Throughout the academic year, the ACS Student Chapters Department honors a Student Chapter of the Week each week. The chapter is featured on the ACS website and in the ACS weekly bulletin. The Student Chapters of the Week are chapters that have held exceptional programming, have aligned themselves with the priorities of the national office or have established themselves as a premier student group on campus.
Student Chapter of the Week May 24: University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
The ACS University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Professor Sam Marcosson and Professor Luke Milligan, recently concluded another successful semester. First, the chapter hosted attorney Tim Arnold, the public advocate who represented José Padilla in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Kentucky v. Padilla. Mr. Arnold engaged students and faculty in a discussion on the “Intersection of Indigent Defense and Immigration.” Next, the chapter, in conjunction with the ACS Kentucky Lawyer Chapter, hosted Congressman John Yarmuth and Georgia State University Law Professor Neil J. Kinkopf for a stimulating discussion on “Gun Control Reform and the Constitution.” In March, the Louisville chapter continued its programming with a discussion on “DOMA and Marriage Equality in 2013,” led by LGTBQ family law attorney Nicole Kersting, and a “Government and Constitutional Law Jobs Panel” co-sponsored with the ACLU-Kentucky student chapter for the law school’s career fair. This panel featured attorney Amy Cubbage, who was involved in litigating the Louisville portion of Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District, as well as Executive Director at the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General Clay Barkley. Finally, in April, Louisville Law Professor Cedric Merlin Powell offered his insights on the Voting Rights Act, Shelby County v. Holder,and the Roberts’ Court’s post-racial constitutionalism. The program was co-sponsored by the law school’s BLSA chapter.
The Louisville chapter has continued to forge connections between students, lawyers, and judges by building a strong partnership and working together with the ACS Kentucky Lawyer chapter. In addition, the chapter has also continued to foster relationships between its members with social events, as well as with other student organizations, such as Lambda Law Caucus, BLSA, and the Environmental Law and Land Use Society.
Student Chapter of the Week May 17: New York University School of Law
The ACS New York University School of Law Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Adam Cox, kicked off an exciting and productive spring semester with a talk by Constitutional Accountability Center Chief Counsel Elizabeth Wydra entitled “Shelby County: Is the Voting Rights Act Obsolete?” Ms. Wydra discussed the issues before the Supreme Court in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder and also talked about her path to CAC. Next, MacArthur Foundation Fellow and University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Joel Rogers introduced his American Legislative and Issue Campaign Exchange (ALICE) program to NYU students and met for a planning and strategy dinner with the chapter. ACS NYU programming continued in March with a lunchtime conversation between Professors Sam Issacharoff (NYU) and former White House Counsel Robert Bauer, a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at NYU Law, which gave audience members a glimpse into the demands of the White House’s top legal job. In April, Professor Alex Kreit of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law discussed the law and policy of marijuana legalization in a lecture co-sponsored by the NYU Law Federalist Society.
The chapter’s Legislation Committee remained busy as the semester wrapped up. Notably, the committee finalized plans for an innovative moot court-like ACS Model Legislation Competition, which will be co-sponsored by the NYU Journal of Legislation and Public Policy and rolled out during the 2013-14 academic year.
Student Chapter of the Week May 10: Duke University School of Law
Re-established in the fall of 2012, the Duke University School of Law Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Professor Joseph Blocher, Professor Margaret Hu and Professor Neil Siegel, continued to expand its presence on campus this semester. In January, the chapter teamed up with the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund to host journalist Will Potter and activist Jake Conroy, who spoke about the recent treatment of animal rights activists as terrorists. During the week of oral arguments for Shelby County v. Holder, Professor Kareem Crayton presented his insightful research on the continued need for federal “pre-clearance” under Section Five of the Voting Rights Act. The chapter also held “Dueling Visions of Gun Control in the Wake of Sandy Hook,” during which Professors Joseph Blocher, Chris Schroeder, and Phil Cook explored the political and constitutional dimensions of the gun control debate. Finally, in line with ACS national’s indigent defense programming focus for the year, the chapter highlighted the plight of indigent defendants in America with two movie screenings: First, Gideon’s Trumpet depicted the story behind the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright; Professor Jim Coleman, co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke, introduced the event. Second, The House We Live In offered students a glimpse inside the criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of US drug policy.
In addition, the Duke chapter continued to foster relationships between its members. The chapter held social events, such as a kick-off barbecue and several happy hours, and also strengthened ties with faculty members with its “Brown Bag Lunch” series. These informal events provided students with an opportunity to chat with professors in a small group setting.
Having recently elected new leadership, the chapter has hit the ground running again and looks forward to another successful year.
Student Chapter of the Week May 3: Rutgers School of Law-Newark
The ACS Rutgers School of Law-Newark Student Chapter, under the guidance of faculty advisors Professor Jessica Kitson and Professor Penny Venetis, completed its revival this semester. The chapter kicked off the semester with “Do Minority Votes Need Protection,” a discussion of Shelby County v. Holder with Jon Greenbaum from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. In accordance with ACS national’s indigent defense programming, the chapter then held its keystone event on Gideon v. Wainwright, which featured prominent criminal law attorneys, such as U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman (D-NJ), NJ State Public Defender Joe Krakora, David Carroll, Executive Director of the Sixth Amendment Center, Assignment Judge Patricia Costello (N.J. Super.) and Alex Shalom, Policy Counsel for the ACLU of New Jersey.
In April, the chapter worked to shed light on LGBT issues. First, along with the Federalist Society and Human Rights Forum, the chapter hosted Udi Ofer, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Jersey, and Ken Klukowski, Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, to debate DOMA. Next, Rutgers ACS and the LGBTQ Caucus held a panel on the criminalization of HIV, discussing the constructive criminalization and actual stigmatization of people with HIV. The chapter then teamed up with the Eric Neisser Public Interest Program to host “Beyond the Equal Sign,” a panel on LGBT discrimination in New Jersey, featuring Steven Goldstein, Associate Chancellor at Rutgers-Newark and the founder of Garden State Equality. Finally, the chapter co-sponsored with the Rutgers Computer & Technology Law Journal and the ACS New Jersey Lawyer Chapter “Cyberbullying in America,” a symposium discussing liability, policy, and progress in online bullying. The all-day event featured Judge Glenn Berman (N.J. Super.), who presided over the Dharun Ravi prosecution, Slate senior editor Emily Bazelon, NJ Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle and NJ Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa.
The chapter recently elected its 2013-2014 board and is looking forward to another successful year.
Student Chapter of the Week April 26: UC Berkeley School of Law
The ACS UC Berkeley School of Law Student Chapter concluded another successful and exciting semester. First, the chapter hosted former Berkeley Law professor and current Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, Justice Goodwin Liu (Cal.), who engaged students with a discussion on “Justice and the Distribution of Educational Opportunity.” Next, by cosponsoring various events, the chapter strengthened its relationship with other progressive organizations, such as the Asian American Law Journal, National Lawyers Guild, Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, Berkeley Journal of African-American Law & Policy, Berkeley La Raza Journal, and Queer Caucus. These events included a symposium on voting rights and the propensity for electoral success in a post-racial America, a lecture discussing the role of the criminal justice system in addressing labor issues impacting immigrant communities, and a lecture by Lafe Solomon, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)'s Acting General Counsel, on administering labor law in political turbulence. In addition, Enrique Monagas and Ethan Dettmer, lawyers who were core members of the trial team that overturned the Prop 8 anti-gay marriage ballot initiative in Hollingsworth v. Perrycurrently under review at the U.S. Supreme Court, shared their insight and behind-the-scenes stories of this monumental case.
Finally, the Berkeley Student Chapter continued to build connections between students, lawyers, and judges. Erika Kelton, a partner at Phillips & Cohen, met with students to talk about her work representing employee whistleblowers and holding corporations accountable for fraud, securities, and tax violations. ACS members then had the privilege of meeting Judge Keith Ellison (S.D. Tex) and his current clerks at an intimate “Coffee and Pastries” event, where Judge Ellison and his clerks spoke candidly about their careers, judicial vacancies, working in Texas, and applying for federal clerkships.
Student Chapter of the Week April 19: Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University
Guided by faculty advisor Professor Chapin Cimino, the large and enthusiastic ACS Student Chapter of Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law had another whirlwind year of exciting programming. Among its myriad events this semester, the chapter hosted Chief Judge Theodore McKee (3d Cir.) and legendary Philadelphia Judge Mark Bernstein (FJD) to speak on judicial decision-making; Elizabeth Kennedy, Counsel at Demos, and Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, for a debate on voter ID laws; famed Second Amendment champion Alan Gura, Partner at Gura & Possessky, PLLC; Paul Bland, Senior Counsel at Public Justice, for a discussion on practicing public interest law; and arbitration/class action expert Professor Richard Frankel. Recently, the chapter co-sponsored a discussion on the Westboro Baptist Church with the SCOTUS Society and held a Philadelphia regional Happy Hour with the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law student chapters.
