The Red Velvet Lawyer

Mission Statement The Energy and Mineral Law Society promotes the educational and professional advancement of its student members in the practice areas of Energy and Mineral Law in primarily three ways: By soliciting co-curricular educational and employment opportunities for its members; By facilitating occasions for fraternity and association within these specialized legal communities; and By encouraging the faculty and administration of the Appalachian School of Law to offer an elective curriculum that explores energy and mineral law -- including natural gas, coal, wind, and other forms of energy -- as applicable to prospective practitioners.    This organization has helped bring about these goals, especially the last goal.  I talked about the exciting natural resource curriculum at the Appalachian School of Law here .  So much has changed at the school since 2009, when students founded this organization.    Natural Resource Curriculum ASL now offers a semi

Earlier, I profiled one of the three  pro bono legal service opportunities available at ASL.  Today, I profile the second pro bono  program offered by students to area residents in need of low cost legal services.  Later in this series on student organizations, I profile the third opportunity -- title work for the Great Eastern Trail  project . The ASL Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax preparation to local Buchanan County residents and fellow students with low income (below $53,000) or special need. Fellow students train incoming students during the fall semester.  New students become IRS-certified volunteers in the spring semester.  With guidance from faculty supervisor, Professor Alan Oxford, and our community coordinator, Linda Midget at People's Inc., VITA volunteers give back to our community and gain hands-on tax experience. Benefits of the VITA Program VITA offers many great benefits to the volunteers, clients, and the communi

Be Happy! Earlier this month, I discussed law student well-being and happiness .  As I noted, the research clearly proves that law school leads to significant psychological and emotional distress.  In addition, students tend to handle stress through  activities  that reduce physical well-being, including excessive alcohol consumption.  And, busy students neglect a regular exercise program even though it offers a healthier way to manage stress.  About a year ago, one of our students, Juliane Colby, launched The Appalachian School of Law Happiness Project.  Juliane, trained as a social worker, was concerned about the mental and emotional health of her classmates. The Vision Statement Its vision statement states: The ASL Happiness Project seeks to support, enhance, and ensure a mentally and physically healthy community of students, staff, and faculty so we can all be successful, happy, healthy, and thriving. The Mission Statement    Its more specific mission

Recent research again examined the mental health, happiness, and well-being of law students.   The news is not good, but we've known that for many years.  Research conducted in 2012, in Australia, examined whether a relationship might exists between emotional intelligence (EI) and better psychological health among law students.  Prior research had reported high rates of depression among law students.  "They experience a significant deterioration in their mental health status during law school  . . . . [that] may begin in the first year of study."   The research, using self-assessment tools of three types, indicated that students with higher EI were: Less likely to suffer psychiatric symptoms,  Less likely to use alcohol, More likely to be satisfied with life. The so-called " "Big Five"  personality factors of agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, and neuroticism had a stronger link to psychological health.  

My good friend and mediation colleague, Geetha Ravindra, has published a new book focused on Indian marriage in the modern world:   Shaadi Remix – Transforming the Traditional Indian Marriage (Wheatmark, Tuscon, AZ: 2013). I am reproducing her promotional description of the book.   Marriage is one of the most sacred institutions in India. Traditionally, parents and other family members have arranged marriages for their children based on caste, matching horoscopes, family status, or dowry. Over the past few decades, however, divorce rates have grown significantly. It would seem that the old way of doing things is no longer working—but why? Drawing on her experience with hundreds of families struggling with marital discord, attorney and mediator Geetha Ravindra explores the breakdown of Indian marriage within a rapidly changing culture, explaining why the conventional criteria used to arrange marriages no longer ensure lasting, healthy relationships.  With stories of how real

The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Project  at the Appalachian School of Law The Appalachian School of Law offers three  pro bono service programs.  Today, I'll talk about the first program --  the Court Appointed Special Advocates ( CASA ) program.   In later postings, here  and  here , I profile the VITA tax service program and the Great Eastern Trail project, respectively. Court Appointed Special Advocates CASA is a national organization managed on a state and local basis through the court system.  The 29 th Judicial District, which includes Buchanan County , employs case managers to supervise volunteers from the community.  ASL students serve as the majority of the local volunteers.   ASL students spend 30 hours in intensive training at the school to learn to advocate for children in court.  ASL provides a classroom and materials for the training.   The trainer brings in speakers from the Department of Social Services ( DSS ), the police dep

A quick review of the postings by scambloggers suggests that ASL grads are a sorry lot.  Too bad the facts say otherwise. Without going into additional detail, which I will happily do in later postings, I can say with great pride that our graduates have already ascended to these professional heights in public service positions: 1 state legislator (2011 grad) 5 judges (2002-2009 grads) 4 judicial clerks (2007-2012 grads) 6 Commonwealth Attorneys (2000-2008 grads) 4 in Judge Advocates General Corps (2003-2011 grads) 1 in federal government (Soc. Sec. Adm.) (2005 grad) 3 in state government (2004-2006 grads) This data does not reflect employment by our most recent grads.   This list reveals that in a very short time after graduation, our graduates assume public service positions that further the service mission of the school, provide financial security for the families of these alumni, and show --  in the best way possible