46th NBLSA Convention Souvenir Book

Road to

50

MARCH 12 –16, 2014 ‘

An Evolving Legacy

Striving to Balance Since 1968.

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION WWW.NBLSA.ORG/NATIONALCONVENTION

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46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

Road to

50

Milwaukee, WI | March 12 - 16, 2014 Hilton Milwaukee City Center

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

Table of Contents Welcome.............................................. 5 Convention Sponsors.................. 20 NBLSA Leadership....................... 26 Agenda.............................................. 30 Competition Schedule..................34 Panels & Workshops.....................44 Honorees...........................................46 Members of the Month.................50

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

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An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION 1225 11th Street. N.W., Washington, DC 20001 Victoria Walker NATIONAL CHAIR Tiffany Fountaine Boykin NATIONAL VICE-CHAIR

March 12, 2014 Dear NBLSA Family,

Shawn Greene NATIONAL SECRETARY Yvonne Elosiebo NATIONAL TREASURER Ja’net Miles NATIONAL FINANCIAL SECRETARY Rashad Pendarvis NATIONAL DIRECTOR-FREDERICK DOUGLASS MOOT COURT COMPETITION Vacant NATIONAL DIRECTOR-THURGOOD MARSHALL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION Darryl Wilson NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING Shantrice Anderson NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE Jonathan Evans ATTORNEY GENERAL Latosha Ellis MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL CHAIR Kevin Waklatsi MIDWEST REGIONAL CHAIR Clais Daniels-Edwards NORTHEAST REGIONAL CHAIR Johali Muzaliwa ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL CHAIR Ruth Tisdale SOUTHERN REGIONAL CHAIR Adrienne Holland WESTERN REGIONAL CHAIR Roosevelt Donat EXTERNAL CHIEF OF STAFF LieAnn Van-Tull INTERNAL CHIEF OF STAFF

On behalf of the National Executive Board, it is my pleasure to bring greetings to the members and friends of the National Black Law Students Association. Welcome to Milwaukee!

This year has been a successful one for NBLSA and we have you, the members, to thank. NBLSA is known as more than just an association of law students: Due to the continued commitment and participation of our members, NBLSA has earned a reputation for being a service and advocacy organization with a firm commitment to the interests of minority law students and underserved communities. We are also known for the innovative strategies we use to address both old and new challenges facing our members and our communities. Without our members, NBLSA would not be the respected and impactful organization that it is.

The need for the work of NBLSA continues to grow. Linchpins of equality, such as voting and access to education, are under attack. The future of our communities is facing a serious threat due to the devaluation and criminalization of our youth. The need for talented black attorneys with a commitment to uplifting black communities and strengthening the pipeline of future black attorneys is as great as it has ever been. You not only play a critical role in the continued success of NBLSA but in the success of our communities. As the 2013-2014 NBLSA term concludes and we celebrate the successes of our members individually and collectively, now is the time for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to the mission and work of NBLSA as law students and as attorneys.

As we gather to celebrate our achievements, I implore you to take full advantage of all of the professional and networking opportunities that the convention has to offer. The National Executive Board has worked tirelessly all year long to not only bring you innovative and insightful programs and initiatives, but also an amazing and memorable convention experience. Thank you for joining us at this stop on our Road to 50 and thank you for allowing us to serve you.

In NBLSA Love,

Halimah Najieb-Locke NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Chloe Woods NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Brittne Ballenger NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP Vacant NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE RELATIONS

Victoria Walker National Chair, 2013-2014 George Mason University JD | MPP May 2014

Nia Duggins NATIONAL SOCIAL ACTION CHAIR Temitope Ojo NATIONAL DIRECTOR- NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS COMPETITION Dalourny Nemorin NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT Vacant NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Gobriella Davis NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE PRE-LAW STUDENT DIVISION Simone Otenaike NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS & DEVELOPMENT Nicole Morgan NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIAN Vacant NATIONAL HISTORIAN

A.J. Cooper, Esq. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

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An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

March 12, 2014 46th Annual Convention National Black Law Students Association 1225 11th Street N.W. Washington D.C. 20001 GREETINGS! On behalf of the City of Milwaukee, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the attendees of the 46th Annual National Black Law Students Association Convention.

Milwaukee’s exciting attractions and a lively downtown area, combined with its renowned warmth and hospitality, assure all participants of a memorable visit. The magnificent kinetic “wings” of the lakeside Milwaukee Art Museum welcome visitors to experience its world-class collections. Interactive science, technology, and water science exhibits beckon at neighboring Discovery World. The one-of-a-kind Harley-Davidson Museum dazzles with its exhibits featuring motorcycles, history and American pop culture.

You will find lively entertainment and a tempting array of dining options throughout the city. A charming RiverWalk links downtown to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, where unique shopping awaits at the Milwaukee Public Market, featuring everything from locally made chocolates to spices, wine and seafood. The unique neighborhoods of Old World Third Street, Walker’s Point, Brady Street, and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive all invite you to experience the City’s rich cultural tradition and diversity.

I hope you have the opportunity to explore Milwaukee and see all our City has to offer.

Best wishes on a successful convention!

Sincerely,

Tom Barrett Mayor

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

March 11, 2014 Dear Convention Participants: On behalf of the State Bar of Wisconsin, I would like to personally welcome you to our great state.

We are honored that the National Black Law Students Association selected Milwaukee for its 46th Annual National Convention. The NBLSA National Convention provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with students from across the nation, and take a closer look at the profession and the education of our next generation of lawyers.

The State Bar of Wisconsin proudly supports the NBLSA’s goal of addressing the needs of black law students across the nation. This year's convention theme is Road to 50: An Evolving Legacy. This is a very fitting discussion to have in Wisconsin, as the legal community in this state has made a special commitment to support our students and lawyers as they grow and evolve professionally.

Today’s legal environment presents a multitude of unique challenges to members of the legal community, from the law student to the managing partner of a large firm. One of the critical issues facing Wisconsin’s legal community is its ability to attract and retain students and lawyers who reflect the ever-increasing diversity of the state’s population and the clients we serve.

In an effort to educate and assist Wisconsin attorneys, law firms, corporations, and other organizations in joining forces, the State Bar of Wisconsin has formed a Diversity Task Force that, among many important activities, has held listening sessions throughout the state. These sessions will allow us to better to serve those attorneys who serve our community.

The State Bar of Wisconsin also facilitates the Diversity Clerkship Program, a limited-term, summer employment opportunity that affords first-year law students of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to build legal practice skills and knowledge. The program offers employers and students a unique opportunity to share experiences and to promote diversity in the legal profession.

The State Bar is committed to promoting diversity, and we applaud you for your efforts as students and professionals to work toward this important goal. Have a great convention, and please make yourself at home here in Wisconsin!