Last semester the chapter also focused on a wide range of topics, from affirmative action with former U.S. Solicitor General Greg Garre, to proposals for ending the Drug War with Professor Alex Kreit, to a full-day symposium on international law, and a presentation on criminal justice by author, law student, convicted felon and jailhouse lawyer Shon Hopwood, who wrote two pauper’s petitions successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court. In addition, the chapter invited political leaders, such as Brian Sims, the first openly gay member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and Robert O’Donnell, former Speaker of that body, to speak about their experiences.
Student Chapter of the Week April 12: University of Richmond School of Law
The ACS Student Chapter at the University of Richmond School of Law, under the leadership of Faculty Advisor Dean Timothy Coggins, has hosted numerous programs this spring, developing the discourse around progressive legal issues. The chapter started the semester by commemorating the fortieth anniversary of Roe v. Wade with a conversation featuring Professor Meredith Harbach. The Chapter then joined the Equality Alliance and Professor John Pagan for a discussion on the tenth anniversary of Lawrence v. Texas and co-sponsored a symposium on educational equality, marking the fortieth anniversary of San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez. The symposium, co-sponsored by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School and Richmond’s Journal of Law and Public Interest, featured Thomas Saenz, President of MALDEF, William Koski, Director of the Youth and Education Law Project at Stanford Law School, and Professor Kimberly Robinson of Richmond Law. The Richmond Student Chapter also hosted, David Gans, Director of Civil and Human Rights and the Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center, for a talk on the future of the Voting Rights Act and Shelby Co. v. Holder and Ami Shah, an attorney from the Advancement Project, to discuss felony disenfranchisement and the unique problem that it poses in Virginia. Finally, the most recent program at Richmond featured another Advancement Project attorney, Leah Kang, who presented on the school to prison pipeline.
The Richmond Chapter looks forward to two final programs to close the semester. The first will be a co-sponsored discussion with the Equality Alliance on same-sex marriage and the two cases heard by the Supreme Court in March, and the last event will be a legislative update with Delegate Jennifer McClellan of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Student Chapter of the Week April 5: Indiana University Maurer School of Law
The ACS Indiana University Maurer School of Law Student Chapter, with the support of Faculty Advisor and ACS Board Member Professor Dawn Johnsen, has had an exciting and busy year. The chapter started the year strong with a Constitution Day panel on Voter ID Laws moderated by Professor Luis Fuentes-Rohwer. It then held an exciting reproductive rights Q&A session with ACS Board Member Professor Reva Siegel of Yale Law School, took part in a sex-ed trivia night to raise funds for Bei Bei Shuai, and ran Constitution in the Classroom at a local middle school. In October, the chapter hosted Yale Law School Professor Akhil Reed Amar for a book-signing and lecture and distributed copies of his book America’s Unwritten Constitution.
This spring, the chapter held a discussion and a debate on Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and Shelby County v. Holder, featuring Professor Fuentes-Rohwer and Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. In April alone, the chapter will host a panel of law professors discussing the constitutional arguments in the marriage equality cases, a lecture by Georgetown Law Professor David Cole, a talk by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David focusing on his work as defense counsel for Guantanamo detainees and chief counsel in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, and a lecture on “The New Age of Abortion Restrictions: Listen Up! It’s About You” with Louise Melling, Director of the ACLU Center for Liberty, which will then be followed by a mixer hosted by the ACLU of Indiana and the ACS Indianapolis Lawyer Chapter. It has been a year of growth for the Maurer Law chapter, and the chapter is working to build upon its successes for future years.
Student Chapter of the Week March 29: University of Wisconsin Law School
The University of Wisconsin Law School Student Chapter, with the help of faculty advisor Professor Ben Kempinen, kicked off the spring semester with a Fourth Amendment talk by Anthony Cotton, Vice President of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Since then, the chapter hosted a three-part series on elections and voting rights. The first event of the series featured Andrea Kaminski, the plaintiff who initiated constitutional challenges to Wisconsin’s voter ID law, Lester Pines, the attorney who mounted a successful legal challenge to Wisconsin’s voter ID law, and Sam Munger, managing director for the Center on State Innovation at the University of Wisconsin. Next in the series, following oral arguments in Shelby County v. Holder, Professor Larry Church led a discussion on the Voting Rights Act case. And finally, in light of the looming Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 2, the chapter wrapped up the series with a panel on “The Politicization of the Judiciary.” The discussion featured two former state court justices, Justice Louis Butler (Wis.) and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus (Iowa), who joined a unanimous court in authoring the controversial Varnum v. Brien decision, which struck down a state statute prohibiting same sex marriage for violating the Iowa Constitution.
The chapter plans to end the semester with an event on Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. We look forward to seeing you at the ACS National Convention in June!
Student Chapter of the Week March 22: University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law ACS Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Andy Silverman, started the semester by focusing on elections and voting rights. First, the chapter co-sponsored an event with the Rehnquist Center and the Federalist Society featuring Professor Michael Paulson, who introduced the basics of the Electoral College, both currently and historically. Next, Dean Vik Amar discussed the National Popular Vote (NPV) compact and the policy considerations behind either retaining or eliminating the Electoral College. In February, the chapter marked the oral arguments of Shelby County v. Holder with “The Voting Rights Act in the Southwest” event, which featured Arizona State University Professor Rodolfo Espino, and, this month, Professor Justin Levitt joined the chapter for a lunchtime talk on “Redistricting, Gerrymandering and the Voting Rights Act.”
Additionally, following its successful implementation last year, the chapter has continued holding “Pints with Professors,” a tradition where a limited number of students meet with a professor off-campus to discuss a constitutional issue of the professor's choosing. Two examples of this year’s Pints topics include internet privacy and censorship with Professor Derek Bambauer and Supreme Court appointments with Professor Robert Glennon. The chapter plans to host more Pints sessions this semester. The chapter also looks forward to its upcoming April 8th event, “LGBT Gender Discrimination in the Workplace, The Past, Present, and Future of the Gender-Stereotyping,” which features Professor Zachary Kramer and is co-sponsored by Pride Law.s.
Student Chapter of the Week March 15: Florida International University College of Law
The ACS Florida International University College of Law Student Chapter, supported by Faculty Advisor Professor Ediberto Román, has hosted many events during the 2012-2013 school year and looks forward to hosting several more this semester. This semester, the Chapter hosted ACLU of Florida voting rights attorney Julie Ebenstein to discuss the Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder and Sandhya Bathija from the Center for American Progress to discuss Why Courts Matter for Women and the Law. Future events by the chapter will include a screening of The Code to The West: A Documentary, followed by a discussion regarding the constitutionality of medical marijuana. In line with ACS National’s indigent defense programming focus for spring 2013, the chapter also plans to host Howard Blumberg, Assistant Public Defender of the Miami-Dade County Office of the Public Defender, to discuss the 6th Amendment Right to Effective Counsel and Due Process. South Florida attorney Steven Harper will lead a discussion on capital punishment. And FIU faculty members will discuss DOMA and Proposition 8. The chapter will then wind down the semester with a discussion on “Reproductive Rights: The Politics of Your Reproductive System,” covering current and proposed legislation and rulings regarding abortion, sex education, and reproductive health practices.
Student Chapter of the Week March 8: Stanford Law School
The Stanford Law School ACS Student Chapter, under the leadership of Co-Faculty Advisors and ACS Board Members Prof. Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar and Prof. Pamela Karlan, has had a busy start to 2013. On March 1-2, Stanford hosted the inaugural ACS Student Convention. Nearly 200 students from across the country assembled at Stanford to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, to reflect upon the obstacles that still impede Gideon's promise of effective legal representation for the indigent and to meet law students and young lawyers who have already embarked upon meaningful careers in the law. Stanford was honored to host the Student Convention, and hopes it becomes a tradition for years to come.
Stanford's ACS chapter has also formed a reading group, led by faculty sponsors Professors Lucas Guttentag and Burt Neuborne. Spearheaded in large part by a group of enterprising 1Ls, the reading group has covered topics ranging from constitutional interpretation to targeted killings. Additionally, Stanford has hosted a number of larger events, including conversations with Judge Steven Reinhardt, Judge Paul Watford, and Judge Jacqueline Nguyen of the Ninth Circuit; a panel on the future of immigration reform; a discussion with former Stanford Law Dean Larry Kramer about popular constitutionalism; and a talk by Robert Bauer, President Obama's former White House Counsel, about the state of US election law. On March 11, Stanford ACS is thrilled to host an event featuring the legal team challenging the Defense of Marriage Act in Windsor v. United States.
Student Chapter of the Week March 1: The University of Chicago Law School
Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Geoffrey Stone, The University of Chicago Law School Chapter of ACS has had a very productive year. The chapter began with an introductory barbecue for incoming 1Ls and a lunch talk on the history of ACS presented by Professor Stone. Ahead of the 2012 elections, the chapter held separate events with Professor Nicholas Stephanopoulos on Voting rights, and former Congressman Mickey Edwards on Election Reform. The chapter continued its successful Nathan Cummings Foundation Judicial Lecture series with events featuring Justice Goodwin Liu of the Supreme Court of California and Judge Stephen Higginson of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The chapter hosted a panel on Immigration Policy led by Professor Elizabeth Frankel. The chapter invited Professors Jonathan Masur an Richard McAdams to discuss approaches to teaching the law of rape, co-hosted by Law Students for Reproductive Justice.
