ABA - Law Student Division

Law Student Division
2005-2006 Liaisons
March 2006 Reports

Updated: March 20, 2006

Liaison Coordinator
Rhonda Wilson
Chapman University School of Law (Orange, CA)

Divisions
General Practice Solo and Small Firm Practice Alan A. Fowler Mercer University School of Law (Macon, GA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: GPSolo Membership Board -I participating in discussions concerning the maintenance and improvement of current membership campaigns. -I also participatted in creative brainstorming for the development of new membership campaigns for groups such as military lawyers, young lawyers, and non-lawyer legal professionals. -Per my suggestion, the Board will seek to conduct a program at LSD Fall Meetings next year. Military Law Committee: I witnessed a large extent of the Military Law Committee meeting, attended by senior military JAG Corps officials from each branch of the armed services. Committee Meetings: Some of my committees did not meet. So, I met with people individually concerning law student issues. First, as GPSolo has recently become a Division and is planning to reorganize and restructure to enable itself to better serve solo/small firm attorneys of all entities, I discussed with several GPSolo leaders how possible organizational structures may fasciliate the advancement of benefits and services to law students. Additionally, I met with the Corporate Sponsors Committee Chairman to discuss seeking sponsors whom may provide services directly germane to law students. I discussed the Law Trends & News: Practice Area Newsletter with some of my co-editors, inquiring the feasibility of ensuring all articles will be interesting to law students. DIVISION MEETINGS: I did not attend my Circuit's Spring Meeting. ISSUES: None at this time. PROJECTS: Law Trends & News: Practice Area Newsletter: In my role as Law Student Editor, I am participating in the next issue of the above-referenced newsletter. Any and all submissions by law students are welcome for consideration of publication. New Lawyer E-Newsletter: I am the Co-Editor for the Spring Edition of the GPSolo Outreach Committee's New Lawyer E-Newsletter. GPSolo Law Student Mentoring Certificate Program: In connection to the above-referenced program, I created a promotion campaign where the completing the program will enable some students to have an essay published in the Law Trends & News: Practice Area Newsletter. The mentoring program has been a success, as we have over fifty students across the country registered in the program. OTHER ACTIVITIES: None other than that detailed above. MIDYEAR: As always, the ABA's two annual meetings are excellent opportunities to learn of available law student opportunities in other ABA entities.
Government and Public Sector Lawyers Richard J. Washington St. John's School of Law (Brooklyn, NY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: In October, I attended the Government and Public Sector Lawyer's Division (GPSLD) meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During the meeting, I introduced myself as the new liaison for the division. I was also given the opportunity to meet and speak with several members of the division. DIVISION MEETINGS: Since my last report, I have not attended any division meetings. ISSUES: During the meeting in New Mexico, the entity discussed several issues. These issues included the recruitment of government and public sector lawyers, particularly young lawyers beginning thier careers in government and public service. The entity also discussed its place and status within the ABA. In addition, the entity discussed the possibility of providing reduced ABA and GPLSD fees for government lawyers. PROJECTS: I am in the process of revising an article for the GPLSD website. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Several students have been in contact and asked about membership the entity. Those students have also asked about becoming a liaison next year. MIDYEAR: I was unable to attend the ABA Midyear Meeting.
Judicial Division Jason J. Redd Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School (Provo, UT)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- Mid year meeting: I attended a meeting during the Friday session and I attended a reception sponsored by the Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary. -- I was also a part of the Judicial Clerkship Program committee which met through a series of conference calls between October 2005 and February 2006. (I was not able to dial into all of them.) DIVISION MEETINGS:I attended the Spring Meeting for the 15th Circuit at Denver University. I attended the midyear meeting in Chicago and the Liaison Roundtable ISSUES: The Division frequently receives requests from other entities for the position of the judiciary on a whole range of issues. The division is also continuing with its theme to define the judge--a campaign to educate the public. PROJECTS: I worked on the judicial clerkship program and that concluded at the Midyear conference. I am planning to work with the current and incoming chairs as well as the staff support to provide a smoother transition for liaisons and a better understanding of the needs and expectations of the Division. OTHER ACTIVITIES: -- I am now the incoming 15th Circuit Governor and I plan on ensuring a smooth transition for the next liaison to this spot. I also plan to continue to work with the Division until a new liaison is brought on board. -- I would like to see the Delegate responsible for liaisons foster a better relationship with the current liaisons and the incoming liaisons. I would be willing to take on this project and ensure connections, but I feel that this is essential to getting the liaisons off on the right foot. MIDYEAR: I had a good experience at the meeting. I felt that the liaison meeting was helpful. I also felt disconnected from my Division.
Senior Lawyers Karen L. Anslinger William and Mary School of Law (Williamsburg, VA)
	On February 9 & 10, 2006, I attended the Mid-Year Meeting of the Senior Lawyers' Division (SLD) as their Student Liaison from the Law Student Division (LSD) of the American Bar Association. In my capacity as Liaison, I attended the Council Meeting and a meeting with the Resource Development Committee. At the Council Meeting, the Chair of the SLD reported that the "Coffee with Experience" Program remains a success. He noted that several of the SLD members had told him of their experiences and were glad to see that the program was likely to become a permanent part of the Law Student's circuit and division meetings. Perhaps of some interest to the Law Student Division, is the "Of Counsel At All Ages and Stages" Program which is to be held by the Senior Lawyers' Division at its spring meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The program will take place on April 25, 2006, at the new, unaccredited Charleston School of Law. The "Of Counsel" CLE program will highlight "Of Counsel" opportunities and the roles of "Of Counsel" lawyers. This may be a program that Charleston law students, or other students in the area would want to attend if interested in pursuing this kind of work. Additionally, Ms. Malinda Allen presented information regarding online downloadable materials on Elder Law. One such resource is "Hot Topics in Elder Law," a compilation of articles from the Senior Lawyers' Division magazine Experience. This information could be useful for those students seeking careers in the various areas of Elder Law - health care, trusts & estates, etc. "Hot Topics in Elder Law" can be found through the ABA's Web Store. The SLD also acknowledged my desire to be its Liaison again next year. The Council moved for the current Chair to write a letter to the Law Student Division requesting my continued involvement with the SLD for 2006-2007.
Sections

Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Luke W. Reynolds Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Pasadena, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Admin Law Council meeting and conference in Washington DC in November, and then in Chicago in February. I attended the entire Council meetings and then some breakout sessions at both. These were the only two Section meetings since the last Report. DIVISION MEETINGS: I did not have the opportunity to attend any LSD events since the last meeting that I can recall. I looked for LSD activites at the midyear meeting, but was unable to find any that were appropriate for me during the days I was in Chicago. ISSUES: There are no issues which the Section seeks the Division's input in. -- The only issue which members of the Division have an interest in is a writing contest. I helped raise awareness of the contest (please see below). -- The Section has periodically talked of how to involve more young people, specifically young lawyers, but there are no proposals that the Division has an interest in. PROJECTS: ( (1) The recent ABA Student Lawyer contains an article I wrote on the Section. (2) I have worked to raise awareness of the Section's Law Student writing contest. Specifically, I designed a flyer, created a database of all professors of administrative law across the country, and emailed them the flyer. I also submmited a write-up about the contest to the ABA student lawyer. Note: I really don't know what else to do to get law students more involved. I think the article will help. MIDYEAR: It was great...just not as busy or as broadly appealing as the Annual Meeting (which should be expected). Specifically, there were a limited number of breakout sessions, etc. I had never been to a midyear meeting before, and I understand this is how they are every year. It seemed very well organized from an administrative standpoint.
Antitrust Law Nivine Zakhari University of Houston Law Center (Houston, TX)
	ENTITY: Antitrust Law-Membership and Equal Opportunity Committee ENTITY MEETINGS: -- I was fortunate to be able to listen in on the Privacy and Security Committee s Practical Privacy II BBL on December 15. I posted a follow-up blog interview with Tom Zych, Committee Chair, on the career prospects for students interested in this practice area, available at: http://abalsdat.blogspot.com/2005/12/practical-privacy-ii-follow-up.html. -- I was also able to join the Section s Round-up at ABA HQ on February 9, which was well-attended, and assisted with the YLD s Section Connection during the Midyear meeting (although the Section generally does not officially meet during the Midyear meeting). -- I continue to participate on the monthly Section Membership & Equal Opportunity Committee calls whenever possible. DIVISION MEETINGS: -- I attended the LSD Liaison Caucus at the Midyear meeting, where I had the opportunity to update LSD leadership and fellow students on the Section s activities and solicit their input for ways to engage students in the future. -- I was also able to attend our 13th Circuit s (Texas & Louisiana) Spring meeting at Texas Wesleyan on February 25 in Ft. Worth. I had the opportunity to share some of my experiences as a Division Liaison with the attendees and encourage them to apply for appointments in the next bar year. (Of course, with the annual meeting in Hawaii this year, selling the benefits isn t that difficult). ISSUES: -- The Section has noticed a significant decrease in membership following the drop due to non-payment of dues in February. The membership rolls have been slower to recover this spring compared to prior years. -- One of the benefits of Section membership for both YLD & LSD members is reduced pricing for Section-sponsored BBLs. I have been working with my YLD counterpart on reviewing the availability of such programs and opportunities to further reduce costs associated with participating in such events for members outside the typical venues (New York and Washington, D.C.). PROJECTS: -- Law Student Dues: I have been working with the MEO Committee leadership on a proposal to reduce or eliminate the student dues required for Section membership (currently $10). Alternatively, we have been looking for other opportunities to provide additional tangible benefits for dues-paying student members. Considering the possibility of a change in overall Division dues for next year, I hope to be able to report significant progress in this area following the Section s Spring Council Meeting. -- Spring Meeting Events: The Section is gearing up for their largest meeting of the year, the 54th Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., March 29-31. The Chair has already reported a record-breaking number of advance registrants (2,000+) and some ticketed events sold-out weeks ahead of time. -- There will be a Barrister s Reception primarily for first-time attendees and young lawyers the evening of March 28 that Section officers and MEO Committee members will also be attending. -- The MEO Committee will be presenting a Spotlight on Committees panel the morning of March 29. Speakers will provide some additional information and suggestions for how members can participate in Section activities through committee involvement. -- Law Student Summer Fellowships: The Section received a record number of applications for the Janet D. Steiger Fellowships in Consumer Protection this summer. They are currently reviewing the applicants and expect to announce their final selections in April. -- Law Student Writing Competition: The Section has announced the winner of this year s Writing Competition: Heather Schneider, a 3L at Columbia Law School. She has been invited to attend the spring meeting in Washington, also. I am currently working on a proposal to expand the eligibility requirements for future writing competitions so more students will have the opportunity to participate. -- Law Student Career Programming: I am also working with the MEO committee on planning a Why Antitrust? career session in the Houston area in mid-April at the University of Houston Law Center, which would also be open to students at South Texas College of Law and Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TSU). The MEO Committee recently sponsored similar programs at Howard University on February 22, and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law on March 2. OTHER ACTIVITIES: -- The Section is not the only ABA entity facing committee competition from other sections. As the Student Liaison to the Section of Litigation s Dispute Resolution Committee, I have seen other instances where entity offerings appear to overlap one another, making it somewhat difficult for new members (typically in the LSD/YLD) to decide which section memberships would be most appropriate and beneficial. -- It may be helpful for future students to have access to all entities online resources to give them a better idea of where they might fit in after graduation. Corresponding LSD/YLD committees with access to resources across ABA entities might also help students orient themselves with the ABA s organizational structure. MIDYEAR: -- Since the Section does not normally sponsor events at the Midyear meeting, I had the opportunity to attend other entity programming and meet with Section staff at larger events, such as the YLD Section Connection and Spirit of Excellence Awards luncheon. -- There seemed to be a bit of confusion regarding LSD programming open for all students to attend and the corresponding schedule. Considering the last-minute change in venue, however, the Midyear meeting still seemed very well-attended overall.
Business Law Elizabeth Polizzi St. John's University School of Law (Jamaica, NY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- I participated in a conference call on February 14th to discuss putting a proposal before the leadership at the April meeting in Tampa to remove the $10 fee law students currently must pay to join the Section of Business Law. Services the Section of Business Law could provide to students was also discussed, such as providing tips on interviewing. Finally, I encouraged the committee to come up with tasks that student members could participate in to help out the Section. -- I also assisted in securing information on law schools in Florida so that the Section would be able to contact the student body to encourage their attendance at the Tampa meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have spoken with several LSD members who were interested in applying for a liaison position with the Section of Business Law. These discussions have included benefits to serving as a liaison and responsibilities. ISSUES: The possibility of ending the $10 fee associated with becoming a law student member of the Section of Business Law is definitely of interest to the Division. This decision, which I have told the Section I and the Division would fully endorse, will be made in April at the Section's Tampa meeting. PROJECTS: -- I will be attending the Section of Business Law's meeting in Tampa in April. I will be working with the Section to build membership in the Section, especially among law students. --I will also be working to assist the Section in planning for the ABA National Meeting in August. Finally, I will be meeting with the liaison for the 2006-2007 year to assist in a smooth transition. MIDYEAR: The Section of Business Law does not attend the ABA Midyear Meeting.
Criminal Justice Brice Aikens Florida State University School of Law (Tallahassee, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Criminal Justice Fall Council meeting, Nov. 4-6 2005. I attended the council meeting and voted on proposals, and submitted a membership memo regarding law student involvement. DIVISION MEETINGS: none ISSUES: opening up more funding for law students to attend council meetings. PROJECTS: Bringing criminal justice attorneys to circuit meetings to promote the section to law students. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Working with the section the fee to join the criminal justice section has been waived.
CJ-Corrections and Sentencing Committee Eric Roche Byrd Gonzoga University School of Law (Spokane, WA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the 12th Circuit Spring Meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended a division meeting yet. ISSUES: Continued efforts to raise student involvement in 12th circuit Law schools. Lowering of the amount of student liaisons for the criminal justice section. PROJECTS: Mandatory minimums article.
CJ-Defense Function/Services Committee Samantha A. Lee Oklahoma City University School of Law (Oklahoma City, OK)

