2009 UVA BLSA Programming Abstract

PROGRAMMING ABSTRACT

The University of Virginia Chapter of The Black Law Students Association 580 Massie Road | 192A | Charlottesville, VA 22903‐1738 E‐Mail: blsafirmrelations@gmail.com Web: http://www.student.virginia.edu/~uvablsa

UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

PROGRAMMING ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS

BLSA GUIDANCE PROGRAMMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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LAWYERING SKILLS

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EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT

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BLSA GENEROSITY PROGRAMMING COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS

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BLSA GROWTH PROGRAMMING

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

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ADMISSIONS & RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

FOR OVER THIRTY‐FIVE YEARS, THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHAPTER OF THE BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (“UVA BLSA”) HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR VALUING DIVERSITY IN BOTH LEGAL EDUCATION AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION. In 19XX, the University of Virginia Chapter of the Black Law Students Association (“UVA BLSA”) was founded to articulate and promote the professional needs and goals of Black law students, foster and encourage professional competence, and focus upon the relationship of the Black attorney to the American legal structure.

Since then, UVA BLSA has been a valuable resource to hundreds of UVA Law students and an active member of the UVA Law community. We are dedicated to our mission of developing talented, involved, diverse attorneys. UVA BLSA won the 2009 National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. In addition to our first national championship, UVA BLSA has claimed four regional championships in the past five years.

UVA BLSA’s initiatives extend from building advocacy skills to mentoring programs. Our programs have been well‐received and garnered public recognition. Over the past seven years, UVA BLSA has been recognized as Regional Chapter of the Year five times and National Chapter of the Year three times. Our Diversity Reception initiative is a hallmark of our award‐winning programming. The Diversity Receptions provide first‐ and second‐year law students the opportunity to build valuable relationships with firms that are committed to diversity.

UVA BLSA has always been and continues to be an organization committed to excellence. In keeping with such a tradition, we are working diligently to provide our membership with programs and opportunities that will contribute greatly to their academic, leadership, and professional development. This programming abstract highlights some of our programs and initiatives. We hope this information will give you a greater understanding of our chapter as well as our programming goals for the 2009–2010 academic year.

Melinda M. Hightower

Melinda M. Hightower Chapter President and National Vice Chair blsa@scs.virginia.edu

[insert signature] Lydie M. Essama Firm Relations Chair blsafirmrelations@gmail.com

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS | GUIDING STUDENTS TO REWARDING CAREERS DIVERSITY RECEPTIONS. UVA BLSA will host four Diversity Receptions with law firms and other legal

employers that have shown a true commitment to diversity and to UVA BLSA. UVA BLSA extend invitations to the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APLSA), Lambda Law Alliance (GLBT organization), Latin American Law Organization (LALO), Women of Color (WOC), Virginia Law Women (VLW), and the Islamic Legal Exchange (ILE) for all of their members to attend. The receptions will afford legal employers the opportunity to meet with UVA Law students as well as receive resumes from interested candidates. The first reception will take place in August during On‐Grounds interviews and will be limited to 2Ls. Our Public Service Diversity Reception will take place in September and will be open to all class years. Our final two receptions will be limited to first‐year students. One reception will take place following the NALP December deadline. Our last reception will take place in March.

DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP GUIDE. UVA BLSA will prepare a comprehensive guide of all law firm and public service fellowship opportunities designated for diverse applicants. The Fellowship Guide will be electronically distributed in August to members of UVA BLSA and the Mid‐Atlantic Black Law Students Association (MABLSA).

CAREER ADVISORS PROGRAM. The Career Advisors Program (CAP) supports all of our first‐year members throughout the recruitment process for law firms and public service organizations. Both second‐ and third‐year students serve as advisors to assigned first‐year students. These advisors will help students draft their resumes and covers letters. CAP will work in conjunction with both UVA Career Services and the Public Service Office. Last, UVA BLSA will work with firms to organize mock interviews for students.

CAREER PANELS. BLSA will host a series of career panels for its entire membership. These panels include the following: the Callbacks Panel, the DC Road Show, and Diversity Luncheons. The BLSA Road Show is an event common to the nearly 170 BLSA chapters in the nation. The Road Shows offer BLSA alumni the opportunity to visit law schools and speak about the legal culture, professionalism, ethics, and the specific characteristics of the legal industry in their region.

ALUMNI DINNERS. UVA BLSA will host a series of alumni dinners at local Charlottesville restaurants. The conversational dinners will provide our members with the opportunity to connect with UVA BLSA alumni and ask candid questions about work‐life balance, racial and gender dynamics, and career paths.

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

LAWYERING SKILLS PROGRAMS | GUIDING STUDENTS TO BECOME ACCOMPLISHED ADVOCATES MOCK TRIAL TEAM. UVA BLSA claimed the both the 2009 Regional and National Titles for the Thurgood

Marshall Mock Trial Competition. Members of the mock trial team were also recognized as best advocate at the regional competition and first runner‐up for best advocate at the national competition. UVA BLSA’s mock trial team has been consistently competitive, capturing four regional titles, national first runner‐up honors, and this year’s national title over the past five years.

