sit for the Georgia bar before graduation from law school. The school is exploring a variety of curricular options for students who take the February bar during the final semester of their third year, particularly for those final months after they sit for the bar. Separately, the state of Georgia is changing bar exam formats, moving to the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination with a Georgia-specific component starting with the July 2028 sitting.

Third, we are excited to launch a Sports Law Program. At the heart of this new effort is a Master in the Study of Law with a Sports Emphasis. This one-year graduate program will provide aspiring sports agents with the legal foundation they need to be successful, in addition to giving them a technical understanding of Name, Image and Likeness, as well as National Football League and National Basketball Association agency. We are confident our J.D. and M.S.L. students alike will benefit from our new focus on sports law, as well as from our enhanced course offerings.

Beyond these three challenges and changes, we have much to celebrate. In this issue of the Advocate, you will learn about some of the more notable national recognitions and honors the school’s distinguished faculty have earned in addition to our new hires. We proudly showcase the incredibly impactful work of the school’s 17 clinics and externships. You will also find tributes to Clinical Professor Emeritus Alex Scherr and Director of Advocacy Emerita Kellie Casey (J.D.’90), both of whom recently retired after decades of dedicated service to our school and our students.

Your law school continues to redefine what it means to be a great national public law school by matching excellence with access. Several key rankings and statistics prove our strength: #26 law school, #6 Ultimate Bar Passage Rate, 96.5% full credit employment outcomes, and #9 for federal judicial clerkships, moot court and mock trial. Perhaps even more important, we remain one of the best returns on investment in legal education by offering the lowest tuition among the nation’s Top-30 law schools.

The long-term growth and success of UGA Law rely on the work of many. I am grateful for the support of the UGA administration, led by President Jere Morehead (J.D.’80), and for the advice and counsel of our three alumni boards. I also lead a team of five talented associate and assistant deans. I am pleased to share that Wilson Associate Professor Laura Phillips-Sawyer will serve as our new associate dean for academic affairs. She follows Martin Chair Andrea Dennis, who will return to the faculty after holding this leadership position for two years and before that serving as associate dean for faculty development for four years.

I want you to know I appreciate your ongoing support of the School of Law’s vision. Together, we are preparing the next generation of legal leaders to succeed and thrive in their chosen professions.

Thank you for all you do, and Go Dawgs!