MSU Law Home

MSU Law Student Organizations

• ABA - Law Student Division Representative
  
  
  
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Society
  The purpose of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society shall be the following:
  (a) To promote use and awareness of all forms of alternative dispute resolution;
  (b) To actively promote and aid students’ pursuits of alternative dispute resolution careers.
  (c) To promote general awareness of current laws and statutory changes affecting the realm of alternative dispute resolution.
  
  
• American Constitution Society
  The American Constitution Society of Michigan State University College of Law is a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni who believe deeply in the importance of law as the mechanism which governs the relationships between and among the individuals and institutions that form our society, and we recognized the direct relationship between legal theory and the broader political debate about the kind of society in which we live.
  We believe that the law, and, in particular, the Constitution, serves human values. We believe that the Constitution is a charter of liberty, the blueprint for a noble and unique experiment designed to prevent the excesses of government in order to protect the human dignity necessary for individuals to realize the full potential of their lives. The goal of the Constitution, and the United States it created, is to permit people to succeed in the “pursuit of happiness,” one of the inalienable rights this nation explicitly was founded to secure to the American people.
  We believe that the Constitution, and by extension, many other areas of American law, can be understood only be reference to principles of decency, reason, humanity and compassion. We believe that those who enforce the law must have concern for the way in which it affects the lives of the people who make up the nation in which we live. And we believe these principles should form a starting point for enactment, as well as the interpretation, of the law.
  The mission of the American Constitution Society is to harness these values of compassion and respect for each individual, and to re-incorporate them into American law and politics, in order to build a stronger and more decent national community. We seek to restore the fundamental principles of respect for human dignity, protection of individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice to their rightful—and traditionally central—place in American law. We want to strengthen the intellectual underpinnings of—and the public case for—a vision of the law in which these values are paramount. Our goal is a rekindling of the hope that by reason and decency, we can create an America that is better for us all.
  Our goal is to contribute to an improved practice and better understanding or ourselves, our community, our academic advancement, and our current and future endeavors, thereby raising awareness of our goals and beliefs and promoting diversity of thought within MSU.
  
  
• Asian Pacific American Law Student Association
  APALSA is a political, academic and social organization supporting the Asian and Pacific American law students at MSU Law. Through speakers, events and participations in APA conferences, we strive to promote greater understanding of APA related issues, as well as provide forums for interactions between students and practitioners of similar interests.
  
  
• Books to Prisoners
  We aim to provide prison librarians with free books and to work toward an understanding of the prison system in Michigan.
  
  
• Business Law Society
  The purpose of the Business Law Society shall be the following:
  1. To promote awareness of and appreciation for business law including but not limited to enterprise structure, finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, and related topics.
  2. To actively promote and aid students’ pursuit of a career in business law.
  3. To promote general awareness of laws affecting business and their effect on society.
  
  
• Canadian Student Legal Association
  The CLA is a student organization aimed at providing support and mentoring services for incoming and current Canadian students studying at MSU College of Law. It is also responsible for providing information to both Canadian and American students regarding the joint JD/LLB program and for coordinating Canadian themed social and networking events at MSU Law.
  
  
• Chinese Legal Society
  The Chinese Legal Society functions as a forum to share ideas, information, and experiences in legal realities and legal developments in China. The Society also works to help interested students in law school to understand China related legal practice.
  
  
• Christian Legal Society
  To be a grassroots network of lawyers and law students, associated with others, loving and serving Jesus Christ, through all we do and say in the practice of law, and advocating biblical conflict resolution, legal assistance for the poor and needy, religious freedom, and the sanctity of human life.
  
  
• Conservative Law Society
  The Conservative Law Society is committed to the preservation and vibrant renewal of conservative thought at Michigan State University College of Law. The society aims to ensure that the principles that have made America successful in the past are not forgotten. It aims to recruit outstanding student leaders committed to the principles of limited government, a strong national defense, a restrained judiciary that recognizes a textualist interpretation of the Constitution and legislative supremacy in lawmaking, and the promotion of traditional American values, especially the defense of innocent life from the moment of creation and the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. The Conservative Law Society exists as a forum for discussion of important legal matters, a voice for conservative law students, and a fellowship of young men and women committed to the founding of values of American Law.
  
  
• Delta Theta Phi
  To provide social, professional, and academic support for our members and to improve the lives of our fellow students and the needy.
  
  
• Environmental Law Society
  The Environmental Law Society strives to provide its members with opportunities to cultivate their interest in environmental law. To that end, the society works to organize events and to gather information that will enhance its members’ legal education and career development in environmental law.
  
