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Ave Maria School of Law
Being located near the disastrous floods that had many residents in Ohio digging out from the floods and trying to get their lives back to what we consider normal allowed our chapter a wonderful opportunity to lend a hand. After only having been in class for a week we were able to get eleven guys together and travel to nearby Ohio where we helped a family remove all the content of their basement. Then the real work began as the group helped rip out the carpet and all the walls in order to clean the basement. The good time did not stop there as that same day was our opening social where we grilled up some dogs and took an opportunity to get to know the new guys (sixteen in all) that have graced us with their presence. This event allowed us all to get to know each other and their families, which has helped ease the fears of law school for the newbies and made the old guys reminisce about the days they never want to repeat. To start finals off with a bang we got together for some good food, great company, and lots of sweets. Helping each other build ginger bread houses it became quite obvious why we have chosen the field of law. Not to get down on our talents, but the kids did much more for the houses then we ever could have imagined. With many activities and speaking events planned for next semester we are excited for the new year!
Submitted by Ryan Bland, President, Ave Maria Law School Student Chapter, Ann Arbor, Michigan
University of Chicago Law School (Dallin H. Oaks Society)
This quarter we hosted an opening social for all of our returning law students as well as first years. It was great to get acquainted with our classmates and their families. We have also hosted a literary group (reading about Church history) as well as a lunch for first years on securing a summer internship. We are looking forward to next quarter as we host the law school talent show, as well as continue our monthly literary group meetings.
Submitted by Chris Trendler, President, University of Chicago Law School Student Chapter, Chicago, Illinois
Franklin Pierce Law School
Earlier this semester, our chapter hosted a lunchtime showing of the "So You Think You Can Raindance?" JRCLS broadcast that was given last year. We had several students of various faiths show up to the event, and several wanted to get a copy of the presentation to show to their own clubs or for personal use. We provided doughnuts, juice, and milk to entice people to show up. It turned out to be a hit! In addition, we have now started a blog site to distribute information regarding our events to the student body and to post how the events went off. (http://jrcls.wordpress.com/) Hopefully, it will continue to be used for upcoming years.
Submitted by Richard Allen, President, Franklin Pierce Law School, Concord, New Hampshire
Gonzaga University School of Law
This fall the Gonzaga University student chapter has continued its tradition of hosting Friday Forums at the Spokane LDS Institute of Religion. These Friday Forums feature lunch and a speaker at noon on a bi-monthly basis throughout the semester. This semester we were privileged to have a variety of speakers. These speakers often share an overview their legal profession path while highlighting specific experiences. These specific experiences are often shared to teach the principles they have found to be critical to maintaining balance and perspective while striving for professional excellence.
Richard L. Mount a partner at the local firm Witherspoon, Kelly, Davenport & Toole, shared valuable advice about managing debt and getting involved in the community. Mr. Mount encouraged the students to develop a budget and then make career and cost-of-living decisions congruent with the budget. Developing and using a budget makes our debt real, which most of us try to avoid; however doing so will help us make the decisions necessary to keep our debt from becoming unmanageable. With some forethought we can make those lifestyle decisions now which will help us manage our expectations before we get carried away with seeking the oft glamorized “lawyer lifestyle.” Mr. Mount, a local school board member, enthusiastically encourages us to get involved in community and charitable causes of which we are interested. Mr. Mount is in support of Gonzaga’s requirement upon law students that they complete thirty hours of public service before graduation. Mr. Mount encouraged us to develop the habit of public service now while in law school, because it will likely become more difficult to develop the habit of public service once we have started our post law school profession. Further, serving in the community provides opportunities for those rich associations which lead to greater opportunities to serve and excel professionally.Submitted by Jacob Scott, Northwest Regional Representative, at Gonzaga University School of Law, Spokane, Washington
Indianapolis University Law School
The Indianapolis student chapter hosted an event on November 20, 2007, at the IU-Indianapolis School of Law in which Josh Romney, son of Gov. Mitt Romney, was the keynote speaker. Josh spoke for little over half-an-hour to a packed room of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as a number of local Romney supporters. He addressed the audience on the topic of life inside a presidential campaign and answered questions regarding his father's campaign.
Submitted by Mason Pike, President, Indianapolis School of Law Student Chapter, Indianapolis, Indiana
Minnesota Student Chapters
Technical difficulties prohibited us from receiving the February 2007 JRCLS work-life balance broadcast with Brent Belnap. But our attorney chapter obtained a DVD copy of the program and organized a lunchtime showing at one of the downtown law firms. Both attorneys and students were invited. We applaud Brent Belnap for wearing a pink tie--not everyone can pull that off. Because many of the 1Ls were unable to attend that event, we put together an on-campus program inviting four of our attorney chapter members to form a panel discussion on the same topic of work-life balance. We sent a general invitation to the student body. We had a decent turnout, ate pizza, and received some great advice from four successful attorneys. Strategically, the attorneys had different backgrounds: big firm partner, big firm associate, solo practitioner, and in-house counsel. It was great to hear their differing perspectives. Several students thanked us for hosting the event and one even commented that it was the best lunchtime event he had attended this year. Our most recent "event" was a BYU-Utah game party hosted by one of our attorney chapter members. The lone Ute fan in attendance (we were expecting more) was ultimately disappointed, but we all had a great time watching a fantastic game. Finally, our recent chapter growth has prompted us to examine whether any of the four law schools that comprise our chapter is ready to break off and form its own chapter. We are currently in the process of working with Hamline University, with eight LDS students, to make this happen. Other than just trying to stay unfrozen, we're happy as snowpeople here in MN!
