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ABA Journal: The Value of a Small-Town Lawyer and a Law Student’s Summer Experience

January 6, 2023

Emily Sims, Finch Fellow, University of Alabama School of Law

Emily Sims (3L) shared her thoughts in the American Bar Association (ABA) Journal about her experience serving as a Finch Fellow in Covington County with Circuit Judge Ben Bowden.

Named with permission of the estate of Nelle Harper Lee, the Finch Initiative was launched in 2017 in the town of Andalusia, Alabama, under the guidance of Judge Bowden. The program provides rising 2L or 3L students — designated as Finch Fellows — an opportunity to spend six to eight weeks during the summer as legal interns in communities in rural Alabama.

Read the full article in the ABA Journal.


The University of Alabama School of Law strives to remain neutral on issues of public policy. The Law School’s communications team may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Law School, the University, or affiliated leadership.