  
• Family Law Society
  The purpose and goals of the Family Law Society are to promote the fundamental values of faith and justice as an integral focus of family law legal concerns and careers; to foster a deepened sense of family ethics and social commitment among law students and lawyers in family law matters; to unite in public expression of this vision of faith and justice in the legal community; to sponsor events consonant with the purposes which are of particular interest to law students interested in family law as well as to those who share in the general vision of the society; and to provide educational and social opportunities to the membership.
  
  
• 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 Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities. This entails reordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law. It also requires restoring the recognition of the importance of these norms among lawyers, judges, and law professors. In working to achieve these goals, the Society has created a conservative and libertarian intellectual network that extends to all levels of the legal community.
  
  
• Hispanic Law Society
  1. The purpose of the Hispanic Law Society is to maximize the equality of education at MSU-LAW, through cultural awareness, education, and overall involvement in school activities, curricular, extracurricular and otherwise, with a focus towards the Hispanic Law Society. 2. The specific goals of this organization shall be to fulfill its purpose, while at the same time achieving the specific goals of virtue, uplift and community involvement.
  
  
• Intellectual Property Law Society
  The purpose of the IP Society is to provide students with knowledge about intellectual property allowing them to gain experience and build relationships with practicing lawyers within the field. The IP society also allows interested students the opportunity to explore various options in IP careers.
  
  
• International Law Society
  The International Law Society strives to provide its members with an opportunity to cultivate their interests in International Law. This it shall try to achieve by: organizing events such as speaking engagements on informative topics, and providing its members with employment resources and information about educational opportunities.
  
  
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
  The Mission Statement of the Student Chapter is parallel to the missions statement of the Law Society: “We affirm the strength brought to the study of law by a law student’s personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and diligence in our studies to promote fairness and virtue founded up on the rule of law.”
  In fulfilling its mission statement, the Student Chapter is guided by the philosophy, personal example, and values of its namesake, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. Those values include: (1) public service, (2) loyalty to the rule of law, (3) appreciation for the religious dimension in society and in a law student’s personal life.
  To accomplish its mission, the Student Chapter will: (1) encourage its members to regard law studies as preparation to serve the courts, clients, and society (which service will always be paramount) as well as to practice law which may provide compensation; (2) promote and protect the rule of law; and (3) provide members with opportunities for continuing dialogue on legal topic of significance with members of the Student and Sponsoring Chapters of the Law Society.
  Membership in the Student chapter is multi-faith and open to all currently enrolled law students of any law school in the area where the Student Chapter is located who share in the goals, ideals and values of the Law Society.
  Since the Student Chapter operates under the legal umbrella of the Sponsoring Chapter [or in alternative, the legal umbrella of the JRCLS International Board] and hence under the legal umbrella of the Law Society, the Student chapter must comply with Article II of the Bylaws of the Law Society, which provides, in part, that “all lobbying and other political activities are strictly prohibited.”
  
  
• Jewish Legal Society
  The mission of the Jewish Law Society (JLS) is to promote a spirit of community among the Jewish law students and other students interested in the same at Michigan State College of Law. JLS looks to promote issues of importance to the Jewish community and is dedicated to providing cultural, social, charitable and educational programs. JLS holds social, religious, and networking events giving students the opportunity to get to know one another and also to meet established Jewish lawyers in Michigan.
  
  
• Journal of Animal Law
  The Journal of Animal Law seeks to explore the legal and public policy issues surrounding animals at all levels of government; local, state, national, comparative national and international.
  
  
• Journal of Business and Securities Law
  The Journal of Business and Securities Law is an independent, student-run organization. Our purpose is to provide insight into legal issues surrounding the business community through legal analysis and other types of publications such as articles, personal narratives, and commentary. In furthering this purpose, the Journal accepts submissions for publications written by active members of the legal community, faculty of established law schools, and other members of the legal profession.
  
  
• Journal of Entertainment & Sports Law
  The journal is edited and produced entirely by students at the College of Law and is dedicated to the leading issues confronting attorneys in the world of entertainment and sports law.
  
  
• Journal of Gender & Law
  To foster exchange concerning topics on gender and the law through publication.
  
