Law Student Committee Description

The Committee’s mission is to further the Association’s goals and purposes, and thereby serve the community and the legal profession; to represent law students in the Association and the FLS, and to represent the Association to law students; to help shape the policies and priorities that affect law students; and to create a deliberative forum for the exchange and expression of law students’ views, and a voice to advocate those views. The Committee will increase membership and provide students with comprehensive insight into family law while creating a global network of law students who exchange ideas and information about family law.

This committee’s goal will be to (1) encourage law student membership in the ABA FLS and increase the participation of the Section’s current law students in section activities and (2) assist law students in beginning their family law careers, expand their knowledge regarding family law, and teach them the operations of the Section of Family Law (the “Section”). In addition, the committee will serve as the bridge for law students seeking to participate in the Section of Family Law.

The Law Students Committee is a Standing Committee. Standing committees are established and authorized by Council or by the Chair with the advice and consent of Council and are responsible to Council.

The Law Students Committee Chair is appointed by the Chair Elect, upon consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary of the section, to serve during the upcoming year. The appointment is to be made by June 1^st. The Chair’s term begins at the conclusion of the annual meeting and continues for one year.

The committee chair has the following responsibilities which can be accomplished by working with a Vice-Chair or Co-Chair:

1. Facilitate the submission of CLE proposals from committee members and to produce CLE programs when a topic relevant to the committee is selected by the CLE Committee for inclusion in an upcoming CLE conference, and when directed to do so by the CLE Committee Chair or Co-Chairs. This may include working with the CLE Committee to suggest speakers and finalize titles, descriptions, and educational materials.
2. Coordinating committee members to post materials on the Committee’s webpage which serves as a home for all substantive area knowledge sharing.
3. Writing and submitting a column for the Committee Corner section of the E-Newsletter when requested.
4. Using the committee list serve to communicate with the committee regarding upcoming meetings, CLE proposals, special projects and other topics relevant to the committee.
5. When a committee project requires financing, the committee chair is responsible for making a formal budget request to the Finance Officer in a timely manner.
6. Communicating with the committee’s council liaison to facilitate communication with section leadership.
7. The Chair of the Committee is required to submit a status report to the Section’s Council to be included in the Fall, Spring, and Annual Meeting Agenda books.
8. Be prepared to give an oral report at council upon request.

Committee Features

• The Law Students Committee is a Standing Committee.
• Chair is appointed by the Chair Elect for the upcoming year.
• The committee meets at the Fall and Spring CLE conferences.
• Status reports are submitted to Council for the Fall, Spring & Annual Meeting Agenda books.
• Committee is open to membership by any active member of the section who is a current law student.
• The Chair of the Section will appoint a Vice-Chair to facilitate leadership transition.