In addition to providing first-rate legal training for its students, the University of Georgia School of Law is instilling in them the need to serve. The service comes in a variety of forms, and the benefits and communities served are just as diverse.
 
A record-breaking 36 law students will begin a summer of service in Georgia, Washington, D.C., New York City and locations around the U.S. and the world. Work placements include nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations; local, state and federal government agencies; state and federal prosecutor’s offices; and criminal defense practices, both trial and appellate. Five positions have an international focus.
 
Resources supporting School of Law students in their public interest endeavors this year also reached a high point—$68,000, an increase of $15,000 from 2016. The funding comes from a partnership with the Justice John Paul Stevens Fellowship Foundation and the school’s Melburne D. and Jacqueline K. McLendon Endowment and the Edward D. and Carol J. Spurgeon Public Service Fellowship Fund as well as the Dean Rusk International Law Center Global Externship Overseas and student-run Equal Justice Foundation resources.
 
“This record number of student placements and financial support for public interest fellowships exemplifies our law school’s and our students’ strong commitment to public service,” School of Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge said. “Our students are eager for opportunities to serve, and I am very pleased the school was able to count on alumni and alumnae and external funding sources to make our students’ dreams of contributing to state and society possible this summer.”
 
Below are the recipients of 2017 public interest summer fellowships. Each student’s anticipated year of graduation is indicated in parentheses.
 
Justice John Paul Stevens Fellowships

Recognizes students for their commitment to public service and potential for excellence.

Dana M. Leader (2018), American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, Washington, D.C.

Gilbert O. Oladeinbo (2019), New Jersey Institute of Social Justice, Newark, New Jersey
 
Melburne D. and Jacqueline K. McLendon Fellowships

Provides funds for practical legal education and training in civil and criminal law.

Jarrell Bogan (2018), Western Circuit Public Defender, Athens

Austin Cohen (2019), Georgia Capital Defender, Atlanta

Rachel N. Goldberg (2018), Atlanta Legal Aid Society & U.S. Court of Appeals for 11th Circuit Judge Jill A. Pryor, Atlanta

Ted Huggins (2019), Fulton County District Attorney, Atlanta

Vesselina Kotzeva (2019), DeKalb Juvenile Public Defender, Atlanta

Deborah Nogueira-Yates (2018), Northern Circuit District Attorney, Danielsville

Lyddy O’Brien (2019), No Peace Without Justice, Brussels, Belgium
 
Edward D. and Carol J. Spurgeon Public Service Fellowship

Supports a rising second- or third-year law student who has demonstrated a commitment to public service.

Sarah A. Mirza (2019), Project South, Atlanta
 
Dean Rusk International Law Center Global Externship Overseas

Provides students with funds to travel to international placements for global practice preparation.

Lauren Brown (2019), War Child, Amsterdam

Rebecca “Becca” Wackym (2019), Legal Unit of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, Israel
 
Equal Justice Foundation Fellowships

Provides stipends to support summer public interest law placements (funded by an annual auction conducted by the UGA law student organization).
 
Michael L. Baker (2018), Atlanta City Attorney, Atlanta

Kody Brown (2018), Hall County Public Defender, Gainesville

Chanel O. Chauvet (2018), CARE USA, Atlanta

Jennifer Cotton (2019), Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack & Human Rights Watch, New York City

Robert Daily (2019), U.S. Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C.

Brooke Dumont (2019), Western Circuit Public Defender, Athens

Vesela Eminovska (2019), Georgia Department of Community Health, Atlanta

Chase C. Graham (2018), Cobb County District Attorney, Marietta

Madison Hahn (2019), Blue Ridge District Attorney, Canton

Randall Hurston (2019), Georgia Capital Defender, Atlanta

Conor Kruger (2019), Cook County State’s Attorney, Chicago, Illinois

Jamie McDowell (2018), Fulton County Solicitor’s Office, Atlanta

Shawn E. McKenzie (2018), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlanta

Molly A. Munson (2018), U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee Program, Atlanta

Amanda Payne (2019), New York Attorney General, New York City, New York

Claire H. Provano (2018), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlanta

Robert “Cap” Russell IV (2019), Brunswick Circuit District Attorney, Brunswick

Taylor Samuels (2019), State’s Attorney of West Palm Beach, Florida

Jamila A. Toussaint (2018), Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C.

Alina L. Venick (2018), Georgia Legal Services Program, Gainesville

Nicholas “Nick” Vretakis (2018), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.

William H. “Liam” Ware (2018), St. Louis County Prosecutor, St. Louis, Missouri

John “Jack” Van Why (2019), U.S. Attorney’s Office, Atlanta

Yun Jung Yang (2018), Office of Public Advocacy, Anchorage, Alaska