Student Organizations
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is the largest legal association in America. The USF chapter seeks to introduce and supply to students the information, opportunities and resources of the ABA. They participate in national ABA events and celebrations on campus at USF and annually co-sponsor Wellness Week with the Deans Office.
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS) is one of the nation's leading progressive legal organizations. ACS is comprised of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, policymakers, activists, and other concerned individuals who are working to ensure that the fundamental principles of human dignity, individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice are in their rightful, central place in American law.
www.acslaw.org acs.usf@gmail.comAsian Pacific American Law Students Association
The School of Laws Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) is committed to promoting, serving, and representing the interests of the Asian Pacific American law student community. APALSA has over a 25 year history of being one of the most active groups at the USF School of Law. The group represents the diversity of experiences and cultures present in their membership and collectively address the contemporary legal issues that affect Asian Pacific Americans. They strive to create opportunities to facilitate interactions between students, active practitioners, and the San Francisco Bay Area Asian Pacific American community and seek to provide opportunities through education, programs, services, and collaboration with local Asian Bar Associations that meet the specific concerns and the needs of the USF Asian Pacific American law students. APALSAs fundamental goal as a student organization is to promote diversity in our legal community by providing academic and professional support and services to students and colleagues alike so that we may excel in our law school career and ultimately become part of the greater cause as advocates for underrepresented classes in our society.
Black Law Students Association
The Black Law Students Assocation (BLSA) is a nationwide nonprofit organization that focuses on addressing the concerns of Black law students and fostering a connection between the members of BLSA and the local community. The purposes of BLSA are multi-faceted. Some include providing Black law students with a forum for expressing their unique needs and concerns; ensuring retention of all Black law students, specifically incoming first years; develop future Black leadership; and to foster a connection between the members of BLSA and the BLSA alumni active in the local legal community.
Business Law Association
The USF Business Law Association (BLA) was founded to help expand interest and educate students about the interrelationship between business and the law. The BLA consists of law students focused on a wide variety of goals from presenting distinguished speakers and panels to expanding cross registration and providing mentorship opportunities. The BLA also works with student groups at the USF School of Business and Management to coordinate programs and expand the social and professional networks of Law and MBA students.
Christian Fellowship Group
The Christian Fellow Groups goal is to continue to be a Christ centered group on campus that exposes the teachings of Christ to others in the law community. The group seeks to show a practical application of Christs teachings to present situations. Bible studies will be offered to show others how to live their lives according to Christ even in todays society. This group will continue to cater to the entire law school community, not just those that are believers. Additionally, the Christian Fellowship Group wants to encourage fellowship and unity among all believers regardless of denominational affiliation.
Criminal Law Society
The Criminal Law Society (CLS) encourages the study of criminal law at USF. It works to enlighten students to the opportunities that exist under the larger umbrella term by providing prosecution, defense, and other career panels throughout the year. It also strives to keep students informed of developing criminal issues by sponsoring guest speakers. The CLS is meant to create and maintain a large network of similar-minded people within the law community as a whole.
Environmental Law Society
The Environmental Law Society (ELS) seeks to enhance the law school experience by fostering and promoting the study and awareness of environmental law issues; to inspire, support, and train the next generation of environmental leaders by providing resources, networking opportunities, and referrals for clinical placements; to encourage environmental advocacy and participation in environmental activities in the legal community and in the community at large.
Equal Justice Society
The USF School of Law chapter of the Equal Justice Society (EJS), founded in 2002, advances a positive agenda of progressive legal change in the areas of human and civil rights. Through collaboration with other student groups, EJS presents roundtables, symposia and media/film presentations all with an eye toward educating the law school community about important legal and policital issues.
Estate Planning Society
The Estate Planning Societys mission is to assist law students who are interested in estate planning as a career, or simply want to know more about it. The group coordinates events where students and local attorneys in the field can network and build professional relationships. The board also meets with an estate planning advisory board made up of local attorneys who advise us on how USF can strengthen its estate planning curriculum and on what USF law students can do to make themselves more marketable in the job market after graduation.
Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order. It is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be.
The Forum
The Forum is the student newspaper of the University of San Francisco School of Law. The mission of The Forum is to promote dialogue, debate, and discussion within the law school community.
Intellectual Property and Cyber Law Association
The Intellectual Property and Cyber Law Association is a student organization providing a forum where likeminded students can come together to discuss and learn about intellectual property, (including copyright, trademark, patents, trade secrets) and cyberlaw.