During the winter quarter, the chapter presented a debate on Affirmative Action with the Federalist Society, represented by Jose Padilla of DePaul University. The chapter co-sponsored several lunch talks with other student groups on topics such as Child Sentencing, Incarceration Policy, and Parental Notification laws. Along with the Disability Law Society, the chapter hosted a panel discussion on post-Newtown Gun Control Reforms. The chapter held an event with the Black Law Students Association to highlight the University's trauma center policy and brought Professor Joel Rogers to introduce students to ALICE. In the spring quarter, the chapter plans to hold events focusin on the Aaron Swartz Prosecution, Legislative Delegation Powers, Climate Change, and Gay Rights.
Student Chapter of the Week February 22: Saint Louis University School of Law
The Saint Louis University School of Law Student Chapter kicked off 2013 with a visit from Thomas Harvey, founder of Arch City Defenders, to learn about municipal courts. The chapter then hosted a screening of the Alliance for Justice’s documentary Unequal Justice: The Relentless Rise of the One Percent Court. SLU Law just launched its Brown Bag Lunch Series “My Favorite Amendment,” where professors meet with groups of students for small group discussions of the Constitution. On the agenda thus far are the Bail Clause with Co-Faculty Advisor Professor Eric Miller, the Vice Presidency with Professor Joel Goldstein, Cruel and Unusual Punishment with SpearIt, and the Shrinking Public Domain with Professor Yvette Leibesman. The chapter will also host a panel on clerkships and show a screening of The Interrupters, a documentary on gang violence in Chicago.
On February 28, SLU Law will join other Missouri-area student chapters to host the first ever Regional Conference of the Lower Midwest in Jefferson City and Columbia, Missouri. This two-day event will feature, first, a tour, led by Co-Faculty Advisor and former Chief Justice Michael Wolff (Mo.), of the state capital and the Supreme Court House, where students will observe oral arguments. Attendees will enjoy lunch with state legislators and judges, including Chief Justice Richard Teitelman and Judge Laura Denvir Stith of the Missouri Supreme Court, and then travel back to Columbia for a networking dinner with area lawyers. On March 1, the chapters have planned networking events and a panel commemorating Gideon v. Wainwright, “Missouri Margins of Justice,” which will address misdemeanors, municipal courts, and the right to counsel, featuring Missouri State Representative Chris Kelly, Mizzou Law’s Professor Rodney Uphoff, SLU Law’s Professor Miller, and Thomas Harvey.
Student Chapter of the Week February 15: George Mason University School of Law
The George Mason University School of Law ACS Student Chapter, under the leadership of Faculty Advisors Professor Alison Price and Professor Brandy Wagstaff, began the 2013 year by co-hosting a two-part series on hydraulic fracturing with the Environmental Law Society. Part I featured the film “Gasland,” and Part II consisted of a talk by Nathan Richardson, Resident Scholar at Resources for the Future. The chapter then celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by screening Unequal Justice: The Relentless Rise of the 1% Court and hosting a lively discussion with Dorot Fellow Peter Laumann at AFJ and Professor David Schleicher.
This month, the chapter successfully launched the first annual Public Interest Career Networking Breakfast, which approximately forty alumni, students and faculty attended. Later in February, the chapter will host an event on Shelby County v. Holder, in accordance to ACS National’s voting rights work, featuring J. Gerald Herbert, former DOJ Special Litigation Counsel in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division, Dara Lindenbaum, Associate Counsel at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, Professor David Schleicher and Abigail Thernstrom, Vice-Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and an Adjunct Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. The chapter will also screen Mississippi Innocence.
The chapter has exciting events planned for the rest of the spring semester. In addition to sending two of its board members to the ACS Student Convention, the chapter will host an indigent defense event in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, following ACS National’s 2013 programming focus, and will help demystify the clerkship application process with a panel on becoming a judicial law clerk.
Student Chapter of the Week February 8: UCLA School of Law
Under the leadership of Faculty Advisor Professor Adam Winkler, the UCLA School of Law ACS Student Chapter began the 2013 year by helping to ensure the success of the Constitution in 2020 Equality and Liberty Conference. Sponsored by ACS National, the Williams Institute, and the UCLA School of Law, the conference focused on sexual freedom and themes related to Roe v. Wade and Lawrence v. Texas. The chapter also held an informational panel for 1Ls about how to apply to and be successful in progressive jobs across the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. This, however, is only the beginning of what will be a busy spring semester. The UCLA chapter will continue to hold its “Dinner with a Professor” and “Dinner with a Practitioner” series to give students the opportunity to meet with influential progressive lawyers in the school and in the community. Other upcoming events include a debate on gun control, panels on Shelby v. Holder and the 50th anniversary of Gideon, a conversation with judges from both the state and federal levels, and a discussion of cases from the current Supreme Court term that deal with issues of race.
The chapter hopes to build off the success from last fall, which began with a Supreme Court Moot presentation by Paul Hoffman, who represented the plaintiffs in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, and was followed by a Supreme Court preview with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. In light of the election, the chapter hosted Professor Richard Hasen from UC Irvine School of Law to discuss recent battles over election rules and how those battles would affect the 2012 election. The chapter also held events on the potential future of affirmative action after Fisher v. UT, FBI surveillance on Muslim communities, and the Defense of Marriage Act.
Student Chapter of the Week February 1: Washington University School of Law
The ACS Washington University School of Law Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Karen Tokarz, has started 2013 with a bang! ACS partnered with the Federalist Society’s Student Chapter to host a debate on the affirmative action case Fisher v. University of Texas-Austin. The debate, moderated by Dean Kent Syverud, featured Professor Gene Nichol of the University of North Carolina School of Law and Professor Brian Fitzpatrick of Vanderbilt University Law School. Later this month, the chapter will host Amy Howe for a program on Shelby County v. Holder.
The chapter also had a successful fall semester, hosting a variety of substantive events. First, for Constitution Day the chapter hosted ACS Board Member Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuellár for a talk on immigration and public service. Next, Justice Goodwin Liu of the Supreme Court of California joined ACS members for a conversation on how to look at the U.S. Constitution. The chapter then focused on voting rights, hosting Denise Lieberman of the Advancement Project and volunteering at the polls on Election Day with the Election Protection Network. On election night, Washington University ACS and the Saint Louis University ACS Student Chapter came together for a happy hour to watch the election results. ACS also welcomed Jon Davidson, the Legal Director of Lambda Legal, for a comprehensive talk on Proposition 8 and other LGBT issues. Finally, members of ACS taught at the Youth Learning Center every Wednesday through the Constitution in the Classroom Program.
We’re looking forward to continue the excitement generated from a busy 2012 with events on gun control, voting rights and more!
Student Chapter of the Week January 25: University of North Carolina School of Law
After a busy fall semester that featured over a dozen events, including engaging discussions on marriage equality, corporate influence in the courts, the unprecedented use of the veto power in North Carolina, and the 2012 election, the University of North Carolina School of Law Student Chapter of the American Constitution Society, under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Professor Michael Gerhardt and Professor Gene Nichol, is gearing up for an even busier spring. In January the UNC Chapter will be partnering with NARAL-Pro Choice North Carolina and Law Students for Reproductive Justice to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade with a panel discussion with Professor Maxine Eichner and Representative Deborah Ross from the North Carolina General Assembly. The chapter will also be hosting ACS Board Member Professor William P. Marshall, co-author of the ACS Issue Brief “The Framers’ Constitution: Toward a Theory of Principled Constitutionalism,” to present a lecture on progressive constitutional interpretation. Due to overwhelming demand during its fall offering, the chapter will be sponsoring a spring offering of Constitution in the Classroom, sending UNC Law students into the local Chapel Hill middle schools to teach students about the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright.
Also in the works for the spring semester is a debate with the Federalist Society on gun control and the Second Amendment and an event to discuss the constitutional arguments in the upcoming cases of Hollingsworth v. Perry (Proposition 8) and United States v. Windsor (Defense of Marriage Act).
Student Chapter of the Week December 14: William and Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law
The William & Mary Law School ACS Student Chapter, under the leadership of Faculty Advisor Professor Laura Heymann, is wrapping up an exciting semester of driving progressive dialogue on important legal and constitutional issues. First, the chapter started the school year by co-sponsoring a Privacy Symposium, featuring Pablo Garcia-Mexia, an expert in European Union internet law, Justin Brookman from the Center for Democracy and Technology and Khaliah Barnes from the Electronic Privacy Information Center. Next, for William & Mary’s annual Supreme Court Preview, the chapter and the Federalist Society co-sponsored a break-out session titled “The Conservative Legal Movement and Judicial Activism,” with Professor Lyle Denniston, ACS board member Professor Pam Karlan, Professor Amy Wax, and Judge Diane Wood. Then, for Constitution Day the chapter hosted a lecture by dean of the law school, Davison Douglas, and, in advance of the election, hosted representatives from the Virginia League of Women Voters, who came to talk about Virginia voting laws and common legal problems on Election Day.
