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Chapter III- Student Chapters
3.1 Purpose of Student Chapters
The purpose and mission of student chapters of the Law Society are the same as those of the general chapters of the Law Society. As students learn the law and ethics of law in school, the student chapter can help them recognize the strength that can be brought to the law by the students’ personal religious convictions. Student chapters can, through public service and excellence, promote fairness and virtue both in the study of the law and in the law community around them.
As these values are instilled from the beginning of the study of law, they will be more integrated into the attorneys’ practices. The student can network from the beginning with attorneys and other law students that have the same ethical values and philosophies. Upon graduation they can continue their associations as members of the local chapter of the Law Society where they practice law.
3.2 Interacting with Sponsoring Chapter
Student chapters will be most successful if they interact with an established professional chapter of the Law Society (a “sponsoring chapter”). The sponsoring chapter generally should be the Law Society chapter that is geographically located closest to the student chapter. The sponsoring chapter should appoint a member of its board to be a liaison with the student chapter (an “attorney advisor”), and the student chapter president or other student representative should be a member of the sponsoring chapter’s board. If there is no local chapter, students should contact the International Board member who chairs the Student Chapters Committee.
The student chapter and the sponsoring chapter should actively communicate with each other and work together when appropriate. Distance and other factors may make it difficult for the attorney advisor to participate in student chapter board meetings and similarly for student representatives to attend sponsoring chapter board meetings. However, when possible, such attendance is encouraged. Other means of communication may include having the student representative placed on the e-mail list of the sponsoring chapter’s board, allowing telephone participation in meetings, and having regularly scheduled communications between the attorney advisor and the student chapter leadership. The student representative should be advised of all sponsoring chapter events and be given the responsibility for notifying the student chapter of those events. All communications to the student chapter membership from the sponsoring chapter may be accomplished primarily through the student representative and other student chapter leaders.
Student chapter members can reap great benefits from attending sponsoring chapter events. Such attendance gives the students an opportunity to learn from and network with members of the Law Society. The sponsoring chapter should consider holding events from time to time that are primarily to benefit law students. Such events may center on career opportunities or involve social events that allow for a more casual exchange between students and attorneys. Student chapters should also consider hosting specific activities and inviting some or all of the sponsoring chapter members. Student chapters and sponsoring chapters should look for opportunities to work together on events. For example, student chapters should try to contribute in a positive way to their law schools. One such way is to organize a symposium or other educational program at the school. The sponsoring chapter could assist in providing or arranging for speakers while the student chapter could arrange for the use of campus facilities and possibly for CLE credit through the school. When planning such events, student chapters should work closely with their schools and be careful to comply with all the necessary requirements.
The sponsoring chapter should seek to assist the student chapter in the areas of placement and mentoring. This can either be through informal means or through more structured programs. The sponsoring chapter should consider making a list available to student chapters of sponsoring chapter members who would be willing to assist students either in answering questions or in assisting them in placement efforts. Advising students of such contacts, particularly at firms and companies that routinely hire law students, can be a valuable service to the student chapter. Student chapters can host events and invite members of the Law Society to share information about legal employers or other career options. Student chapters might likewise be interested in reaching out to other chapters of the Law Society (which are identified on the Law Society website) concerning placement assistance.
3.6 International Board and Student Chapters
The Law Society International Board has a Student Chapters Committee (see Appendix
C for a list of committee members and section 3.20 for
their liaison assignments) which will interact with the student chapters,
particularly in the early stages when they are becoming established. Thereafter,
it is hoped that the student chapters will operate where possible in
connection with a sponsoring chapter. Once the student chapter
is fully integrated with a sponsoring chapter, the Student Chapters Committee
will work primarily through that sponsoring chapter when dealing with
the student chapter. From time to time the International
Board will sponsor events, such as an international satellite broadcast
specifically for attorneys. Student chapters will be invited
to either join with the sponsoring chapters for such events or, if more
appropriate, to host their own event in connection with such broadcasts.