Best Regards,

Patrick J. Fiedler State Bar of Wisconsin President

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

MILWAUKEE’S EVENT

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National Black Law Students Association’s 46th Annual National Convention

NBLSA New York 1221 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 Tel: +1 212 610 6300 Allen & Overy means Allen & Overy LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings.

© Allen & Overy 2013

Washington, D.C. 1301 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: +1 202 683 3800

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LexisNexis, Lexis Advance and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

February 14, 2014

DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

National Black Law Students Association 1225 11th Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001-4217 RE:

DeAngela M. Luna President Emile Banks & Associates, LLC

Eric Andrews President-Elect Crivello Carlson, S.C. Jazmin Taylor Past President University of WI-Milwaukee Letissa Reid Treasurer University of WI-Milwaukee Yvonne Ochilo Corresponding Secretary Ochilo Law Offices S. Danielle White Financial Secretary Rockwell Automation Warren Buliox Director Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan Steven DeVougas Director Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP Brittany Grayson Director Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office Hon. Nancy Joseph Director Eastern District Magistrate

2014 National Black Law Students Convention

In 1892, William T. Green became the first African-American law school graduate in the State of Wisconsin, and until his death in 1911, he was the only African-American member of the Wisconsin Bar Association. Mr. Green was also the only African-American lawyer in the great city you stand in today, Milwaukee. His courage in providing legal representation to our communities was the start of a rich African-American legal history not just for Milwaukee, but for the entire State of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin saw other pioneers further his passion for justice in the years after Mr. Green’s work had finished. Consider for example, the awesome work of the Honorable Vel Phillips and her late husband, Attorney Dale Phillips. In 1951, Judge Phillips became the first African-American female to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Judge Phillips and her husband were the first husband-wife legal team to be admitted to the Federal bar. Judge Phillips went on to serve as Milwaukee’s first Alderwoman and first AfricanAmerican alder, and a fierce civil rights advocate instrumental in passing the city’s first Fair Housing Law. And in 1971, Judge Phillips became Milwaukee County’s first female and first African-American judge. The firsts did not stop there. Judge Phillips became Wisconsin’s first female and first African-American Secretary of State in 1978.

Now, nearly 30 years later, the Wisconsin Association of African-American lawyers honors the strides Attorney Green, and Attorneys Vel and Dale Phillips made through our commitment to the growth of Wisconsin’s African-American legal community, the support of new legal talent at two great law schools, and the continued quest for equal access to the justice system for African-Americans in the state. We are so very proud of the Marquette University Law School and University of Wisconsin Law School’s Black Law Student Associations efforts in hosting the 2014 National Black Law Student Association Convention.

We welcome you to Milwaukee, to the wonderful state of Wisconsin, and of course, you are always welcome to join us in practice in the future as we build on the legacy of those who came before us.

Very truly yours,

P.O. Box 519 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0519 http://www.waalweb.

The Wisconsin Association of African-American Attorneys

__________________________________________ DeAngela M. Luna 2013-2014 President

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

March 2014 Dear Members of the National Black Law Students Association: On behalf of the Marquette University Law School community, it is a great privilege for me to welcome you to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We hope that your convention is a great success in enabling you to develop your professional skills and, not least, in helping you forge the beginning of lasting friendships.

The fact that this is the National Black Law Students Association ’s forty-sixth annual convention suggests that, like your forbears, you will look back at this convention with pride and satisfaction.

We especially look forward to your joining us in Eckstein Hall, Marquette Law School ’s home and the best law school building in the country, for your luncheon on Thursday, March 13. But it is a privilege for us at Marquette Law School to be associated with your event more generally as well, and you will have occasion to engage with Marquette lawyers throughout your time in our city, in settings both formal (e.g., moot courts) and informal (e.g., receptions). These lawyers are part of a great tradition: Over the decades, no entity has done more to diversify and enrich the bench and bar in this region than Marquette Law School, as reflected, for example, on the cover of our Spring 2009 Marquette Lawyer magazine, featuring various of our alumni who are trial judges in Milwaukee (left to right, Judges Carl Ashley, M. Joseph Donald, Frederick C. Rosa, Maxine Aldridge White, and Derek C. Mosley). My thanks to Isioma Nwabuzor, our second-year law student, for her work on this national convention —and to all of you: Without doubt, an extraordinary number of you have collaborated in this project. Thank you for your work on it and in your coming careers as lawyers.

Sincerely, Joseph D. Kearney Dean and Professor of Law

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

PAGE 13

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

BE BARBRI READY. Confident. Focused. Prepared. We compromise nothing in our 1L, 2L and 3L resources. You won’t compromise anything when it comes to the bar exam and final exams. You’ll be BARBRI ready.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. BARBRI HAS HELPED MORE THAN 1 MILLION STUDENTS. THE ONLY SIMULATED MBE WITH NATIONAL RANKINGS. BARBRI MASTERMIND TO QUICKLY LEARN THE BLACK LETTER LAW. PERSONALIZED ESSAY GRADING. A “WHO’S WHO” OF EXPERT FACULTY. BAR REVIEW IN ALL 50 STATES AND ALL JURISDICTIONS.

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

Diversity and Inclusion are core values at Andrews Kurth.

It takes a leader to know how to align business objectives and resources. Working together, we have created an inclusive culture that benefits our entire firm community.

AUSTIN BEIJING DALLAS DUBAI HOUSTON LONDON NEW YORK RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK THE WOODLANDS WASHINGTON, DC

andrewskurth.com

Copyright © 2014 by Andrews Kurth LLP. Andrews Kurth, the Andrews Kurth logo and Straight Talk Is Good Business are registered service marks of Andrews Kurth LLP. All Rights Reserved. 600 Travis, Suite 4200, Houston, TX 77002 | 713.220.4200. Attorney Advertising. 14098

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ANDREWS KURTH IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NBLSA 46TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION

2/4/14 12:54 PM

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

State Bar of Wisconsin.

Supporting Equality.

Celebrating Diversity.

Bracewell & Giuliani is proud to support the National Black Law Students Association.

The State Bar of Wisconsin is proud to welcome the NBLSA to Wisconsin and support its goal of addressing the needs of black law students across the nation.

DSC401 1/14

bgllp.com Texas New York Washington, D.C. Connecticut Seattle Dubai London

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

Sponsors

NBLSA gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the following sponsors.

Title Sponsor

速

Official Host Schools

Gold Sponsors

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

DIVERSITY IS WOVEN INTO OUR CULTURE.

DEEPER UNDERSTANDING. BETTER SOLUTIONS. Recognizing that experience and diversity are inextricably intertwined, Baker Botts is committed to fostering diversity in the firm, as well as in the legal profession. We believe diversity is a common thread that binds us together and brings valuable perspectives, knowledge and talents to the firm, thereby allowing us to be more creative and effective in the practice of law and in service to our clients.

The firm’s uncompromising commitment to diversity has lead to important diversity recognition. Baker Botts is consistently ranked among the Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity by Multicultural Law Magazine and on the American Lawyer’s annual Diversity Scorecard. In addition, we have received high marks, including perfect scores of 100, on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, which ranks organizations for policies, practices and benefits for LGBT employees.