Finally, the William & Mary chapter has worked closely with the law school’s Equality Alliance to highlight LGBT issues, from hosting talks with Paul Smith, who argued Lawrence v. Texas, and holding the law school’s first annual LGBT Law Conference. This conference featured numerous experts in LGBT law, including Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, Executive Director of the Virginia ACLU, Shawn Gaylord from GLSEN, Joshua Block, Staff Attorney at the National ACLU LGBT Project, Heron Greenesmith from the Family Equality Council and Christine Sun, Deputy Legal Director at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Other events on this topic included a talk by Amanda Simpson, the first openly transgender woman political appointee in any administration, a brown-bag lunch with Professor Neal Devins on the standing issues in DOMA; and a video lecture by Professor Andrew Koppelman of Northwestern University.
The chapter has started planning for the spring semester. Anticipated are events with Art Serratelli, a partner at Vandeventer Black, giving a talk on immigration reform, with the Virginia ACLU’s legislative counsel Rebecca Glenberg discussing the Virginia Adoption Conscience Clause, and with Nathalie Gilfoyle, the General Counsel of the American Psychological Association.
Student Chapter of the Week December 7: University of Pennsylvania Law School
The University of Pennsylvania Law School ACS Student Chapter, under the leadership of Faculty Advisor Professor Kermit Roosevelt, is wrapping up an exciting semester of driving progressive dialogue on important legal and constitutional issues. The school year started with a bang, when the chapter hosted SCOTUSblog writer Kevin Russell, Akin Gump Supreme Court practice leader Patricia Millett, Vinson & Elkins partner John Elwood, and head of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project Cecillia Wang for its annual Supreme Court Review and Preview, moderated by Professor Seth Kreimer. The chapter also packed a lecture hall to capacity to hear ACS board member Professor Linda Greenhouse, Professor Amy Wax, and David Gans of the Constitutional Accountability Center preview the arguments in this term’s significant affirmative action case, Fisher v. University of Texas. Taking advantage of interest in the upcoming election and a hot-button issue in Pennsylvania, the chapter worked with other groups on campus to co-sponsor a discussion with the lawyers that led a suit successfully challenging the state’s restrictive voter ID law.
Penn Law ACS also emphasized connecting students to progressive leaders and academics through a series of professor dinners and brownbag lunches. These brownbag lunches included a conversation about progressive lawyering in private practice with ACS board member Stephen Susman and a roundtable on the implications of the November elections with Professor Sophia Lee. The chapter also worked to increase its national membership by hosting a quizzo night for new and returning members, which helped the chapter win the November 2012 Student Membership Contest.
The Penn Law Chapter is already looking ahead to next semester, when it will host its Tenth Annual Federal Judges Panel and help coordinate the Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition.
Student Chapter of the Week November 30: The University of Texas School of Law
The ACS University of Texas student chapter, under the leadership of Faculty Advisors Professor William Forbath and Professor Lynn Blais, is continuing its tradition of offering a progressive voice in campus dialogue through relevant, interesting events and has added a mentorship program for UT Law students in collaboration with the ACS Austin Lawyers Chapter.
ACS at UT began the year with an event on the Capital Punishment Center’s work on indigent defense, featuring UT Law’s Professor Robert Owen, and a Constitution Day celebration. The chapter then invited Professor Joseph Fishkin, who spoke about the two recent court decisions on Texas’s redistricting maps and voter ID bill, and held an event on financial reform, featuringRob Ellsworth (author of significant passages of the Dodd-Frank Act) and Chris DiAngelo (co-head of Structured Finance for Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP). Shaykh Mohamed-Umer Ismail later joined ACS at UT for a discussion of sharia law and its interaction with American law in the post-9/11 world.
In October, the chapter co-hosted a panel discussion on affirmative action and Fisher v. University of Texas, featuring the chapter’s co-faculty advisor, Professor Forbath, along with Professors Joseph Fishkin, Jordan Steiker, and Gerald Torres. The chapter also co-hosted a debate with the Federalist Society on Citizens United.
ACS at UT rounded out the fall semester with a panel on progressive lawyering in Texas, featuring David Weiser (co-founder of the Austin Lawyers ACS Chapter who specializes in employment law), Rebecca Robertson (Legal and Policy Director of the ACLU of Texas), and D’Ann Johnson (Austin Branch Manager of Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid).
The chapter looks forward to the spring semester, which will kick off with “40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade: A Celebration of Reproductive Rights,” featuring Rebecca Robertson.
Student Chapter of the Week November 16: University of Georgia School of Law
The ACS student chapter at the University of Georgia School of Law had an exciting and active fall semester, holding events on a wide range of topics that led to packed rooms and a booming membership. To kick off the semester, the chapter and Faculty Advisor ProfessorErica Hashimoto sponsored a showing of Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg’s keynote speech from the 2012 ACS National Convention. ACS at UGA Law then participated in Constitution in the Classroom (CITC) at Clarke Central High School and hosted successful events on marriage equality in state legislatures with Anthony Michael Kreis of the Human Rights Campaign, criminal justice reform with Stephen Bright of the Southern Center for Human Rights, Georgia immigration detention with Azadeh Shahshahani of the ACLU and UGA Alum Dale Schwartz, reproductive rights with Janelle Yamarick of the Feminist Women's Health Center, and Atlanta transportation and environmental issues with Brian Gist of the Southern Environmental Law Center. The chapter also hosted a co-sponsored an event with the Federalist Society, a standing room-only debate on the Affordable Care Act featuring Professors Fazal Khan and Elizabeth Leonard and Robert Levy of the Cato Institute.
Spring plans for the chapter are in the works. Anticipated events include a talk on filibuster reform with Emmet Bondurant, an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, and networking events with the Georgia lawyer chapter and Athens-area lawyers. ACS at UGA Law looks forward to a rewarding spring semester after a wonderful fall!
Student Chapter of the Week November 9: Yale Law School
This fall, the Yale Law School ACS chapter has hosted a number of exciting events—some focused on the incoming Class of 2015, others on continuing the chapter’s longstanding tradition of fostering debate on wide-ranging legal and political topics, from immigration law to corporate fraud. The chapter sponsored a series of Progressive Primers, designed to introduce 1Ls to (and offer a progressive vision of) topics not addressed in the traditional first-year curriculum—including voting rights, national security law, and education law. ACS at Yale Law also hosted Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who discussed “the war on women” with Faculty Advisors Professors Reva Siegel and Linda Greenhouse; voting-rights litigator and Campaign Legal Center Executive Director Gerry Hebert; and more. The chapter also won ACS’s October phase of theStudent Membership Contest.
The Yale student chapter has exciting plans for the remainder of the semester: In November, the chapter will host Susan Davies, former Deputy White House Counsel for judicial nominations, and in December, it will host the Acting Associate General of the United States, Tony West, for an event on immigration and civil rights litigation at the Department of Justice. The Yale ACS student chapter board is currently planning programming for the spring semester, but they will include an event with Goodwin Liu, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, in April.
Student Chapter of the Week November 4: Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
The Cardozo School of Law ACS Student Chapter had an exciting semester of growth and deep engagement with the legal and social issues impacting Americans during the upcoming presidential election. The chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor, Professor Ekow Yankah, began the semester with its annual “Meet the Con Law Professors” event. Next, the chapter hosted an exciting panel on voter suppression laws, featuring Lee Rowland of the Brennan Center, and a Voting Rights Training facilitated by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. In late October, along with the Federalist Society, Cardozo ACS co-sponsored "Kill Lists and Accountability," a debate on executive accountability in targeted killings and drone warfare. Chapter members will help to protect the right to vote on Election Day in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
The chapter’s upcoming events include a panel on racial profiling and the legality of stop and frisk in New York, featuring Donna Lieberman from the NYCLU and Bob Gangi from the Police Reform Organizing Project; "Reasonable Expectations of Mobile Privacy – Is Warrantless Phone Tracking Unconstitutional," a discussion on recent legislative and judicial development in mobile phone surveillance; and "The Hands that Feed Us: A Discussion About Creating a Just Restaurant Industry in NYC," featuring Jon Cronan from Restaurant Opportunities Center NY.
Student Chapter of the Week October 26: University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law
The ACS student chapter at the University of Missouri School of Law started the semester with a strong recruiting drive for incoming law students, including a meet-and-greet event that almost one third of the 1L class attended. Then, on Constitution Day, several ACS members took time out of their busy schedules to speak to Jefferson Junior High students, as part of ACS’s Constitution in the Classroom program. The students were very engaged, and the event was such a success that Jefferson Junior High has asked the chapter to return in the spring semester to speak about the Fourth Amendment. Next, the chapter kicked off its popular annual Supreme Court series with Professor William Fish, who spoke about Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. The following week, Professor Chuck Henson spoke about employment discrimination and the Vance v. Ball State University case. The Supreme Court series consistently draws large audiences and has now become a tradition at the University of Missouri School of Law.