CJ-International Crime Natalie Johanna Roetzel Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (Dallas, TX)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: N/A DIVISION MEETINGS: N/A ISSUES: I have yet to be contacted by CJ- Intl. Criminal Law Committee. They have not responded to my emails, so I am not sure what issues, if any, they are facing. PROJECTS: See above. OTHER ACTIVITIES: N/A MIDYEAR: I was competing at an ABA Moot Court competition during that meeting and was unable to attend.
CJ-Juvenile Justice Committee Pamela Saperstein Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University (Bayside, NY)

CJ-Prosecution Function Shannon A. Lang University of Viginia School of Law (Charlotteville, VA)

CJ-Rules of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ryan McLeod Duke University School of Law (Chapel Hill, NC)

CJ-Victims Erin E. Cecil-Levine Willamette University College of Law (Salem, OR)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: N/A DIVISION MEETINGS: Attended the 12th Circuit Meeting. Shared information of current happenings at my school and schools in my state. Attempted to get the delegates at the meeting "hyped" up about the entity and told them about the benefits of joining. I was fortunate enough to introduce the Chief of Crim. Div. of West. WA US Atty s office, Mr. Jeff Sullivan who spoke to us about criminal practice. Also told all attendees to apply for liaison positions! PROJECTS: Currently running a Children's Book Drive, to establish a permanent reading corner in a local DV shelter. Will run a Mother's Day flower bouquet drive to collect money for bouquets to be delivered to local shelters. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Getting students involved in the entity has been a big problem. In my school, getting people involved in ABA has been an even bigger problem. MIDYEAR: I was unable to attend.
CJ-White Collar Crimes Erin Leigh Waddell Southern University Law Center (Baton Rouge, LA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have not attended any entity meetings since my last report and thus no involvement. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any division meetings since my last report and thus no involvement. ISSUES: I am not aware of any new issues facing the entity that the Division has an interest in, besides possible funding. PROJECTS: I am organizing a meet and greet with the SULC criminal law society and we are inviting all of the attorneys in the area who concentrate in criminal law. Furthermore, we are also in the process of organizing two prospective speakers. One speaker will be for the SULC criminal law society with the student body invited to come. The second speaker, at this point still not scheduled, will possibly attend a dinner with all of the law students from LSU and SULC invited to attend. We may expand this to some sort of end of the year banquet and invite some of the criminal law attorneys from the greater Baton Rouge area. OTHER ACTIVITIES: We are working with the first and second year students, in order to incorporate their efforts with the criminal law society as well as the ABA, in order to make sure that they are informed of all of the events relevant to the White Collar Crime Division of the ABA. Enable for me to perform this task adequately, it is very important that I am kept up to date on all of the upcoming infromation that is relevant. MIDYEAR: I did not attend the ABA Midyear Meeting.
Dispute Resolution Kendra L. Mosley University of Tulsa College of Law (Tulsa, OK)

Environment Energy and Resources Law Marlyn T. Aguilar University of Hawaii at William S. Richardson (Honolulu, HI)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Environment Energy and Resources Membership Committee - monthly conference calls (October) DIVISION MEETINGS: None ISSUES: None PROJECTS: None OTHER ACTIVITIES: The Law Student Programs Committee of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources is pleased to announce the following schools were chosen for the 2006 Law Student Writing Competition: Barry University School of Law, UCLA School of Law, and Widener University School of Law.
Family Law Melissa A. Kucinski Pace University School of Law (White Plains, NY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have not attended any Family Law Section meetings since my last report because the FLS has not held any meetings (the FLS does not meet at the mid-year). Our next meeting will be the first week of May and I will be attending. I will be sitting on the council meeting, I helped produce a CLE, I am helping run a committee meeting, and other personal involvement within the section not directly related to my position as liaison. I have proposed a law student Mentor program to the FLS in November of 2005, but my proposal has to run through a gamut of approvals before even reaching the section council for approval. If anything comes to fruition, I will let the LSD know, however, at this point, I do not know where it stands. I will make sure to follow up with that during the May meeting as well. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any LSD meetings. My circuit meetings were unfortunately held when I was out of town (both the fall and the spring, which was just held this past weekend). I was unable to attend the LSD mid-year meeting. Because of travel expenses, I have opted to save my money so that I can attend my section's meetings. ISSUES: The FLS is very interested in garnering more law student interest. In particular, the section wants more students to join the section. My Mentor program proposal is part of what I have been working on in order to encourage more student involvement. PROJECTS: I have our law student listserv up and running and have been communicating information to students via that listserv. It is a voluntary listserv, and have had some feedback from various students about the FLS essay contest, applications for liaison positions, and finding jobs in the field of family law. I followed up with the law students that attended the section's fall meeting to make sure I could answer any of their questions. I helped update the law student section of our section's website. I put together a family law career speaker panel for my circuit (the 2nd circuit) roundtable held last weekend. I am working on establishing a law student mentor program within the section. I also have been pushing for law student attendance at meetings, however, the May meeting, which was scheduled to coincide during ABA on the Hill coincidentally coincides with final exams at most law schools also. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I am an active member of the section, but those activities only directly affect my liaison duties in that I am capable of explaining how to get involved better to my fellow-law students. MIDYEAR: I was unable to attend.
Health Law Leah Voigt Romano Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Section's Washington, DC Healthcare Summit in late October & the Section's Emerging Issues Conference in Tucson, AZ February 23-25. At both conferences, I attended plenary sessions & luncheons, as well as the Section's council meetings (held on Saturday mornings following the conference). DIVISION MEETINGS: None. ISSUES: The Health Law Section is sponsoring a pro bono database, with nationwide listings of legal aid and university-affiliated programs dedicated to providing services in the field of health law (e.g., HIV/AIDS advocacy; public benefits; elder law; etc.). As I understand it, the database is still in its testing phase, but will be up and running in the next few months. The Division, its members & other liaisons may be interested in ways to link their entity to this project and/or to include listings from their schools, universities, or other legal aid organizations of which they are aware. Please let me know if you have any interest and I will put you in contact with the Section's leadership in charge of this project. PROJECTS: I am currently working with Section leadership and administrative staff to modify & upgrade the student website/portal. I am proposing that the LSD liaison take responsibility for making a monthly or bi-monthly contribution to the webpage - in particular, a two to three paragraph summary of a "hot topic" in health law. The Section publishes an e-source newsletter and a hard copy newsletter (The Health Lawyer) on a regular basis; the LSD liaison would work with Section & publication staff to provide a capsule summary of one of the key articles from each issue. This would highlight for students new & interesting issues in health law, in a quick & easy-to-read format. Students more interested in the particular topic would be directed to the Section's other, more in-depth resources. Alternatively, the liaison might choose to provide a quick summary of one of the Section's eleven interest groups - also as a way to highlight the diversity of health law & emerging issues. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I'm really pleased to note that I've received a handful of email inquiries about the Health section liaison position for next year, as well as two face-to-face inquiries from other students at my school. It's been a great opportunity to describe the LSD, the entity, the benefits of a leadership position such as this, etc. I'm really impressed with the level of enthusiasm from general student members of the Division!
Individual Rights and Responsibilities Tiffany R. Paige Mississippi College School of Law (Jackson, MS)