The president of each student chapter, or representatives of regions of the student chapters, may be invited onto the Student Chapters International Board (SCIB). The purpose of SCIB is to facilitate training, communication and support among the student chapters. The Chair of SCIB is appointed by the International Board upon recommendation of the Student Chapters Committee. The Secretary is selected by the SCIB upon recommendation of the Chair of SCIB. The Chair of the SCIB appoints other officers and committee chairs, as needed.
The Student Chapters International Board (SCIB) was created in November 2004 as a means for the student chapters to communicate with, learn from and support each other. Each March the International Board, at the recommendation of the Student Chapters Committee, should select a Chair-Elect of SCIB. This student takes office as the Chair in June of the same year. The Chair plans and conducts the monthly meetings of SCIB. The Student Chapters Committee (SCC) guides and provides support for the Chair. The purpose of SCC is to make policy decisions regarding the forming and running of student chapters, assist in the formation of new student chapters, and provide support to the student leaders and attorney advisors. It is the intent that the students run the SCIB. Through the use of committees SCIB can address the needs of student chapters, communicate problems and successes of student chapters. SCIB can plan national or international student conferences and training for new presidents.
Currently the SCIB meets monthly, by telephone conference, on the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time (with the exception of May, June and December). The Chair of the Student Chapters Committee participates on the call. Other members of the SCC participate on the call by initiation of the Chair of SCIB or the Chair of SCC. The Chair of SCIB plans the agenda, sends notification of the meetings and conducts the conference calls.
SCIB consists of all the presidents of the student chapters. As the number of student chapters increase this may need to be changed. It may be changed to have members of SCIB represent a region of student chapters. The regional representative may or may not be a current president of a student chapter. The regional representative may be a past president.
3.7 Resources Available to Student Chapters
The Law Society International Board will continue to work to provide resources for student chapters, such as Speakers Bureau information (lists of potential speakers), model by-laws for the formation of student chapters (see section 3.21), and LDS Perspectives on the Law course materials designed specifically for law students. Student chapters should work with their sponsoring chapter and their International Board Liaison to determine the extent to which there may be assistance needed in other areas. Sponsoring chapters are encouraged to explore ways in which they may assist student chapters.
In selecting a president, care should be taken to see that the leader has the vision and enthusiasm needed to help the chapter succeed. The individual should be respected by his or her peers, be of good moral character, and be willing to dedicate time and effort to the success of the student chapter.
Because the first year of law school is so demanding, it is suggested that a first-year student not serve as the president of a student chapter. Ideally, the president is a second- or third-year student who has been trained by serving as the president-elect during the previous year. However, this is not always possible. The most important thing is that the president can effectively lead the student chapter and still be dedicated to his or her study of the law. An attorney advisor can serve as the president of the student chapter when there is no student able to serve as president.
Selection of the president-elect is just as important as the selection of the president. The current president and the attorney advisor, who presumably understand the mission of the Law Society as well as the duties and what will be required of the president, make the nomination of the president-elect. After the sponsoring chapter board approves the nominee, he or she is presented to the members of the student chapter for election. If the nominee fails to be elected by the students, the president and the attorney advisor should nominate another individual for the position. If there is no current president, the attorney advisor can make the nomination after getting to know the abilities of the students.
Other officers or committee chairs may be appointed by the president, as needed and after consulting with the attorney advisor, in areas such as:
· Technology and Web Design
· Community Outreach and Service
· Events
· Membership
The president may act as the liaison to the sponsoring chapter board, become a member of the board, or may appoint another student to be the liaison to the board.
The attorney advisor is a liaison from the sponsoring chapter, is a member of the sponsoring chapter board, and is also a member of the student chapter board (if one exists). Most campuses require a faculty advisor if the student chapter is recognized on campus as a student association. The attorney advisor can serve as the faculty advisor if he or she meets the requirements of the particular law school. If not, there will be both a faculty advisor, who may or may not be a member of the Law Society, and an attorney advisor.
The student chapter may wish to charge membership dues to provide funds to run the chapter. Any funds collected may be used by the chapter for mailings, advertising, events, and so forth. None of the funds need to be given to the sponsoring chapter or to the Law Society. Some chapters may be able to function without charging dues. Others may receive funds from their law school because they are a recognized student organization on campus.
