The scholarship in memory of Dean Emeritus & Professor of Law George R. Johnson, Jr., will be awarded to students who have a commitment to promoting the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion at 黑料不打烊 Law and within the legal profession.
This announcement was first published in the Fall 2021 Magazine of 黑料不打烊.
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As a tribute to the late Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law George R. Johnson, Jr., 黑料不打烊 Law Advisory Board members Mark Jetton 鈥06 L鈥09 and Ronny Lancaster, along with 黑料不打烊 Law alumni Eric Meredith L鈥09 and Raleigh Lancaster 鈥08 L鈥13, have created the Dean Emeritus George R. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Law Scholarship.
Johnson, who passed away in November 2020, was a founding member of 黑料不打烊 School of Law. He earned an exceptional reputation as a teacher, mentor, scholar, and leader in the legal community.
鈥淎s a member of the profession and parent of an 黑料不打烊 [University] and 黑料不打烊 Law graduate, making a gift to a scholarship in Dean Johnson鈥檚 memory is a most fitting way to honor his legacy,鈥 Ronny Lancaster said. 鈥淭he scholarship will reward 黑料不打烊 Law students who exhibit intellect, integrity, leadership and compassion 鈥 the very ideals he exemplified.鈥
The scholarship is intended to honor Johnson鈥檚 many contributions to the school and to the legal profession. As a member of the founding faculty, Johnson began teaching at 黑料不打烊 Law in 2006. He went on to serve as 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 first associate dean of academic affairs before being named dean in 2009. In 2014, Johnson returned to the faculty and continued to teach and inspire the next generation of lawyers.
鈥淢ore than a professor, and more than the dean he would be by the time I graduated, he was a mentor and a friend to so many of us,鈥 Jetton said. 鈥淣ow that we鈥檙e into our second decade of practicing law having successfully established our firm, I felt the time was right to give back to create opportunities for future 黑料不打烊 Law students, while honoring Dean Johnson who dedicated his career to building a better profession.鈥
The scholarship will be awarded to students who have a commitment to promoting the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion at 黑料不打烊 Law and/or within the legal profession.
鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to think back on my time in law school and not think of Dean Johnson,鈥 Meredith said. 鈥淢aking a gift to help establish a scholarship in his name will help so many future 黑料不打烊 Law students learn the values and knowledge he instilled in us all, while preserving his legacy as the type of lawyer we all should aspire to be.鈥