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The Butler Commitment: Assisting Veterans at UGA School of Law

Partner Jim Butler Stands Dedicated To Helping Military Veterans Study Law at the University of Georgia.

In 2019, Butler Prather LLP partner James E. “Jim” Butler Jr. declared the Butler Commitment, an initiative that guarantees 100 percent of veterans at the University of Georgia School of Law will receive financial assistance. Jim developed this program to encourage veterans to study law in honor of his late father, Lt. Cmdr. James E. Butler Sr., who was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy.

Jim Butler Honors His Father and All Veterans

Jim Butler graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1977. Since then, he has distinguished himself as one of the most successful and sought-after personal injury attorneys in the nation. Jim is Butler Prather LLP’s founding partner, which has recovered over a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Jim wants to inspire more military veterans to pursue a legal career, and that’s why he’s working with UGA School of Law to help make a law degree more affordable for veterans. The Butler Commitment began in 2019, and thanks to Jim’s generous financial assistance, every veteran will receive financial aid, according to the UGA School of Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge.

Dean Rutledge is grateful for Jim Butler’s support. He notes that “after serving our country, just as Jim’s father did, these men and women are seeking to build their careers.” The Dean goes on to say, “It is an honor to be able to support them in their efforts to become lawyers and obtain justice for others.”

Jim Butler Supports Veterans at a Major American Law School

Butler Prather LLP and UGA School of Law share a reverence for academic excellence and a strong commitment to providing our veterans with access to higher learning. The University of Georgia School of Law provides an ideal environment for helping veterans receive their law degrees.

Since its founding in 1959, the University of Georgia School of Law has established itself as one of the finest law schools in the nation, earning the following distinctions:

  • U.S. News and World Report Top 20 Law School
  • 28 judicial clerkships in a recent graduating class
  • 83,000 service learning hours
  • Number one Georgia bar school passage rate
  • Best return on legal investment according to National Jurist
  • Ninth-rated law school in practical training according to PreLaw

UGA School of Law Values Its Veterans

UGA isn’t just a major college with an outstanding law school – it’s also keenly sensitive to the needs of veterans and their families. In fact, UGA is rated as 100 Percent Military Friendly for Academic Policies & Compliance and Admissions & Orientation. The number of veterans attending UGA School of Law has been growing in recent years, and the Butler Commitment is designed to help sustain this trend.

The Butler Commitment continues to be renewed each year. It helps administrators at the University of Georgia School of Law in their quest to ease the financial burdens of obtaining a first-rate legal education. With the assistance provided by Jim Butler, the UGA School of Law can pursue every avenue to support its students. That’s why UGA participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a voluntary agreement made by the university with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to waive some or all veteran tuition costs that exceed the national maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill reimbursement.

If You’ve Suffered Serious Injuries, We’re Here To Help

Butler Prather LLP gets justice for people who have sustained catastrophic injuries due to the carelessness of others. For over 35 years, our personal injury law firm has been winning record-breaking verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Call us at (706) 322-1990 to schedule a consultation.

I was in a complex premises liability case involving a multinational corporations. Mr. Butler & his associates were always three steps ahead of these defendants. When they say they are "exceptional trial lawyers," this is not just a slogan but it is a way of life.”
- Zack Hendon