AT&T Legal Diversity Award - 2012 Awarded in appreciation and recognition of the firm’s “work in furthering the goal of increased diversity in the legal community.”

BakerBotts.com © 2014 Baker Botts L.L.P.

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy

NBLSA 45th Annual National Convention (3.65x4.85 color)_Kirkland 2/22/2013 2:21 PM Page 1

Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Bartlit Beck is

proud to support Sponsors the work of the

Silver Sponsors

NBLSA

BARTLIT BECK HERMAN PALENCHAR & SCOTT LLP www.bartlit-beck.com

Bronze Sponsors Allen & Overy is a proud sponsor of the National Black Law Students Association’s 45th Annual National Convention

www.us.aograduate.com

www.allenovery.com

NBLSA is a 501(c)(3) organization that is run entirely by currently-enrolled law students.

All of NBLSA’s programming is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors.

For additional information on becoming a corporate sponsor, email us at NBLSAPartners@nblsa.org.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

The unique differences of our people are what unify us and make us successful. Foley is proud to support the National Black Law Student Association’s 2014 Annual Convention.

For more information about Foley, please contact Philip B. Phillips, Foley’s African American Affinity Group leader, at pphillips@foley.com.

Foley.com

©2013 Foley & Lardner LLP

ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT

Influencing communities across the country.

Educating a Different Kind of Lawyer.

With alumni in all 50 states, Notre Dame Law School’s national reach allows you to make an impact anywhere. Your possibilities have no bounds.

Learn what it takes at law.nd.edu.

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

Community Service Luncheon Sponsor Marquette University School of Law

2013 CBC-ALC Alumni Reception Sponsor Reed Smith LLP

Welcome to Milwaukee Reception Sponsor Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers

2013 Congressional Kids Day Sponsor Bowman & Partners LLP

Workshop Sponsor Godfrey & Kahn S.C.

2013 Joint Board Retreat Sponsor Bracewell & Guiliani LLP SMU Dedman School of Law

Convention Bag Sponsor Jones Day

NBLSA Member of the Month Sponsor BARBRI

Convention Breakfast Sponsor Northwestern Mutual

Special thanks to...

Visit Milwaukee

LaVonne Coker

RBRI READY. LexisNexis

National Advisory Board

JD Match

National Bar Association

Next Level Site Selection & Events

National Black Pre-Law Conference

Milwaukee Area Technical College Paralegal Program Lewis & Darby American Bar Association Lawyers of Color LLC

Themis

epared. That’s what it feels like to be BARBRI ready.

PAGE 24

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

g in how we develop and deliver our 1L, 2L and 3L

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

Striving to Balance Since 1968.

national executive board Victoria Walker

Chair

George Mason University School of Law

Tiffany Fountaine

Vice Chair

University of Baltimore School of Law

Shawn Greene

Secretary

The George Washington University Law School

Yvonne Elosiebo

Treasurer

New York University Law School

Ja'net Miles

Financial Secretary

University of Kansas School of Law

Nicole Morgan

Parliamentarian

Paul M.Herbert Law Center at Louisiana State University

LieAnn Van-Tull

Internal Chief of Staff

University of Baltimore School of Law

Roosevelt Donat

External Chief of Staff

Seton Hall University School of Law

Latosha Ellis

Mid-Atlantic Regional Chair

University of Richmond School of Law

Kevin Waklatsi

Midwest Regional Chair

University of Chicago Law School

Clais Daniels-Edwards

Northeast Regional Chair

Seton Hall University School of Law

Johali Muzaliwa

Rocky Mountain Regional Chair

University of Houston Law Center

Ruth Tisdale

Southern Regional Chair

Wake Forest University School of Law

Adrienne Holland

Western Regional Chair

Pepperdine University School of Law

Rashad Pendarvis

Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition

University of South Carolina School of Law

Temitope Ojo

Director of the Nelson Mandela International Negotiations Competition

University of Baltimore School of Law

Halimah Najieb-Locke

Director of Communications

The George Washington University Law School

Chloe Woods

Director of Public Relations

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law

Jonathan Evans

Attorney General

Southwestern University School of Law

Nia Duggins

Director of Social Action

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Darryl Wilson

Director of Programming

University of Mississippi School of Law

Shantrice Anderson

Director of Community Service

Seattle University School of Law

Dalourny Nemorin

Director of Education & Career Development

CUNY School of Law

Brittne Ballenger

Director of Membership

Georgia State University College of Law

Simone Otenaike

Director of Alumni Affairs & Development

University of Texas School of Law

Gobriella Davis

Director of the Pre-Law Division

William & Mary Law School

PAGE 26

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

Marquette University Law School welcomes to Milwaukee the 46th Annual CAPTAIN JAZMINE A. RUSSELL U.S. Air Force JAG Corps

NAtioNAL BLSA CoNfereNCe — roAd to 50: AN evoLviNg LegACy.

We are honored to host the Community ©2012 Paid for by the U.S. Air Force. All rights reserved.

Service & Advocacy Lunch on March 13. law.marquette.edu

Growing up, my goal was to be the first person in my family to earn a college degree. Thanks to the Air Force, I earned two. I never could have predicted that by age 27 I’d be a lawyer and an officer responsible for defending my country’s defining principles in the courtroom. Every day I learn something new about honor, dedication and my own abilities.

As a JAG, I don’t just uphold the Air Force’s high standards. I live them.

For more information, visit

AIRFORCE.COM/JAG

Microsoft is proud to sponsor the

NBLSA 46th Annual Convention

is proud to support

the 46th Annual National Black Law Students Association National Convention

Microsoft supports the NBLSA in articulating and promoting the educational, professional, political, and social needs and goals of Black law students, to help ensure their success and preparedness for the legal profession.

March 12-16, 2014

Microsoft hires individuals with the passion to thrive in a rapidly changing business environment. If you are interested in joining a team that is making a real and lasting difference, visit http://careers.microsoft.com/ Paul, weiss, rifkind, wharton & garrison LLP

www.paulweiss.com

New York | BeijiNg | hoNg koNg | LoNdoN | tokYo | toroNto | wAShiNgtoN, dC | wiLMiNgtoN

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

national specialists ReAzalia Allen

National Finance Specialist

Paul M. Herbert Law Center at Louisiana State University

Alfred Miller Jr

National Finance Specialist

Benjamin Cardozo School of Law

Adreanne Stephenson

National Convention Specialist

Notre Dame Law School

Isioma Nwabuzor

National Convention Specialist

Marquette University Law School

Myriah Downs

National Graphic Design Specialist

University of Tulsa College of Law

Shunta Tidwell

National Web Content Specialist

Thomas M. Cooley School of Law (Tampa)

