As you read the final issue of Student Lawyer for this academic year, I hope you’re proud of the accomplishments of the ABA Law Student Division. We have experienced our 13th straight year of membership growth, launched a mental health initiative including a national dialogue about mental health issues in law schools, committed thousands of dollars for diversity programming nationwide and successfully met with congressional leaders in Washington to advocate on behalf of law students, to name a few.
This year proved that when motivated student leaders take initiative, we are a powerful force. When the ABA and the Division advocated for loan repayment assistance for graduates, Congress listened. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 was a major victory in the
battle against significantly increasing student loan debt among law students.
And to combat the dismal reality that 20 to 40 percent of law students graduate with clinical depression, we instituted a National Mental Health Day for law students. This initiative is the first step toward highlighting a growing problem in higher education. We must continue to advocate for additional effective mental health resources in law schools.
Our work will continue this summer in New York City at the ABA Annual Meeting. This year’s meeting of the Law Student Division, August 7–12, promises to be the best yet. We will offer new substantive programming tailored for law students, vote on policy resolutions during the national Law Student Division Assembly, and elect three new Division delegates and the vice chair for student bar associations. And, of course, there will be great opportunities to network with practicing lawyers and students from law schools across the country.
To learn more about the Annual Meeting, visit www.abanet.org/lsd/annual. If you want to run for the national office of Division delegate or vice chair-SBA, you must send your application by overnight delivery service, postmarked by June 1. This is a strict-liability deadline and requirement. No exceptions will be granted. For more information on these positions, visit www.abanet.org/lsd/elections.
For those of you graduating, please check out the ABA Young Lawyers Division at www.abanet.org/yld and other ABA sections, divisions, and forums that match your interests. It’s a great way to stay involved in leadership, serving the public and the profession, in the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.
At the Annual Meeting in August, I’ll conclude my term as Division chair. During the past year, I’ve had the privilege to travel across the country to visit with law students. I’ve witnessed your dedication and passion in creating programs and being a part of events that enhance the law school experience and contribute to the important issues we face on our campuses, in our communities, and throughout the world.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. Good luck with work, travel, the bar, and whatever else you do this summer. It has been a pleasure serving you.
Daniel R. Suvor
Chair, ABA Law Student Division
The George Washington University Law School
