During the past year, the University of South Carolina School of Law has made major strides to build a new home and create an atmosphere of intellectual diversity. Currently, the school’s incoming class is one of the most academically accomplished in the school’s history. As a result, the school’s profile has improved for the fifth consecutive year. As part of the School of Law’s 150th anniversary, the new building includes brand-new classrooms and state-of-the-art technology.
The law school also recently announced its newest faculty for the 2022-23 academic year. The list of additions includes a number of renowned scholars. As the interim vice provost for interdisciplinary studies, Joel Samuels will lead the rule of law collaborative. In addition, the law school will launch a new Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, which will include nationally recognized experts in cybersecurity and privacy. In April, the law school hosted the first Cybersecurity Legal Institute. The event drew more than 750 attendees to celebrate the opening of the new facility.
This fall, the school’s Mock Trial and Moot Court teams set school records. The law school’s students won the King of the Hill Mock Trial Competition in October. In addition, third-year student Andrew Rawl plans to use his degree to help others. He has a passion for law.
The law school also recently named a new associate dean for diversity, Jan Baker. In addition, the school has a new Pro Bono Program Director, Pamela D. Robinson. The former federal jurist is the director of the Veterans Legal Clinic at the law school.
The School of Law has also received a major gift from the Konduros Fisherman Fund. The foundation donated more than $1 million to the school. The donation will support the rule of law in developing countries and fragile states. In addition, the law school has opened a Children’s Law Training Center, which will be directed by Professor Josh Gupta-Kagan. In the new training center, children will be able to receive first-class training and immersive learning simulations.
The law school will also launch a Cybersecurity Legal Task Force to improve its efforts to protect South Carolina’s children. The new group will be led by 1984 alumna Karen Painter Randall, who is a national expert in cybersecurity.
The law school also continues to host a series of thought-provoking programs for students. This year, faculty members are facilitating a series on gender non-conforming people. Other faculty are working to improve outcomes for domestic violence victims. The law school also encourages students to take advantage of the many resources available to them. For instance, the law school’s students provide free tax assistance to low income residents. And, the law school supports local teachers through the Adopt a Teacher program.
In addition to these accomplishments, the University of South Carolina School of Law celebrated its 150th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, the law school held a special ceremony to recognize outstanding achievements in the 2020-2021 academic year. This year’s celebration included top legal and political officials, including Associate Justice of the United States Samuel A. Alito, who delivered the keynote address.