Welcome

Message from the Dean

Steven J. Kaminshine

Alexis de Tocqueville was surely right when he observed in 1831 that lawyers would play a leading role in ordering the public and civil life of democratic society. That observation, true in 1831, is even more true today as the legal profession is at the center of some of the most critical challenges of our time, whether it be national security and individual liberties, the changes brought by technology and globalization, or the renewed focus on ethical behavior and what it means to a member of a profession. The law school you choose in pursuing your law degree must prepare you for practice in this world.

Georgia State University College of Law, located in the heart of one of the country’s fastest-growing regions, offers a dynamic environment for studying law and preparing to enter the legal profession. From your first day of classes you will benefit from a superior academic program and unmatched instruction. You also will have Atlanta, our living laboratory, a capitol city, an international city, the leading urban center in the southeast, and the regional headquarters of every federal and state agency as well as key corporations and nonprofit institutions.

We use this laboratory to our students’ fullest advantage and take pride in the ways we have integrated the teaching of substantive law and practical legal skills. In the pages to follow, take note of our joint degree programs; our nationally acclaimed Tax Clinic and newly established HeLP Legal Services Clinic; our externship placements with prosecutors, public defenders, courts and leading agencies; our centers in Health Law and Metropolitan Growth; our study-abroad programs in Europe and South America; our consortium in dispute resolution; and our nationally recognized mock trial and moot court programs.

Above all, a top-quality legal education requires a talented and accessible faculty and a diverse and motivated student body. You will find at Georgia State Law an energetic faculty of scholars and teachers who are active in the academy and the wider legal community, and who bring an impressive range of talents and practical experiences to the classroom. Our students, who are our greatest ambassadors, come from many different backgrounds, and through our full and part-time programs, they bring a rich variety of life and work experiences to our law school.

As we begin this academic year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our founding with a year of events and celebrations, including a visit from former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Please tour our college and talk with our students and faculty, sit in on classes and attend any of our anniversary events. I am confident that you will find our intellectual energy contagious, and our community welcoming.