ABA Law Student Division
9th Circuit Leadership
2009-2010 Ninth Circuit Lt. Governors
Lt. Governors assist the Circuit Governors with various facets of circuit administration. These individuals are responsible for specific areas of circuit programming including: diversity, membership, mental health, SBAs, public interest, VITA, and others. Lt. Governors are appointed by the Circuit Governor and serve a one-year term concurrent with that of the Circuit Governor who's one-year term runs from March to March. Lt. Governors are also encouraged to attend all circuit meetings and the Annual Meeting as well as workshops specifically geared toward their responsibilities, and other Division and Circuit functions.
Administrative Lt. Governors
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Executive Lt. Governor Janelle Salamon Chapman University School of Law |
The Executive Lt. Governor is the second ranking officer of the Circuit. Should the Circuit Governor not be able to fulfill his duties of the office, the Executive Lt. Governor assumes primary responsibility. This person:
- Serves as a liaison between the Circuit Governor and Lt. Governors.
- Provides project coordination support to the Governor including, coaching assistance and oversees the progress and completion of Lt. Governor projects and assignments.
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Law Student Economic Affairs Chad Derby Southwestern Law School |
The Lt. Governor of Law Student Economic Affairs will serve as an expert and advisor to law school learders regarding LRAP and resources available from the ABA Economic Recovery initiative including timely resources and information regarding rising interest rates for bar loans, extended health and auto insurance, and any other avenues available to law students in an effort to provide assistance that will lighten the burden facing law students in the current economic state in the profession. This individual will also provide informaiton to law school leaders regarding the ABA Grant Program and opportunities available to law students, law schools and law school organizations during these times of economic hardship.
Circuit Relations and Communications
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Circuit Relations Jean Laurent-Pouliat Chapman University School of Law |
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Internal Communications Ron Miranda Southwestern Law School |
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External Communications Aaron Goben Chapman University School of Law |
Basically, this Lt. Governor serves as the Circuit’s communications hub!!! The Lt. Governor of Communications is responsible for:
- Publishing the Circuit newsletter including the development of articles, editing contributions from circuit members, and providing information on benefits, current opportunities and activities within the circuit, the ABA and the Law Student Division (also see the Division's monthly eNewsletter)
- Submitting monthly announcements to the Circuit Governor for submission to the editors of Student Lawyer magazine.
- Coordinating information in cooperation with the Circuit Governor and other Lt. Governors to develop and disseminate promotional announcements regarding Circuit and Division activities and programs and for recommending the most appropriate medium for the dissemination of such communication.
- Submitting announcements and updates to the Circuit Governor for posting to the Circuit List Serve and/or Circuit page of the ABA Law Student Division website.
- Maintaining an archive record of circuit meeting minutes including conference calls.
- Ensuring that a copy of all circuit correspondence is provided to the Circuit Governor and maintained in an archive database for future records and reference.
Membership Activities and Law Student Relations
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Membership Allison Rosenstein California Western School of Law |
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ABA Representatives Sarah Robinson-McElroy Thomas Jefferson School of Law |
The Lt. Governors of Membership and ABA Representatives are responsible for:
- Increasing membership and promoting ABA Law Student Division member benefits within the Circuit.
- Working with the Governor to plan and coordinate resources and information for the ABA Representatives workshop at the Circuit’s Fall and Spring Meetings.
- Reaching out to first year law student to cultivate a strong ABA and Law Student Division relationship from the start of law school.
- Seeking out creative and innovative ways to encourage first year students to take advantage of the ABA's invaluable benefits ( i.e. seminars, workshops, luncheons) and promotes attendance at the ABA Annual Meeting.
- Maintaining and developing circuit membership programs, plans, and activities for promoting Division programs, activities and national competitions through regular communications with Circuit ABA Representatives.
- Working in cooperation with the Lt. Governor of SBA Presidents to recommend and prepare Circuit membership initiatives and activities for membership campaigns for use by reps in an effort to encourage, motivate and support ABA Representatives in their activities.
