General Body Meeting

Mark your calendars-- Tulane BLSA's first general body meeting of the year is this Wednesday (09.01.2010) at 7pm in the MPR. 1L's are especially encouraged to attend, as 1L elections will be held at this time. Membership dues ($25) will also be collected for the 2010-2011 academic year at the meeting. Refreshments will be served! In addition, followers of the Tulane BLSA blog and groups are encouraged to spread the word to ANY of their classmates who are interested in attending the meeting-- we would love to expand our membership to any and all people interested in being a part of the amazing things we have in store for the year.

See you there!

Kudos to Chad.

Congratulations are in order for Chad Sanders (2L), who will be published for his work with the Tulane Law School Journal of Technology & Intellectual Property. Chad's entry received the highest marks among all of the participants in this year's Summer Write-On Competition, and it will be featured in the next volume of the journal. Congrats, Chad!

Paid 2L/ 3L Opportunity

This could be you. Sort of.

Paid tutors are needed to work at Sophie B. Wright Charter School, located at 1426 Napoleon Avenue (corner of Prytania). This is for an in-school tutoring program that operates during the school day. Tutors are assigned a 7th grader and an 8th grader and must be able to commit to 5 hours per week, split among multiple days--that is, not all on one day. The pay is $15 per hour. Only serious applicants should apply.

If you are interested, contact Monica Ponoroff immediately at mponoroff@gmail.com.

BLSA Updates: Week of August 23

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed an auspicious first day(s) of class! BLSA would like to extend a warm welcome to 1L students, and a welcome back to all 2L's and 3L's. We would like to garner excitement in advance for what is sure to be an amazing year.

• If you have not already begun doing so, check the blog regularly. When you are doing your daily perusal of all the intranets, TWENs, and Gibsons, do not forget to check the Tulane BLSA blog.This is important because BLSA would like to maximize the efficiency of correspondence sent to its members, and as such any information that may change after it's announced will be updated on the blog. It will also be a useful spot for community resources, networking opportunities, current news, and anything else your legal minds can fathom. So, (finish this e-mail and) bookmark the site: http://tulaneblsa.blogspot.com ...also, please find links to our other resources below:
• Google Group: get important documents and participate in discussion boards at http://groups.google.com/group/tulane-blsa
• On FaceBook: find us at Tulane BLSA, 2010-2011
• The first General Body Meeting of the year will be Wednesday, September 1, at 7pm in the MPR. We can't wait to have as many members as possible, all in one place for the first time in the new school year! Also, you may remit your $25 membership dues at this time.
• 1L's interested in having a Big Sib, and 2L/3L's interested in having a Lil Sib should e-mail Chad Sanders atcsander3@tulane.edu

Thank you in advance for helping to make this a year unlike any other for Tulane BLSA. See you next Wednesday!

SAVE HUNDREDS on Bar Exam Fees!!

If you think you may wish to take the Louisiana bar exam after graduation, an important deadline is coming up on October 1st. By meeting this deadline, you will save hundreds of dollars on bar registration fees.

Please check the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions site, http://www.lascba.org/, TODAY.

Also, see the Louisiana State Bar Association website section entitled "Bar Admissions: Process & Pitfalls" at http://www.lsba.org/2007MemberServices/Baradmissions.asp

The Louisiana State Bar Association will be on campus to discuss the registration process with 2Ls on Monday, September 13th, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm in Room 110.

Community Spotlight: LA Association of Black Women Attorneys

"The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society would like to say congratulations to the newly formed Lousiana Association of Black Women Attorneys (LABWA). We strongly encourage all of the female African-American attorneys throughout the state to become a part of this very exciting organization which is sure to be a powerful force in Lousiana'a legal community. For more information about LABWA, please contact Lacrecia Cade at cade@carverdarden.com or become a member of LABWA's google group at http://groups.google.com/group/labwa-formation-committee/topics."

Check the comments section for a listing of officers and committee chairs.

General Body Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month and focus on topics relevant to our membership's professional and personal development.

The Newsletter is electronically mailed to members every second and fourth Monday of the month. The Newsletter provides members with recent judicial pronouncments, upcoming events, community service projects, and employment opportunities.

