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studEnt affairs Thomas Named Law Student Volunteer of the Year Brittany Thomas, a third-year law student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, spent her spring break not on the beach but with other student volunteers in Memphis. She worked on a pro bono project as part of Alternative Spring Break to help female immigrants renew their visas. For years of efforts like these, Thomas has recently been named Law Student Volunteer of the Year by the Tennessee Bar Association. The award is given annually to a law student in Tennessee who demonstrates leadership and volunteer service by providing legal representation to the underserved. Thomas has volunteered with and is now the student coordinator of the Saturday Bar in Knoxville, a service that offers free legal advice to the public. Throughout her law school career, she has volunteered with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and Memphis’s Community Legal Center’s Immigrant Justice Program (CLC/IJP). During her last year, though, she has taken on a significant amount of work and responsibility, including becoming the director of UT’s Pro Bono program. The Pro Bono program has a five-year plan to increase participation, and Thomas set out to help achieve this goal. “It’s all about dedication and making time,” she says. “When you make time for something, you find it so rewarding that you want to keep doing it.” Doug Blaze, dean of the College of Law, says he believes her work and dedication has not only benefitted Thomas, but the college and community as well. “Brittany’s pro bono work will make her a better lawyer and a better advocate in the long run,” Blaze says. “But best of all, she’s helping those in need in our community and around the state, right now. I have no doubt she’ll continue her important work after graduation.” That’s something Thomas is already thinking about. “I’d really like to do immigration work,” she says. “I’ve had four different jobs involving immigration while in law school.” Watch a video about Thomas, her pro bono work, and her TBA award on the College of Law’s YouTube channel at tiny.utk.edu/rUmzM. Above left: Brittany Thomas poses with her TBA Volunteer of the Year award. Above: Thomas and others were honored by the TBA at a reception this spring in Nashville. 12 SPRING 2012 www.law.utk.edu
When Carlos Yunsan heard that the College of Law was starting a mentoring program, he jumped at the chance to participate. Having just finished his 1L year, he was eager to expand his connections with the local bar. “I wanted to get a taste of what the actual practice of law is like,” Yunsan says. During his previous career in public health, Yunsan had learned firsthand the invaluable impact of working with a mentor. “Access to an experienced practitioner in your field who contributes to your professional development is a precious commodity,” he says. Yunsan was paired with William “Bill” Simms (LAW ’71), of Arnett, Draper and Hagood in Knoxville, and the match has been beneficial to both parties. Yunsan has kept in close contact with Simms, discussing his career aspirations and asking questions about the practice of law. He attended the annual banquet of the Knoxville Chapter of the American Inns of Court as a guest of Simms, who introduced the law student to local attorneys and judges. Yunsan says the experience helped him make positive connections in the local legal community who shared their thoughts on current legal issues and possible career paths for law students. studEnt affairs A Professional Pairing Mentoring program benefits students, attorneys By amy Williams He is looking forward to observing Simms further in depositions, mediations, and at trial. Simms, who says he appreciates the opportunity to serve as a mentor, also knows the value of the mentoring relationship from personal experience. When he graduated from College of Law, Simms chose to study with Foster D. Arnett instead of working in his father’s firm. He called the moment “a pivotal decision” in his life, and says the experience he gained from working closely with Arnett remains immeasurable. “He and I worked closely on many cases, and I had the opportunity of working with him in analyzing factual and legal issues, interviewing witnesses, marshaling evidence, preparing for depositions and trial, trying cases in court and writing briefs on appeal,” Simms says. “Sadly, many young lawyers do not have the opportunities readily available to them to have the guidance, counsel, and support of other members of the practicing bar.” He sees his service as a mentor as a way to give back to the law school where he earned his degree and as a way to offer tribute to Arnett and the many attorneys in his family, which included his grandfather, father, and uncle. Simms says the questions Yunsan asks him have helped him grow as an attorney. “The keen intellect and inquiring analysis of the student of the law can always be of benefit to the experienced practitioner,” he says. “We can all learn from listening. The UT Law mentoring program has not only given me the opportunity to teach, but also to learn.” The UT Law mentoring program matches students with professionals in the legal community who volunteer to meet with students at least twice per semester. Students and mentors may interact as often as they choose in a variety of formats—from face-to-face meetings to email and social media correspondence. Anyone interested in becoming a mentor may visit law.utk.edu/mentoring or call Brad Morgan, mentoring coordinator, at 865-974-2492 or email rmorgan2@utk.edu. Above right: UT Law students participate in mentoring training. Above: Dr. Lillian Eby, professor of psychology at The University of Georgia, leads students in mentoring training. www.law.utk.edu SPRING 2012 13
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