The Columbia Black Law Students Association (BLSA) is a chapter of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA). NBLSA is the largest student-run organization in the United States, with more than 200 chapters at law schools throughout the country. These chapters represent more than 6,000 black law students. The organization's purpose is two-fold: to facilitate the academic and professional development of African-American students at Columbia and to instill in them a greater commitment to the needs of the black community.
BLSA is a very active organization at the
Columbia Law School. It is involved in the recruiting of African-American students and professors to
Columbia. It provides many services to first-year law students in order to make their transition to Columbia as smooth as possible, including mentoring, course review sessions, and resume and career workshops. BLSA celebrates the rich culture of its diversity, which includes those of African, African-American, and Afro-Caribbean descent through its Black Solidarity Day luncheon, Kwanzaa celebration, and Black History Month events.
BLSA enjoys strong support and continued contact with Columbia's African-American professors and administrators. BLSA also maintains strong ties with alumni through career panels, alumni speakers, and a spring alumni dinner. BLSA recognizes the responsibility that black law students and attorneys have to serve the black community. Accordingly, BLSA is involved in several community outreach programs where students serve as mentors and teach basic legal rights in nearby elementary and junior high schools. Through other community service events, such as toy and food drives, and voter registration drives, BLSA reaches out to the Harlem community.
The Columbia chapter participates in BLSA activities on a sub-regional, regional, and national level. It routinely plans and participates in joint events with other New York area law schools and attends and participates in both regional and national conventions and the National
Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition.
