Law Student Division Elects New Officers for 2000-01

The ABA Law Student Division's Board of Governors elected three national officers at its fall meeting in Philadelphia. Twelve highly qualified candidates from law schools across the country vied for the leadership positions of chair, vice chair, and secretary-treasurer.

Scott Ward, current 4th Circuit governor and a second-year student at Wake Forest University School of Law, will serve as Division chair for 2000-01. In addition to the year he has already served on the Board of Governors, Ward brings unique skills to his new position, which requires him to oversee the LSD's daily operations and represent law student interests to the larger ABA. Prior to entering law school, Ward worked for two years as a congressional staffer and later as a lobbyist in Washington.

"With more than 40,000 members from California to Maine, effective administration is vital to ensuring that all members are up-to-date and able to fully participate," Ward says. His plans for the year include an initiative to hold an in-depth dialogue on the issue of diversity, as well as creation of a fellows program to encourage present LSD leaders to look to past leaders for guidance.

Annette Johnson, vice chair-elect and a second-year student at South Texas College of Law in Houston, is no stranger to politics. In addition to holding an internship in the White House, she worked on her mother's re-election campaign for judge in Harris County, Texas. As vice chair, Johnson's primary focus will be on membership.

"The ABA is the collective leadership of our profession and plays an important role in the protection of every citizen's rights under the rule of law," Johnson says. As the first student liaison to the Women and Minority Involvement Committee of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Johnson knows the value of the Division's Liaison Program, and she intends to promote it as one of the greatest benefits of membership. "We should take advantage of the opportunities to get involved in the profession," she notes.

Says Jill Bachman, newly elected secretary-treasurer and a second-year student at the University of Kansas School of Law: "My family just thinks I am over-organized and a bit compulsive; my friends think I am insane!" There is no such thing as "over-organized," however, for the secretary-treasurer, who oversees the LSD's budget and is responsible for ensuring that all law students are kept informed about the activities and opportunities available through the Division.

Bachman, currently serving as president of her student bar association, is undaunted by the challenges her office presents. "I truly have a heart to serve others," she says, adding that her role as SBA president gave her unique experiences in communicating with fellow law students.

Last August, Maurene Cato-Perry, a 2L at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minn., was elected vice chair for student bar associations. She and the other officers will begin their terms at the ABA's annual meeting this July in New York City.