The Columbia Black Law Students Association invites you to become a part of our continued success through available sponsorship opportunities . In the event you would like more information, please feel free to contact the Chair, Kristine Saul, at
kristine.saul@law.columbia.edu.
We would like to take this opportunity to share some information about our programming and invite you to get involved in the success of our organization and members through a sponsorship.
On
both a national and local level, our organization focuses first, on the
academic and professional development of our members and second, on community
service. Each year, we conduct a number of programs and dozens of events toward
these aims. Our local chapter is one of the largest and most active in the
country with over 100 members.
First-Year
(1L) Academic Development Program
One
of our most exciting and successful programs continues to be the First-Year
(1L) Academic Development Program. It assists members as they integrate into
the academic and social experiences of both law school and the legal .
First-year Development includes formal mentoring, the LEEWS exam writing
workshop, and panels on effective studying and test preparation. We also host a
welcome dinner, a faculty dinner and an alumni reception to build community
ties among our newest members and all of the Law School’s constituents.
Additionally, every year a significant portion of our first-year membership
competes and places competitively in the National Frederick Douglass Moot Court
Competition.
Professional
Development Program
Our
Professional Development Program continues to be a great success; among other
events, it includes a resume-writing workshop, an interview workshop, and a
firm and public interest fair. The job fair is the newest addition to our
program and it will be held in Mid-January. Public and private firms that wish
to consider our first year students for summer employment or would like to
introduce their practices to our 1L members are encouraged to participate.
Community
Service Program
Our
Community Service Program includes multiple ways in which we assist in community
development. This year we have partnered with Election Protection, a
non-partisan national organization that focuses on ensuring that all voters can
participate equally in the election process. We have also partnered with the
High School Law Institute to help local high school students engage in written
and oral legal argumentation. This year, we are launching an initiative to work
with undergraduate students as they prepare for the law school admissions
process. Looking ahead, we are creating future service opportunities centered
on our surrounding Harlem community.
Constance
Baker Motley Scholarship
In
the upcoming years we will award a scholarship geared at encouraging and
assisting a member to pursue academic or public interest work related to the African
Diaspora. Toward this end, Columbia BLSA has held the Paul Robeson
Conference and Alumni Gala for the last fifteen years, which has been our most
successful fundraiser. The funds raised from this event help support the
scholarship and our general activities throughout the academic year. Columbia
BLSA is the first student group on campus to endow a scholarship.
BLSA
Initiatives
Each
year, we have several new and exciting initiatives including, but not limited
to, strengthening our organization by increasing the already high quality of
our programs and events, hosting an Alumni Weekend to coincide with the
Conference and Gala, increasing the efficiency of our processes, and launching
an online community for our membership and alumni.
On
behalf of our membership, we thank you for your consideration and
look forward to working with you this academic year.