Because law students frequently have limited funds it is suggested that most of the chapter events be free or have a nominal charge. Potlucks, brown bag luncheons, and events held on campus or at church facilities are appropriate.
Planning student chapter activities should take into account the interests, family obligations, economic situations, and educational time demands of the members. It is suggested that costs for these activities be kept as low as possible. The following are examples of some of the activities and programs that might be appropriate for a student chapter:
Annual Family Picnic
This event may have no cost at all when members or families are invited to bring their own picnics. This may be the kick-off event at the beginning of each school year to help members get to know each other and their families. The picnic may also be used to invite others to join the chapter.
Brown Bag Lunches (w/ Speakers)
This bring-your-own-lunch event could be held on or off campus at a regularly scheduled time as frequently as is appropriate for the membership. Periodically, a speaker could be asked to make a presentation on a topic of interest to the members. Speakers could include law school professors or, with the help of the sponsoring chapter, civic leaders, local attorneys, and judges. The student chapter could also invite members of the sponsoring chapter to attend. They may expand the program to provide CLE credits, thus appealing to the interest of and attendance by local attorneys. This would be a way for the students to better network with local attorneys by providing a service to them. The attorneys could be charged for their attendance and CLE credit, which may generate funds to run the student chapter.
Firesides
Evening meetings with a speaker of interest could be held on campus or at a local facility, such as a church building. Like the brown bag lunches, speakers could include law school professors or, with the help of the sponsoring chapter, local attorneys and judges. Guests could also be invited to attend. Speakers could address issues of importance to the families of law students and attorneys.
LDS Perspectives on the Law Courses
A series of LDS Perspectives on the Law courses are being prepared for use by student chapters. These lessons will address issues in law and religion, such as being an attorney with a gospel perspective. It is recommended that the student chapters consider using institute facilities when and where possible.
Public Service
Some student chapters have had great success holding fundraising events, such as featuring traveling BYU performance groups and getting donations for a local charitable organization or soliciting donations to provide holiday baskets for needy families. Public service can be, in conjunction with local bar associations, provided through legal oriented services to the community or any number of service projects or programs. Sponsoring chapter members may also be invited to be involved in these public service opportunities.
Mentor Programs
Second- or third-year student mentors can be matched with first-year students. Through the help of the sponsoring chapter, attorney mentors can also be arranged for student members. This program could be formal (e.g., having scheduled meetings between mentor and student) or informal, (e.g., circulating names of possible mentors, their area of expertise, and contact information among those interested student chapter members).
Sponsoring Chapter Events
Student members could be included in sponsoring chapter events, as appropriate. It is recommended, at a minimum, that the student members be included in the sponsoring chapter’s annual dinner. The student liaison to the sponsoring chapter board and the attorney advisor could assist in including student members in these events, while providing a great opportunity for the students to network with local attorneys and for the attorneys to get to know potential law clerks or attorney hires.
The sponsoring chapter can be a viable resource for clerkships/internships and, later for attorney positions. Both the sponsoring chapter and the student chapter may have a board member or committee chair designated to assist in job placement for law students.
Academic Assistance
Study groups, outline banks, note taking for absent students, or other assistance in helping fellow student members succeed in law school may be coordinated.
Sports, Recreation, and Cultural Events
A variety of sports or recreational activities could be arranged, such as:
· Early morning basketball at a church building
· Friday evening volleyball with spouses at a church building
· Gatherings at a concert in the park
· Block seating at a local or visiting BYU sports event (possibly with a tailgate party)
· Group attendance at a traveling BYU performance group program
Work with the interests of the student members. If there is an event that many of the members would be interested in attending, arrange for block seating or for a social gathering before or after the event (such as meeting together for dessert).
By September 15 of each year, the student chapter secretary/treasurer should send a list of student names and e-mail addresses to the Student Chapters Committee of the International Board and to the secretary of the sponsoring chapter. This enables student chapter members to receive electronic communications from the International Board and from the sponsoring chapter.