Individual Rights and Responsibilities -- AIDS Coordinating Committee Rachel Witman University of Denver School of Law (Denver, CO)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: NO entity meetings have been held since the last report. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the 15th circuit division meeting at the University of Denver on March 4th. At this meeting, I made a presentation about liaison positions as well as distributed materials about current positions that are available to 15th circuit members. PROJECTS: I wrote an article for the Student Lawyer magazine concerning the HIV Legal Checkup project. However, the magazine did not accept the article. I will send this article for the next liaison to possibly use. MIDYEAR: I did not attend the Midyear meeting due to the fact that my entity was not involved.
Intellectual Property Christopher A. Bullard Washington and Lee University School of Law (Lexington, VA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Intellectual Property Fall Leadership Meeting This past November I attended the Section of Intellectual Property Law s Fall Leadership Meeting in Bonita Springs, Florida. I took the opportunity drum up support for a mentorship program that would match students interested in intellectual property law with practicing professionals from the section. My proposals were well received and I made several very good contacts during the course of the meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: None. ISSUES: I hope to create more law student focus in the Section that will lead to more need for LSD input. PROJECTS: I have been working with the Section Staff's new director of marketing to create new ways to reach students and gain greater involvement not only in Section events, but also on section committees. I most recently sent her some draft points for a promotional e-mail that will target students and encourage them to attend the 21st Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference in Arlington, VA this April. MIDYEAR: I did not attend. The Section only held a council meeting at Midyear, thier big event will be this April, and I will be attending
International Law J. Alex Little Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: 2 Council Meetings via conference call. DIVISION MEETINGS: None. ISSUES: None at present. PROJECTS: Continue to assist with development of entity sub-committee web-logs.
Labor and Employment Law Robert Sean Deskins Louis D. Brandeis School of Law University of Louisville (Louisville, KY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: The last entity meeting that I attended was the fall council meeting in October. I was unable to attend the Mid-Year Meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: The last Division meeting that I attended was the circuit meetings in October. I was unable to attend the February circuit meetings because of interviews for law journal editorial board. ISSUES: Prior to the Midyear Meeting, the Acting Section Director informed me that the Section was not planning on bringing forth any proposals. As far as I know, this is still correct. PROJECTS: On my recommendation, the Section enacted a pilot program in which the Section's Outreach to Law Students Task Force appointed 3 law students to serve as committee liaisons to the Section's Employee Benefits Committee, Employee Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. The task force will evaluate the pilot program and make a recommendation at the spring council meeting regarding whether the Section should expand the program. OTHER ACTIVITIES: -- The Section has been working on an initiative to help the New Orleans/Gulf Coast area that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. At the request of Section members from the area, the Section donated money to local libraries to help replace books lost to water damage. -- In May, I will attend the spring council meeting in Santa Fe, NM.
Law Practice Management Jeffrey Feit Pace University School of Law (Bronx, NY)

Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar Sara Jane H. Ibrahim American University Washington College of Law (Washington, DC)

Litigation Keishunna Randall University of Mississippi School of Law (Oxford, MS)