- Maintaining regular communication with each of the Circuit’s ABA Representatives, monitor their activities and programs, provide coaching and support systems to those in need, and report any concerns or difficulties to the Circuit Governor.
- Securing and updating the election/appointment results and contact information for ABA Representatives at each of the Circuit’s ABA-approved law schools on a continuous basis.
- Monitoring the 9th Circuit Monthly ABA Membership Marketing Reports
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Non-Traditional Law Students Caroline Song University of La Verne College of Law |
Non-traditional students are a very important part of the law school community, but all too often the unique needs and concerns of these students are overlooked. The Lt. Governor of Non-Traditional Students serves as an advocate for students returning to academic life after a long or short-term absence, evening students, those with dependent families, part-time students, etc. This Lt. Governor is responsible for:
- Serving as a voice for non-traditional students within the Circuit to establish recognition for the unique needs and concerns.
- Recognizing that one approach does not fit all, this individual must be creative in developing strategies for bringing the circuit and ABA to the forefront of these students’ attention in an effort to build a more durable link between this group and the goals of the ABA Law Student Division.
- Coordinating initiatives, programs and activities of interest to non-traditional students with other student leaders throughout the region who represent nontraditional students.
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Regional Affairs-Hawaii Sarah Casken University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law |
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Regional Affairs-Orange County Nicholas Kontogiannis Chapman University School of Law |
This individual serves as the liaison between each of the ABA-approved law schools within their assigned region and the Circuit. Working in cooperation with the Circuit Governor and other Lt. Governors, this person is responsible for:
- Providing specialize support to the law students in their region and establishing a circuit presence and relationship with school leaders at that school.
- Developing creative methods and initiatives for the Circuit Governor to foster a stronger law student/law school community within the law school in their assigned region and ultimately create a sturdy foundation that will bridge students in their assigned region with the Circuit and the Division.
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Student Ambassador-Loyola Law School - Los Angeles Jonathan Perez |
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Student Ambassador - University of San Diego School of Law David S. Hollingsworth |
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Student Ambassador-University of Southern California Stephanie Hurst |
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Student Ambassador - Pepperdine University School of Law Margaret Lee |
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Student Ambassador - Whittier Law School Celia Cho |
These individuals serve as the liaison between ABA members at their law school and the Circuit. Working in cooperation with the Circuit Governor and Student Ambassadors are responsible for:
- Providing specialize support to the law students at their law school and establishing a circuit presence and relationship with school leaders at that school.
- Developing creative methods and initiatives for the Circuit Governor to foster a stronger law student/law school community within the law school and ultimately create a sturdy foundation that will bridge students from that particular school with the Circuit and the Division.
Programs, Activities and Events
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Diversity Bahareh Habibi Whittier Law School |
The Lt. Governor of Diversity works closely with the Circuit Governor and is responsible for:
- Leading and promoting diversity initiatives at the circuit's ABA-approved law schools.
- Serving as a liaison to school organizations within the circuit, this person works closely with law schools to encourage the sponsorship of educational programs and events that teach and foster respect for different races, genders, religions, sexual orientations and individuals with disabilities.
- Taking a leading role in developing and creating opportunities and plans for law schools to participate in the Division’s March 2 Diversity Day events.
- Serve as a coach, mentor and consultant for other independently school-sponsored activities such as Diversity Weeks as called upon by student organizations at law schools within the Circuit.
- Periodically, preparing reports outlining circuit activities addressing diversity to the Circuit Governor
- Establish a method to maintain archive records of activities within the circuit for future reference.
- It may be possible that this person will be called upon to coordinate a program on Diversity during the Circuit’s Fall and/or Spring Meeting.
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Law Student Mental Health Allison Stouch Chapman University School of Law |
The Lt. Governor of Law Student Mental Health Programs is responsible for:
- Reaching out to the leaders at each law school in the circuit to discuss the implementation of a Law Student Mental Health Initiative on their campus.
- If a law school has a similar program addressing Law Student Mental Health, this person should ask for a description of the program including how it is set up and managed, and should immediately transmit the summary to the Circuit Governor for submission to the Division’s Chair.