In the upcoming weeks, ACS Missouri will host Faculty Advisor Professor Richard Reuben on Shelby County v. Holder and the Voting Rights Act, Professor Joshua Hawley on Hollingsworth v. Perry and California’s same-sex marriage proposition, and Professor Rodney Uphoff on the narcotics dog search issues raised in Florida. The chapter is also pleased to welcome Thomas A. Saenz, President of MALDEF, and Larry Purdy, who served as counsel for the plaintiffs in the 2003 University of Michigan cases, for an event on affirmative action in college admissions. This event is cosponsored with the Federalist Society, and very high turnout is expected.
ACS Missouri is proud of all of its members, especially all of the new 1Ls that have joined the ranks. The chapter looks forward to finishing up a busy fall semester and to building an even more successful spring semester!
Student Chapter of the Week October 19: University of Michigan Law School
The ACS chapter at the University of Michigan Law School hit the ground running this fall following a rejuvenating summer recess. First, the chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Ellen Katz, kicked off the academic year with Chief Judge Alex Kozinski’s (9th Cir.) visit to Michigan Law’s campus, co-hosted by the Federalist Society. Chief Judge Kozinski spoke to a crowd of 150 students about privacy in the digital era and the effects of modern technology on the law's evolving conception of privacy. The Chief Judge also received a tour of Michigan Law's newest facilities, Aikens Commons and South Hall, and enjoyed a dinner with members of both the ACS and Federalist Society student chapters. Next, the Michigan chapter joined many other on-campus organizations to welcome Judy Waxman, Vice President of the National Women's Law Center, for a talk on how the Supreme Court's health care ruling will affect women's health and reproductive rights. Craig Becker then spoke to 100 students about the current state of labor law. Again in collaboration with various student organizations, the chapter also hosted Eric Harrington, of the EEOC's Office of the General Counsel, who spoke about his role in the EEOC decision Macy v. Holder, which concluded that transgender discrimination is sex discrimination under Title VII.
With all eyes on the upcoming election and in line with ACS national’s voting rights focus for this semester, Michigan Law's ACS chapter, in conjunction with Professor Jocelyn Benson, will host two nonpartisan voter protection training sessions. These sessions will equip Michigan Law's student body with the necessary tools to ensure that every person gets access to the polls in November. The chapter is also excited to host events this year on the ten-year anniversary of Grutter v. Bollinger, in light of Fisher v. Texas, the future of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fourth Amendment questions before the Supreme Court this term. Finally, of course, the soul of ACS at Michigan Law is its members, particularly the newly arrived 1Ls. The chapter is thrilled to welcome many new members, including ten 1Ls to the Executive Board. The Michigan student chapter is proud to have sent eight members to the National Convention in Washington, D.C. in June 2012 and hopes to send members again to the convention next year. Find out more about the chapter here.
Student Chapter of the Week October 12: Harvard Law School
The ACS Chapter at Harvard Law School is off to an exciting and eventful start this fall. The Speaker Series began with a riveting talk by Faculty Advisor Professor Michael Klarman about his new book, From the Closet to the Altar, on the struggle for marriage equality. Next up is Michael Gottlieb, Associate Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, who will discuss the administration’s approach to high profile litigation in the Supreme Court, particularly their interaction with the Solicitor General’s Office. The chapter has also initiated a new small group coffee series in order for students to get to know prominent progressive professors in a more intimate setting. ProfessorsDavid Barron and Cass Sunstein have been popular featured guests so far, with Dean Martha Minow and Professor Larry Tribe highly anticipated future guests.
ACS at HLS has also worked closely with other organizations on campus this fall. In collaboration with the Federalist Society, Harvard Law Republicans, and Harvard Law Democrats, the chapter hosted hundreds of students to watch and discuss the first presidential debate. The chapter also joined with the Student Association for Law and Mind Sciences to host George Marcus of Williams College for a fascinating discussion entitled, “Conventional Wisdoms Versus Affective Intelligence: How Elections are Really Won and Lost.” Additionally, the chapter joined with the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy for a detailed look at the future of health policy.
Of course, the heart of ACS at HLS is the members, particularly the newly arrived 1Ls. After a number of social events and information sessions (including a very fun Welcome BBQ!), the chapter is thrilled to welcome over a hundred new members this fall, all of whom will play a critical role in keeping the progressive conversation going strong at Harvard Law School (and helped the chapter to win ACS’s first Student Membership Contest).
Student Chapter of the Week October 5: The Penn State Dickinson School of Law
The Penn State Dickinson School of Law ACS Student Chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Professor Kit Kinports, has jumpstarted the year with a series of powerful and pertinent events. The controversial Pennsylvania Voter ID Law will serve as the focus of the chapter’s next major panel event, featuring Professor Jill Engle (who co-signed the Pennsylvania Law Professors Amici Curiae brief arguing for the appellants in Applewhite v. Commonwealth), Professor Stanley Brand, ACLU Attorney Meredith McCoy, Associated Press reporter Suzanne Gamboa and Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia. The chapter further pursued the ACS National focus on election law with a Voter Registration Information and Chapter Membership Table at the law school’s Student Organization Fair, followed quickly by a high turnout celebration of the 225th Anniversary of the Constitution that also served as Penn State Law’s inaugural General Body Meeting. The chapter recently featured the dynamic and informative Legal Director of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Marissa Bluestine, in “Wrong Place, Wrong Time, Wrong Verdict: The Science and Psychology of Wrongful Convictions.” The success of this event inspired the chapter to follow it up with a joint event with the National Lawyers Guild, “Death Penalty Advocacy and the Execution of Terry Williams,” featuring Professor Stephanie Jirard. The chapter also makes a point to mix humor into its event planning and will hold a joint ACS and School of International Relations members-only viewing of “The Rumble,” a political debate between Jon Stewart vs. Bill O’Reilly, and will hold a screening of the new film Electoral Dysfunction, starring political humorist Mo Rocca. The Penn State Dickinson School of Law is passionately pursuing an exciting array of events to inspire and inform the student body at both of its locations.
Student Chapter of the Week September 28: Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
The ACS Student Chapter at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, is off to an exciting start this year! After hosting several of the largest events on Loyola’s campus during the 2011-2012 year, the LLS chapter, under the guidance of its Faculty Advisor, Professor Justin Levitt, plans to continue its strong presence on campus this year with even more exciting events. After engaging in a membership drive, an introductory meeting and an opening social event, the LLS chapter co-sponsored a panel on the Affordable Care Act for Constitution Day with Loyola’s Public Interest Law Foundation and Health Law and Bioethics Association. Most recently, the chapter collaborated with Loyola’s Immigration Law Society to bring Nicholas Espiritu of MALDEF,Melissa Keany of the National Immigration Law Center and Hector Villagra, the Southern California Executive Director of the ACLU, to speak on the consequences of the Arizona v. US decision.
The chapter is also planning several election law and voting rights events, in accordance with ACS national’s focus this semester. In late-October, the chapter will co-host a Voters Rights Week with several other Loyola clubs, such as La Raza, Black Law Students Association, OutLaw, National Lawyers Guild, and Asian Pacific American Law Students’ Association. The chapter will also have several campus-wide election protection training activities that will feature many illustrious speakers, including Tom Saenz, President of MALDEF, and representatives from APAC and Lambda Legal. And as attempts to repeal the death penalty mount in California, the chapter will also host a screening of Procedure 769, followed by a Q&A session with the film’s director, Michael Kroll, for a closer look at the real and fiscal effects of California’s death penalty. Finally, the chapter plans to wrap up the semester with its annual Supreme Court Preview. The Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, chapter is excited for this dynamic year!
Student Chapter of the Week September 21: Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
The ACS student chapter at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is off to a fast start this year with many exciting events planned. Starting with a successful membership drive, the Moritz chapter recently co-hosted with the Federalist Society chapter a Constitution Day discussion on constitutional interpretation. In anticipation of the upcoming election in November and aligned with ACS national's focus this semester, election law is a major theme of the chapter’s programming for the semester. The chapter will hold four events regarding voting and the elections. The first event, on September 24th, will cover the politics of voter suppression and will feature Tova Wang, State Representative Kathleen Clyde andJohn C. Fortier. It will be moderated by the chapter's Faculty Advisor and ACS board member Dan Tokaji. On October 2nd, the chapter is collaborating with the ACLU chapter at Moritz to produce an educational event, at which students will learn about their voting rights. Another event on October 15th will cover the important issue of provisional ballots, featuring election law expert, Professor Edward Foley, as well as Kate Harshman, who served as local counsel in SEIU v. Husted. Finally, on October 22nd, the Moritz Chapter is working with the ACS student chapter at Capital University Law School to hold an event on redistricting in Ohio. Other non-voting events planned this semester include a Supreme Court Roundtable, a debate on the legality of drone strikes and a discussion on affirmative action.
Student Chapter of the Week September 14: Faulkner Law School
The ACS Faulkner Law Student Chapter kicked off the 2012-2013 year with three events in the first two weeks of classes, including its annual Supreme Court Review, a membership drive and a "Back to School" Social featuring music from its faculty advisor Professor John Garman’s string band, Goat Hill String Band. Since then, the chapter co-sponsored a debate on Citizens United with the Federalist Society Student Chapter, which featured Alabama House Member Joe Hubbard and the Cato Institute's Ilya Shapiro. Additionally, the chapter invited all students to the law library computer lab to participate in the voting rights webinar hosted by Dan Vicuña from the Fair Elections Legal Network on the Campus Vote Project. Most recently, the chapter invited all students to attend former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sue Bell Cobb's Judicial Law and Policy class, featuring a guest lecture by former ABA President Tommy Wells on judicial selection.
