Barton Postgraduate Fellowships in Law

The Barton Child Law and Policy Center's fellowship program is part of the Barton Center founders' vision for transforming Georgia's child welfare system. It is designed to attract the best and the brightest new children's lawyers to Georgia by offering a full-time paid postgraduate fellowship to a recent law school graduate who wants to be a policy and legislative advocate for children.

The Barton Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta supported the program from 2000 until 2010. The Barton Postgraduate Fellow in Law Program has been replaced by the Robin Nash Fellowship.

Barton Postgraduate Fellows in Law

2001-2002 Will Crossley, JD
2002-2003 Melissa Dorris Carter, JD
2003-2005 Beth Locker, JD
2005-2007 Jessica Gordon, JD
2007-2009 Kirsten Widner, JD
2017-2020 Kaitlyn Barnes, JD
2020-present Jon Parker Leckerling, JD

The Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University School of Law ("Barton Center") is excited to announce openings for two post-graduate fellowships, to begin August 1, 2022.  These fellowships offer a unique opportunity to gain experience in a range of system advocacy strategies to improve the child welfare system and outcomes for children and families.

Robin Nash Postgraduate Fellowship in Law

The Robin Nash Postgraduate Fellowship in Law honors the memory and service of the Honorable Robin S. Nash, who directed the Barton Center from spring 2006 until his death in January 2007.

Nash dedicated his career to improving the lives of others.  After fifteen years in private practice, concentrating on rights of the mentally ill and the developmentally disabled, he served as a juvenile court judge in DeKalb County from 1995 until 2005.  He served on the Barton Center Advisory Board from 2000 until he joined us as our full-time Director.

Robin’s energy, spirit, and commitment to the children we serve have inspired us all. Because Robin took great joy in mentoring and encouraging new child advocate attorneys, the Barton Center honors him by continuing in that tradition through the Robin Nash Fellowship. The Nash Fellowship attracts talented recent law school graduates to build a career in children’s law in Georgia and adds to the Barton Center's ability to make the positive improvements, consistently sought by Nash, for children.

To contribute to the Robin Nash Fellowship Fund, use the Emory University online contribution form. In the "select fund" drop down box, please choose "Robin Nash Fellowship" to help us launch the careers of talented new child advocates.

Robin Nash Postgraduate Fellows in Law

2010-2011 Taylor Dudley, JD
2011-2012  Kosha Tucker, JD
2016-2017 Terrence Wilson, JD

Other Fellowships

The Barton Center is committed to launching child advocacy careers in all disciplines. The Barton Center has hosted Equal Justice Works Fellows and public health fellows. Properly supporting and nurturing postgraduate fellows requires a significant commitment of time, resources, and funds, and the Barton Center makes these decisions on an individual basis. If you would like to propose a fellowship, please contact the Center Director.

Equal Justice Works Fellows

2002-2004 Amy Tuckett Howell, JD
2009-2011 Stephen Reba, JD

Public Health Fellows

2001-2003 Jill Davis, MPH
2004-2005 Christina Cutshaw, PhD, MHS