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38 Student Law. 2 (2009-2010)
The Division Advocates for Law Students

handle is hein.journals/studlyr38 and id is 100 raw text is: OfficiaB Speaki9 The Division Advocates for Law Students his past August at the ABA An- nual Meeting in Chicago, law student leaders from across the country gathered to de- bate and vote on issues facing law students and the legal community at the Law Student Division Assembly. Issues discussed included removal of the 20-hour workweek restriction on first-year law students and whether law students should earn course credit for paid positions, as well as mental health awareness, veterans advocacy, the envi- ronment issues, and law student debt. In its advocacy role, the Division's James L. Borkman Board of Governors has a responsibil- The John Marshall Law School ity to address such matters as well as Chair, ABA Law Student Division listen to and respond to law student james.borkman@gmail.com needs. And each year, the legislative agenda is a priority. This year our leaders in the ABA House of Delegates will advocate for law students at the highest levels. I encourage you to reach out to them with issues you face. Find out how to reach our delegates by pointing your browser to wuww.abanet.o ylsdeadership. Your stories help Division Delegates focus on key issues nationwide. The Division's advocacy efforts also go beyond the law student community. Our role as future prosecutors, public defenders, transactional lawyers, litiga- tors, and leaders demands that we concentrate on the broader, topical issues that affect the entire legal profession and beyond. Throughout the meeting, civic education was repeatedly raised as an important issue. In his keynote speech at the opening assembly of the Annual Meeting, titled Make American Civic Education Real Again, retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter said, Civics education in America isn't good enough. He warned that a lack of fundamental understanding of American civics is a risk to consti- tutional government. As future leaders of this profession, it is incumbent on all of us to pay close attention to the words of Justice Souter. The fact that two-thirds of Americans can't name the three branches of government shows a deep lack of awareness of the rule of law and its importance in our society. But, hope is not lost. Whether you volunteer to teach a civics course at your local school, create a civics aware- ness group on your law school campus, or discuss the constitution and its role in our society at dinner, we can all help. The Division's involvement with these issues and many others is best show- cased by our regional meetings. Last month our circuit governors held their fall leadership summits. Across the country hundreds of students discussed the economy, law school, r6sum6 building, and much more. I applaud the governors' hard work, energy, and enthusiasm. Their dedication has helped many in the legal community and beyond. I look forward to more exciting events this year. As always, I am happy to hear from you on any of these issues. 1. wwwabanet.org/lsd I American Bar Association 2 1 STUDENT LAWYER I November 2009