Public Contract Law Stephanie Magers California Western School of Law (San Diego, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Since my last report, I have attended the fall meeting in Sedona, Arizona in November. I also just recently attended the 12th Annual Federal Procurement Institute and Section Council Meeting in Annapolis, MD. At both meetings, I attended all the daily meetings, breakfasts, lunches, receptions, and spoke at the Council breakfasts and open meetings. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any Division meetings. ISSUES: The only issue currently outstanding that the Division has an interest in is the professional conduct code for government contractors. Currently, there is a presumption that the government contractor acted in good faith when contracting for work. The PCL Section wants that presumption wording removed and just hold government contractors to a duty of good faith and fair dealing. PROJECTS: I am currently very involved with the PCL Section's marketing and membership committee in the hopes that we can increase law student involvement in the Section. I have proposed a mentoring program, as well as encouraged increasing communications between the Section and law student members. I have also proposed numerous ways for the Section to convince law students to attend the spring meeting in San Diego. I will be sending out flyers to law schools throughout California, as well as specifically trying to go to the law schools in San Diego to make announcements about the event. At the Council breakfast this past weekend, we decided that we will offer 15 scholarships to students attending the San Diego meeting. I conveyed my thoughts on increasing law student attendance and stressing the importance of making the event either free or available at a minimal cost to law students. I explained that law students have little extra money and they only like to spend money attending legal programs if they feel they can get a job or some other benefit out of it. In order to attract more law students, we decided that we are going to host a panel of lawyers, involved in all different types of work, to speak with students in a casual setting prior to the reception. The combination of possible job opportunities and free drinks should be a real selling point. I am also going to send out specific emails directed to students that are attending law schools near San Diego. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I will be attending the state and local procurement meeting in San Diego May 18-20. In the meantime, I will be working with three attorneys within the PCL Section on putting together a PowerPoint presentation outlining the basics of public contract law. Our goal is to be able to find attorneys in all cities that can present this presentation at a local law school during a contracts or administrative law class. We ultimately are trying to make students aware of public contract law, inform them of what it entails, and try to get more students to choose this legal field. MIDYEAR: I did not attend.
Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law Alicia Matricardi Southwestern University School of Law (Los Angeles, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- I attended a Governing Committee meeting on November 10th in New York City, where I presented ideas to the Committee for increasing exposure of the Forum to students and vice versa. I suggested that member of the Forum speak at student events, also suggested a job board for students on the Forum's website in order to drive students to the site more often. I also suggested having twice-yearly conference calls for students to have access to Forum members to discuss media law and current issues in the industry. Elizabeth Ritvo of Brown Rudnick in Boston volunteerd to speak at the spring roundtable in Boston, and other attorneys expressed interest in speaking if I could line up other sites. -- In January I attended the Forum on Communications Law's Annual Conference in Palm Springs, CA. In addition to attending the various sessions of the conference, which included a speakers panel with Judith Miller and Daniel Ellsberg and a reception for the Women in Communications Law Committee, I was involved in the Governing Committee meeting there as well. Between November and January I lined up three speaking opportunities for attorneys, at the Boston, DC, and Memphis student roundtables, and I announced that and asked for any other volunteers to speak. Jerry Birenz, Chairman of the Forum, said he would like to pursue the job board idea I had brought up previously as well as the possibilities for a conference call. We agreed to follow up on those later. At the January conference the GC voted to eliminate fees for law students, so it is now free for law students to join the Forum. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the First Circuit's Spring Roundtable and coordinated a speakers panel consisting of 5 media/communications attorneys from the Boston area. ISSUES: The Forum is concerned about the drop-off of student members over the last year or two, which is why they eliminated the membership fee for students. PROJECTS: -- I coordinated a media attorney speaker for the DC Circuit's Spring Roundtable. Chuck Nagin of Holland Knight in DC participated on the career panel at that meeting. I also arranged for a media attorney in Memphis to speak at the 5th Circuit's Spring Roundtable, though I have not heard back from the Governor of that Circuit as to how that worked out. -- I intend to push the Forum further on the job board idea. Just adding one page to their website and promoting that as a resource for clerk jobs, summer associates or just internships would be an excellent reason for more students to visit the Forum's website and gain more exposure to what is involved in being a media/communications attorney. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I will participate in the April 23 meeting of the GC in Las Vegas, and attend the joint conference the Forum puts together with the National Association of Broadcasters. MIDYEAR: I was not able to attend.
Real Property Probate and Trust Law - Probate and Trust Division Dedra Shiree Sibley Florida A & M College of Law (Rockledge, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Fall Conference Leadership Meeting - November 2005 Joined 2 committees; membership and diversity Attended several executive board meetings and participated in a Membership roundtable discussion. DIVISION MEETINGS: 5th Circuit Spring Meeting - Memphis, TN involved as school ABA rep and as an ABA liaison ISSUES: law student membership drive is an ongoing activity PROJECTS: LSD will host, along with the YLD, an hour long roundtable session at the entity's Spring Meeting in San Diego, CA in May. As the liaisons, we are actively planning and coordinating our efforts with the YLD to make the program informative and interesting.
Real Property Property Probate and Trust Law - Real Property Division Christopher Nixon Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, VA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: N/A DIVISION MEETINGS: N/A PROJECTS: Round table discussion at May Meeting OTHER ACTIVITIES: N/A -- I planned on submitting two articles to the liaison notes column, however, I was married in December. I sought permission to submit them in February but was told that it was not possible.
Science and Technology Shiv Naimpally Oklahoma City Unviersity School of Law (Plano, TX)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Attended the ABA mid-year meeting in Chicago during which the entity had its mid-year meeting. Participated in the full council meeting on Friday. DIVISION MEETINGS: None. ISSUES: -- For this year the entity made it free for students to join (previously there was a $5 fee to join for student members). As a result, entity membership has doubled to over 10,000 members. The entity is very interested in finding out how they can better serve these student members and convert them to full-time members when they graduate from law school. -- The entity is therefore soliciting Division input on (i) how the entity can better serve needs of student members and (ii) what the entity needs to do to keep students as members after they graduate. PROJECTS: -- I have been asked to continue writing a "Profile" column in the entity's SciTech Lawyer magazine. I have had 6 profiles published and recently had another accepted for publication in the upcoming Summer issue. -- I am also involved in the entity's membership committee and diversity committee. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Liaison Notebook column was published in Oct 2005. MIDYEAR: The ABA Midyear is smaller, more intimate and more relaxed than the annual meeting. It is an excellent opportunity to get to know the leadership of the entity better, and to make connections with people in other entities.
State and Local Government Dorothy Yee Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Section's Fall Council Meeting in Boston, MA, at the end of October. During the meeting, I attended several Section sponsored CLE programs on affordable housing and Boston's "Big Dig" project. I also attended two Council meetings and went on a walking tour (in the snow!) of Boston's historical streets with a number of Council members. I will be attending the Section's upcoming Spring Meeting in San Diego, CA, which will take place between March 31st-April 2nd. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the ABA Fall Roundtable in October at Loyola Law School--Los Angeles, where I participated in the "Coffee with Experience" networking breakfast and also the morning speakers and panel on entertainment law. I was not able to attend the 9th Circuit Spring meeting in San Diego. ISSUES: The Section is interested in increasing the diversity of its membership. They are trying to outreach to more organizations, such as minority bar groups, and participate in career fairs that target minority law students. The Section also had heard about the success of the "Coffee with Experience" events developed by LSD and they want to emulate this type of event at one of their future meetings. PROJECTS: I am currently working with the Membership chair of the section to go over the logistics of how to run a "Coffee with Experience" event. We are also brainstorming ideas for a career-panel type event for law students at a future Section meeting. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I wrote an article about the Section in the Liaison Notes section of the March edition of the Student Lawyer magazine. MIDYEAR: N/A--The Section did not meet at the midyear meeting.
Taxation Daniel J. Berry Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, VA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have not attended any meetings. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any Division meetings. ISSUES: There are not any specific new issues that I think are particularly relevant. PROJECTS: I am not working on any projects, other than volunteer income tax assistance. OTHER ACTIVITIES: None.
Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TTIPS) Parrish Lentz Stetson University College of Law (S. Pasadena, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- TIPS Fall Leadership (San Fran)-- Attended all council sessions and particiapted in group discussions. -- ABA Midyear (Chicago)-- Attended council sessions, TIPS Law Student Board meeting (ran a portion pertaining to Vice-Chair program), Taskforce on Outreach to Law Students meeting DIVISION MEETINGS:Law Student Division Liaison Caucus in Chicago ISSUES: TIPS is working diligently to put forth asbestos reform (crisis) materials/recommendations. Katrina efforts are also a top priority for TIPS. TIPS sponsored legislation for certain relief measures (sent in a copy of the summary) and now will make that a lobbying priority for ABA day in DC. PROJECTS: -- We are working hard to revamp the Vice-Chair program and reporting component. We want there to be better communication b/w the Vice-chairs and to TIPS itself. We are putting together an orientation package. -- We are also looking into sponsoring/hosting a law student competition. This would most likely involve a discovery issue and would not be a full trial or moot court competition. OTHER ACTIVITIES: None MIDYEAR: I thought that it was run very smoothly an I liked about just about everything was in the same hotel. I didn't like how it was in the same place as the annual meeting, but that could not have been avoided.
Forum Committees
Affordable Housing and Community Development Diane Standaert University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC )

