The University of Georgia School of Law will host the 13th Annual Working in the Public Interest Law Conference February 17 in the Larry Walker Room of Dean Rusk Hall starting at 8:30 a.m. This year’s conference will focus on the intersection of poverty, criminal justice and community.

The event will include three plenary sessions examining the history of forcible removal of children, reforming cash bail bonds, and connecting children and incarcerated parents, in addition to a keynote lecture and three afternoon breakout sessions. These afternoon discussions will focus on advocating for housing and the homeless, advocating for parental rights and advocating against pre-trial incarceration.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Thomas C. “Tom” Rawlings, the director of Georgia’s Office of the Child Advocate. Rawlings is a 1992 graduate of the School of Law.

Conference panelists will include representatives from groups such as the Southern Center for Human Rights, Foreverfamily, Mission First Legal Aid and the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless, as well as jurists, academics, attorneys and social workers.

“I am very excited about this year’s conference and the wide-ranging topics to be discussed by leaders from so many fields,” said second-year law student and conference organizer Dana M. Leader. “Our goal for this event is to provide a more holistic, contextual approach to systemic problems within our community.”

Working in the Public Interest students are working in collaboration with the School of Social Work for this year’s conference, which is free for members of the UGA community. Registration is required, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. For attorneys, 4 regular continuing legal education credits or 3 regular CLE credits with 1 hour of trial advocacy credit are available at a cost of $100. Social workers may register for 4 hours of CLE credit for a cost of $50. The fee for all other entrants is $25.