First-year law student Marcus Montgomery has been selected as the 2022 Squire Patton Boggs Foundation Sustained Impact Fellow. He was selected from a large pool of highly qualified law students from across the country.

As a Fellow, Montgomery will have the opportunity to work with Lone Star Justice Alliance. He will learn how the law is being used to establish a justice system that prioritizes developmentally-appropriate responses to behavior and treats youth and emerging adults with equity and dignity to promote resilience, conserve costs and increase public safety.

"We are so pleased to welcome Marcus Montgomery to the Foundation's Fellowship program and community," said Rodney E. Slater J.D.'80, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and chair of the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation. "I am very impressed with Marcus' credentials and his passion for public service. As a University of Arkansas law school alum, I am thrilled that Marcus has been selected for our Racial Justice Fellowship focused on juvenile justice in minority communities in Texas. He will be working with a terrific organization, the Lone Star Justice Alliance, and will make a significant contribution to its racial justice efforts."

"I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to participate in this crucial Sustained Impact Fellowship Program, and I look forward to gaining hands-on experience from talented attorneys working in public interest law," Montgomery said.

Montgomery was the Resident Fellow for Congressional Affairs at the Arab Center Washington, D.C., from 2019-2021, where he liaised with members of the Congress, congressional staff and federal government employees to promote the center as a policy resource. He participated in interviews with foreign and domestic press and provided commentary on U.S. foreign policy, domestic U.S. politics and international affairs. Montgomery also authored timely analyses of legislation, executive orders and other government policies and their impacts on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa.

Montgomery is the Chancellor's Award Scholar and was the 2021 Arkansas Bar Foundation U.M. Rose Scholar. He is a member of Black Law Students Association, Criminal Law Society, International Law Society and American Constitution Society.

"We were so pleased to be able to nominate Marcus for this incredible fellowship and are thrilled with his selection," said Annie Smith, associate professor of law and faculty director of the public service and pro bono program at the law school. "Our law students and alumni continue to benefit from our partnership with the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation, and we are grateful for the many opportunities it offers." 

Each year, the Squire Patton Boggs Sustained Impact Fellowship Program awards fellowships to exceptional law students who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to public service and a developed interest in public policy. These law students commit their summers to advancing public policy issues through non-profit institutions, government agencies and domestic or international organizations. The foundation is rooted in a history of civil rights advocacy and has awarded fellowships since 2004.

About the School of Law: The law school offers a competitive J.D. as well as an advanced LL.M. program, which are taught by nationally recognized faculty. The school offers unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, externships, live client clinics, competitions, and food and agriculture initiatives. The school strives to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity, and the impact(s) they have on students, faculty, and staff members in an effort to achieve a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community. From admitting the Six Pioneers who were the first African American students to attend law school in the South without a court order to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to become President of the United States and Secretary of State, the law school has a rich history and culture. Follows us at @uarklaw.