Air and Space Industry Valerie Walker Loyola University Law School (Chicago, IL)

Communications Industry Julia Springsteen New England School of Law (Rye, NH)

Construction Industry Seneca Jacobs University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law (Little Rock , AR)

Entertainment and Sports Industry Deanna Rusch Gonzaga University School of Law (Spokane , WA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: There have been no meetings since my last report. There was a governing committee meeting in South Carolina this weekend which I could not attend due to school/work conflicts. DIVISION MEETINGS: N/A ISSUES: The entity is considering increasing the registration fee for its meetings - both for attorney and law student members. I successfully lobbied for a proportional increase (whereby the increase will be proportional, not a flat rate). The governing committee voted on this issue at the governing committee meeting this weekend in South Carolina, with my vote being known, and I should hear back on the results soon. PROJECTS: I am working on a PR campaign to reach out to law students (primarily those in California) for the Forum's annual meeting in October. I am working with the Forum and with the ABA's Media Relations Department in determining a plan of attack, and in forming a contact list of all of the sports/entertainment clubs at schools all over the country. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I answer emails from interested students (forwarded from the Forum) on a frequent basis, informing them of the benefits of the Forum and of my duties as Liaison. MIDYEAR: I didn't attend.
Standing Committees
Armed Forces Law Christopher A. George Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law (Macon, GA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law meeting at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Chicago. I presented my report on student division activity. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the liaison conference at the ABA Midyear Meeting and reported on SCAFL activity of interest to the division. ISSUES: The Solomon Amendment litigation was of great interest to SCAFL. At the liaison conference several other division members expressed interest in the issue. MIDYEAR: The Midyear Meeting was a great opportunity to serve my entity and the division. I met many lawyers in my field.
Bar Activities and Services Andrea C. Willingham Southern University Law Center (Walker, LA)

Election Law Nicole M. Barrett Creighton University School of Law (Omaha, NE)

Judicial Independence Christina Liu University of Miami School of Law (Miami, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Mid-Year Meeting in Chicago. I attended and made comments on a number of issues at the meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the liaison caucus at the Midyear. I was unable to attend the 5th Circuit Spring Meeting due to an unavoidable conflict. ISSUES: The Pre-Judicial Education Program: The standing committee on judicial independence has traditionally targeted primary, secondary, hs students, lawyers, but are working out how to develop programs at the law school level in trying to orient future candidates to the judiciary on the realities and challenges they will face when on the bench. Sample programs: Full-time LLM programs, clinicals, to short programs (40 hrs) In working out their plan of attack towards law schools, the standing committee has sent materials to a large spectrum of law school deans. However they have not received any feedback from them, either negative or positive. The LSD has an interest in new law school programs being developed in this area. PROJECTS: I put out a powerpoint for communicating the standing committee's activities to law students. OTHER ACTIVITIES: None at this present moment. MIDYEAR: It was well-organized and low key, facilitating discussion. That environement was helpful enabling participants to hear about LSD new activities and brainstorming between different liaisons.
Law and National Security John Michael Isom Georgetown University Law Center (Fort Belvoir, VA)

Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants Vacant

Legal Assistance for Military Personnel Stephen Charles Lessard Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended Committee meetings in Raleigh, NC on November 18, 2005 and in Camp Pendelton, CA on March 17, 2006. I submitted reports to the Committee and solicited their input on ways to include law students in furthering the Committee's goal of providing legal assistance to military personnel. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the Liaison Caucus at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Chicago and reported on proposals to involve law students in LAMP Committee activities. I also attended the 11th Circuit Spring Meeting in Washington DC and discussed possible roles for law students in assisting the provision of legal assistance to military personnel. ISSUES: The LAMP Committee is interested in involving law students in the provision of legal assistance to military personnel through the proposed Pro Bono Network and clinical programs offered at law schools. The Committee is also interested in finding law students to serve as Research Assistants for A judicial benchbook the Committee is writing. PROJECTS: I am working, or plan to work on three projects: 1) To produce a model program for the Pro Bono Network that is oriented around the provision of legal assistance to military personnel. 2) To draft a resolution from the LSD calling on Deans of ABA Law Schools to encourage faculty, students, and clinical programs to assist in providing legal assistance to military personnel. 3) To form a network of military law student groups at law schools who can provide a pool of available reserach assistants for military lawyers and civilian attorneys providing pro bono legal assiatnce to military personnel. OTHER ACTIVITIES: No other activity. MIDYEAR: I thought the meeting was very worthwhile. I thought it was valuable to meet with the LSD leadership and other liaisons to hear what was going on in the other entities.
Public Education Ritchie Eppink University of Idaho College of Law (Moscow, ID)
	ENTITY: Public Education ENTITY MEETINGS: There have been no entity meetings since my last report. The last meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Education was it's Winter 2005 meeting, held in early December 2005. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have been unable to attend any LSD meetings since my last report. ISSUES: -- The Standing Committee on Public Education is ramping up for Law Day 2006, with the theme "Liberty Under Law: Separate Branches, Balanced Powers." Information on this year's Law Day theme is available at www.lawday.org, a website coordinated by the Public Education Division. -- I have been working on the Constitution Day subcommittee of the Standing Committee. So far, this subcommittee has only begun preliminary discussions about programming. I will be working to increase law student participation in this year's Constitution Day (September 17, 2006). PROJECTS: -- Throughout my tenure as liaison to the Standing Committee on Public Education, I have been working with Committee members and Public Education Division staff to increase the publicity to law students of the ABA's public education efforts; and I have worked on my own, with the help of the Public Education Division, to publicize these efforts to law students. Since my last report, I have continued in this vein, spreading the word at every opportunity about ABA public education programming that law students can take advantage of.
Commissions and Other Organizations
ALI-ABA Genevieve Whitaker Stetson University College of Law (Tampa, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: None but I will be attending the board meeting in D.C. (May 13-14) which is held in conjuction with the American Law Institute's Annual Meeting. ALI-ABA has a new Executive Director who I finally made contact with. Her an I have been communicating. DIVISION MEETINGS: None. ISSUES: None. PROJECTS: I am trying to get more opportunities for students to attend ALI-ABA courses at either a reduced rate or for free. OTHER ACTIVITIES: ALI-ABA has a scholarship program entitled "ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership Award" which is given to law school graduates who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership, the qualities embodied the American Law Institute and the ABA. I am waiting to hear back from the Marketing Director to find out when the letter will be sent out to the schools regarding the scholarship. Additionally, ALI-ABA has another program in which law school Deans can choose a deserving law student to attend selected ALI-ABA courses tuition free. I am also waiting to obtain further information on that program.
CEELI Christy Ann Fisher Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)

