FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The United States Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review has appointed Elizabeth L. Young, associate professor of law, as a judge to the San Francisco Immigration Court.

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch appointed Young and 14 other new judges at courts throughout the country. Acting Chief Immigration Judge Michael C. McGoings presided over the investiture during a ceremony held Sept. 23, 2016, in the ceremonial courtroom of the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, in Washington, D.C.

"We welcome these 15 appointees to the immigration judge corps," said McGoings. "With these appointments, EOIR now has 291 immigration judges, setting a new all-time high for our immigration judge corps and further strengthening our efforts to address the agency's pending caseload of more than 500,000."

Young joined the University of Arkansas School of Law faculty in 2008. In addition to her research and teaching duties, she also created and then directed the school's immigration law clinic. In 2013, she was named among 25 of the state's most creative thinkers by The Arkansas Times in recognition for her work with the clinic and students.

"We are proud of professor Young's many accomplishments and celebrate this prestigious appointment," said Stacy Leeds, dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law. "Her work has been very impactful for the state and has greatly enriched the experiences of students that worked under her supervision."

Young devoted much of her time off campus to community service. She has developed several programs for local organizations including the Peace at Home Family Shelter and the Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas. She also served on local and national boards and committees including the university's One Book One Community committee, the Ozark Literacy Council board and the Central States Law Schools Association board.

Before coming to the U of A, Young served as a visiting professor at George Washington University School of Law (2007-08) and as an attorney advisor for the San Francisco Immigration Court (2004-07). She is a member of the Arkansas Bar, the State Bar of California and the Virginia State Bar.

Young earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1999 from Hendrix College and a Juris Doctor in 2004 from George Washington University School of Law. While a student, she was executive guide editor of The George Washington International Law Review and spent a year working in the immigration law clinic. She was also the 2004 recipient of the Richard C. Lewis, Jr. Memorial Award for Clinical Excellence.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review is responsible for adjudicating immigration cases under delegated authority from the attorney general. The office interprets and administers federal immigration laws by conducting immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews and administrative hearings to provide fair, expeditious and uniform application of the nation's immigration laws in all cases.