One of the main benefits of the ABA is the opportunity to
connect with lawyers and other lawyers-to-be. This happens organically at
meetings, mixers, and other ABA events, and it results in a stronger, more
collaborative legal community. The more law students involved, the better --
but students can only learn about this benefit if they experience it for
themselves.
I saw this at Annual when I brought a classmate who was new to
the ABA. “Wow!” he remarked, “I had no idea something like this existed!” He immediately
saw the benefit of meeting other law students and branching out from our
relatively small school. The students we met at Annual came from diverse
backgrounds and had an endless array of interests and experiences. Each
connection broadened the possibilities for his legal career, and he left with a
new, part-time job for the upcoming school year.
When people get together at an event like Annual, they share
ideas and realize new opportunities. This was the case for me when I met a
fellow advocate of public interest law, David Kershaw (4th Cir. Lt. Gov. of
Public Interest, Law Student Division). He and his colleagues organized the
school-supply drive at Annual -- a new initiative that hopefully will become a
trend -- and he had numerous ideas for boosting public interest work and
volunteerism at law schools. I hope to incorporate his ideas as I plan
activities for in my own area.
Concrete examples like these can go a long way in convincing
our fellow students to join us at ABA events. They also help justify funding by
proving the value of ABA membership.
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