Later this week, the Faulkner Chapter will participate in the Constitution in the Classroom program, reaching out to about 800 students with 27 student volunteers. Other events for this semester include a panel discussing state voter ID laws and an event on big business taking over state supreme courts. The chapter is also excited to co-sponsor a Supreme Court Preview lunchtime event with the newly-forming, first ACS Lawyer Chapter in Alabama. They will invite local legal organizations, public interest groups, non-profits and firms to try and get local lawyers involved in ACS National. Finally, the Faulkner Chapter will finish this semester with a holiday toy and coat drive.
2011-2012 ACADEMIC YEAR: STUDENT CHAPTERS OF THE WEEK
Student Chapter of the Week May 14: Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
The Cardozo Student Chapter saw tremendous growth during the 2011-2012 academic year. The chapter kicked off its fall programming with a visit from ACS’s President Caroline Fredrickson, followed by “Conversations on the Constitution: The 2011-2012 Supreme Court Term and Beyond” featuring Professors Alex Reinert, Michelle Adams, David Rudenstine, and Kate Shaw. In light of U.S. v. Jones and other controversial cases related to electronic privacy, the Cardozo Student Chapter also hosted several events on surveillance, digital due process, and other important cyberlaw issues. Among those events was a roundtable lunch about “Law Enforcement Access to Your Personal Data” with an expert from the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC);“Recent Developments in Online Privacy” featuring Aaron Burstein from the U.S. Department of Commerce; and a discussion about “Challenging the PATRIOT Act” with Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU's National Security Project.
In the spring semester, the Cardozo Student Chapter proudly hosted Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), who participated in an event about the status of the death penalty in American courts entitled “The Death Penalty after Troy Davis.” The Chapter also co-sponsored “The ACLU in American Life” featuring Adam Liptak, Steve Shapiro, and Ted Olson among others. The chapter’s most popular event this year was a faculty debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) between Professors Ekow Yankah, the Cardozo ACS Student Chapter’s faculty advisor, and Arthur Jacobson, the Cardozo Federalist Society’s advisor. The Cardozo Student Chapter also collaborated with other student groups to organize “Gender Week,” a week-long series of events on the topic of law and gender.
Student Chapter of the Week May 7: University of Kentucky College of Law
The University of Kentucky Student Chapter, led by faculty advisors Nicole Huberfeld and Joshua Douglas, has shown continued growth through a full year of programming activities. The Chapter kicked off the year with a membership drive at New Student Orientation and the first meeting included a discussion on Drug Reform with Kentucky Law Professor Robert G. Lawson. Two speakers from the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, Brad Clark and La Mer Kyle-Griffiths, also discussed the Benefits of Working in Public Advocacy. The Chapter’s Brown Bag Lunch Series began with Professor Scott Bauries and his research on Academic Liberty. Later brown bag lunches included a Race and the Landscape of Lexington discussion with Professor Stephen Clowney and Election Challenges with Professor Joshua Douglas. The Chapter also hosted a forum on Electoral Redistricting with Professor Michael Pitts from Indiana University School of Law and Kentucky Law Professors Joshua Douglas and Allison Connelly. Fall programming also included two happy hours with the ACS Kentucky Lawyer Chapter and student presentations on The Legality of Surrogacy Agreements and Voter Disenfranchisement.
The Chapter started spring semester with a brown bag lunch with Professor Jennifer Bird-Pollan discussing Sovereign Wealth Funds. The Chapter later hosted a spring membership dinner and a March Madness Happy Hour with the ACS Kentucky Lawyer Chapter. In March, the Chapter was happy to host a Judicial Clerkship Panel with Judge Sara Combs of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Fayette County Circuit Judge Ernesto Scorsone and Fayette Circuit Court Staff Attorney Katherine Huddleston. Following the Affordable Care Act oral arguments, the Chapter hosted a discussion with Doug McSwain, a partner with Sturgill, Turner, Barker and Maloney. Finally, rounding out the year, the Chapter was thrilled to host Dean Robert Post from Yale Law School in a discussion on The Constitution in 2020: Why Courts Matter.
Student Chapter of the Week April 30: University of Pennsylvania Law School
ACS’s University of Pennsylvania Law School Chapter started the year with its annual Supreme Court Review & Preview, featuring Penn Law visiting professor Randy Barnett, SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein, ACS board member Linda Greenhouse, and Monica Youn of the Brennan Center. The Chapter also welcomed Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams for a conversation about the office’s new direction under his tenure and challenges he has faced during his career. Penn Law Professor Seth Kreimer joined the Chapter to discuss the First Amendment rights of students in public schools. The Chapter’s faculty advisor, Professor Kermit Roosevelt, led a discussion with ACS members about Occupy Wall Street and, more generally, how lawyers can best use their unique skills to advance progressive social change. The Chapter also co-planned the Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition with ACS National.
The chapter’s spring semester programming was anchored by its Ninth Annual Federal Judges Panel, during which Penn Law Professor Stephen Burbank moderated a discussion between Judges Thomas Ambro, Andre Davis, and Norma Shapiro on the judiciary’s response to the ongoing judicial vacancy crisis. Penn Law Professor David Rudovsky met with the chapter to discuss serious problems with the way Pennsylvania funds legal defenses in death penalty cases and its efforts to remedy this injustice. On the last day of oral argument in the Affordable Care Act cases, the chapter hosted Penn Law Professor Theodore Ruger and Drexel Law Professors Robert Field and Barry Furrow for a summary of the opposing arguments and thoughts on the counsels’ performance. The semester wound down with a conversation on voter disenfranchisement through restrictive voter ID laws with Jeff Garis of Pennsylvania VOICE, Leah Aden of the NAACP, and Nicolas Riley of the Brennan Center.
Student Chapter of the Week April 23: Northwestern University School of Law
Northwestern University School of Law’s Student Chapter enjoyed unprecedented growth and success this year in programming and membership activities. The Chapter held nearly 20 lectures and debates featuring distinguished academics and accomplished practitioners. Led by faculty advisor Robert Bennett, the Chapter began its school year with a discussion on prisoners’ rights with Michael W. Bien, lead counsel representing inmates in Brown v. Plata. The Chapter went on to host Boston College Professor Kent Greenfield for a book talk featuring his latest work, The Myth of Choice: Personal Responsibility in a World of Limits. In October, University of Chicago Professor Geoffrey Stone discussed progressive constitutional interpretation with students. The Chapter also participated in debate focused on “Judicial Engagement” between Northwestern Professor Andrew Koppelman and Clark Neily of the Institute for Justice. To wrap up the fall semester, Harvard Professor Mark Tushnet spoke about varying pathologies of the First Amendment and Professor Andrew Koppelman gave a timely talk titled “The Obvious Constitutionality of the Health Care Mandate.”
In the spring semester, the Chapter garnered recognition as a co-sponsor of the Northwestern Bluhm Legal Clinic’s Illinois Supreme Court Candidate Forum. The Forum uniquely featured every declared candidate for the vacant seat on the State’s highest court. The Chapter continued a strong year of programming with University of Chicago Professor Aziz Huq’s lecture on “Adjudicating the Status of Terrorism Suspects.” Additionally, the Chapter hosted a debate between Northwestern Professors Steven Calabresi and Andrew Koppelman who debated on the unitary executive. The year culminated with a panel discussion on “Progressivism in Private Practice,” which was held in conjunction with the ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter. The Northwester Student Chapter is grateful to its faculty advisor ProfessorRobert Bennett, Professor Andrew Koppelman, the ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter, and the University of Chicago ACS Student Chapter for their continued support in planning exciting programming and social events.
Student Chapter of the Week April 16: University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia Student Chapter has had a banner year that included speaker events, social gatherings and an increased focus on membership recruitment. The Chapter’s year started with a 1L recruitment presentation by faculty advisor Professor Richard Schragger and a social event for new and returning members. Its programming included faculty lunch presentations on topics such as “Disclosure and Campaign Finance” by Professor Michael Gilbert and “Eyewitness ID and the Troy Davis Case” by Professor Brandon Garrett. The chapter also co-sponsored several events, including a lecture on the state of election law by former White House Counsel Bob Bauer and a presentation on the role of women in the judiciary by retired federal District Court Judge Nancy Gertner and Slate columnist Dahlia Lithwick. The fall semester culminated with the Chapter’s keynote event, a critique of Supreme Court cases addressing issues of voter fraud and suppression by Stanford Law Professor and ACS Board Member Pamela Karlan.