Ashley Hodges

National Legislative Advocacy Specialist Georgetown Law Center

Brandon Hicks

National Judicial Advocacy Specialist

Washington & Lee University School of Law

Erika Evans

Chapter Relations Specialist

Seattle University School of Law

Courtney Littlejohn

National Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition Specialist

University of South Carolina School of Law

Jasmine Liverpool

National Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition Specialist

SUNY Buffalo School of Law

Alexia Wallace

National Education and Career Specialist

Florida Coastal School of Law

Sabrina Hall

National Nelson Mandela International Negotiations Specialist

Seton Hall University School of Law

Ashley Grisham

National Corporate Relations Specialist

Georgetown Law Center

Casaundra Johnson

National Corporate Relations Specialist

University of Miami School of Law

Elizabeth Lundi

National Legal Pad Editor

Rutgers School of Law–Newark

Marvin James

National Executive Board Pre-Law Fellow

University of Baltimore

PAGE 28

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

LW.com

Latham & Watkins is proud to support the

46th Annual National Black Law Students Association Convention

Abu Dhabi

D端sseldorf

Milan

Rome

Barcelona

Frankfurt

Moscow

San Diego

Beijing

Hamburg

Munich

San Francisco

Boston

Hong Kong

New Jersey

Shanghai

Brussels

Houston

New York

Silicon Valley

Chicago

London

Orange County

Singapore

Doha

Los Angeles

Paris

Tokyo

Dubai

Madrid

Riyadh*

Washington, D.C.

* In association with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

agenda

DAY 1: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 11:30 AM

–

4:00 PM

National Executive Board Meeting MacArthur, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

3:00 PM

–

7:00 PM

Registration/Information Table 4th Floor, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

6:00 PM

–

6:30 PM

Pre-Certified Candidates’ Meeting Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

6:00 PM

–

9:00 PM

Victoria’s Welcome: Taste of Milwaukee & Karaoke Wright Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

DAY 2: Thursday, March 13, 2014

PAGE 30

7:00 AM

–

9:00 AM

Breakfast sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Regency Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

7:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Registration/Information Table 4th Floor, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Exhibits/Vendors Crystal Ballroom Foyer, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Chapter of the Year Interviews Wright A, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Region of the Year Interviews Wright A, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

8:00 AM

–

11:30 AM

Community Service Milwaukee Justice Center, Courthouse Room G9, 901 North 9th Street

11:30 AM

–

1:00 PM

Community Service Lunch sponsored by Marquette University School of Law Marquette University School of Law, 1215 W Michigan Street

1:30 PM

–

2:30 PM

Engage: Speed Mentoring Regency Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

2:30 PM

–

3:15 PM

Digital Fingerprints: Social Media Guide for Law Students Mitchell, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

3:30 PM

–

5:30 PM

Plenary 1: Presentation of Annual Report & Floor Nominations Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

5:30 PM

–

6:00 PM

Floor Candidates Meeting Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

6:00 PM

–

8:00 PM

Welcome to Milwaukee Reception & Charity Silent Auction sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 1721 W Canal Street

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

DAY 2: Thursday, March 13, 2014 (continued) 9:00 PM

–

10:00 PM

All Eyes on Scandal DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 611 W Wisconsin Ave

10:30 PM

–

1:00 AM

Convention Host Committee Presents The Elite: An All-Black Affair Empire Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

DAY 3: Friday, March 14, 2014 7:00 AM

–

9:00 AM

Breakfast sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Regency Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

7:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Registration/Information Table 4th Floor, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Exhibits/Vendors Crystal Ballroom Foyer, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Chapter of the Year Interviews Wright A, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Region of the Year Interviews Wright A, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

8:30 AM

–

11:30 AM

Plenary 2: Constitution & Bylaws Amendments Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

12:00 PM

–

1:00 PM

A. Leon Higginbotham Luncheon honoring The Honorable Sterling Johnson Jr. and featuring The Honorable Ann C. Williams Ballroom C, Wisconsin Center

1:00 PM

–

2:30 PM

InfoExpo - Wisconsin Center Ballroom C, Wisconsin Center

2:30 PM

–

3:30 PM

Panel 1: Careers on the Horizon: Energy and Environmental Law sponsored by Perkins Coie LLP Wright B, Hilton Milwaukee City Center Panel 2: Life in Big Law: A View from the Inside sponsored by Foley & Lardner Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

3:30 PM

–

4:30 PM

Panel 3: Career Paths - Doing The Deal: The Transaction Side of Practicing Law sponsored by Perkins Coie LLP Wright B, Hilton Milwaukee City Center Panel 4: “You Can’t Handle the Truth!”: A Conversation with Judge Advocate Generals Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

4:30 PM

–

6:30 PM

Plenary 3: Election Speeches Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

4:30 PM

–

6:30 PM

Social Media & Ethics Continuing Legal Education Panel Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

6:30 PM

–

8:30 PM

Legacy of NBLSA Reception & Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Empire Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

10:00 PM

–

1:00 AM

Suite Life Suite Nightclub, 1103 N Old World 3rd Street

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

PAGE 31

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

Striving to Balance Since 1968.

agenda

DAY 5: Saturday, March 15, 2014 7:00 AM

–

9:00 AM

Breakfast sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Regency Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

7:00 AM

–

2:30 PM

Registration/Information Table 4th Floor, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

8:30 AM

–

11:30 AM

Plenary 4: Election Speeches Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

9:00 AM

–

5:00 PM

Exhibits/Vendors Crystal Ballroom Foyer, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

12:00 PM

–

1:30 PM

Sadie T.M. Alexander Luncheon honoring The Honorable Vel Phillips Ballroom C, Wisconsin Center

1:30 PM

–

3:00 PM

National Advisory Board Meeting Wright A, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

1:30 PM

–

2:30 PM

Panel 5: Navigating the 2014 Job Market sponsored by Godfrey & Kahn Mitchell, Hilton Milwaukee City Center Panel 6: Behind the Screen & Off the Court: Everything You Want to Know About Sports and Entertainment Attorneys and the Law Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

2:30 PM

–

3:30 PM

Brother-to-Brother: A Moment of Truth Mitchell Mitchell, Hilton Milwaukee City Center Sister-to-Sister: Getting It All & Keeping It All Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

6:30 PM

–

9:30 PM

Pre-Gala Reception sponsored by Foley & Lardner Ballroom C/D Foyer, Wisconsin Center

7:30 PM

–

9:30 PM

46th Annual Awards Gala Ballroom C/D, Wisconsin Center

10:00 PM

–

2:00 AM

New Politics: The Afterglow featuring DJ Poizon Ivy Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

DAY 6: Sunday, March 16, 2014

PAGE 32

9:30 AM

–

10:30 AM

Prayer Breakfast Wright A/B, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

10:30 AM

–

11:00 AM

Appointed Officers Interest Meeting Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

11:00 AM

–

1:00 PM

Elected Officers Transition Meeting Walker, Hilton Milwaukee City Center

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

Com

ing

in A

ugu st 2

NBLSA REGIONAL JOB FAIRS ! !

