Visiting Professor Hallie Pope has been named the recipient of the 2023-2024 Public Service Professor Award by the University of Utah’s Bennion Center for Community Engagement. The award recognizes Pope’s outstanding dedication to serving University of Utah students and local Utah communities, and is designed to assist her in enhancing community-engaged learning experiences and fostering stronger partnerships with the local community.
Pope joined the College of Law in 2021 to establish the Creative Advocacy Lab (CAL), an experiential course that aims to promote access to justice and democratize legal information. CAL explores modes of legal advocacy beyond traditional client representation, re-envisioning lawyers as community educators, problem solvers and storytellers. In collaboration with community partners, students use creative tools—like design thinking, narrative, plain language writing and visual communication—to make legal information accessible to those who need it.
Pope plans to utilize the $7,500 award in partnership with CAL students, People’s Legal Aid Utah, and the tenants they work alongside, to design informational resources about housing law and renters’ rights.
“We are incredibly proud of Professor Pope’s award and her commitment to community engagement,” said Elizabeth Kronk Warner, dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law. “Her work with the Creative Advocacy Lab is a shining example of how law students can use their skills to make a positive impact on society. We believe that community engagement is a vital aspect of legal education, and Hallie’s creativity and passion in expanding access to justice—and engaging students in this work—is inspiring.”
Read more about this year’s Bennion Center award recipients here.