ABA Law Student Division
Distinguish Yourself as a Leader
Join Our Leadership Team
The ABA Law Student Division has numerous leadership positions available either by election or appointment. Among the many opportunities and benefits, ABA Law Student Division leadership will provide:
- The opportunity to network with law students and legal professionals from across the country;
- The ability to cultivate and demonstrate your leadership skills to the legal community on a regional and national level;
- The opportunity to work with other law student leaders and law professionals on legal advocacy, ethics, professionalism and general practice issues;
- The ability to foster your hands-on problem solving, diplomacy and project management skills – all of which are valuable assets that will follow you throughout your career and in your daily life; and
- The opportunity to refine your ability to debate issues, create policy, and present legal education issues that affects law students regionally and nationally.
If you like a good challenge and are ready to roll up your sleeves and work toward improving the legal education experience of your fellow classmates, not just on your campus, but throughout your circuit, then I strongly encourage you to submit your nomination or application for an ABA Law Student Division leadership positions. Please visit www.abanet.org/lsd/elections/ for deadline dates, eligibility requirements, the nomination/application forms, and delivery instructions.
Division Structure
The Division is a bicameral legislature consisting of the Assembly, which convenes once a year, and a Board of Governors which meets several times during the year. Four National Officers are responsponsible for the day-to-day activities of the Division. >>> ABA and Division Organizational Chart >>>
Law Student Division Assembly
The Law Student Division Assembly is the policy making body of the Division, which convenes only once a year during the Division's portion of the ABA Annual Meeting. Members of the Assembly (Assembly Delegates) debate and vote on resolutions relating to legal education and the legal profession. Assembly Delegates aslo elect the Division's three delegates to the ABA House of Delegates. >>> Tell Me More >>>
ABA Representatives
The ABA Representative is one of the most important positions in the Division. He/she provides the vital link between the Division and each ABA-approved law school. Representatives are primiarily responsible for disseminating information about Division programs and activities and for increasing membership at their law school. >>> ABA Representatives Home >>>
SBA Presidents
As leaders of the student government at their respective law schools, SBA Presidents are in a unique position to share ideas and concerns with the Division. This enables them to bring the concerns of the law school to a National forum where it may effecutate change. In turn, the Division serves as an informational resource for SBA Presidents, providing resources and a connection to other SBAs across the country. >>> SBA Presidents Home >>>
Student Editor - Student Lawyer Magazine
Student Lawyer is the only subscription-based national magazine published every month of the school year (September through May) exclusively for law students. In addition to a full-time Editor on staff at the ABA, each year the Division Chair appoints a Student Editor to oversee the magazine's production and operations <<< Tell Me More >>>
Law Student Division Board of Governors
The Division's Board of Governors has primary responsibility for operations, programs and finances of the Division. The Board is comprised of four national officers, one representative to the ABA Board of Governors, 15 circuit governors, and three division delegates to the ABA House of Delegates. The Board also includes several nonvoting members from affiliated organizations.
- Members Only -- Law Student Division Board of Governors Directory
- Non-Members - Law Student Division Board of Governors Directory
Board Committees
The Law Student Division is comprised of nine Board committees that develop the Division's programming and work with the National Officers to coordinate various business aspects of the Division. >>> Committee Roster >>>
Lieutenant Governors
Each Spring, the Circuit Governors recruit members of their circuit and appoint a cabinet of Lieutenant Governors to Chair Committees and to assist them in overseeing the business of their circuit. These Committees and Lieutenant Governor responsibilities often mirror the committee structure of the Division. >>> Lt. Governors Home >>>
Entity Liaisons
Each year, the Law Student Division Chair appoints law student liaisons to many of the Association's sections, divisions, forum committees, and other entities throughout the ABA. Liaisons are appointed for a one-year term (September 1 to August 31) and are responsibile for reporting to the Division on issues of importance to law students that arise at Association entity meetings. Likewise, liaisons also act as the voice of the Division when they advocate the interests of the Division to their entities. >>> Liaisons Home >>>
National Student Directors
The Division has five National Student Director positions: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Programs (VITA) and the other four to oversee each of the Division Competitions.
Project Directors
The Division has two Projector Director positions responsible for coordinating and administering their respective Law Student Division programs: Law Student Mental Health Initiative and Veterans Advocacy Initiative.
