THOMAS KADRI

How do UGA Law faculty members help to ensure student success?

We’re a community that really cares about teaching. Since I joined the faculty, I’ve found that I’m just as likely to talk with my colleagues about innovations and challenges in pedagogy as about our research and writing. My sense is that this balance doesn’t always exist at other schools. Nobody’s forcing it upon us — it’s just part of our culture here. We treasure our roles as educators and mentors to our students, and we’re constantly pushing ourselves to improve.

Do you and your colleagues involve students in your research?

Absolutely! I have a small army of research assistants who provide invaluable support to my work. Sometimes I collaborate with students assigned to be my graduate assistants, sometimes I hire students with particular expertise for one-off projects, and sometimes I work with our team of Law Library student researchers. I even co-authored a book this year with a student who began as my research assistant! Depending on your time and interest, there are plenty of ways to get involved and gain this kind of research and writing experience while studying here.

What can a law student expect from you in the classroom?

Energy, compassion… and a funny accent? I grew up in the United Kingdom, so you’ll have to get used to the way I talk when I’m asking you questions! But aside from that quirk, my classroom involves constant dialogue. I love the back-and-forth engagement with my students. Contrary to what you might have heard, the Socratic method isn’t about hazing or scaring you, at least for me. Rather, it’s about collective learning, mutual respect, and critical thinking. But what happens if you don’t know the answer to my question? Will I be angry? No, absolutely not! So long as you’re prepared for class and willing to think through your uncertainties aloud with me, we’ll teach everyone together through our conversation.

What do you like about being part of the UGA Law community?

We tend to have students who really want to be here. That might sound trivial, but it makes a huge difference. Law school can be challenging in all sorts of ways, but our students seem to thrive and feel supported by our close-knit faculty and caring staff. For many of our students, UGA Law is where they’ve always wanted to go, while others might have decided to come after weighing their options. But no matter what led them here, they overwhelmingly appear to be happy and fulfilled. Our affordability is surely part of this story because students have greater freedom to pursue their genuine interests. As a professor, it makes my life so much richer to be surrounded by that kind of community.