International Law Society
The University of San Francisco School of Law has a proud history and commitment to Global Lawyering. As the lead student organization dedicated to issues involving international law, the USF International Law Society (ILS) seeks to supplement the Law Schools impressive global curriculum, by sponsoring timely and important programming in the fields of public and private international law. USF ILS seeks to encourage careers in international law, development, and inter-governmental organizations as well as to facilitate meaningful opportunities for student, practitioner and alumni networking.
USF ILSA is a local student chapter of the International Law Students Association, and works closely on campus with the Center for Law & Global Justice.
Jewish Law Students Association
The Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) of USF is an independent forum for Jewish law students to form friendships and ties with each other, with other student groups, and with the Jewish community of San Francisco. We welcome students of all denominations, political beliefs, and personal views. Each semester, we organize volunteer events and social opportunities, in addition to presenting panels and speakers that reach out to our peers at the law school. Our goal is to celebrate and share Jewish culture and values, while educating and informing our community about religious traditions and topical events that relate to Israel and the Jewish world.
Journal of Law and Social Challenges
The Journal of Law and Social Challenges (JLSC) is a student-run journal operating in conjunction with the law schools Center for Law and Global Justice. The journal provides legal scholars, practitioners, advocates, and students with a neutral forum for addressing social justice issues that face legislative and judicial scrutiny. Each volume of the journal is thematic in nature and includes an array of perspectives to provide a more holistic approach to important legal and social dilemmas. The range of these varying viewpoints reflects the diversity of our world and also reminds us of the broad social implications that laws have on our society as a whole.
Through the publication of the Journal, the University of San Francisco law students educate themselves and society about highly relevant domestic and international social issues while providing advocates and practitioners with an invaluable source of legal and policy analyses. Our mission is to provide, maintain, and promote dialogue to cultivate respect between and amonge advocates of different perspectives so as to effectuate social policies that will promote and foster human dignity, respect, and ultimately, justice.
Korean American Law Student Association
The Korean American Law Student Association (KALSA) is a law student organization committed to promoting the growth, education, and awareness of Korean American issues within the legal community. The primary goal is to foster a professional relationship between law students and lawyers through KALSA and KABA-NC (Korean American Bar Association of Northern California).
Labor and Employment Law Student Association
The Labor and Employment Law Student Association (LELSA) is a group of students at USF Law School who have taken on a special interest in legal issues surrounding the workplace. In the past, LELSA has brought speakers to campus ranging from judges, practicing attorneys, labor union organizers, and politicians. In addition to outside speakers, LELSA holds a Brown Bag Lunch Series where USF professors hold group discussions with students about labor and employment issues.
La Raza Law Students Association
larazalawstudentassociation@gmail.com
La Raza Law Students Association is a student organization aimed at promoting the Latino/a voice in the USF law community. La Raza has been an active student organization at the USF School of Law for over 20 years. During this time, we have promoted the USF School of Law's mission of social justice and social equality through our active involvement in the San Francisco Bay Area community. Our strong alumni network, social activities, and events for cultural enlightenment have made La Raza one of the most influential groups in the USF community.
Law and Immigration Student Association
The Law and Immigration Student Association (LISA) is committed to educating and organizing law students to promote a better understanding of the immigration issues that the United States Faces. Although LISA is dedicated to improving the plight and legal rights of immigrants, the group also seeks to create a discourse on the topic that includes all opinions. LISA hopes to raise awareness on the subject matter and to link students interested in immigration law to potential employers.
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
Law Students for Reproductive Justice (LSRJ) is the only student-led, student-driven national non-profit network of law students and lawyers committed to fostering the next wave of legal experts for the reproductive justice movement. LSRJ educates, organizes, and supports law students on over 60 campuses in the US and Canada to ensure that a new generation of advocates will emerge prepared to protect and expand reproductive rights as basic civil and human rights.
Mac User Group
The Mac Users Group advocates for improved support of Mac Users by USF and to provide a medium for students to share their knowledge, assist each other, and pass on what they have learned to incoming Mac Users.
Middle Eastern Law Students Association
The Middle Eastern Law Students Association (MELSA) of USF is a forum for Middle Eastern Law Students to form friendships and ties with each other, other student groups, and with the Middle Eastern Community of San Francisco. MELSAs goal is to celebrate and share Middle Eastern culture and values, while educating and informing our community about traditions and topical events that relate to the Middle East.
Moot Court
Moot Court is a student-run organization responsible for the development of USF's intramural oral advocacy program. Each fall, Moot Court organizes and oversees the Advocate of the Year Competition, a school-wide advocacy competition open to all students who have successfully completed the Spring Moot Court Program. Each Spring, Moot Court runs the Spring Moot Court Program, a required part of the first-year curriculum in which students are taught appellate brief writing and oral advocacy skills.