HUNDREDS OF NBLSA’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST LAW STUDENTS

!

HUNDREDS OF LEGAL EMPLOYERS INCLUDING BIG FIRMS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, MID-SIZE/SMALL FIRMS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

!

MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE: MID-ATLANTIC REGION NORTHEAST REGION ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION SOUTHERN REGION WESTERN REGION Contact educationcareer@nblsa.org or visit www.nblsa.org for more information

014

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

2013 – 2014

Frederick Douglass

Moot Court Competitions Wednesday 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Competitors Meeting Room: Walker Thursday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203

PAGE 34

Friday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Quarterfinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Preliminary Round 1 Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Ballroom C

11:00AM - 1:00 PM Preliminary Round 2 Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Semifinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM 3rd Place Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Preliminary Round 3 Wisconsin Center District Room: 101A – 101D, 103A – 103E

Saturday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1st Place Round Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53233

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

We are proud to sponsor the

National Black Law Students Association’s 46th Annual National Convention

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

2013 – 2014

Thurgood Marshall

Mock Trial Competitions Wednesday 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Competitors Meeting Room: Mitchell Thursday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203

PAGE 36

Friday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Quarterfinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 201A -202E

8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Preliminary Round 1 Wisconsin Center District Room: 201A -202E

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Ballroom C

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203

1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Semifinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 201A -202E

1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Preliminary Round 2 Wisconsin Center District Room: 201A -202E

Saturday 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM 1st & 3rd Place Rounds Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53233

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

B:7.75” T:7.5” S:6.5”

MISSIONS MAY CHANGE, BUT OUR COMMITMENT NEVER WILL.

B:5.1”

S:4”

T:4.85”

MARINES.COM/IMPACT

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Client

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

2013 – 2014

Nelson Mandela

International Negotiations Competitions Thursday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Room: Hilton - Regency Ballroom

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Round 2A Wisconsin Center District Room 102A-E

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Competitors Meeting Hilton Wright Ballroom B

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Round 2B Wisconsin Center District Room 102A-E

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Round 1A Wisconsin Center District Room 102A-E 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Round 1B Wisconsin Center District Room 102A-E Friday 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Wisconsin Center District Room: Foyer 203

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Ballroom C 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Quarterfinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room 102A-E Saturday 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Semifinal Round Wisconsin Center District Room: 102A - B 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Wisconsin Center District Room: Ballroom C 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM 1st & 3rd Place Rounds Wisconsin Center District Room: 102A - B

PAGE 38

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

w w w. re e d s m i t h . c o m

Welcome Welcome to to Milwaukee!

Milwaukee!

Law firm Quarles & Brady proudly supports the NBLSA, celebrating 46th anniversary. proudly supportsits the NBLSA, celebrating its 46th anniversary.

Reed Smith is proud to support the National Black Law Students Association annual convention.

For information on our commitment to diversity, visit us online at www.quarles.com/diversity/ or contact Director of Diversity, Employee Relations, and Corporate Social Responsibility Darlene Austin at (414) 277-5000 / darlene.austin@quarles.com. /quarlesandbrady Chicago

Madison

NBLSA Ad Final_v2.indd 1

/quarlesandbrady Milwaukee

Naples

/quarles-&-brady-llp Phoenix

Tampa

www.quarles.com Tucson

Washington, D.C.

3/5/14 12:06 PM

Chicago’’s Premier Attorney Search and Legal Staffing Firm

Law Firm Partners and Associates In-House Counsel Temporary/Contract Attorneys Paralegals

McCormack Schreiber is proud to support the NBLSA! Please visit our website to see our current law firm and in-house opportunities. We welcome the opportunity to assist you.

www.thelawrecruiters.com

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR Mid-Atlantic Region

Midwest Region

Georgetown University Law Center University of Richmond School of Law William & Mary Law School

Indiana University Maurer School of Law Michigan State University College of Law University of Chicago Law School University of Wisconsin Law School

Northeast Region Boston University School of Law Harvard Law School Northeastern University School of Law

Southern Region Florida State University College of Law Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law

Rocky Mountain Region St. Mary’s University School of Law Texas A&M University School of Law University of Oklahoma College of Law

Western Region Seattle University School of Law

Louisiana State University Paul M. Herbert Law Center University of Florida Levin College of Law

PAGE 40

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

ADVOCACY RECAP 2013 – ­2014 was a busy year for NBLSA’s advocacy team. NBLSA utilized partnerships with key organizations to produce innovative programming and advocacy efforts. We responded rapidly to pressing social events and judicial decisions. Also, we planned events that were informative and beneficial to our members. 2013 – 2 ­ 014 was a great year for NBLSA advocacy!

A key part of NBLSA’s success is the strength of our partnerships. In April 2013, NBLSA worked with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) to coordinate “Decision Day”, a response to the Supreme Court’s Fisher decision. In May, NBLSA partnered with LDF for “Six Decades After Brown: The Legacy of Thurgood Marshall and the Current Fight over Judicial Nominations,” a webinar discussing Justice Marshall’s path to the Court, the number of African American jurists on the bench today, and the ongoing battles over today’s judicial nominees. In August, NBLSA joined the amicus brief of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, in which the Supreme Court examined whether a state can amend its constitution to prohibit the use of race or sex in public university admissions decisions.

In January, NBLSA worked with the staff of the Congressional Black Caucus to actively oppose the adoption of ABA Proposed Standard 316, which many feel would have had an adverse impact on diversity in law schools if adopted. These examples highlight how partnerships are some of NBLSA’s most valuable advocacy assets.

Another strength of NBLSA’s advocacy team is our ability to rapidly respond to current PAGE 42

events and legal happenings. In June 2013, the advocacy team drafted responses to the Supreme Court’s decisions in Fisher and Shelby County that were widely praised by our members for being issued on the day the decisions were handed down. In addition, during July 2013 members attended rallies and vigils in the wake of the jury verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. During the fall semester, members of the NBLSA advocacy team were seen on social media with the hashtag #WhatDiversityLooksLike, as the Supreme Court again took up consideration of affirmative action in higher education.

Perhaps the brightest highlights of the year were NBLSA’s advocacy events. In September, members from around the country converged on Washington, D.C. for our Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference events, which included a star­studded panel featuring Congressman Hank Johnson, Phillip Agnew of the Dream Defenders, Yolanda Young of Lawyers of Color LLC, Leigh Chapman of Advancement Project and Representative Bakari Sellers.

On the first Monday of October, we held a webinar that previewed Supreme Court cases for the upcoming term. In January and February, we executed three Hill Days in Sacramento, Albany, and Washington, D.C., confronting issues such as the school-toprison pipeline and student debt.

From coast to coast and for the entire year, NBLSA advocates have made their faces seen and their voices heard. Our experiences have shown us that by working together we can accomplish great things. In 2013 – ­2014, teamwork was the key to NBLSA’s advocacy success.