  
• Journal of International Law
  The world is fast becoming a smaller place. With advances in technology and expansion of international trade, boundaries are drawn ever closer and the distinctions between the domestic and the international are blended in tot the details of each emerging global challenge. With increasing globalization, knowledge of foreign cultures and legal systems is no longer just a welcomed advantage, but an indispensable tool to every professional. The Editors and Associates of The Michigan State University college of Law Journal of International Law know the importance of developing a comprehensive understanding of international issues and have committed their greatest efforts and energies to publishing high quality, thought provoking articles and organizing topical symposia in the field of international law. Three times per year the Journal of International Law provides students and professionals alike with insights into the most relevant and controversial issues from around the globe. The publication is a practical tool to legal professionals, and also acts as a medium for the dissemination and exchange of ideas within our worldwide distribution network. From the outset, students have been the driving force behind the Journal. Dedicated, inquisitive, and broadminded, our Editors an Associates are distinguished by their diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, but joined by a common understanding of scholastic excellence. In our endeavors to create a Journal of unsurpassed quality and breadth, we are joined by our learned faculty and advisors. Special thanks to Dean Terence Blackburn and Dean Michael Lawrence for their continued support; and to our Faculty Advisor, Professor John Reifenberg, who has been there since our inception, for continuing to provide us with invaluable guidance and advice. We at the Journal of International Law welcome the challenges of the coming year with the determination to continue to provide our readers with an outstanding publication, in the distinguished tradition of our law school and Journal.
  
  
• Journal of Medicine & Law
  The imperative of the Journal is to enrich medical-legal scholarship by encouraging doctors, attorneys, professors, and student to publish well-reasoned and thought-provoking articles on cutting edge and controversial topics in the health law field. The Journal also seeks to influence judicial opinions, legislation, and public policy development in both Michigan and on a federal level. In addition to publishing two quality issues each year, the Journal will host events, including, but not limited to, symposia, debates, speakers, launch parties, and dinners.
  
  
• Journal of Trial Practice and Advocacy
  The Journal of Trial Practice and Advocacy is a journal dedicated to publishing articles that balance the practical and academic aspects of trial practice. There are currently only two other law school-sponsored journals focusing on trial advocacy in the United States, and no school-sponsored journals in the Midwest. The goal of the journal is to bridge the gap between purely academic journals and purely practical journals based primarily on anecdotes and opinion. The Journal of Trial Practice and Advocacy will include empirically based research articles on issues pertaining to matters important to trial advocates, as well as pieces providing informative suggestions, opinions, and insights from trial lawyers, judges, academics, and other experts from across the nation. Additionally, the Journal welcomes submissions from students in a variety of fields including law, criminal justice, sociology, psychology and others that may provide the trial lawyer with useful insights.
  
  
• Labor and Employment Law Association
  The Labor and Employment Law Association fosters student interest in the practice of labor and employment law, assists its members in obtaining exposure to the field before graduation, and actively seeks opportunities for student involvement in the community.
  
  
• Law and Economics Society
  To introduce what is an emerging legal theory to the student body at Michigan State University College of Law and Michigan State University.
  
  
• Law School Rhythmic Society
  Our main goal is to facilitate creativity and establish at least one charitable performance per school year, to which all Law Students and faculty are invited to attend. Supplementary goals include discussing legal issues regarding the music industry, securing guest speakers regarding music and the law, networking like-minded individuals with similar interests for the furtherance and advancement of the Law School experience, and playing music for fun.
  
  
• Medical-Legal Society
  The purpose of the Medical-Legal Society is to foster appreciation for and awareness of the law concerning medical malpractice, health care, and other related topics; to foster working relationships between students and professionals within those areas of law; to actively promote and aid any student’s pursuit of a career within those areas of law; to positively contribute to the community at Michigan State University, Michigan State University College of Law, and the community at large, with regard to those areas of law.
  
  
• Michigan State Law Review
  The Law Review exists to further scholarly writing in both the professional and academic legal communities. This goal is accomplished through publication of four annual issues and by hosting numerous symposia.
  
  
• Moot Court & Trial Advocacy Board
  The Moot Court and Advocacy Board at MSU College of Law is an intensive program of advocacy training in a competitive environment. The program provides students the opportunity to develop written, oral, and team-based advocacy skills. Each year, the Board sends twelve to fifteen teams across the country to compete against other law schools for top honors. The Moot Court and Advocacy Board has developed a prestigious national reputation, built on years of hard work and dedicated members. The Board looks forward to carrying on this winning tradition in the future.
  