Coordinating Council for the Center of Professional Responsibility Teddi Maranzano Pace University School of Law (Wappingers Falls, NY)

Domestic Violence Laura C. Hall Northern Illinois University College of Law (Dekalb, IL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Since my last report, the Commission on Domestic Violence has not met. Our next meeting is on April 22 in Nashville, Tennessee. Although we have not met in person since my last report, the Commission has had monthly conference calls, which I have participated in. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the 7th Circuit Spring Meeting in Chicago on February 25, 2006. I participated in all aspects of the meeting, aside from the voting for Circuit Governor. I had planned on attending the Midyear meeting in Chicago (at which my entity did not meet), but was unable to attend due to an illness. ISSUES: Currently, the Commission is not facing any new issues. Through the efforts of law students across the country (as well as legal professionals and many others) the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act was successful and signed into effect by President Bush. PROJECTS: The Commission's law student writing competition deadline is quickly approaching (March 31, 2006), and I am still working on promoting the competition. The Commission's e-newsletter (which debuted last fall) has been very successful, with numerous law students signing up to receive the newsletter. I am still working on increasing the law student participation in the newsletter, for it is the best way for law students to get involved with the Commission. OTHER ACTIVITIES: The Commission is currently hosting a series of teleconferences on domestic violence primarily for attorneys receiving assistance through the Legal Assistance for Victims program. However, there are additional places available for non-LAV recipients on a first come, first serve basis, which includes law students. The Commission also hosted a successful program at the Midyear meeting. Finally, the next edition of the Commission's e-newsletter will spotlight victims of domestic violence who have disabilities. To subscribe to the e-newsletter, please visit www.abanet.org/domviol/pubs.html. You can also access past issues of the e-newsletter at this website.
Lawyer Assistance Programs Alfred W. Baker, Jr. South Texas College of Law (Houston, TX)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: In November I attended the COLAP Annual meeting where I acted as reporting secretary.I also attended the COLAP business meeting at the ABA midyear meeting. I sit on the Law Schol Assistance Committee, the National Conference Planning committee and am currently acting as reporting secretary for the COLAP business meetings byu taking the minutes. I co-authored a publication, "Substance Abuse in Law Schools- A Toolkit for Administrators, which was approved by ABA publishing and distributed to all of the Law School in the country. I have also recieved three nominations to sit on the advisory commission oncwe my year as liaison ends. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the ABA mid-year meeting and reported on my activities at the liaison caucus. ISSUES: The COLAP besides stressing the issue of substance abuse in law schools through the publication of the "ToolKit" is working on a model rule for conditional admission to the Bar. The model rule will hopefully be ready for presentation to thwe House of Delegates at the 2007 mid-year meeting. PROJECTS: As stated earlier I co-authored a publication that was distributed by the ABA in December and January. I currently sit on the Law School Assistance Committee and am assisting with the planning of the 2006 COLAP annual meeting. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I recieved three nominations, including one from the chair of the Commission for a presidential appointment as an advisory commissioner to the COLAP MIDYEAR: I enjoyed the meeting, I wish I had more time to meet with the other liaisons. It was great that Vicki Goodman was at our caucus meeting.
Mental and Physical Disability Law Katie L. Pennell Widener University - Delaware - School of Law (Marlton, NJ)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: The Commission has not held any meetings since its fall 2005 meeting in Washington, D.C. Instead, its members have been busy continuing their work to promote the National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities in May. I have been active in furthering the Conference s publicity within the Law Student Division. DIVISION MEETINGS: Unfortunately, I was unable to attend my circuit s spring meeting this year. I continue to publicize the National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities in hopes of encouraging members of the law student division to attend, especially those with disabilities. ISSUES: The Commission continues to make arrangements for its National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities in May. This is a historic event for the ABA, and will address issues concerning the challenges lawyers with disabilities experience and discuss future opportunities for increased involvement in the profession. PROJECTS: I have focused on disseminating information throughout the law school community regarding the Commission s work to further the opportunities for lawyers with disabilities. I have arranged for the Conference to be publicized to all law students, deans of law schools, deans of student affairs, and law school career development offices. While the Conference will focus on aiding lawyers with disabilities already in the profession, I believe that the Conference will be a wonderful opportunity for law students with disabilities to make plans for their careers. In addition, I have made information available to the law student community regarding the Commission s mentor program, which pairs law students with disabilities with established lawyers. The program maintains the goal of aiding students in their progression through law school and entry into the profession of law. Furthermore, I have encouraged all law students to participate in the Adam A. Milani disability law writing competition. Law students with disabilities are an important part of the LSD and should be afforded the same opportunities for professional success as their peers. I hope to encourage more law students with disabilities to take an active role in the ABA-LSD and to increase law school attendance of qualified individuals with disabilities through awareness. MIDYEAR: I did not attend the ABA Midyear Meeting.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Yaschar Sarparast Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- I attended the Midyear Meeting in Chicago (February 9-12, 2006). I was present at all my Commission s functions and events. At the general business meeting I took notes on issues pertinent to the Law Student Division (LSD) and I provided some feedback where I felt it was needed. I also volunteered to help on a project. At the Minority Bar Association Luncheon I presented details regarding the Pre-Law Mentorship Program that I established at Gonzaga School of Law. I also attended the Spirit of Excellence Awards which honors attorneys who have made a difference in the profession with regard to diversity. At that event I was able to meet with and discuss my Mentorship Program with the chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on Diversity in the Profession. During the Midyear Meeting I also participated in TIPS events, where I was appointed as Vice Chair of the International Committee. -- Furthermore, I attended the TIPS Spring Meeting in San Francisco (Oct. 27-30, 2005), where I participated in the Section s Diversity Committee meeting and the Section s Committee on Outreach to Young Lawyers meeting. I also attended other various events and was able to meet with all the law student leaders present at the TIPS meeting. I have since maintained a good contact with these students. DIVISION MEETINGS:There were very few LSD events relevant to my position at the Midyear Meeting and a number of them conflicted with my Commission functions. I partially attended the Liaison Caucus where I met the Liaison Coordinator and I also attended a reception where I was able to get to know a large number of law student leaders. -- I attended the 12th Circuit Spring Meeting in Seattle (March 3-4, 2006). I attended every function and event. At the general business meeting I presented my Liaison Report to the attendees and during the meeting I asked questions of the speakers. I was also one of the people who conducted the vote counts for the new Circuit Governor and oversaw the tie-breaker. I got to know everyone very well, particularly the Governor-elect. ISSUES: The Commission's Annual Goal IX Report for 2005-2006 (This can be downloaded in pdf - 9 MB) which examines the status of racial and ethnic diversity in all ABA entities was released. In regard to Minority Participation (not including programming faculty or publication authors) the LSD ranked #1 with 39.29% participation. See p.74 of Report. In regard to Minority Participation (programming faculty and publication authors only) the LSD ranked #7, with 20.59% participation. See p.75 of Report. Law students are the seeds of the new generation and therefore these statistics are extremely positive indications of the future. This is bolstered by the fact that the Young Lawyers Division ranks #2 and #1, respectively, on the above mentioned charts. The Report had this to say: In 2005-2006, the Law Student Division has a 26% minority participation rate in leadership and Publication Authors. That is impressive and bodes well for the future of the profession. It is also a tribute to the ongoing outreach efforts made by the Division and its staff to minority law students. The challenge for the ABA is to continue to engage these students when they begin practicing law. See p.51 of Report. PROJECTS: The Pre-Law Mentorship Program which I reported on in my October, 2005 report is fully functioning at Gonzaga School of Law. Six law students have been paired up with five undergraduate students of a diverse background according to their interests, career path, year in school and race. The Diversity Office and Law School Admission Offices have bother sponsored the Program and have been supportive. We have had a group meeting with all the mentors to discuss their experience and we are planning to have a roundtable with all the mentees present as well. There are also plans to have a reception so that the mentees may meet faculty and admissions staff. I have created a thorough Guideline packet and application forms for all parties involved, which all participants have read and signed. The Guidelines may be useful for future LSD leaders who wish to implement such a program. MIDYEAR: Details regarding this Meeting have already been discussed above. My overall impression, however, is positive. I am always impressed with the amount of activities and the caliber of law student leaders present. I would recommend that there be more law student specific social events and general meetings at the Midyear, in order for everyone to get to know one another.
Substance Abuse Suzanne West Widener University School of Law-Delaware (Philadelphia, PA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: The Standing Committee has only met once since my last report. I participated via conference call for Mid-year meeting in February. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not been able to attend any Division meetings since my last report. ISSUES: The Standing Committee will present a policy resolution to the House of Delegates at the 2006 Annual Meeting. The policy resolution will address personalized treatment for alcohol or other drug disease, based on the best scientific protocols and standards of care.
Unmet Legal Needs of Children Dallas F. Bauer Washburn University School of Law (Topeka, KS)