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

KAPLAN BEATS BARBRI – AGAIN*!

In July 2011 and July 2013 bar exam exit surveys, examinees who took Kaplan rated Kaplan higher than BARBRI students rated BARBRI in the following areas:

Exam-Like Practice Questions

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by MMR Strategy Group.

NBLSA 46th Annual Convention.

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

Panels & Workshops Thursday, March 13, 2014 | 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM Mitchell Room Digital Fingerprints: Social Media Guide for Law Students

Friday, March 14, 2014 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Walker Room Life in Big Law: A View from the Inside Sponsored by Foley Lardner

Social media can be both a blessing and a curse.

Social media can serve as a launching pad for your professional career or it can serve as your personal and professional downfall. Regardless of your intent, your social media presence contributes to your personal and professional brand. Learn how to properly leverage social media to enhance your job prospects, legal career, professional reputation and professional brand.

Is there such a thing as work/life balance in big law?

Is the race to become partner really as cutthroat as outsiders think it is? Is it true that associates really work 80-100 hours per week? Why are there so few black attorneys and black partners in big law? You hear big law horror stories all the time. Find out what life is really like in big law by hearing from panelists who walk the walk.

Facilitator Yolanda Young, Lawyers of Color LLC

Panelists Phil Phillips, Foley & Lardner LLP (Moderator) Trent Johnson, Foley & Lardner LLP Nicholas Austin, Foley & Lardner LLP Sara Madavo, Foley & Lardner LLP Sharon McDonald, Foley & Lardner LLP Stephanie Quick, Foley & Lardner LLP

Friday, March 14, 2014 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Wright A Ballroom Careers on the Horizon: Energy and Environmental Law Sponsored by Perkins Coie LLP There is a future in Energy and Environment Law!! This panel will explore different aspects of environmental and energy law practice. Panelists will discuss employment opportunities in these fields, how to prepare for those, and how the field may expand as a result of alternative energy, new technologies, environmental justice initiatives, recent regulatory pushes, and the emerging scarcity of clean water, farmable land, and other resources.

Panelists Tom Lindley, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP Jason Allen, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP Dalayna Tillman, Esq., The Goldstein Environmental Law Firm, P.A.

PAGE 44

Friday, March 14, 2014 | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Wright A Ballroom Doing the Deal: The Transaction Side of Practicing Law Sponsored by Perkins Coie LLP Are you about business? Close the deal! Panelists will discuss the various types of transactional law including business, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and technology, venture capital, and finance. The discussion will also focus on employment opportunities in these areas in law firms and corporations and how to prepare for a career on the transaction side of practicing law.

Panelists Bruce Dick, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP Richard Ross, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP Harry Hutchinson, Founder and Principal, Alchemy Networks Michelle Speller-Thurman, Senior Counsel, Abbott Laboratories, Inc.

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

Friday, March 14, 2014 | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Walker Room “You Can’t Handle the Truth!”: A Conversation with Judge Advocates

converge to form sports and entertainment law; and, how young attorneys that aspire to practice in this area of law can best position themselves to break into this competitive field.

There is a lot more to the nation’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) than what is portrayed in movies like A Few Good Men and Rules of Engagement. Judge Advocates provide legal advice on a wide range of issues including military law, laws of war and international relations, government contracts and administrative law. Join representatives from Navy JAG, Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division, Army JAG and Air Force JAG for an insightful panel on the ins and outs of life as a Judge Advocate.

Panelists Chuck Egbuonu, CE Strategic Group Paul Anderson, Marquette University School of Law Evita Kaigler, Law Offices of Evita G. Kaigler Chukwuemeka Onyejekwe (Mekka Don), Hip-Hop Artist

Panelists LT Roni Beasley, US Navy JAG CPT Vivian Leavens, US Army JAG CPT Levicy Crawford, US Air Force JAG Representative, Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division Saturday, March 15, 2014 | 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Mitchell Room Navigating the 2014 Job Market Sponsored by Godfrey & Kahn In a profession where there are few universal truths, most law students and attorneys agree that the legal job market is tough to navigate as a new attorney.

With a large number of law students competing for fewer jobs, it is important for new attorneys to have a strategy for their job search. This panel will discuss the current state of the legal job market and provide advice and insights for how new attorneys can best navigate the choppy waters.

Panelists Wade Harrison, Godfrey & Kahn Marvin Bynum, Godfrey & Kahn Marcia Facey Drame, Northwestern Mutual Erin Binns, Marquette University School of Law Saturday, March 15, 2014 | 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Walker Room Behind the Screen & Off the Court: Everything You Want to Know About Sports and Entertainment Attorneys and the Law Many have a glamorized idea of what sports and entertainment attorneys do. This panel of attorneys and industry professionals will have an in-depth discussion about the role of attorneys in sports and entertainment law; the various bodies of law that

Saturday, March 15, 2014 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Mitchell Room Brother-to-Brother: A Moment of Truth Hear from a diverse panel of Black men on what it is really like being a Black man in today’s legal profession. The panel will explore various issues that arise including stereotypes; personal and professional presentation; dating and mating; and, common obstacles and pitfalls to navigate as young Black male attorneys making their way in to the legal profession.

This is an intimate and honest discussion about the Black male attorney’s experience.

Panelists CAPT Rob Sanders, U.S. Navy JAG Cesar Stinson, Milwaukee Public Schools Ahmed Jenkins, Racine County Public Defender’s Office Steven DeVougas, Hinshaw & Culbertson Warren Buliox, Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan Sam Owens, Owens and Freema Saturday, March 15, 2014 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Crystal Ballroom Sister-to-Sister: Getting It All & Keeping It All This panel will feature a diverse group of Black women who are in various practice areas and stages of their legal careers. They will discuss their experiences and provide insights for aspiring Black female attorneys.

Panelists will discuss the professional impact of negative stereotypes on Black female attorneys; the notion of “It’s lonely at the top”; and, if it is really possible to have it all and keep it all.

Panelists Theresa Cropper, Perkins Coie LLP (Moderator) LT Mishonda Mosely, US Navy JAG Jazmin Taylor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Office of Equity/Diversity Services Latrice Milton, Milton Family Law Deangela Luna, Emile Banks & Associates Danielle White, Rockwell Automation

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

PAGE 45

Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

Luncheon Honorees

Sadie Tanner MoSsell Alexander Luncheon Honoree The Honorable Velvalea Rodgers “Vel” Phillips Born Velvalea Rodgers on Milwaukee’s South Side on February 18, 1924, Ms. Phillips was the second of three daughters in a family she has described as comfortable but by no means rich. After graduating from North Division High School in 1942, Ms. Phillips won a national scholarship to attend Howard University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Ms. Phillips studied law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School and in 1951 became the first African-American woman to graduate from the law school.

In 1953, Ms. Phillips ran for a seat on the school board and was the first black candidate to make it past the primary. In 1956 Ms. Phillips became the first woman and the first African-American member of the Common Council in Milwaukee.