The Chapter’s spring semester has been equally eventful. Professor Risa Goluboff and Dahlia Lithwick led a discussion about the parallels between Jim Crow and more recent vote-suppression laws, and their impact on the upcoming November election. Professor Jim Ryan gave a lunchtime lecture on students’ speech rights in the age of the internet. His talk addressed the challenges school administrators face when balancing students’ First Amendment rights with their need to create and maintain a conducive learning environment. Professor Rachel Harmon spoke to the Chapter about police misconduct and federal law, focusing on the incentives and drawbacks of potential federal remedies. This semester is set to conclude with elections to select next year’s ACS board and a brown bag lunch lecture by Professor Darryl Brown on contemporary issues regarding the 6th Amendment right to counsel.
Student Chapter of the Week April 9: University of Minnesota Law School
The ACS University of Minnesota Student Chapter kicked off the fall semester with a discussion led by faculty advisor Professor Heidi Kitrosser regarding progressive perspectives on the Constitution. The chapter hosted a Legal Observer Training with Rachel Lang from the National Lawyers Guild, who trained law students and community members on how to protect the rights of peaceful, legal demonstrators during large scale protests like OccupyMN. Patrick McLaughlin provided an overview of death penalty jurisprudence, including stories from his experience representing death row inmates in Texas. Showcasing the experiences of its own members, the chapter hosted an event focused on the role of lawyers in community organizing and political strategizing. The semester ended with Professor William McGeveran speaking about the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (EPCA), explaining how the government and corporations collect information from people.
The spring semester began with a debate on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, where Minnesota State Representatives Glenn Gruenhagen and Steve Simon, Professor Dale Carpenter and Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse debated the merits of the proposed amendment and the ramifications if the amendment passes this upcoming fall. The event was attended by over 200 students. Professor Melissa Embser-Herbert, an expert witness in Log Cabin Republicans v. USA, provided an overview on how DADT began, the repeal, and where the military is now. The chapter also hosted the Honorable John R. Tunheim (D. Minn), for a discussion on how he became a federal judge and his insights on the legal system. The chapter is also thrilled and honored to host California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu. In addition, the chapter will host Julie Jonas who will speak on the causes of wrongful convictions and what can and cannot be done through the court system for those who have been wrongfully convicted. The University of Minnesota Student Chapter has also been actively involved with the ACS Minneapolis-St. Paul Lawyer Chapter.
Student Chapter of the Week April 2: Florida International University College of Law
In its inaugural year, the ACS Student Chapter at Florida International University College of Law, led by its faculty advisor Ediberto Román, was one of the most active organizations at the school. The chapter proudly introduced a refreshing progressive perspective on the Constitution that its members have greatly valued.
The fall semester began with the first of many Lunchtime Series Events. Professor Keri Stone presented an Employment Discrimination case where social media provided a remedy for the injured party when the law did not. This was followed by two debates. The first was between José Gabilondo and Bradley A. Smith over the constitutionality of the landmark decision in Citizens United. The second addressed the issue of overcriminalization and was between Scott Fingerhut and Robert Alt. Additional Lunchtime Series discussions covered The Perceived Immigration Crisis, where Ediberto Román conferred prominent issues within immigration law discourse, and José Gabilondo’s presentation on how various ideological groups use language to influence legal outcomes. The semester ended strongly with a discussion on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act’s threat to our First Amendment rights led by Odette Wilkins, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Alliance.
This semester’s initial event featured José Gabilondo leading an intriguing Lunchtime Series discussion on The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. The chapter also teamed up with FIU’s ACLU chapter to present a Labor Panel Discussion featuring Baldemar Velázquez, President of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) AFL-CIO, and a debate on Felony Disenfranchisement between Marc Mauer, Director of The Sentencing Project, and Roger Klegg. Upcoming Lunchtime Series discussions will feature: John Schachter, ACS Vice President of Public Education & Outreach, Howard Wasserman on the First Amendment protections allotted to Occupy FIU members; and Murray A. Greenburg on the effect that redistricting and gerrymandering has on Florida.
Student Chapter of the Week March 26: University of Richmond School of Law
The University of Richmond ACS Chapter, along with its faculty advisor Timothy Coggins, hosted many events this year and achieved its highest membership level yet.
The chapter recruited new members at its first interest meeting. It celebrated National Constitution Day with an “Ice Cream Social” that facilitated enthusiastic constitutional debate. The group then welcomed Corinna Lain for an engaging discussion on “An Upside Down Theory on Judicial Review.” The chapter participated in the Constitution in the Classroom program by co-sponsoring afterschool programs at local YMCAs with UR’s Street Law group. In October, its “Election Law Panel: Voting Rights, Redistricting, and the Constitution,” co-sponsored with Barbri and the Black Law Students Association, featured attorneys J. Gerald Hebert and Jack Young, DelegateJennifer McClellan, Virginia ACLU Executive Director Kent Willis, and Virginia State Board of Elections SecretaryDonald Palmer. In November, Student Press Law Center Executive Director Frank D. LoMonte discussed “Censorship 2.0: Student First Amendment Rights in the Internet Age.” Later the same month, Constitutional Law Scholar Kevin Walsh updated the chapter about Fourth Circuit jurisprudence in a very-well attended “Fourth Circuit Review” program.
In January, the chapter presented “Wrongfully Convicted: The Thomas Haynesworth Story,” a panel discussion featuring Thomas Haynesworth, Virginia Attorney GeneralKenneth Cuccinelli, and Director of the Richmond Institute for Actual Innocence, Mary Kelly Tate. In February, Ann Hodges discussed her ACS Blog post on Protecting Business or Avoiding Accountability: Using Mandatory Arbitration to Defeat Class Action Claims. Also in February, several former UR ACS members returned for a reception with current members. The chapter also hosted Julie McConnell and Judge John B. Curry, II who discussed “Protecting or Punishing Our Children?: A Close Look at Virginia Senate Bill 436.” In March, the chapter hosted “The U.S. Constitution: A Workable Document or An Iron Cage?” featuring Donald Kommers in collaboration with the Notre Dame Club of Richmond.
Student Chapter of the Week March 19: Georgetown University Law Center
The Georgetown University Law Center’s ACS Student Chapter, led by its faculty advisor Heathcote Wales, has continued its proud tradition of presenting progressive voices and encouraging intellectual debate this year. The chapter, established in 1999 and the first ACS student chapter, is one of the largest student groups on campus and consistently has some of the best attended and best regarded events.
The year kicked off with a Supreme Court preview featuring Amy Howe and Tom Goldstein, authors of SCOTUSblog and seasoned Supreme Court advocates. In October, the chapter held a community discussion among students and professors about the Occupy Wall Street movement and its relevance to law students. Highlighting the fall was “The Future of the Affordable Care Act,” a panel debate which drew over 100 attendees. The chapter co-hosted two additional successful panels: “Voting Rights under Attack” and “The Corporate Court: Is the Roberts Court Pro-Business?” Other events included Rep. Jerry Nadler discussing his work for the House Judiciary Committee, Laurie Rubiner on her years as an aide and chief of staff in the Senate, a clerkship panel with the ACS DC Lawyer Chapter, and a welcome back happy hour at the beginning of each semester.
A series of brown-bag lunches allowed students to meet with prominent professors in informal settings. Georgetown Professor David Cole spoke about the war on terror’s impact upon law, security, and human rights at the tenth anniversary of September 11th. Georgetown Professor Lisa Heinzerling spoke about her recent ACS Issue Brief “Missing a Teachable Moment: The Obama Administration and the Importance of Regulation.” Yale Professor William Eskridge and Georgetown Professor Nan Hunter discussed the legal reasoning and ramifications of the recent 9thCircuit decision Perry v. Brown in favor of gay marriage in California. Finally, Georgetown Professor Michael Seidman presented the argument for rethinking our devotion to the Constitution contained in his forthcoming book “On Constitutional Disobedience.”
The chapter has many exciting events still to come, including an event with founder of ACS, Justice Peter Rubin (MA App.), and a debate with George Washington Professor Paul Butler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas about whether progressives should be prosecutors.
Student Chapter of the Week March 12: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law
The ACS University of Nevada Las Vegas Boyd School of Law Student Chapter, along with its faculty advisors Ian Bartrum and Sylvia Lazos, hosted dozens of events and achieved its highest membership level yet. Most notably, Boyd ACS succeeded in presenting a progressive vision of the Constitution at the school. Boyd ACS launched the year with an information table at the welcome barbeque and a general meeting. The chapter also hosted a Constitution Day Celebration featuring a panel discussion about constitutional interpretation and key Supreme Court decisions with former Nevada Supreme Court Justice William Maupin and Boyd’s constitutional law faculty Ian Bartrum, Sylvia Lazos and Tom McAffee. There was a strong turnout for winter events featuring discussions with leading constitutional scholars Georgetown University Law Center Professor Michael Seidman, who spoke about “Constitutional Disobedience,” and ACS board member Pamela Karlan, who spoke on “Access to Justice.” The chapter provided enrichment activities for its members, which included a brown-bag lunch series featuring Boyd Professors Ruben Garcia, Jean Sternlight and Jeff Stempel, Constitution in the Classroom lessons with 200 local high school students, and a happy hour on the Las Vegas Strip. In addition, Boyd ACS co-hosted a Public Interest Film Festival with Abby Ginzburg, an introduction to the Culinary Union, and a panel discussion on the judicial vacancy crisis featuring Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and ACS board member Robert Raben, among others. The chapter provided critical commentary on issues concerning hate speech and the ministerial exception. Upcoming events include co-sponsored events on the constitutional rights of children with David Tanenhaus and a public panel discussion on the Supreme Court health reform cases featuring Boyd Professors Stacey Tovino and Ian Bartrum.
