Student Organizations

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association

The APA Law Student Association takes pride in promoting cultural diversity through mentoring and encourages law discussions at such networking events as 1L bowling nights, volunteering at the Rice Sticks and Tea food pantry, and screening Civil Rights and Wrongs: The Fred Korematsu Story on Korematsu Day.

Contact: apalsa@nesl.edu

Black Law Students Association

With social justice and equality for all students as the goal, the Black Law Students Association hosts events that address awareness of sensitive issues facing law students of color and work to create an inclusive environment for dialogue and interaction among all ethnicities. Law students are afforded opportunities to interact with the Greater Boston legal community and collaborate with the Charles Hamilton Houston Enrichment Program, Minority Students Association, and other groups.

Contact: blsa@nesl.edu

Jewish Law Students Association

Our social, cultural, and educational group focuses on professional networking and coordinates fun events on Jewish holidays, including the Crash My Sukkah Party and Passover Seders. A speaker series brings in Boston-area attorneys to network and educate New England Law students about various areas of the law.

Contact: jewishlaw@nesl.edu

Latin American Law Students Association

Through events and meetings, this group increases awareness of legal issues relating to Latin American communities, promotes diversity with events for all students, and provides a network for academic support, community outreach opportunities, and career counseling to help 1L members complete their first year successfully.

Contact: lalsa@nesl.edu

Middle Eastern Law Students Association (MELSA)

Committed to serving and uniting Middle Eastern and North African law students, MELSA’s mission is to build a cultural community and avenue between law students and alumni and promote the professional development and academic achievements of our members. Encouraging a cohesive understanding of the culture, politics, and legal institutions of all groups, membership is open to everyone.

Contact: sbamelsa@nesl.edu

Muslim Students Association (MSA)

MSA aims to embrace Muslim students from all walks of life and bridge the gap between our members’ commitment to their faith and the principles promoted by New England Law Boston. MSA provides a modest space in the library for religious obligations for all faiths. While the association aims to accommodate Muslim students, it encourages all members of the student body to participate in its open social and educational events.

Contact: sbamsa@nesl.edu

OUTLaws

OUTLaws works to educate, unite, and offer opportunities for the LGBTQ community and its allies. It sponsors programs relating to transgender identity awareness, seminars with legal professionals, panel discussions on family law and probate law, tax and financial services, and events with other student organizations. It also collaborates with the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association for monthly social mixers, a legal professional mentoring program, and volunteer public service opportunities.

Contact: outlaws@nesl.edu

South Asian & West Indian Law Student Association

This association serves as a supportive resource for all students, with a focus on those of South Asian and West Indian descent. Addressing issues unique to attorneys and students of color, it celebrates the South Asian diaspora with events including domestic violence panels, Bollywood trivia and movie nights, Chai chats, Diwali, and Eid celebrations.

Contact: salsa@nesl.edu

Women’s Law Caucus

Promoting social justice and equality for women and men, the Women’s Law Caucus strives to raise awareness and funds for women’s issues that affect men, women, and children, including domestic violence, breast cancer, same-sex marriage, and AIDS. Events have included a fundraiser during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a Women in Federal Practice panel with practitioners and judges (cosponsored by the Federal Bar Association), and a screening of the documentary film, The Case Against 8 (with OUTLaws). The chapter’s Follies raises money for a stipend for an intern to work in the domestic violence field.

Contact: womenslaw@nesl.edu

Art & Fashion Law Society (AFLS)

AFLS is committed to educating the NELB community about career paths in art law, fashion law, and related intellectual property fields. The society fosters a community of like-minded individuals with an appreciation for the arts and fashion. Panels with working attorneys in the art and fashion law fields are hosted for those interested in learning about legal paths within these fields. Immersive events such as fashion-related movie screenings, paint nights, and museum visits give students the chance to engage with the arts.

Contact: afls@nesl.edu

Business Law Society

The Business Law Society advances educational and career interests, promotes integrity and accountability for business and nonprofit organizations, and works with the Center for Business Law. Driven by its core values of developing leadership, personifying professionalism, and engaging in community involvement, the group focuses on awareness of business-related legal issues. Members also enjoy opportunities to build relationships within the business legal community through events, programs, and networking opportunities.

Contact: bls@nesl.edu

Cannabis Law Society

The Cannabis Law Society is an educational organization that teaches students about Cannabis Law. Within the Society, students meet and network with attorneys and regulators who are currently pursuing cannabis law. The overall goal is to give students the opportunity to learn and understand the cannabis law process and recognize ongoing issues. Students also receive a broad overview of advancements in cannabis regulations for Massachusetts and other states.

Contact: sbacals@nesl.edu

Criminal Law Society

With an eye toward effecting change in the community by advancing social justice and equality, the Criminal Law Society fosters relationships between current practitioners and students aspiring to enter the field. Students take part in LexisNexis practical-skills training, criminal law, alumni networking events, volunteer opportunities with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, discussions with local judges and attorneys, and collaborations with fellow student groups.

Contact: sbacls@nesl.edu

Entertainment and Sports Law Organization

Supporting students’ career aspirations through engaging and educational events and activities, the Entertainment and Sports Law Organization’s annual events include a speaker panel with legal professionals in those fields, a student-faculty softball game, and a pub-night fundraiser. The chapter often works with similar groups from other law schools.

Contact: sportslaw@nesl.edu

Environmental Law Society

The Environmental Law Society brings discussion and awareness of environmental legal issues to law students through movie nights, sharing opinions and ideas, and an annual career panel of environmental and energy attorneys. Its grant program makes stipend money available to students with an unpaid summer environmental or energy internship. Fundraising includes a vegetarian potluck lunch for students and faculty, the Go-Green! Mixer and the mid-spring semester bash co-hosted with the Animal Defense Fund.