  
• MSU Law Ice Hockey Club
  The MSU Law Hockey Club is a student-run hockey team open to all members of the law school community. In addition to regular competition in a local ice hockey league, the Club annually participates in the ‘Skate for Justice’ tournament which is an ice hockey tournament between four law schools: MSU College of Law, U-M Law School, Wayne State, and University of Detroit-Mercy. As a collegial competition, this tournament promotes the competitive vigor we are called upon to embody on a behalf of our clients. In recent years, ‘Skate for Justice’ has raised over $2500 in donations to the ‘Access to Justice’ fund, benefiting those of modest means in need of legal counsel.
  
  
• Native American Law Students Association (NALSA)
  NALSA will promote unity and cooperation among all law students at the Michigan State University College of Law and will provide a basis for which work can be done for the advancement of the indigenous peoples of the United States.
  
  
• O.W.L.S. (Older and/or Wiser Law Students)
  We are here to support and serve students who consider themselves “non-traditional”-students older than 24, married students, part-time students, etc.
  
  
• Phi Alpha Delta
  The purpose of this fraternity shall be to form a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire the virtues if compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement; so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service.
  
  
• Public Interest Law Society
  Public interest is an important part of society, and an important part of the legal system. Through an affiliation with the National Lawyers Guild and membership in Equal Justice Works, a public interest law umbrella organization, the Public Interest Law Society helps students learn ways they can participate in the various areas of public interest law.
  
  
• Res Ipsa (Student Newspaper)
  
  
  
• Society for Mental Health Law
  The purpose of the SMHL is to increase awareness of mental health issues, including but not limited to: psychological disabilities, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, substance abuse issues, stress-management, and psychiatric illness; to educate and promote the psychological well-being of students, faculty, and staff; to lobby the local, state, and federal governments for healthcare reform, and the advancement of mental health parity; to encourage members to take full advantage of the law school’s activities and services; to support members in their educational and professional growth; and to foster relations with the community, law school, and university, while always striving for the attainment of high scholastic, community, and career achievements.
  
  
• Spartan Law Students Society
  The purpose of the SLSS is: i) to promote establish, and run such activities and organization as are deemed beneficial to its members and the Michigan State University College of Law community [hereinafter “Law School Community”], ii) to promote social interaction among the students, faculty, alumni, and administration of the law school at sporting events, iii) to increase the reputation and recognition of the Law School Community amongst the Michigan State University community.
  
  
• Sports and Entertainment Law Society
  The Sports and Entertainment Law Society fosters students’ interest in the practice of sports and entertainment law, assists its members in obtaining exposure to the field before graduation, and actively seeks opportunities for student involvement in the community. Because the legal issues confronting athletes and entertainers cannot be separated from the high profile environment in which they live, the organization recognizes the value of advancing cooperation between these individuals and those who seek to advance their social integrity, protect their legal principles and offer financial security in their investments.
  
  
• St. Thomas More Society
  To foster and promote spiritual and ethnical values for students with Judeo-Christian values and all other students irrespective of any religion or creed through social commitment and support for all students for studies, as well as social and spiritual needs.
  
  
• Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
  We are an organization dedicated to the protection of animal welfare. Our goal is to work through the courts and legislatures to defend domestic animals and wildlife from abuse and exploitation. Our organization aims to raise awareness among the student body regarding current animal welfare issues and highlight opportunities available in this area of law.
  
  
• Student Bar Association
  The Student Bar Association represents the student body as a whole. Throughout the year, we participate in a variety of community service events, as well as social events and fundraisers, including the Annual Barrister’s Ball benefiting CASA.
  
  
• Tax and Estate Planning Society
  The purpose of the Tax and Estate Planning Society shall be the following:
  1. To enhance student awareness of the ubiquitous nature of tax and estate planning.
  2. To foster and promote career and networking opportunities for students in the field of tax and estate planning.
  3. To advance the goals of encouraging community involvement, upholding a high sense of moral righteousness, and preserving the spirit of the law.
  
  
• Trial Advocacy Society
  The society seeks to encourage students to become actively involved in trial advocacy by providing professional development and networking opportunities.
  
  
• Triangle Bar
  Our mission is to work with faculty, administrators, and students to create and ensure an ongoing environment of equal footing within the law school community; to promote awareness regarding pertinent issues and legal challenges that the LGBT community faces.
  
  
• Wolverine Student Bar Association/Black Law Student Association
  The primary purpose of the Wolverine Student Bar Association is to support and assist minority students during matriculation toward the Juris Doctor degree and passage of a state bar examination.
  
  
• Women's Law Caucus
  To encourage members to take full advantage of the law school’s activities and services, to support members in their educational and professional growth, and foster relations with the community, law school and university while always striving for the attainment of high scholastic, community, and career achievements.