Student Chapter of the Week March 5: St. Mary's University School of Law
ACS St. Mary’s Law School Student Chapter, led by its faculty advisor Vincent Johnson, began the 2011-2012 academic year with former District Attorney for Bexar County Sam Millsap and his frank discussion of how he felt about the death penalty after participating in the conviction and execution of a juvenile who, it was later discovered, may have been innocent. That event was followed by a debate on whether Intelligent Design was necessarily a religious theory for purposes of the Establishment Clause. Then, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, St. Mary’s Law graduate Jessica Sprague spoke about recent legislative changes to protective orders and other domestic matters. Research fellow at the Center for Terrorism Law Lindsey Harris also discussed the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Arab Spring. The chapter finished the fall semester with historian Tom Jackson in full costume as former President Theodore Roosevelt discussing what it means to be progressive in America. The spring semester launched with Sarwat Husain, Vice-Chair of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), discussing "Women in Islam," a fascinating presentation on the challenges Muslim Women face in America and in the Middle East. William B. Johnson of the NAACP spoke on the role of such organizations in the struggle for civil rights, and David Hinojosa, Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), discussed the rights of undocumented workers in United States courts. Still to come this semester is an event with Dennis Coleman of Equality-Texas speaking on the necessity of working for relationship recognition and the non-discrimination fight, and finally an event with Lisa Graybill, Legal Director at the American Civil Liberties Union-Texas, who will speak about civil rights in Texas.
Student Chapter of the Week February 27: University of Michigan Law School
The ACS Student Chapter at the University of Michigan Law School, led by its faculty advisor Ellen Katz, has welcomed Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Tukel and Leonid Feller for a talk on federal criminal jurisdiction, Wayne State Law Professor Jonathan Weinberg for an event on online privacy, and Michigan State Law Professor Hannah Brenner for a discussion about the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case's legal legacy. This semester's growing schedule includes an event with the Thomas Jefferson ACS Chapter Faculty Advisor, Professor Alex Kreit, on drug policy, a discussion on Citizens United and the First Amendment with Rick Hasen and Floyd Abrams, and an event with the University of Chicago ACS Chapter Faculty Advisor Geoffrey Stone about the Roberts Court's jurisprudence. The chapter will also host events about the health care case, the Stop Online Piracy Act, and the U.S. intervention in Libya. Other planned discussions range from the American indigent defense crisis to redistricting in Texas to the constitutionality of GPS tracking and airport security measures. Additionally, the chapter eagerly awaits its highly-regarded Supreme Court Preview, an annual event where Michigan professors offer their take on contentious cases the Court has not yet decided. The ACS Michigan Student Chapter also continues its long tradition of hosting professor lunches, which allow members the opportunity to chat with some of the Law School's most admired pedagogues.
Student Chapter of the Week February 20: Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
The American Constitution Society Student Chapter at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law began the 2011-2012 academic year with the strong leadership of students, led by their faculty advisor Jenia Turner. Membership in the chapter has expanded rapidly, due largely to multiple successful events held throughout the fall semester. In December, the chapter hosted a panel, led by Professor Sahar Aziz, Faculty Advisor of ACS’s Texas Wesleyan Law Chapter, which discussed civil rights and the danger of racial profiling. The event attracted over 100 attendees. The chapter has quickly become one of the largest and most supported on-campus student organizations at SMU Law. ACS at SMU started off the spring semester by hosting a discussion about the death penalty with Rick Halperin. The event was the start of a series of events that will continue the fast-paced record of activity from the previous semester. Future events include a Constitution in 2020 event with Shahid Buttar, a healthcare reform debate, and a visit by Hakan Friman, who will discuss the International Criminal Court and confirmation of charge proceedings. In April, the chapter will elect a new executive board that will work to continue the high standards set by the outgoing board and lead us into the next academic year.
Student Chapter of the Week February 13: Vermont Law School
The Vermont Law School Student Chapter, led by its faculty advisor, Cheryl Hannah, has been busy hosting events that shape the debate on emerging issues and provide a space for respectful and intelligent discussion. Last fall semester, the chapter discussed Keeping Faith with the Constitution after viewing ACS’s Constitutional Curriculum webinars. It also hosted a discussion about the decision in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project. The Vermont Law Student Chapter took advantage of a required course in appellate advocacy to discuss the Supreme Court’s docket. At that event, students led discussions on several notable cases including Minneci v. Pollard and United States v. Jones. This past November, the chapter went to a local school and led several classes on civics and the Constitution as part of ACS’s Constitution in the Classroom. The chapter began the spring semester by inviting noted animal law scholar Prof. Pamela Vesilind to discuss the question: are animal rights Constitutional Rights? More recently, the Vermont Law Student Chapter partnered with Public Citizen to host a teach-in on the wide ranging effects of the Citizens United decision. Looking forward, the chapter is excited to host civil rights attorney Prof. Anthony Renzo for a discussion about the recent decision in Minneci v. Pollard. The staff attorney and executive director of the Vermont ACLU will also join the chapter to discuss their work in Vermont’s legislature and courtrooms. The semester will end with a bang when noted professor and constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley addresses the students of the Vermont Law School ACS Student Chapter.
Student Chapter of the Week February 6: University of Texas at Austin School of Law
The ACS University of Texas Student Chapter, led by its faculty advisor William Forbath, is continuing its tradition of offering a progressive voice in campus dialogue and hosting relevant, interesting events.
Last fall, ACS at UT hosted Attorney General Eric Holder and Assistant Attorney GeneralTom Perez in a Q&A session for students, leading up to Attorney General Holder’s inspiring speech on voting rights. The chapter also co-hosted the webinar "Closing the Justice Gap: A Conversation with Eric Holder" with the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law. As part of the ACS Constitutional Curriculum, ACS at UT hosted the “Promoting the General Welfare” national webinar with William Forbath. In addition, the chapter had the pleasure of collaborating with outgoing Dean Lawrence Sager, who spoke on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act to an audience of over 120 students. ACS at UT and the ACS Austin Lawyer Chapter maintained their partnership through a mentorship program and several attorney-student networking events, including a luncheon with Adam Winkler, who presented his new book Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America.
ACS at UT kicked off the spring semester with “Immigration Legislation in America Today,” a discussion with MALDEF legislative attorney Luis Figueroa, followed by a happy hour at Sao Paulo’s. Soon thereafter, it co-sponsored a conference entitled, Barriers and Innovations in Civil Rights Litigation Since 9/11: Practical and Theoretical Perspectives. The conference brought together leading civil rights academics and practitioners discussing the hurdles faced by litigants challenging government action in criminal justice, immigration, national security and other arenas. The keynote speaker was ACLU president, Susan Herman.
ACS at UT looks forward to the rest of the spring semester, which will feature events on national security policy, consumer financial protection, LGBT trailblazers, reproductive rights, and environmental protection, in addition to more social events for both students and local attorneys.
Student Chapter of the Week January 30: UCLA School of Law
The UCLA School of Law ACS chapter has been active this year, continuing to be the biggest student group on campus and maintaining its reputation for having the most well attended events. ACS at UCLA started the year with its annual "Demystifying the 1L Experience" event, a membership recruitment happy hour to honor Constitution Day and a lecture by faculty advisor Adam Winkler about his new book Gun Fight. In addition, the chapter hosted a talk with Paul Hoffman, lead counsel in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, which will be argued before the Supreme Court in February, a panel discussion about the repercussions of Brown v. Plata, and an event about litigation for homeless veterans in Los Angeles with Elly Kugler, Melissa Tyner, and Professor Gary Blasi. Chapter members had the opportunity to attend a dinner with Professor Sharon Dolovich and, this spring semester, members will have the opportunity to attend dinners with Professors Adam Winkler, Hiroshi Motomura and Alison Hoffman. The chapter is also starting a parallel series for students to network with ACS attorneys in the area and will debut the program with a dinner featuring Amanda Canning, the founder of the ACS chapter at UCLA. ACS at UCLA started the spring semester with a discussion with Judges Kozinski and Reinhardt. In honor of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the chapter hosted a panel with Serena Josel from Planned Parenthood, Ena Valladares from California Latinas for Reproductive Rights and Katey Zeh from The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. The chapter will also host a talk with Jennifer Pizer and Professor Nancy Polikoff about reframing the debate about gay marriage. In February, ACS at UCLA will present its annual Supreme Court moot of the Stolen Valor Act case, U.S. v. Alvarez, which will be argued before the Supreme Court in March. The chapter has several other events planned including a panel on immigration law, a discussion about SOPA, a talk about the new voting laws in South Carolina, a review of the Ninth Circuit affirmation of telecommunication companies' immunity from eavesdropping, and a discussion about life without parole for minors under the age of 14. In March, the chapter will host its annual Race and the Roberts Court event and also plans to have a panel of judges speak about their nomination experiences.
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