Third Annual People's Law School Launches this Summer

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This August marks the 3rd annual ‘People’s Law School’ in Athens-Clarke County. The concept was initially launched in 1985 by some incredible attorneys, including former GTLA and State Bar President J. Vincent "Jay" Cook and Gene Mac Winburn, in 1985. Cook has explained the program originated to demystify the public’s perception of the law and that of lawyers’ and judges’ activities in the civil justice system.  It is also a chance for the public to have an opportunity to speak with judges and attorneys without having an immediate need for either while learning general concepts of the law from judges, practicing attorneys, and professors.

The classes this year will be held every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. during August at the Classic Center in Athens. The final session will feature a screening of the documentary "Hot Coffee." We averaged close to 50 attendees each session in past years. Participants are pleasantly surprised when they find out that there is no catch involved and we are truly there for the purposes described. One participant told me last year he worried the sessions would include information more akin to a pitch for timeshare sells by luring you in to a large destination locale. When he realized this was not the case, he shared his appreciation of what we were doing and even brought family members with him to later sessions.

As notions such as mandatory arbitration, caps on damages, and other constitutional violations are being promulgated by some of our country’s most influential groups and people, it continues to be important that the public have a better understanding of current events regarding their legal rights and the civil justice system.

I’d like to recognize the organizers and presenters of this event since its rejuvenation three years ago, including Chris Irwin with Cook, Noell, Tolley & Bates, LLP,  Josh Wages with Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, PC, Jimmy Hurt with Hurt, Stolz & Cromwell, LLC and Spence Johnson and Dustin Marlowe with Orr, Brown, Johnson, LLP. An incredible amount of gratitude also goes out to the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation who has generously sponsored this event. 

Josh Branch
Silver and Archibald, LLP