Women in the Profession Mary E. Chojnowski University of Akron School of Law (Slow , OH)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: None DIVISION MEETINGS: -- I attended the Sixth Circuit Student Division Meeting in Columbus, Ohio on February 10-11th. The meeting was very informative, and I was able to talk with many student leaders about issues that are important to Ohio's law schools. Events included a discussion about financial assistance and LRAP programs, which allow student to pursue careers in lower-paying jobs (such as public interest) by matching their loans through an assistance program. I was also able to attend the keynote address, which was given by Judge Sutter of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. ISSUES: The Commission will be holding its Women in Law Leadership Academy (WILL) at the end of March (30-31st). The Academy focuses on development of skills for women who are new to the legal profession. Individuals who wish to attend WILL should contact the Commission. The Commission holds WILL every year and more information can be found on the Commission's website. -- The Commission is also preparing for the Margaret Brent award and luncheon, which will be held on August 6 in the Hawaii Convention Center. The Commission has already accepted nominations for this year's potential recipient, but will soon be welcoming nominations for next years recipient. More information about this award and the nominees for this year can be found on the Commission's website. -- The Commission continues to publish issues of its magazine, Perspectives. Past copies of the magazine can be found on the Commission's website. The magazine offers a host of different issues affecting women in the profession as well as articles from the President of the Commission. Subscriptions to Perspectives are also available online. PROJECTS: None at the moment. OTHER ACTIVITIES: None at the moment.
National Student Directors

Arbitration Competition Christina Marie Brewer The John Marshall Law School - Chicago (Chicago, IL)

Client Counseling Competition Robert J. Gallagher University of Richmond School of Law T.C. Williams School of Law (Richmond, VA)

Negotiation Competition Emmanuel J. Dockter Boston University School of Law (Boston, MA)

National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) Wai-Ying Chan New York Law School (Jackson Heights, NY)

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Programs *Melody D. Harden* University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (Detroit , MI)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I went to the Spring Tax Meeting in San Diego. I attended a few sessions regarding the VITA program, pro bono and low income tax sites. PROJECTS: Several schools indicated an interest in starting a VITA site so I provided information for them. I am working on finding information about possible clinic credit for volunteers. I will be contacting schools that don't have sites over the summer so the the student officers can get the ball rolling as soon as school starts so that if any school is interested, they will have more time to get a site up and running.