Welcome to the University of Arkansas School of Law blog, #UARKLaw Insights. In this space, we will bring you news about the school’s activities and events,
student successes, the admissions process, and news on teaching research, and service.
Through public interest practice, lawyers can provide access to the legal system to
those facing barriers, pursue individual justice for clients in need, and achieve
structural changes that positively impact communities— and even society as a whole.
In this guide, you’ll discover how to get involved with public service and public
interest law opportunities during and after law school.
Pro bono work comes in many shapes and sizes. In the 2019-2020 school year alone,
University of Arkansas School of Law students provided over 1,800 hours of free services
to a large and diverse swath of community organizations. After engaging with their
communities, it’s little surprise many of the students develop a lifelong passion
for pro bono work.
by Dean Margaret Sova McCabe
A message sent by Dean Margaret Sova McCabe to University of Arkansas School of Law
students in response to the January 6th events on Capitol Hill.
by Angie Doss
The Externship Program at the University of Arkansas School of Law provides valuable
experiences that allow selected second- and third-year law students to work alongside
and learn from attorneys on different career paths.
by Dean Margaret Sova McCabe
What does it mean to be a “Best Value” law school? First and foremost, it is a ranking
devised by preLaw magazine to measure important attributes of law schools that the publication has
identified as allowing students to graduate, pass the bar, and get a bar required
position, and to do so while incurring as little debt as possible.
by Admissions Office
And in the blink of an eye, it’s September. The excitement of August is still fresh,
but fall is right around the corner. And you know what fall brings... a new application
cycle for future University of Arkansas law students! If you’re hoping to join our
1L class one year from now, this post should help answer some of your questions about
our Fall 2021 application process.
by Annie Smith
Human traffickers are experts at exploiting vulnerabilities. Some seek out youth alienated
from their families and in need of housing, food, or community. Others target migrants
facing intense economic pressure to support themselves and others. The COVID-19 pandemic
has multiplied human traffickers’ opportunities for exploitation and exponentially
increased those most vulnerable to trafficking.
by Beth Zilberman
In a long-awaited decision last week, the Supreme Court blocked the Department of
Homeland Security’s 2017 ending of the DACA program. Though DACA remains for now,
the Court’s ruling was based on how the agency ended the program, leaving the door
wide open for future attempts to terminate the program. To comply with the decision,
the agency now must also consider the new challenges COVID-19 has raised.
by Sara Gosman
Much of the current policy debate regarding COVID-19 has focused on the asserted tradeoff
between protecting public health and ensuring a thriving economy. Some have argued
that less stringent public health measures are necessary to avoid damage to the economy.
But focusing on the economy only increases risks to the most vulnerable even as the
nation fails to constrain the true source of the economic meltdown—the pandemic.
by Howard Brill
Last week, I virtually met with our new first-year students, the Class of 2023. We
had a great discussion about the rule of law, the Arkansas court system, and law school
expectations. Because several students asked about preparing for law school, here
are my tips for the summer.
by Terri Dill Chadick
When I help students decide what they might want to do with their law degree when
they graduate, I think in terms of six buckets of jobs.
by Dean Margaret Sova McCabe
Many students – undergraduate and graduate alike – are thinking about how campuses
will look in the fall of 2020. From freshmen to first year law students, there’s a
legitimate concern about the continuation of remote learning and the transition to
new learning environments. This raises an important question: Why should students
start law school during a pandemic?
by Dean Margaret Sova McCabe
Congratulations to our Class of 2020! They are an amazing group and we’re proud of
their accomplishments over the past three years. From serving as some of our first
public service summer fellows to creating the law review academy (all while contributing
hours and hours of pro bono work to the community!), this class already exemplifies
the value lawyers bring to our communities.
by Spencer Bowling, Director of Admissions
The University of Arkansas School of Law is committed to our current — and future
— students in this time of crisis. Indeed, our admissions team is monitoring and adjusting
to the needs of our applicants as COVID-19 emergency impacts their lives. We’re here
to support you on your journey to becoming lawyers.