Speed Mentoring provides members an opportunity to ask experienced attorneys those "everything-you've-always-wanted-to-know-but-didn't-know-whom-to-ask" questions about practicing law, business development,and work life balance issues. Mentees are paired with mentors during brief sessions to either ask the same or different questions of each mentor. As a result, mentees gain multiple perspectives and suggestions on how to address and overcome challenging career obstacles.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundations Annual Legislative Conference: Sept 15-18

Dear NBLSA Leaders, Members, Family, and Friends:

On behalf of the National Executive Board of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), it is my sincere pleasure to invite you to join NBLSA in Washington, DC from September 15-18, 2010 during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundations Annual Legislative Conference (CBC ALC).

For more information about these events, registration or the CBC ALC, please visit www.nblsa.org/cbc ( http://e2ma.net/go/6767681521/208287648/215014489/1407502/goto:http://www.nblsa.org/cbc ) or give us a call at (202) 618-2572. Registration is now open. We look forward to seeing you in our nations capital!


Best regards,



Melinda M. Hightower


National Chair, 2010-2011


National Black Law Students Association




1225 11th Street N.W 
Washington, DC 20001 US




check the comments section for a detailed event listing.

download the CBC ALC packet here: http://bit.ly/9RRiDq

Get the Black Book!

Tulane BLSA is proud to bring you The Black Book your guide to (almost) everything you'll need to make the most of your time at Tulane Law. From barber shops to breakfast bistros, study tips, and the best places to "make groceries", the black book is designed to acclimate everyone from 1L's and beyond to the school and the city.

get it here: http://bit.ly/BLSABlackBook

GET INVOLVED! Make New Orleans Your Own.

(Note: this post may be most useful to 2L's and 3L's, who may have more time to devote to civic and social undertakings, while 1L's will probably find most of their time better-served by solidifying an effective academic regimen during this time)

“...A community needs a soul if it is to become a true home for human beings. You, the people, must give it this soul.”

--Pope John Paul II

Although a law student's primary aim is making the most of his or her academic career, there is still an immeasurable amount of fulfillment to be found in community involvement. Finding one's civic or social niche can provide a sense of ownership in a city that is as rich with cultural memory as it is fraught with a need for young energy. Even if New Orleans won't be your permanent home after graduation, the practice of immersing ourselves in our communities is one that should be cultivated and carried with us wherever our career paths take us.

St. Thomas Aquinas described the concept of the law as "an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community " . As students of the law, we are also charged with playing an active role in the well-being of the areas in which we live. To that end, if you should find yourself looking for avenues for the realization of that goal, take a moment to browse these sites:

Arts Council of New Orleans

AVODAH

City Year

Desire Nola

EngageNOLA

First Fridays

Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Hands On

Horizion Initative

Human Resource Management Association

Humid Beings

The Idea Village

Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Launch Pad

Make New Orleans Home

The National Black MBA Association

Neighborhoods Partnership Network

NetSquared New Orleans

New Orleans Chamber of Commerce

NOLAYurp

PlayNOLA Sports and Entertainment Group

Puentes - a resource for the Latin community of NOLA

Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans

The New Orleans Business Council

Urban League of Greater New Orleans

WorkNOLA

Young Leadership Council

Students Enjoy the National Bar Association Conference

The National Bar Association (the oldest largest national association of African American lawyers and judges) recently held their 85th Annual Convention in New Orleans.

Several members of Tulane BLSA volunteered at the conference to help the events run smoothly. In addition to volunteering, students were able to participate in the job fair, visit employers and organizations at the Exhibit Hall, and attend panels, seminars, and CLEs.
Pictured: Erin Sanders, Etienne Lombard, Andrea Holmes, and Ashley Banks volunteering at the Baton Rouge Martinet Society Social.

1L Kick-Off- UPDATED!

It's that time again! As we all prepare for the start of another year, BLSA is gearing up to welcome the incoming Class of 2013 at an Orientation Event on Saturday, August 21 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the MPR Courtyard.

As we prepare for the start of a new academic year, BLSA encourages as many members as possible to attend the 1L Kick-Off. Please don't miss this opportunity to re-connect with 2Ls and 3Ls, and to warmly welcome and acclimate the incoming students to the school. Refreshments will be served; we hope to see you there!