Below is a link to the Class of 2008 Commencement Week Schedule of Events. Contact the SBA Senior Programming Committee at gwlaw08@gmail.com if you have any questions.

http://www.gwsba.com/uploads/2008CommencementSchedule.doc

On March 30, 2008, GW Law School is hosting the Annual DC-Area Law School Public Interest Retreat. The event consists of a series of panels where practicing attorneys will discuss issues related to the practice of public interest law as well as pro bono work within law firms. Lunch will be provided, during which Chris Nugent* will deliver the keynote speech. Registration is from 9:30 – 10:00 am and the event culminates with a networking reception from 3:00 – 4:00 pm. For more detailed information about the specific panels or any other part of the event, please email Kaitlin Dunne at kdunne@law.gwu.edu. Please RSVP to Tamara Devieux-Adams at tdadams@law.gwu.edu.

*Chris Nugent works as a Senior Counsel with the Community Services Team of Holland & Knight LLP in Washington, D.C. He is responsible for developing cutting-edge immigration-related pro-bono projects and trainings for firm offices and undertaking complex domestic and international casework involving immigration and public policy.

Mr. Nugent has over two decades of experience in immigration law and policy including his previous tenure as a Director of the ABA Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono; Executive Director of the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (Florence, Arizona) serving immigration detainees; and an National Association for Public Interest Law Equal Justice Fellow working with Mexican and Guatemalan indigenous farmworkers in California in community development projects.

The ABA Law Student Division has started a national Mental Health Initiative, in which they are encouraging law schools to sponsor educational programs and events that teach and foster breaking the stigma associated with severe depression and anxiety amongst law students and lawyers. There are many ways to promote and encourage a healthy and safe environment at your law school or in your community. Whether through the SBA, local Bar groups, or your student organization, we hope you and your law school will take this opportunity to address this crisis. Check out the link to the initiative at http://www.abanet.org/lsd/mentalhealth/.

Congratulations to everyone who was elected in the recent SBA Elections. The newly elected 2008-09 SBA Officers are*:

President
Brett Sheats

Executive Vice-President
Rahul Reddy

4L Evening Senator
Tory Silver

3L Day Senator
Kerry Coleman

2L Day Senators
John Sorrenti
Liz Westbrook
Eric Malis
Treyer Mason-Gale

Day Division Senator
Emily Cumberland


*Write in results pending for several Senatorial seats.

This Sunday, March 16, 2008, EJF will be hosting its 5th Annual RACE FOR JUSTICE 5K at Hains Point. The Race is open to any one who would like to participate (runners or walkers, students or non-students), and registration is $25. All proceeds of the Race will benefit the Loan Reimbursement Assistance Program (LRAP), which provides financial assistance for GW Law grads pursuing a career in public interest.

For more information on the Race or how to register, visit EJF's website (http://docs.law.gwu.edu/stdg/ejf/race08.html) or contact Kristi Tamura at kktamura@law.gwu.edu.

Thank you for your interest in joining the 2008-09 SBA Executive branch. We have many positions available and are looking to put together a strong team to make the upcoming year a success.

Please click the link below to access the application. Please note all instructions in the application file. Applications for positions will be due by Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. They can either be emailed to me at bsheats@law.gwu.edu or put in my mailbox (located in 2L under Sheats, Brett).

Should you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Many thanks,
Brett Sheats
2008-09 SBA President

SBA Spring Elections are Wednesday, Feb. 27th. Click the link below to learn more about the candidates.

***LAW REVUE TICKET SALES ARE CLOSED***


This weekend, GW Law Revue presents: Abuse of Expression. This is truly one of the highlights of the year, so you don't want to miss it. The doors of Lisner Auditorium will open at 7pm, and things will kick off with an art show featuring works from GW Law students. The Law Revue show will begin at 7:30pm, and will run approximately 2:15. The show will feature 2 bands, 70 actors, several faculty members, and Dean Fred Lawrence.

Tickets are on sale for $12 in the lounge all week, from 9am-6pm M-F. You can also purchase tickets online with a credit card for $12.75 by clicking the link below.

Your ticket purchase will get you access to the art show, the big show, and the after party at Tom Toms (where there will be a nice sized bar tab).

Enjoy the show!

Sponsored by the SBA, Bill Buescher from Graduate Leverage, presents "How to Effectively Manage Your Student Debt: Best Practices for Law Students" Founded out of a research project at Harvard Business School, Graduate Leverage will be providing information on debt management. The salient points to be covered include:

* An overview of general personal finance best practices, student loans, and recent regulatory changes
* What you need to know about the current interest rate environment and its impact on student loans.
* If you consolidated your loans in the past, what should you do now? How to determine if it will make financial sense.
* How to benefit from government programs designed to provide relief to graduates.
* Strategies you can utilize to improve your credit score and why credit scores are so important

Visit http://www.graduateleverage.org for more details.
Pizza and soda will be served!

The George Washington University Law School Black Law Students Association is hosting its first annual oratorical (speech)/ slam poetry competition for middle school and high school aged youth. The event is entitled S.P.E.A.K.: Standing for power, equality, action, and knowledge. The competition is open to middle school and high school aged youth of all races, genders, etc. This is an excellent opportunity for kids to gain exposure to the performing arts as well as to an excellent institution of higher learning.

The competition will take place on Saturday, March 22nd, 2008. Awards will be given to 12 winners, but all kids will leave feeling like champions! The information packet is attached along with other relevant information. BLSA needs help from the entire GW community to make this event spectacular! If you want to help out please email us at one of the following email addresses: Deidra Squire (dsquire@law.gwu.edu), Olayemi Oladapo (ooladapo@law.gwu.edu), Courtney Proctor or (cdproctor@law.gwu.edu) or Delisha Grant (dgrant@law.gwu.edu).

You can help on the day of the event or you can just make a few calls. We look forward to working with you!

The SBA will be holding elections for the 2008-09 year on Wednesday, February 27th. Important dates for the election are:

February 13 - Candidate Information Sessions (12pm & 8:10pm)
February 19 - Candidate Registration/photo due
February 27 - Election Day
February 28 - Run-off Elections (if necessary)

Candidate Info Packets are available below. If you have any questions about the election, please contact Ricardo Pineres at rjpineres@law.gwu.edu.

Attention all 1Ls! Come join us for a Washington Capitals game.

The Capitals game will take place this coming Friday, February 8th at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Center. After the game, the GW hockey team will be playing Catholic University, so you can even stay and root for your school for free!

Tickets will be sold this coming Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, in the 1st floor lounge, from 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m., for the especially low price of $15 a piece.

We have only reserved 50 tickets, so make sure to get yours before they run out....

See you on Friday!

The SBA Minority Affairs Committee has put together a chart containing information on Diversity Scholarships available to law students.

Diversity Scholarship Chart

Despite opposition from the SBA, the faculty voted today to convert the LRW grading system from the current modified pass/fail system, to one in which letter grades are given. The SBA was not persuaded by the reasoning given by the Curriculum Committee for the proposed change in grading policy. Below are two documents outlining the SBA's position on the matter.

SBA Memorandum in response to proposal to change LRW grading system

Copy of presentation given at faculty meeting by SBA

***The Business Card Sale is Closed***

The SBA is offering another business card sale starting Tuesday, 1/23 and running through Wednesday, 2/6. The cards should be available in your 3rd floor mailboxes 1-2 weeks after the sale.

Online Business Card Order Form

The cost is $35.00 for 250 cards, and all purchases must be paid for online through paypal.

If you should have any questions about the business cards or the sale, please contact Reid Coploff (rcoploff@law.gwu.edu).