Public Interest News
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Aisha McWeay ’09, executive director of Still She Rises Tulsa, featured in Essence Q&A
McWeay was named executive director of Still She Rises Tulsa, an initiative of the Bronx Defenders that represents mothers in the criminal justice system, in January. Essence magazine published this interview with McWeay March 19. Read MoreApr. 9, 2019
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Pro Bono Spring Break students advocate for immigrants held in an ICE detention center
George Barrett Social Justice Fellow Lynn Stopher ’18 and a team of five VLS students traveled to Ocilla, Georgia, to meet with immigrant detainees to support the work of the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Read MoreApr. 3, 2019
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2019 Government and Public Interest Day
24 government organizations and legal nonprofits come to VLS to discuss public service employment opportunities. Read MoreJan. 23, 2019
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VLS alum and students partner with Vanderbilt Medical team to support Medical/Legal Partnership
Retired trial lawyer Kent Halkett ’81 supports student volunteers providing pro bono legal support to low-income patients of the Shade Tree Clinic, through which students at Vanderbilt Medical School provide free care for uninsured patients. Read MoreJan. 21, 2019
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VLS students join pro bono legal team to help low-income victims of massive fraud scheme
Students support Social Security Disability Appeals of low-income Kentuckians whose benefits were revoked after their lawyer was convicted of fraud. Read MoreJan. 11, 2019
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Adrienne Kittos ’09 honored as Tennessee Bar Association’s Ashley Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year
Kittos was legal director of Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, which provides low-cost legal services to immigrants, for nine years. Read MoreJan. 10, 2019
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Angie Bergman ’13 honored as Tennessee Bar Association’s Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year
Bergman is an associate with Bass Berry & Sims in Nashville. She was honored for her pro bono representation of a client accused of murder. Read MoreJan. 10, 2019
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Gautam Hans launches First Amendment Clinic at VLS
Funded through a grant from The Stanton Foundation, the clinic will give students opportunities to development and use legal strategies while working on cases addressing First Amendment rights. Read MoreNov. 7, 2018
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Public Interest Law conference addresses reform prosecutors, bail reform, access to justice and economic justice
Conference hosted by the George Barrett Social Justice Program features 20 leading advocates and scholars in the areas of immigration law, criminal procedure and economic justice. Read MoreNov. 6, 2018
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Randy Hiroshige ’20 J.D./M.T.S.
Randy Hiroshige’s undergraduate courses in ethics and philosophy led him to consider a career in law. “During college, I started to see how structures propagate injustice and developed an ethical commitment to helping those ground down by legal structures,” he said. His desire to pursue graduate degrees in both law… Read MoreOct. 16, 2018