In keeping with this tradition, UVA BLSA intends to organize two teams to compete at the regional mock trial competition next year. Each team is required to have four students and works in conjunction with coaches from the Judge Advocates General School and the UVA Extramural Mock Trial Team. It is UVA BLSA’s goal that our mock trial teams advance to compete for the 2009 National Title hosted in Boston, Massachusetts.

MOOT COURT TEAM. This year, UVA BLSA will organize two teams to compete in the Fredrick Douglass

Moot Court Competition at the Mid‐Atlantic Black Law Students Association Regional Convention hosted in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Each team will be comprised of two students and will be assigned one to two coaches from the Judge Advocates General School. Additionally, BLSA will be collaborating with members from the Extramural Moot Court to ensure that each team is provided with additional training and evaluation opportunities. It is UVA BLSA’s goal that our moot court teams advance to compete at the National Black Law Students Association Convention hosted in Boston, Massachusetts.

INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS TEAM. The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) International Negotiations Competition was created to provide NBLSA members with realistic exposure to alternative dispute resolution. UVA BLSA received first runner‐up at the 2009 competition held in Irvine, California. This year, UVA BLSA will organize two student teams to compete. Each team will work with a faculty mentor to prepare for the competition. The competition requires participants to demonstrate oral advocacy and bargaining skills in a competitive environment. The competition will take place during the NBLSA National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS | GUIDING STUDENTS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM. UVA BLSA takes seriously its commitment to the academic success of its

membership. UVA BLSA has been nationally recognized for its educational program that supports its first‐ year members. This year, we have expanded our initiatives to provide support throughout the academic semester. Our Success in the Classroom program will include the following components:

o Law School 101: The Education Chair in conjunction with members of the Virginia Law Review will organize an orientation workshop for all first‐year BLSA members that will focus on briefing cases, understanding the law school classroom dynamic, note‐taking, and debriefing from each class session.

o Legal Essay Exam Writing System (LEEWS): Wentworth Miller’s Legal Essay Exam Writing System or LEEWS, is a proven tool for law school exam preparation. This year, UVA BLSA will arrange transportation and cover registration fees for any first‐year member who wishes to attend the LEEWS program(s).

o Semester in Review: UVA BLSA organizes course‐specific content reviews. The course reviews also include tips on outlining, issue spotting, and exam‐taking. These reviews are taught by BLSA members who have excelled academically in the relevant topic area or by professors.

JOURNAL AND DILLARD FELLOW WORKSHOPS. UVA BLSA strongly encourages its members to pursue

academically enriching opportunities outside the classroom. Our second‐year members are journal editorial board members and the Dillard Fellows, students who serve as teaching assistants for the legal research and writing program. UVA BLSA will organize sessions help educate its first‐year members about the Journal and Dillard Fellow tryout process.

FACULTY RECEPTIONS. UVA BLSA believes some of the most rewarding law school experiences are the result of student interaction with faculty. This Fall, UVA BLSA will host a faculty reception to introduce first‐ year students to faculty members and encourage student‐faculty mentorship.

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS | INSTILLING A TRADITION OF GENEROSITY COMMUNITY FORUMS. UVA BLSA aims to ensure our chapter is engaged with the local community. We

will host community forums designed to highlight pressing social concerns such as homelessness, education, and the environment. Our programs will encourage not only advocacy, but also action. This year, our members will partner with Habitat for Humanity to build a home, volunteer in a Salvation Army soup kitchen, and lead a campaign to encourage participation in the 2010 census. It is our hope to enhance UVA BLSA’s involvement in the Charlottesville community.

DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PRO BONO SERVICE. UVA BLSA is committed to ensuring its

members are not only local community advocates, but also global citizens. This year, UVA BLSA will undertake two service trips to foster its members’ connection with the global community through meaningful legal experiences. Our domestic service trip will combine classroom discussions on education, poverty, and the law with fieldwork for the internationally‐renown Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama. Our international service trip will provide students with the opportunity to experience the intersection of human rights advancement and international law firsthand at United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Tanzania. Each trip will be comprised of a group of fifteen students and be open to members of UVA BLSA and the Public Interest Law Association (PILA). Both trips will take place in January.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH. This year, UVA BLSA is organizing a series of programs to celebrate Black

History Month with the greater UVA Law and Charlottesville community. Our premiere event is the Black History Month Kick‐off, which will recognize the work of a UVA professor that has contributed to the scholarly understanding of African‐American culture. The professor’s work will be the subject of an in‐ depth panel discussion comprised of other scholars who hold diverse perspectives on the topic. Throughout February, UVA BLSA will be hosting additional events that include a candlelight vigil in honor of Marin Luther King, a viewing of the “Road to Brown” for all the constitutional law classes, and dinner discussions co‐hosted with Students United to Promote Racial Awareness (SUPRA).

