UGA School of Law to host sixth annual public interest law conference

Writer: Cindy H. Rice, 706/542-5172, cindyh@uga.edu Contact: Monika M. Dobbs, 706/542-5172, mdobbs@uga.edu Athens, Ga. – Health care reform and immigration laws will be among the many topics explored at the University of Georgia School of Law’s sixth annual Working in the Public Interest Law Conference, to be held April 1 – 2 in Athens. The conference will get underway with a celebration on April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Melting Point in downtown Athens, featuring a keynote address by Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s Steve Gottlieb. Panels and roundtable discussions will be held April 2 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the School of Law. Up to seven hours of Continuing Legal Education credits are available for attorneys. The Saturday morning plenary will focus on the current backlog of judicial nominations in the U.S. Senate, with policy experts addressing the scope of the problem, solutions and potential roadblocks to change. Other topics to be discussed that day include the impact of the new heath care legislation, the regulation of illegal immigrant hiring, criminal defense attorneys and immigration laws, video games’ potential affects on childhood violence, discrimination against the elderly, and improving postsecondary school success. “WIPI seeks to bring together practitioners, students and faculty to discuss practical approaches to lawyering which can promote social justice and human rights for all,” third-year law student and conference co-organizer Monika M. Dobbs said. “Our goal is to highlight dynamic and creative ways to combat social injustice through the law as well as to better equip and support those who are working in this challenging arena.” Adding its support will be the law school’s Equal Justice Foundation with its 26th annual live and silent auction, which will be a part of the conference’s opening ceremony on Friday. Proceeds from the auction will go toward EJF summer fellowships, which help support Georgia Law students working in public interest positions. All Friday night activities are free and open to the public. Saturday is free for UGA students and faculty members, with a slight fee applying to other attendees. For more information on the conference or to register, see www.law.uga.edu/wipi. For more information on the EJF Auction, see www.law.uga.edu/ejf