Throughout the 1960s, Ms. Phillips participated in nonviolent protests against discrimination in housing, education, and employment that culminated in the violent summer of 1967. Arrested at a rally following the firebombing of an NAACP youth center, Ms. Phillips, as the only arrested city official, which brought national media attention to the city.

Ms. Phillips resigned from the Common Council in 1971 and was appointed to the Milwaukee County judiciary, the first woman in Milwaukee and the first African-American judge in Wisconsin. In 1978 Ms. Phillips, again, made national history as the first woman and first African American elected secretary of state in Wisconsin. During the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor, Phillips served as acting governor. Ms. Phillips was the highest-ranking woman to win state office in Wisconsin in the 20th century. A lifelong Democrat, she was also the first black to be elected as a member of the National Committee of either of the major U.S. political parties.

Since leaving office, Phillips has remained active in the community, serving on numerous boards including the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and America’s Black Holocaust Museum. She has been awarded the “Distinguished Professor of Law” at the Marquette School of Law and chaired the successful congressional campaign of Gwendolynne Moore, Wisconsin’s first African-American and second female Congressional representative.

Ms. Phillips was the recipient of The Robert and Belle Case La Follette Award for Distinction in Public Service.

She serves on the board of the Vel Phillips Foundation, a charitable foundation created in 2006, whose mission is “to help establish equality and opportunity for minorities through social justice, education, equal housing opportunities, and jobs.” In August 2011, the University of Wisconsin–Madison announced that it had renamed one of its residence halls for Phillips.

PAGE 46

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

A. Leon Higginbotham Luncheon Honoree The Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr. On September 9, 1991, appointed by President Bush, Sterling Johnson, Jr. took the bench as a Federal District Judge in the Eastern District of New York. He now presides over an enormous case load including roughly 500 civil and 200 criminal matters.

Sterling Johnson was appointed Special Narcotics Prosecutor in 1975 and served until 1991. In this capacity, Mr. Johnson had jurisdiction for the investigation and prosecution of felony narcotics offenses committed within the five boroughs of the City of New York.

As Special Narcotics Prosecutor for New York City, Mr. Johnson devoted sixteen years combating the drug crisis. He believes that the solution to the drug problem can be achieved through the integration of enhanced education, prevention and law enforcement efforts. Under his leadership, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor emerged as an effective deterrent against drug traffic in New York City and a law enforcement model that has been emulated in many municipalities across the country. He has traveled all over the world and has lectured throughout the United States, Europe, South America, the Caribbean and the Near East on drug enforcement and prosecution techniques.

A product of New York City, Mr. Johnson grew up in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.

He attended the City’s public schools graduating from Boys High School in Brooklyn. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years. In 1956, after his discharge from the Marine Corps, he joined the New York City Police Department as a Police Officer. During his tenure with NYPD, he was promoted to Detective and later, to the rank of Sergeant assigned to supervise detectives.

In 1963, he obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. While working full time at night as a detective and going to law school full time during the day, he went on to earn a LL.B. degree in 1966 from Brooklyn Law School, graduating among the top ten percent of his class.

After law school, he served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York where he tried a variety of criminal cases and argued several appeals. Three years later, in 1970, Mr. Johnson returned to city service as Executive Director for the Civilian Complaint Review board in New York City. In 1974, Mr. Johnson was named Executive Liaison Officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Washington, D.C. Among his noted extracurricular accomplishments are memberships on the United States Sentencing Commission, the Second Circuit Task Force on Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts, the Police Athletic League, the President’s Advisory Council on the National Drug Strategy and John Cardinal O’Connor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Drug Abuse Prevention in the metropolitan area.

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

2014 NBLSA Hall of Fame Inductee Gilda Daniels Gilda Daniels is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she teaches critical legal theory, election law, and civil procedure. She is a voting rights expert and national speaker. She served as a Deputy Chief in the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Voting Section under the Clinton and Bush administrations.

Her scholarship focuses on the intersections of race law and democracy. Her law review articles have appeared in Cardozo Law Review, Indiana University Law Review (Indianapolis), Denver Law Review, New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy. Her writings have also been published in the Huffington Post and various other publications.

Daniels has specialized in voting rights/election law for almost twenty years. She has litigated voting rights cases under the Voting Rights Act, including those involving single and multimember districts, minority language requirements and compliance with other voting rights statutes, such as the National Voter Registration Act. She has also conducted settlement negotiations and sought legislative remedies. She has testified before United States House and Senate Judiciary committees on voting rights and election law issues.

While election law is her primary interest, she is often asked to speak on issues involving civil and human rights, gender and the law issues, and religion and democracy. She is sought after consultant and expert, as well as, a frequent contributor for media and conference panels.

Prior to beginning her voting rights career, Daniels was a staff attorney with the Southern Center for Human Rights representing death row inmates and bringing prison condition cases in Georgia and Alabama. She clerked in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit with the Honorable Joseph W. Hatchett and is a graduate of New York University School of Law, where she was a Root Tilden Scholar and Grambling State University. She is a native of Louisiana and currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.

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NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

2014 NBLSA Hall of Fame Inductee The Honorable Vanessa Gilmore In 1994 when Judge Vanessa Diane Gilmore was sworn in, she was then the youngest sitting federal judge in the nation. The native of Silver Spring, Maryland was also the youngest member of her freshman class at her alma mater, Hampton University in Virginia. Gilmore decided to undertake a career in law after she represented herself and won a minor civil lawsuit. She graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 1981.

In 1982, Gilmore began a 13-year tenure at a Houston law firm known as Vickery, Kilbride, Gilmore and Vickery where she specialized in civil litigation. Gilmore also became an active member of the Houston civic community, serving on the boards of a number of civic and charitable organizations.

She also became involved in the Texas political arena while serving as counsel and teacher in the area of election law.

Her civic activities outside of the courtroom brought her to the attention of Governor Ann Richards who in 1991 appointed Gilmore to the Texas Department of Commerce Policy Board, where she also served as chairperson from 1992 to 1994. Her appointment to that board made Judge Gilmore the first African-American to serve on this board responsible for increasing business, promoting tourism and developing job training in Texas. In 1993, she also served as chairperson of Texans for NAFTA. In this capacity, she worked regularly with diplomatic leaders, including the President of Mexico, to increase U.S. trade opportunities. Judge Gilmore was nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and became the first University of Houston graduate to be appointed to the Federal bench.

Judge is Gilmore is the co- author of “A Boy Named Rocky”, a book for the children of incarcerated parents and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on issues related to these children and their families.

She has assisted with and instituted initiatives to help these families with access to resources for their children, including the development of a legal clinic at Texas Southern University. Her latest book, “Saving the Dream”, is a fiction novel that Gilmore hopes will encourage other families and single people to pursue their own dreams of parenting through adoption. She is the recipient of numerous civic awards for community service and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Hampton University and on the board of Inprint, a literary arts organization for readers and writers.

