The Red Velvet Lawyer

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law:   Justin J. Marcum, W.V. House of Delegates In January 2012, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Justin J. Marcum to the 20th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates , comprising Mingo and Wayne Counties, for the remainder of the term of resigning Delegate K. Steve Kominar. He ran as a Democrat in the last successful run for the office in 2012.  He ran against ASL law student, Nathan Brown.   At the time of the appointment, the Governor remarked: “Justin is a young man who has displayed a passion for public service,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said. “As an Assistant County Prosecutor as well as an elected member of the West Virginia Democratic State Executive Committee, 6th district, Justin has shown he values the ability and the rewards of working for the benefit of others. Such a trait will serve the people of the 20th Delegate District well.” He serves on the following committees

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law:  Assistant  U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee in the Greeneville branch office. Suzanne represents the United States in a variety of criminal cases in the Greeneville Division of district, which covers the ten northeastern-most counties in Tennessee. The photo captures her swearing-in ceremony as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia on November 9, 2011.  This ceremony occurred on the 100th Anniversary of the dedication of the Federal Courthouse  in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Her great-grandfather helped build this courthouse, so she chose that date and location for her swearing-in ceremony. Suzanne graduated magna cum laude from King University in Bristol, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. In 2003, she graduated cum laude from Appalachian Schoo

Conference of the  Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors This week, I've been attending the conference of the Midwest Association of Pre-law Advisors (MAPLA) held this year in my home town of St. Louis, Missouri.  I have continued to blog on this conference so check my postings in November. Three things have really impressed me. First, the pre-law advisors clearly express a strong desire to help their students make the best career choices possible.  I appreciate their professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to serve students. Employment Trends Update Second, the conference planners have offered top-notch conference programming. One speaker, the Executive Director of NALP , spoke about the legal employment market here and here . I've tracked the trends myself  here ,  here ,  here ,  here ,  here ,  here , and  here . I'll provide an update on that topic, based on this presentation, when I get back to Grundy. One speaker predicted that the graduating

Distinguished Alumni  of the Appalachian School of Law I am launching a series of profiles of our graduates who have distinguished careers as public servants. Accordingly, I will profile alumni serving as legislators, judges, judicial clerks, magistrates, administrative law judges, Commonwealth Attorneys, Deputy and Assistant Commonwealth Attorneys, public defenders, members of the Judge Advocates General Corps, and graduates holding other positions in state and federal government.   Hold on!  We have so many grads holding these distinguished positions, it will take me a while to complete this series.  I hope they help current and prospective students map legal careers that best serve the students and the people they are eager to serve.  And, on the horizon?  I've planned profiles of distinguished alumni in private practice. So, here is my first profile.  Enjoy! CAPTAIN M. ARTHUR “ARTIE” VAUGHN II Captain M. Arthur “Artie

Student Organizations at the  Appalachian School of Law So here it is -- after more than a month of research -- the list of student organizations operating at the Appalachian School of Law.  I am proud of the programming and service our students provide our law school and the regional community.  These organizations enhance our well-being in so many ways.   Pro Bono Legal Service Providers: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)  VITA Tax Services (VITA)  Great Eastern Trail Project (GET)  Law Journals: Appalachian Journal of Law (AJoL) Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal (ANRLJ) Student Government: Student Bar Association (SBA) Honor Court Legal Fraternities: Blackwell Inn Phi Delta Phi (PDP)  Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International (PAD)  Focus on Substantive Law: ADR Society  Criminal Law Society (CLS)  Education Law Society (ELS)  Energy and Mineral Law Society (EMLS)  Environmental Law Society (ELS)  Innocence Project  Inter

Funding Student Organization Activities   at the Appalachian School of Law   Rather than paraphrase the rules governing SBA appropriations for student organizations, I am simply reproducing the relevant provisions of the Bylaws of the ASL SBA. § 3. Allocation of Student Activity Fees  I. Preliminary Organization Budget A. Any student organization or student group seeking funding from the Senate shall submit a proposed itemized budget to the SBA Fiscal Policy Committee (Committee). The proposed budget request shall be submitted to the Committee no later than April 1st of the academic year preceding the academic year in which the funds are to be requested. Full funding is not guaranteed nor should be expected. These proposals do not bind the SBA, nor the organization.  1. The Committee shall only accept proposals signed by the Organization President, Treasurer, and Advisor, or their equivalents.  2. All budgets shall remain proposals until the SBA Budget is appro

Standing Committees of the Student Bar Association (SBA) of the Appalachian School of Law  The Student Bar Association -- which I have described in a series of postings here ,  here ,  here , and  here  -- has established a number of standing committees.  They are: American Bar Association Representative Student Activity Council New Organization Review Committee Fiscal Policy Committee Charitable Endeavors Committee President's Council Career Services Advisory Committee Legacy Committee Mental Health Committee, and Property Management Committee Section 5 of the Bylaws of the Appalachian School of Law Student Bar Association describes each of these committees: American Bar Association Representative In the Spring semester, the newly elected SBA President shall appoint an American Bar Association (ABA) Representative. The ABA Representative shall be a rising 3L whose primary responsibility will be to represent the school in all activitie