The Red Velvet Lawyer

Appalachian School of Law's Blackwell Inn Phi Delta Phi International  This posting profiles the second legal fraternity on campus.  I profiled Phi Alpha Delta  here.    The Blackwell Inn of Phi Delta Phi International, named after beloved ASL Professor Tom Blackwell,  identifies the following mission. Mission Statement [T]his organization promote[s] the advancement of the highest intellectual, professional, and ethical standards within the Appalachian School of Law community.  To this end, Blackwell Inn hereby establishes . . . an honor fraternity with . . . minimum academic standards.  It shall be the responsibility of this Inn and the charge of each of its members to seek excellence in scholastic and ethical standards towards the achievement of this goal.   The ambitious goals of this fraternity are supported by an international organization . The ASL inn is one of only five fraternal inns established in Province 14 consisting of Tennessee, southern Kentu

Appalachian School of Law Criminal Law Society The Criminal Law Society is one of the oldest student organizations on campus. Mission Statement The Criminal Law Society furthers, within the law school and the legal community, education about criminal law issues. It also provides a forum for individuals within the law school to express views about criminal law. Activities and Events The CLS sponsors the annual Barrister's Ball, a black-tie event that benefits local charities. It also hosts an annual Opening Statement Competition.  The Criminal Law Society also invites speakers and hosts panel discussions on current topics of interest in criminal law.  It collaborated with the Innocence Project to bring Daryl Hunt to campus to discuss his exoneration in 2005 after DNA evidence matched an incarcerated man with the crime scene.  That man later admitted the crime. In 2011, it hosted a debate between Tamara Neo (Rep.) a

The Black Law Students Association of the Appalachian School of Law I am using this week to profile organizations I would describe as affinity groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs and values.  I'll focus today on the Black Law Students Association of the Appalachian School of Law. Students at ASL founded the chapter early in the history of the law school. National Affiliate As background, the national affiliate of this local chapter -- the National Black Law Students Association  arose in 1968.  It has over 200 chapters and nearly 6,000 members, and so, is the largest student organization in the U.S. It sponsors two competitions in honor of distinguished African-Americans: The Frederick Douglass Moot Court  Competition  and the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. It also sponsors the Nelson Mandela International Negotiations Competition. The NBLSA offers regional career fairs and hosts interviews for students with

I will next cover students organizations I would describe as affinity groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs and values.  I will first profile the Christian Legal Society.  The Appalachian School of Law Christian Legal Society Students founded this organization in 2003.   Membership Requirements All members and officers must agree to and affirm a Statement of Faith and Sexual Morality Standards that provides: Trusting in Jesus my Savior, I believe in: One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. The Deity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God's only Son conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; His vicarious death for our sins through which we receive eternal life; His bodily resurrection and personal return. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration. The Bible as the Inspired Word of God. 

Appalachian School of Law's Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International Students have founded two legal fraternities at the law school.  This posting profiles the first legal fraternity on campus.  I profiled the second legal fraternity, Phi Delta Phi, here Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity has lofty aspirational goals. It serves law students, the law school, the profession, and the community. Declaration of Purpose The purpose of this Fraternity shall be to form a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under the law; to inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage the moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement; so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service. A national o

The Appalachian School of Law Education Law Association Students created this organization in December 2009. Mission Statement The ELA promotes awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding the law of education, both in the public and private sector.  It promotes interest in and understanding of the legal framework of education and the rights of students, parents, school boards, and school employees.  Student members are committed to the strong support of local education programs and work with interested parties to attain common goals through active participation in community service activities.  Any ASL student or alumnus may join the ELA.  

The Appalachian School of Law International Law Society The International Law Society promotes awareness of global events as well as understanding diverse legal cultures in order to assess their influence on both public and private International Law.  It also explores the impact of those laws and treaties on the people and culture of the southern Appalachian highlands. It educates its members and fellow students in the principles of International Law, international organizations and institutions, and comparative legal systems.  It enhances communication among law students, school faculty, and the international community to promote peace, diversity, justice, and mutual interdependence through understanding and cooperation.