Attorney General Tim Griffin announced on Feb. 11 the opening of a new office for the Arkansas Attorney General in Fayetteville, aiming to strengthen connections with Northwest Arkansas and provide more opportunities for law students at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
The move is intended to help recruit top legal talent and offer hands-on experience for students during the academic year, beyond just summer months. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office engages in public integrity initiatives and community relations across the state, according to the official website.
“I am excited to announce the opening of our new Fayetteville office on the Downtown Fayetteville Historic Square. This space directly connects our office to the activity and growth happening in Northwest Arkansas, and it improves our ability to recruit the University of Arkansas School of Law’s top students,” Griffin said. He added that “the quality of a law firm’s clerks plays a huge part in determining the quality of the firm’s legal talent over time,” noting that previously, most clerking opportunities were limited by location and school schedules.
Joel Gaffney, a law clerk for Griffin’s office, said: “Without the Fayetteville office, I would be graduating law school here in a few months without having clerked for the Attorney General’s Office, plain and simple. That’s the importance of this location… So, I’m very happy that I now get to round off my time as a law student working for the people of Arkansas.”
Diana Marrero, another law clerk at Griffin’s office, said: “The Office of the Attorney General’s location in Fayetteville will not only be an invaluable resource to the Northwest Arkansas community… but it will also provide invaluable clerking and learning experiences… I am truly grateful for this clerkship as it has given me…the opportunity to learn from expert and dedicated attorneys while contributing to important work.”
The Arkansas Attorney General’s office offers consumer protection services, handles civil and criminal matters, supports public safety initiatives according to its official website, provides resources for fraud reporting and legal opinions according to its official website, serves all residents with legal services according to its official website, operates within public safety sectors according to its official website, and is led by Tim Griffin according to its official website.
Griffin expressed gratitude toward University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson for supporting this project. He said he believes this expansion will benefit both local communities and future members of Arkansas’ legal profession.