The officers of the student chapter, the attorney advisor, and members of the student and sponsoring chapters should actively seek out potential members of the student chapter through personal invitations, publicity, open-house events, speaker presentations, social events, and information at law student events. In addition to looking for potential members among LDS law students and BYU graduates, those involved in recruiting should consider any law student who supports the philosophy of the Law Society and its mission statement. Students and attorneys are not required to be members of the LDS Church in order to be members or officers of the Law Society.
3.13 Student Chapters Including More Than One Law School
If there is more than one law school in the area that student members of the Law Society attend, a decision should be made by the sponsoring chapter (with input from the students and attorney advisor) as to whether separate student chapters should be established at each of the law schools or if one student chapter should comprise multiple law schools. In making this decision, several factors should be considered, including, but not limited to, the number of students at each law school, the anticipated number of students over the years at each law school, the student leadership available, requirements and advantages or disadvantages of being recognized on campus as a student association, the proximity of campuses, and the resources available to each student group.
3.14 Change in Number of Students
The number of student members of the Law Society at each law school will change each year. Some years there may be many students with an abundance of leadership. Other years there may be very few student members or a shortage of leadership. When there is inadequate leadership for the student chapter, the attorney advisor can act as the president of the student chapter. If there is a shortage in the number of student members, the attorney advisor can see that the students are involved, as appropriate, with the activities and events of the sponsoring chapter in lieu of student chapter events and arrange for a mentoring relationship for the students with sponsoring chapter members. If there are no student members at the law school the attorney advisor should continue to act as the president of the student chapter, although dormant, and keep informed as to any entering or transferring students who would be members of the Law Society, at which time the student chapter would be reactivated.
Membership in a Student at Large Chapter is available to law students attending law schools in areas where there is an insufficient number of students to form a student chapter. The Student At Large Chapter is sponsored by the Student Chapters Committee of the International Board. A student is selected by the Student Chapters Committee to serve as the President of the Student at Large Chapter. Communication and meetings of the members of the Student at Large Chapter may be accomplished through the Internet, conference calling, video conferencing and others available means.
3.16 Becoming an Officially Recognized Student Organization
Where it is advantageous for the local student chapter to do so, it is recommended that a student chapter obtain the official recognition granted to student organizations by the student bar association, law school, or university office that coordinates student activities on campus.
Advantages of Obtaining Official Recognition
The advantages of obtaining official recognition may include the ability to:
· Schedule university facilities (e.g., rooms, media equipment, services) at little or no cost;
· Use a bulletin board or create a webpage for publicizing activities;
· Obtain a budget award from student fees which can be used to fund speakers, service projects, and travel expenses;
· Obtain a financial account and utilize university accounting services for tracking deposits and expenditures;
· Schedule university video conferencing facilities to provide a venue for guest speakers; and
· Have the student chapter represented in councils, before the administration, and in interaction with other student organizations at the law school.
Requirements and Procedures for Obtaining Official Recognition
Requirements will vary depending on the law school or university, but often recognition requires submitting, to the designated office by a specific date, the names of a minimum number of students (e.g., 7–10 students), a simple constitution and by-laws, a list of officers, and the name of a faculty adviser. Often there is a requirement for annual renewal of the registration. If there are just a few interested students, seeking official recognition for a Law Society student chapter may not be practical.
3.17 Names of Student Chapters
At some law schools, groups of LDS students have previously organized under the name of a prominent legal figure other than J. Reuben Clark. With approval of the Law Society International Board, the student chapter may retain the local nomenclature (e.g., Dallin H. Oaks Student Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society at the University of Chicago).
3.18 Student Chapter Membership after Graduation
Law school graduates should no longer be members of a student chapter, but rather should become members of the Law Society chapter for the geographical area in which they work. Since it is not the purpose of the Law Society to replace the alumni association of the graduates’ law school, graduates are also encouraged to be active in and support the alumni association of their respective law schools.
3.19 Directories and Publications
Student chapters may access the Law Society’s web site at www.jrcls.org. The Clark Memorandum is available online under the heading “Publications.” While access to the online database is limited to Law Society members, students may on occasion ask a Law Society member to give them a referral from the database or print directory.
3.20 For Help or to Make Suggestions
Please contact any of the Student Chapter Committee Members (see Appendix C) if you have questions or suggestions concerning the management or organization of student chapters.
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