IMPACT PROFILES
CHESTER C. DAVENPORT ROTUNDA
In August of 2021, the School of Law named its iconic rotunda after its first Black graduate, Chester C. Davenport. Davenport, who passed away in August 2020, was a monumental figure in the School of Law’s history. Since his passing, Davenport was memorialized with the establishment of the Chester C. Davenport Memorial Endowment which was created to further Davenport’s legacy with scholarships and fellowships that give priority to students who have graduated from Georgia-based historically Black colleges and universities. To celebrate his life and many contributions to the law school community, generous donors commissioned a portrait of Davenport that was unveiled and now hangs in the school’s main entryway.
Dozens of former students and colleagues established the Thomas A. Eaton Scholarship Fund, benefiting law students who have overcome significant adversity and who show great promise making substantial contributions to the public good and the legal profession. The fund honors Eaton, Hosch Professor of Law Emeritus, who taught at the School of Law from 1979 to 2018. Eaton received the prestigious Distinguished Service Scroll Award this past April in commemoration of his dedication and service to the School of Law.
The Veterans Legal Clinic, which was established in 2018, has already helped approximately 430 veterans and their family members claim more than $1.5 million in additional benefits since opening its door. This impact is expected to grow exponentially with the expansion of services for Georgia military veterans and their families later this year. Thanks to additional financial support from renowned Georgia trial lawyer James E. “Jim” Butler Jr. (J.D. ’77) and an anonymous donor, the Athens-based clinic will soon be able to offer a virtual outreach program for Georgia veterans statewide, psychological and medical evaluations to determine the existence of invisible injuries sustained during military service, and self-advocacy webinars that will educate and empower former military members.
For nearly 30 years, Gregory L. “Greg” Roseboro (J.D. ’87) has been one of the most public-facing individuals representing the School of Law due to his role of recruiting the best and the brightest to study law in Athens. Over the years, the School of Law has benefitted from Roseboro’s unique perspective as he has been a student, an alumnus, an administrator and a faculty member. In appreciation of Roseboro’s commitment and dedication, several of his former students and colleagues came together to create a scholarship that will carry his name. To learn more, please contact the Office of Law School Advancement at (706) 542-7959 or email lawgifts@uga.edu.
Summer public interest fellowships provide important hands-on learning opportunities for law students. Funding of these fellowships has significantly grown over the last five years, resulting in a 450% increase in support. Thanks to the Bool Simkins Summer Fellowship, established by married 2010 graduates Kevin P. Murphy and Elizabeth A. Murphy, second-year student Emily M. “Millie” Price worked for the Eastern District of Virginia Office of the Federal Public Defender over the summer. The Bool Simkins Summer Fellowship is currently the school’s largest annual public interest grant.
More than 97% of the Class of 2021 has secured full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage or where a J.D. provides an advantage. These High Value placements include many sectors – private practice, judicial clerkships, business and industry, education, government and public interest – and these recent graduates are working in 26 states and abroad. This accomplishment is in large part due to the Career Development Office, led by Assistant Dean Tony Waller (J.D. ’93) who is presently serving as president-elect of the National Association for Law Placement. Tony and his team work tirelessly to meet with every student individually, provide useful programming and assist employers and students with finding the right opportunities.