Josie Bates
Dean Cynthia Nance named Josie Bates 2022-2323 Rose Law Firm 200th Anniversary Pro Bono Fellow at the U of A School of Law.
To keep the importance of public service at the forefront of the collective spirit of the law school community, the Dean selects one or more promising students each year to serve as a pro bono fellow during their third year of law school. by right. The title, along with a stipend, recognizes and supports exemplary law students committed to voluntarily (legal services rendered free of charge or at reduced rates for the public good). Fellows encourage their peers to participate in voluntarily and other forms of community service by organizing events, forming partnerships with organizations and leading by example. In 2020, the men and women of Rose Law Firm highlighted the importance of voluntarily service by selecting the sponsor companion as part of the company’s bicentenary commemoration. The company, based in Little Rock, is the oldest company west of the Mississippi River.
“It is an incredible honor to be selected as a 2022-23 Pro Bono Fellow,” Bates said. “Giving back to your community is of the utmost importance. I would be nowhere near where I am today without the communities I have been part of. For this reason, I can’t think of a better way to spend my third and final year. law school to promote the Pro Bono program to other law students and help them find their own ways to give back to our community through this program. Bates is a 2020 cum laude graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English.
“Josie’s willingness to use her legal skills to help others is inspiring,” said Sara Gosman, associate professor of law and director of the School’s public service and Pro Bono program. “I look forward to working with her as we continue to build a culture of service at law school. We are very grateful to Rose Law Firm for funding the scholarship and recognizing the critical importance student leadership for our program.”
Bates was selected as a Fellow in recognition of her consistent service, significant leadership potential, and substantial performance voluntarily work. She is a member of the 2022-23 Board of Directors of Arkansas Law Review and serves as editor. She is active in the Women’s Law Student Association (WLSA) and Outlaw and served as 2021-2022 president of both organizations. His volunteer activities include his work with Legal Aid of Arkansas and as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Bates was instrumental in developing the curriculum for the U of A’s Constitution Day efforts at Pine Bluff and Osceola High Schools, a program designed to encourage students to consider the law as a rewarding and accessible career path.
Pro Bono Scholars serve as student leaders of the school’s Pro Bono program and community engagement. One of the main tasks associated with the position is the planning and organization of the school’s participation in the annual meeting. National Pro Bono Celebrationthe American Bar Association’s week-long effort to draw attention to the need for voluntarily services and thank those who give of their time throughout the year. The 2022 celebration is scheduled for October 23-29. Gosman and Bates have organized events and volunteer opportunities for the week that include a panel discussion on ways voluntarily can improve access to justice for low-income people. Panelists include: Jordan Bates-Rogers, executive director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission and Foundation; Greneda Johnson, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at School; and the school’s first Pro Bono Fellow, Tony Jones, who is now clerk to Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Robin Wynne. Other activities planned for the week include attending voluntarily events sponsored by Legal Aid of Arkansas and Arkansas Access to Justice, a pro bono opportunities fair in the Norma Lea Beasley Law School lobby, and a school-wide supply drive, hosted with WLSA , for Flo Free Foundation, an organization that helps women in need.
About the School of Law:The law school offers a competitive JD as well as an advanced LL.M. curriculum, which are taught by nationally recognized faculty. The school offers unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, internships, live client clinics, competitions, and food and agriculture initiatives. The school strives to identify, discuss and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity and the impact(s) they have on students, faculty and staff members to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. From the admission of the six pioneers who were the first African-American students to attend law school in the South without a court order, to the governors, judges, prosecutors and graduate professors who became President of the United States and Secretary of State, Law The school has a rich history and culture. Follow us on @uarklaw.
About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A offers an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to the Arkansas economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and employment development, discovery through research and creative activity while providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation ranks the U of A among the few American colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. US News and World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. Learn how the U of A is working to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.