National Lawyers Guild
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is an association dedicated to the need for basic change in the structure of our legal and economic systems. We seek to unite lawyers, law students, and legal workers in an organization that shall function as as an effective political and social force in the service of the people, to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property rights. Through sponsorship of campus activities relating to this goal, the USF chapter of the National Lawyers Guild seeks to engage the student body in current NLG projects and issues, as well as promote the benefits of membership in this national bar association.
Older and/or Wiser Law Students
The Older and/or Wiser Law Students (OWLS) is a group for non-traditional students and the traditional students who are fascinated by us. If you have, wish you had, or are avoiding a spouse, children, a job, significant life experience prior to law school, vivid memories of the 1980s, or chronic lower back pain, then OWLS is for you. The OWLS offer social, career, and academic support all year long. All students, day and evening, are welcome.
Philipino American Law Society
The purpose of the Pilipino American Law Society (PALS) is to bring an awareness of the Filipino culture to USF Law School. Additionally, PALS strives to get students involved in the law school community while also providing services and help to group members whenever necessary. PALS is both a cultural and a legal club that aims to include as many people as possible.
Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity
Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 270,000 initiated members, including Presidents William J. Clinton and Harry S. Truman, Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton.
The purpose of the Phi Alpha Delta fraternity is to form a strong bond uniting student and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under the intellectual, and cultural advancement, so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service.
Among Phi Alpha Deltas many goals at the University of San Francisco School of Law, they intend to bring together the future lawyers of America and those currently active in the legal community to strengthen those students bonds to the community, and their understanding of the law and the profession.
PrideLaw Association
Pride Law strives to promote a positive atmosphere for queer USF law students. Pride Laws objective is to educate the community at large about GLBTQ issues and concerns in order to alleviate and eradicate homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, and other affronts to the dignity of individuals, families, and communities.
Public Interest Law Foundation
The Public Interest Law Foundations (PILF) Mission:
- Foster a community of law students interested in public interest work.
- Educate students about job opportunities in the public interest sector and serve as a resource for job leads.
- Raise money to support unpaid summer work in the public interest.
- Encourage law students to volunteer in the Bay Area community and help provide meaningful and appropriate opportunities for them to do so.
- Educate students about ways that private/firm attorneys can make meaningful contributions to the public interest.
- Instill a sense of community ownership, pride and responsibility that will motivate students/lawyers to make positive changes.
St. Thomas More Society
St. Thomas More prayed that in his practice of law he would always be able, accurate and honest never risking the loss of his soul for the winning of his point.
Membership in the St. Thomas More Society at USF and also of the St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco, along with judges, lawyers, public servants, and officials of all faiths provides one of the best paths towards this end. Together, we ask God to bless, strengthen, and enlighten all servants of the law so that we may more charitably achieve justice and freedom of society. Membership will guarantee access to this wonderful legacy of professional enhancement and collegial fervor. The St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco is an indispensable voice in the Bay Area legal community and beyo9nd. The USF school chapter regularly interacts on a monthly basis with the greater San Francisco chapter.
South Asian Law Students Association
The goal of the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) is to connect the South Asian Law Community through networking and social events, promote awareness of legal issues affecting the community and to increase visibility of the community at USF and the legal field.
Sports and Entertainment Law Association
The Sports and Entertainment Law Association (SELA) seeks to provide members with opportunities to learn about careers within the sports and entertainment law realms. Throughout the year SELA provides speakers and activities designed to expose students to these exciting areas of law while allowing them to interact with other students sharing similar interests.
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Kimberly.C.Meckfessel@gmail.com
The University of San Francisco Student Animal Legal Defense Fund is a San Francisco Bay Area law student organization ascribing to the goals of our larger parent organization, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF). Every day, ALDF works to protect animals by providing free legal assistance to prosecutors handling cruelty cases; maintaining a database of animal abuse crimes across the country; working to strengthen state anti-cruelty statutes; encouraging the federal government to enforce existing animal protection laws; nurturing the future of animal law through Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapters; educating the public through seminars, workshops, and other outreach efforts; and supporting lawsuits that explore important issues and expand the boundaries of animal law.
Women's Law Association
The Women's Law Association (WLA) is an organization of and for women at the University of San Francisco School of Law. The WLA's goal is to provide support for women at USF in academic, professional, and personal respects. From career development, assistance and support for first-year students, to social and volunteer activities, the WLA strives to be there for the women of the USF School of Law.