Submitted by Shaun Redford, Upper Midwest Regional Representative, at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
University of Missouri Kansas City Law School
One month ago we put on a panel for the entire law school with the purpose being the importance of public service. We really wanted to focus on encouraging students to consider a career in politics. We had two state senators, the Missouri Solicitor General, and a Kansas City, City Councilman speak on the panel. We had over sixty people attend, and it was a great success. It was the first activity put on by the school chapter where the whole school was invited to attend.
Submitted by John Oliveros, President, University of Missouri Kansas City Law School Student Chapter
University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law
The University of Nebraska chapter recently hosted a dinner at which the guest speaker was the Honorable Justice John M. Gerrard of the Nebraska Supreme Court. The dinner was held at the Lincoln Nebraska Stake Center. Diner included spiral-cut honey-baked ham and all the trimmings. Invited to introduce Justice Gerrard was Shannon Doering, general counsel for Nebco, Inc., and one of Justice Gerrard’s former law clerks. Justice Gerrard’s topic was “Integrity in the Practice of Law.” Justice Gerrard’s presentation focused on living a balanced life, putting God first, family second, and work third. Justice Gerrard quoted heavily from the New Testament and said he felt comfortable doing so knowing he was amongst believers. Justice Gerrard commented towards then end of his presentation how impressed he was with the turnout. He said he had traveled all the way to North Carolina to address another group of Christian law students and only about a third as many attended. There were approximately thirty local chapter members and many spouses. Additionally another 5-10 alumni members and non-member law students attended. As a gift of appreciation, the local student chapter sent Justice Gerrard a copy of “Life in the Law” and noted in the thank-you card Judge Griffith's talk in the book was a favorite. Justice Gerrard currently employes recent University of Nebraska Law School graduate and JRCLS member Scott Newman as his law clerk.
Submitted by Steve Merrill, President, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law Student Chapter
New York University Law School
On November 13, 2007, the NYU student chapter of the JRCLS held a lecture, presented by Sarah Barringer Gordon, entitled "Inlaws and Outlaws: The Unique Social and Legal Dynamics of Criminal Prosecutions in Nineteenth-Century Utah." Professor Gordon, a professor of law and history at UPenn, is currently a visiting professor at NYU Law, and she is an expert on American legal history and on the law of church and state. In recent years, she has taken particular interest in the Church's former practice of plural marriage and in the legal consequences of that practice. Professor Gordon is the only person who has read all of the court records of criminal proceedings against nineteenth-century polygamists in Utah, and in this lecture she presented some of the conclusions of her forthcoming book on the subject. One of the most interesting conclusions of Professor Gordon's study is that prosecutions against Mormon polygamists were astonishingly unsuccessful (compared with modern conviction rates), a finding that partially undercuts both apologists and polemicists, all of whom would prefer to believe that empirical data suggest great persecution in the form of high conviction rates. Unsurprisingly, this lecture attracted a diverse audience--of those who attended, a third were JRCLS members, a third were non-lawyer Latter-day Saints, and a third were lawyers and law students from outside the Church community.
Submitted by Daniel Ricks, President, New York University Law School Student Chapter
Stanford Law School
The Stanford student chapter did two unprecedented things during Fall semester: (1) they hosted the law school's regular happy hour (TGIF)--without alcohol (serving, rather, gelato and Italian sodas), while simultaneously (2) co-hosting the law school's first Iron Chef competition.
Three teams of three students competed. The teams did all of their preparation and cooking in the law school's courtyard with blenders, grills, toaster ovens, and ice cream makers they'd hauled in. The secret ingredient: pistachios. The judges: the dean of admissions, a beloved and wry torts professor, and the director of the law school's cafe.The winning menu: Theme: MEDITATIONS ON GREEN
- Spring: Chilled cucumber, avocado, and pistachio purée with crushed pistachio crème fraîche
- Childhood: Braised leg of chicken with shallot and pistachio-butter reduction, served on a bed of pistachio-thyme Israeli couscous
- Environment: Hand-shaken pistachio-vanilla ice cream, topped with hand-chopped candied pistachios.
Over 100 students attended the TGIF/Iron Chef competition, some saying it was the best TGIF the law school has ever had.
Willamette University College of Law
The Willamette University College of Law student chapter hosted the First Annual J. Reuben Clark Law Society Golf Tournament at the Salem Golf Club. All law students, law faculty, and lawyers in the community were invited to participate. The focus for the two-man scramble was to enjoy some great golf, but also to foster a great networking atmosphere among community attorneys and school professors. For a first-time event, the turnout was exceptional, with a field of thirty-six golfers—ladies and men, first-time golfers, once-a-year golfers, and experienced golfers alike, all vying for several prizes. Given that in the weeks preceding the event, most of the golfers had spent the majority of their time studying, the award for worst team score was clearly the most hotly contested. In the end, it was no surprise that the grand prize for best team score went to a pair of local attorneys. With unanimous appeal, the event was a golden success, and many are already pushing for a first semi-annual tournament next Spring.
Submitted by Bryan Bush, President, Willamette University College of Law, Salem, Oregon
Vanderbilt University Law School
On September 9, 2007, the Vanderbilt University student chapter hosted a fireside with Judge Kent A. Jordan of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Members of the student chapter and the Nashville Attorney Chapter attended the fireside, as did many of their spouses. Judge Jordan is a graduate of Brigham Young University and received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. Judge Jordan has a wide background of expertise, both in the private and the public sector. Prior to his elevation to the Third Circuit, Judge Jordan practiced law in a firm, served as Assistant United States Attorney, was General Counsel at a major corporation, and served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Although he joked that his apparent inability to keep a job made him unqualified to offer career advice, Judge Jordan spoke with students about the types of career and family decisions that they would have to make after graduation. He also gave advice on how to maintain a balance with work and family life, and how to make time for pro bono and service opportunities.
Submitted by Peter Robison, President, Vanderbilt University Student Chapter, Nashville, Tennessee
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