GSU COL Pro Bono Program

Project Description:
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) needs volunteers to attend a federal trial in the Northern District of Georgia on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act where redistricting is at issue. Student volunteers will sit in the galley of the courtroom during their shifts and take detailed notes that SPLC can then translate into synopses for their community partners who cannot attend the trial in person. You will receive an email with further project details the week of your project shift.

How to Sign Up:
No training is required for this project. Everyone can participate! RSVP for a shift or multiple shifts below to participate.

Other Things You Need to Know:
The trial is in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse at 75 Ted Turner Drive, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. The courthouse is a 10-15 minute walk from the College of Law and about a 5-minute walk from the MARTA Five Points station. There is a parking lot at the courthouse that requires payment.

We have set shift times to overlap to allow time to get through security. Unless you have courthouse authorization beyond the scope of this project, you will not be permitted to bring a cell phone, laptop, tablet, or smartwatch. If you bring an item that is not permitted, it will have to be checked in with security, and you can pick it up when your shift is over. Please bring plenty of paper and pens to take notes during your shift. Once inside the courthouse, you should proceed to Judge Jones' courtroom, courtroom 1907.

Contact Courtney O'Donnell at courtney.odonnell@splcenter.org for further information, details, or questions about this project.

After the Project:
Be sure to track your hours here on Track It Forward (click on Log Hours tab at the top of the page) AND track your hours on Inside Law for credit towards your graduation distinction. You can track your hours on Inside Law here: https://law.gsu.edu/student-experience/pro-bono-service-in-the-community/. Click on the blue "Log Pro Bono Hours" button. If you have any questions about logging your hours, please email probono@gsu.edu.