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

MEMBERS OF THE MONTH MABLSA

MWBLSA

Jasmine McKinney is a native of Hampton, Virginia.

Jasmine graduated magna cum laude receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Virginia Tech.

While at Virginia Tech, Jasmine participated in a number of activities on and off campus including the National English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta. It was at Virginia Tech where Jasmine was initiated into the Mu Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Jasmine is currently a second year law student. She currently serves as the Director of Programming for the University of Richmond’s Black Law Students Association; she is also an Associate Manuscripts Editor on Richmond’s Journal of Law and Technology. Last year, Jasmine was a recipient of the Virginia Law Foundation Summer Stipend.

Whitney was raised in Versailles, Kentucky. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland College Park, a Masters of Education from George Mason University, and is currently pursing her Juris Doctor at The University of Kentucky College of Law (UK Law). She is a member of The First Baptist Church of Versailles serving on the nursing and tutoring ministries and is the founder of the “Of Noble Character,” a hopeful nonprofit that aspires to serve and emotionally support incarcerated women and their children. Whitney has served in various leadership capacities throughout her educational and professional career. She is the former President of the Theta Nu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), former Co-Chairperson of the North Atlantic Region Conference for AKA, and the current President of her local BLSA chapter to name a few.

Currently, Whitney works as a judicial extern for the Honorable Tamra Gormley in the Family Court Division of the 14th Circuit of Kentucky. She strives to live by the saying “share your blessings!”

Jasmine McKinney University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2015

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Whitney Stepp University of Kentucky College of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2015

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

NEBLSA

RMBLSA

Matthew Martinez was born in Yonkers, New York. At an early age his parents instilled in him the necessity of hard work and the importance of education. Matthew demonstrated his commitment to the aforementioned qualities while obtaining his Bachelors degree in Political Science at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York. While at Stony Brook Matthew became a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated and used the various partnerships he made within the fraternity to facilitate several service initiatives with several other organizations such as the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society. After leaving Stony Brook, he worked for Senator Andrea StewartCousins. Matthew is most proud of his work with the Young Believer’s Sports Camp; a not-for-profit camp; serving the Westchester, NY area. Upon admission he was awarded the Dean’s Fellow Scholarship for both his academic achievements and his commitment to social change.

Megan Callier was born and raised in Houston Texas. Her parents always emphasized the need for education and leadership. She graduated from Texas A&M University where she earned her degree in Nutritional Sciences. In the summer of 2011, she began law school at the University of Oklahoma College of Law where she is now in her 3L year. During law school, she participated in the OU study abroad in Oxford England, clerked for Justice Medina on the Supreme Court of Texas and this past summer worked for a civil litigation firm in Houston. Currently, she is working as a legal intern and coordinator for the Supreme Court of Oklahoma mediation program. Megan has developed an interest in mediating civil claims along with litigation and hopes to pursue that in her future practice. Since coming to OU, BLSA has been a support system for Megan and has given her the opportunity to compete on the mock trial team and serve as treasurer for the past two years.

Matthew Martinez University of Richmond, Quinnipiac University School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2016

Megan Callier University of Oklahoma College of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2014

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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Road to

50

An Evolving Legacy Striving to Balance Since 1968.

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

MEMBERS OF THE MONTH SRBLSA

WRBLSA

Leslie M. Simpson is a native of Houston, Texas.

She graduated Cum Laude from Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She is currently a third-year law student at the University of Carolina (USC) School of Law. At USC, Leslie serves as the Vice President of the Matthew J. Perry Chapter of BLSA, where she also served as the Social Committee Chair for the 2012-2013 school year. Since her first year, Leslie has been very active in the continued success of her BLSA chapter by planning or participating in several activities, including the Martin Luther King Day of Service, 1L Mentoring Program, Meet the Professor Mixer, the Annual End of the Year Banquet, and other programs that have served the community and her fellow BLSA members. Leslie is very focused on increasing awareness and minority participation in the legal profession and is able to assist in this effort by serving in a number of other organizations. Lastly, Leslie tries to set a positive example for minorities and is able to do so by mentoring undergraduate and prelaw students.

Stacy Smith is originally from Arizona where she obtained her A.A. in in Public Administration from Rio Salado College, B.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University, and her M.A. in English with emphasis in Technology and Professional Writing from Northern Arizona University. Currently, Stacy is in her third year of law school at Seattle University School of Law in Seattle, Washington. Ms. Smith actively aided Dean Annette Clark, Professor Margaret Chon, and the Seattle Journal for Social Justice in their scholarly works in the areas of immigration reform; social awareness; and legal education reform. Ms. Smith has also had an active role in the following scholarly writings: Race, Rights, and Reparation: Law and the Japanese American Internment; Ethics of Pseudoscience and the Tuskegee Experiment; and the forthcoming If Martin Luther King, Jr. had a Twitter Account: A Look at Collective Action, Social Media, and Social Change.

Ms. Smith has also taken on various leadership positions in the Student Bar Association including: Communications Director and Student Newspaper Editor. Ms. Smith obtained a coveted position as a Legal Intern at Microsoft, where she amongst other things worked on drafting memorandums on e-commerce, cloud computing, and privacy rights. Ms. Smith currently works as a Legal Intern doing transactional work on e-commerce, contracts, and international law for Amazon Corporation. Upon graduation, Ms. Smith looks forward to a bright future legal career in technology and intellectual property law.

Leslie M. Simpson University of South Carolina School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2014

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Stacy Smith Seattle University School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2014

NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION | WWW.NBLSA.ORG

46th Annual NBLSA Convention Milwaukee, WI

46th Annual NBLSA Convention

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Rodney Pulliam Scholarship Recipients

Nelson Mandela Pre-Law Scholarship Recipients

Deshauna Lee

Derecka Purnell Bianca Mathabane Jessica Douglas Bryan Davis Queen Ekejija

Anetta Sookhdeo

Outstanding Student Leader Scholarship Recipients

Sandy M. Brown Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Jody Johnson

Jeremy Orr Ruby Garrett Ariel Martin Erin Keith

NBLSA | ROAD TO 50: AN EVOLVING LEGACY

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LAWYERS OF COLOR

FOUNDATION

PIPELINE TOUR 2014

TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THESE NUMBERS! POPULATION* LAWYERS**

HISP/LATINO 16.4% 3.7% BLACK 12.6% 4.8% ASIAN 4.8% 3.4% *Census Figures **ABA Figures

For sponsorship inquiries, email yolanda@lawyersofcolorllc.com

NOTES: _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Save the Date 47th Annual

National Black Law Students Association Convention Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Portland, Oregon March 11th - 15th, 2015

www.nblsa.org

Connect with NBLSA | info@nblsa.org | 202.618.2572

Step into Postcard Perfect.

When the meeting is over, the experience begins.

PORTLAND WELCOMES

NBLSA 2015