Professor J. L. Pottenger Honored by Connecticut Voices for Children

Professor J. L. Pottenger Jr. ’75 has been honored by Connecticut Voices for Children with its First for Kids award for his work in developing a partnership between Connecticut Voices and Yale Legislative Services, the legislative advocacy program Professor Pottenger began at the Law School four years ago. Connecticut Voices for Children is a research-based public education and advocacy organization that works statewide to promote the well-being of Connecticut's children, youth and families.

Through the partnership, Yale Law students provide Connecticut Voices for Children with high-quality policy research and with assistance drafting and presenting testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly. In turn, Connecticut Voices' senior staff members participate in the legal clinic, providing mentoring in the areas in which students are working.

Professor Pottenger accepted the First for Kids award at Connecticut Voices for Children’s tenth anniversary celebration at the Eli Whitney Museum on November 30.

"Like Jay's students, all of us at Connecticut Voices for Children have benefited from Jay's guidance. He is a truly devoted teacher, scholar, practitioner, and advocate," said Connecticut Voices President Shelley Geballe.

Professor Pottenger is the Nathan Baker Clinical Professor of Law and Supervising Attorney at YLS. He has taught full-time in the School’s Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization since 1980 and served as its director from 1991-2002. He was appointed a Clinical Professor of Law in 1989 and named the Nathan Baker Clinical Professor of Law in December 1993. Over the past 26 years, he has mentored hundreds of Yale Law School students, supervising their legal work in matters involving housing, community economic development, prisoners’ rights, environmental issues, special education, and immigration/asylum.