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Originally published in Student
Lawyer magazine, March 2004 (Vol. 32, No. 7). All rights
reserved.
Officially Speaking
Ways to Recognize Yourself and Your School
by Michael Pellicciotti
By now, I trust you've heard about the various leadership positions
in the ABA Law Student Division. In addition to offering students
access to policy-making and networking in the ABA, these positions
provide students an unparalleled opportunity to make lasting professional
relationships with lawyers and law students across the country.
During the end of February and the beginning of March, student
leaders will be vying for seats on the Law Student Division's Board
of Governors, which represents law schools in the Division's 15
regional circuits. Other candidates will be running later in March
at the Board of Governors meeting in New Orleans for the Division's
national offices of chair, vice chair, and secretary-treasurer.
If you missed the February deadline to submit an application to
run for circuit governor or a national office, or if you were nominated
and unsuccessful in your election, there are still many opportunities
to become a leader in the Law Student Division. Some students serve
as a liaison to an ABA practice-related group. Others help plan
the Law Student Division's competitions by serving as a national
student director. Still others run for office as a student delegate
to the ABA House of Delegates or as vice chair for student bar associations.
March 15 is the deadline to apply as a liaison or national student
director. June 1 is the deadline to apply as a candidate for Division
delegate and vice chair for SBAs. You can learn more about these
positions from the Law Student Division's new leadership posters
displayed at your school by your ABA representative and SBA president.
For further information about these ABA student leadership opportunities,
visit www.abanet.org/lsd/elections.
Another way students can be involved in the ABA is through the
Law Student Division's annual Awards
Program, which recognizes achievements of individual students
and schools in various categories. Excellence will be honored in
the following areas: student bar associations, SBA presidents, public
interest programs, diversity, newspapers and magazines, web sites,
ABA membership, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs.
Award nominees and recipients are honored at a gala event in August
at the ABA Annual Meeting. This year's meeting will be in Atlanta.
We hope you can join us in recognizing the many outstanding students
and programs throughout the country.
Unfortunately, many top programs and individuals don't get the
credit they deserve because they aren't officially nominated before
the May 1 deadline. Contact your ABA representative or SBA president
to learn how to submit a nomination for one or more of these awards.
You also can visit www.abanet.org/lsd/awards
for further information.
Promote excellence at your law school by nominating worthy recipients
for a national Law Student Division award, or be a leader by applying
for an ABA student position. Either way, you'll utilize your ABA
membership to the fullest extent and represent what's great about
your school.
As always, please contact me with your questions or thoughts.
Michael Pellicciotti
Gonzaga University
Chair, ABA Law Student Division
michaelp@abanet.org
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