- Familiarizing yourself with the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs for valuable resources available to law students in need to refer any interested students or groups to the ABA for more information on the law student mental health issues.
- Serve as a law student mental health coach, mentor and consultant for independently school-sponsored activities as called upon by student organizations at ABA-approved law schools within the Circuit.
- It may be possible that this person will be called upon to coordinate a program on Law Student Mental Health during the Fall and/or Spring Circuit Meeting.
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Programming Jake A. Soberal Western State University School of Law |
Working closely with the Circuit Governor, the Lt. Governor of Programming is responsible for:
- Developing the Fall and Spring Circuit Meeting programs to include confirming a law school host, securing sponsors, coordinating the logistics, soliciting guest speakers, and compiling a list of host city points of interest.
- Soliciting topic and event suggestions from circuit members, SBA presidents and ABA representatives in an effort to ensure that the Circuit meetings are academically, professionally and personally rewarding for attendees.
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Public Interest/Work-A-Day Community Service Porsha Venable California Western School of Law |
The Public Interest Lt. Governor is responsible for:
- Organizing Circuit public interest projects and promoting campus public interest programs.
- Promoting the Work-A-Day programs in the Circuit and assists schools in maintaining and developing their own Work-A-Day programs.
- It may be possible that this person will be called upon to coordinate a program or activity during the Circuit’s Fall of Spring Meeting.
- Communicating with the Circuit Governor, keeping the Circuit informed of what Public Interest and Work-A-Day events are taking place in the Circuit.
- As the Circuit’s primary contact for Public Interest, this person should familiarize themselves with ABA’s Law Day, the Division’s Grant Program, VITA Program and the ABA Standing Committee on ProBono and Public Service.
- Promotes ABA and Division funding assistance available to law schools, such as the Division’s Grant Program, for public interest events and programs.
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Veterans Advocacy Melissa Pratt University of La Verne College of Law |
TheVeterans Advocacy Lt. Governor is responsible for:
- Organizing Circuit public interest projects and promoting campus veterans pro bono programs.
- Promoting veteran advocacy programs in the Circuit and assists schools in maintaining or developing their own programs.
- It may be possible that this person will be called upon to coordinate a program or activity during the Circuit’s Fall of Spring Meeting.
- Communicating with the Circuit Governor, keeping the Circuit informed of what veteran advocacy events are taking place in the Circuit.
- As the Circuit’s primary contact for veteran initiatives, this person should familiarize themselves with the Division’s Grant Program and the ABA Standing Committee on ProBono and Public Service.
- Promotes ABA and Division funding assistance available to law schools, such as the Division’s Grant Program, for public interest events and programs.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Programs (VITA)
Matt Dalton
University of California at Los Angeles School of Law
This Lt. Governor is responsible for:
- Assisting law schools within the circuit develop and maintain their own VITA program.
- Serving as a coach and mentor to those law schools in the circuit who have not sponsored a previous VITA site.
Visit the Law Student Division VITA webpage for information on this program. Planning for the implementation of a school's VITA program should be done in the Summer and Fall for the following Spring 2009 Tax Filing Deadline. Any experience in accounting or tax would be helpful to successfully satisfy these job responsibilities, but such experience is not required.
Student Bar Associations
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Eric Anthony Southwestern Law School |
The Lt. Governor for Student Bar Association is responsible for working with the Circuit Governor to plan and coordinate resources and information for the SBA President as follows:
- Maintaining regular communication with each of the Circuit’s SBA Presidents, monitoring their activities and programs, providing coaching and support systems to those in need, and ensuring the proper dissemination of publicity and reporting for SBA events and activities at each of the Circuit’s ABA-approved law schools.
- Serving as a liaison between the SBA organizations, the Circuit and the Division by encouraging inactive schools to establish a presence in the ABA Law Student Division.
- Securing and updating the election results and contact information for the SBA Presidents at each of the Circuit’s ABA-approved law schools on a continuous basis.
- SBA experience desirable.