OLIVER HILL SCHOLARSHIPS. UVA BLSA will offer a $1,000 academic scholarship in honor of the Virginian civil rights hero and attorney, Oliver Hill, to at least one University of Virginia graduating senior and a graduating senior at one of the local Charlottesville high schools. Our goal in offering the scholarship is to generate legal interest among young people and educate the greater Charlottesville community about the numerous legal contributions made by African‐American attorneys.

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS | HELPING STUDENTS GROW AS LEADERS NBLSA AND UVA LAW BOARD SERVICE. Not only is UVA BLSA committed to academic excellence and

professional development, but the chapter also strongly encourages our membership to serve in leadership positions both within and outside of BLSA. Within each of the past four years, UVA BLSA has proudly had members serve NBLSA at the National level in positions such as National Chair, Fundraising Chair, Attorney General, and Communications Chair. Additionally, at the regional level, UVA BLSA members have served as Regional Chair and Fundraising Chair. This year, UVA BLSA members will serve as the Vice Chair and Director of the College Student Division. Within the greater UVA Law community, our members currently serve in leadership positions such as Executive Editor of the Journal of Law and Social Policy, Executive Board Member for Center for the Study of Race and Law Executive Board, and on committees appointed by the Dean of the Law School.

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DELEGATIONS. UVA BLSA is committed to sending our five‐member

delegation to the Regional and National Conventions. Both conventions provide opportunities for our members to run for leadership positions and expose our membership to internal operations of the largest student‐run organization in the United States. In accordance with tradition, this year UVA BLSA is committed to covering 100% of the costs for all delegates. Historically, these selected delegates later serve in leadership roles at the local, regional, and national levels. NBLSA National Vice Chair, Melinda Hightower, was severe as a delegate to the Regional Convention. This year the regional convention will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia and the national convention will be Boston, Massachusetts. Conventions usually last three to four days.

JOHN CHARLES THOMAS SCHOLARSHIP. UVA BLSA will offer a $5,000 academic scholarship in honor of UVA Law alumnus and the first African‐American Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, John Charles Thomas. The scholarship will be awarded to a first‐year member of UVA BLSA with demonstrated leadership potential and commitment to community service. We hope to offer the recipient the opportunity to interview with one our law firm partners.

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UVABLSA

Guidance. Generosity. Growth.

ADMISSIONS & RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS | SHAPING DIVERSITY GROWTH AT UVA LAW ADMISSIONS. UVA BLSA recognizes that active recruitment of minority students is an integral part of

maintaining a strong presence at the Law School. BLSA engages in recruitment efforts by o working in conjunction with UVA Admissions officers, o attending and representing UVA at law fairs for minority students, o creating and disseminating informational packets about UVA Law, o providing tours of UVA Law and speaking on student panels, and o working with the UVA undergraduate peer advising program.

The Admissions Committee also hosts various activities for African‐American prospective students at the Law School’s annual Admitted Students Weekend.

Additionally, UVA BLSA has instituted the Admitted Students Network (ASN). ASN pairs prospective students with current UVA BLSA members in hopes of increasing the enrollment of African‐American students. This program allows admitted students to have a BLSA contact who can answer questions about law school in general or UVA specifically.

MINORITY LAW DAY. This program provides high school students and college students with an

introduction to law school, especially UVA LAW. We will host two Minority Law Day events this year. This Fall, we will invite students from undergraduate institutions located in Virginia, North Carolina, and Washington D.C. to spend a day at UVA Law. For our spring event, we will extend the same invitation to local high school students. The students will attend admissions and financial aid sessions, a career planning presentation, and a student panel discussion. Students will also participate in a mock law school class and receive a tour of the Law School. This is an annual BLSA tradition and is a combination of our admissions recruitment efforts as well as our community outreach efforts.

BLSA LEGAL HISTORY PROJECT. UVA BLSA remains rooted in its history and is taking great strides to have UVA BLSA’s history documented. This year, our Historian and Public Relations Chair will continue our ongoing efforts, working with a UVA archivist and the UVA Law administration to develop a brochure chronicling the Black legal history of UVA Law. The brochure will include select stories and biographies of some of UVA Law’s prestigious group of Black alumni and will also feature some of the current BLSA members. The goal of the brochure will be to educate not only our membership of its history, but also the greater UVA Law community. Additionally, UVA BLSA is working with Admissions to use the brochure as a recruiting tool for prospective students of color. It is our goal to unveil the brochure as part of our Spring 2010 admissions recruiting efforts.

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WHEN DIVERSE VOICES UNITE WITH A COMMON PURPOSE, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE LIMITLESS.

UVABLSA

GUIDANCE. GENEROSITY. GROWTH.

JOIN OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY BY CONTACTING BLSAFIRMRELATIONS@GMAIL.COM.