Contact: environmentllaw@nesl.edu

Family Law Society (FLS)

For students interested in family law, FLS explores divorce, custody, adoption, reproductive rights, and child rights and advocacy. Our mission is to educate students on family law issues and promote access to careers in the field by connecting students with legal services, departments of medium- to large-sized firms, and solo practitioners in the field. Within the Society, students frequently engage with family law professionals in the community to help build relationships and advocate to the faculty to promote a larger course selection regarding family law practice.

Contact: familylaw@nesl.edu

Immigration Law Association (ILA)

ILA provides students with access to up-to-date information, career options, networking events, and community involvement. Partnering with New England Law’s Center for Law and Social Responsibility, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, and the Greater Boston Citizenship Initiative, the organization also arranges internship opportunities for students at Citizenship Clinics.

Contact: ila@nesl.edu

Intellectual Property Law Association (IPLA)

Acting as an intellectual property law information outlet for the New England Law community, IPLA enhances educational, cultural, and social opportunities through events and programs. It also provides students with a better understanding of intellectual property law and the industries surrounding it and offers a forum to network within the industry.

Contact: ipla@nesl.edu

Public Interest Law Association (PILA)

PILA strives to raise awareness of the needs, issues, and employment opportunities for federal and state administrative and regulatory agencies, advocacy groups, legal aid agencies, lobbyist groups, prosecution agencies, and public defenders’ offices. Its auction raises money for a summer grant program for students. Other activities include speaker panels, networking events, volunteering at local agencies, and fundraisers to benefit Boston organizations.

Contact: pila@nesl.edu

Real Estate Law Society (RELS)

The RELS student organization explores real estate law, the cultivation of professional student networks with firms and attorneys specializing in real estate law, and the events and history impacting the legal field through discussion panels, outreach activities, and expert speakers.

Contact: relus@nesl.edu

Tax Law Society (TLS)

TLS is a student organization providing a platform for students to gain experience and training in the field of tax law. The TLS provides a supplemental curriculum for its members to develop and cultivate their legal education in a concentrated market. In conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Boston Tax Help Coalition, members will gain experience in income tax preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Other networking events, seminars, and national tax moot court competitions are facilitated to provide training for members to remain competitive in a concentrated market. Driven by its core values of leadership development, professionalism, and community involvement, the TLS will help promote New England Law Boston in both academic and corporate communities.

Contact: sbatls@nesl.edu

American Constitution Society (ACS)

The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy promotes the US Constitution and its fundamental values: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy, and the rule of law. The chapter provides opportunities to engage with speakers, students, and attorneys in other local chapters. Events have included a review of recent US Supreme Court decisions with New England Law professors, mentorship programs, and social events.

Contact: acs@nesl.edu

Debate Club

The Debate Club provides students with the opportunity to learn, practice, and compete in British Parliamentary Debate. British Parliamentary debate is a format used worldwide. Teams have fifteen minutes without web access to prepare for a round. Four teams (two people per team) compete in a round, two representing the government and two representing the opposition. Teams are ranked 1-4 according to their contributions to the round. The Debate Club holds weekly practice rounds and competes in several interschool competitions each semester. Debate experience is not required to join.

Contact: sbadebateclub@nesl.edu

National Lawyers Guild (NLG)

Established in 1937, The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is the oldest, non-issue-specific association of lawyers, legal workers, law students and jailhouse lawyers in the country. It is also the country’s first racially integrated bar association. Members work on a vast range of social justice issues, including environmental sustainability, immigrants’ rights, housing, racial justice, disability rights, and mass incarceration. There are more than 20 Committees that student members can join. Within the International Committee alone, there are 18 different Subcommittees. NLG provides a great networking opportunity as many members secure fellowships, internships, and jobs from connections they make in the Guild. There are also opportunities for leadership development where members elect a Student National Vice President to serve on the NEC each year.

Contact: nlg@nesl.edu

New England Latter Day Saints

The New England Law Boston student chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society (NE-LDS) is an organization of students who are members or friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. NE-LDS provides support and connection for students seeking to maintain a spiritual foundation throughout their study of the law and allows members opportunities to associate with other students who have similar interests and beliefs. New England LDS cultivates educational and employment opportunities through networking with alumni and other professionals in J. Reuben Clark Law Society Professional chapters. NE-LDS welcomes all students and faculty, regardless of their faith, identity, or practice.

Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity | MacLean Chapter (PAD)

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, seeks to create bonds between students and teachers of the law with members of the bench and bar and to promote core values for a lifetime of honorable professional and public service. New England Law’s MacLean Chapter holds and co-sponsors events, including Dress for Success (with Brooks Brothers), Fixing Your Mid-Term Mistakes, Alternative Careers with a JD, and a 2L Appellate Brief Help Session (with the Intellectual Property Law Association).

Contact: pad@nesl.edu

Republican Law Society

The mission of the Republican Law Society is to provide a space at New England Law Boston for the proliferation and study of Republican values in the law and the implication of said values. To that end, the goal of the society will be met by holding events with republican speakers who will provide perspective and context into Republican values, holding student meetings to study and debate Republican values and choices that the party makes that affect the law, and anything else that can be used to further the perspective of the Republican party in the law generally.

Contact: sbarls@nesl.edu

Student Bar Association

The Student Bar Association is the representative body of the students at New England Law Boston and is affiliated with the Law Student Division of the American Bar Association. It co- sponsors speakers on legal and professional issues, organizes social activities, and offers opportunities to become active in the New England Law and Greater Boston community. Our law student organizations are key components of our engaged community, and we invite you to learn more about them.

Contact: sba@nesl.edu