Camping: It's more than just (getting good seats for) a game

Ten minutes before tip-off, I receive a familiar text from my dad: "B or T?" This is short-hand for "beak or tail," a reference to the Jayhawk on the basketball court at Allen Fieldhouse. I respond "B," letting my parents know that I am sitting on the "beak side" of the arena and add "first row, just behind the bench."

Rewind a few days. I drag myself out of bed, shut off my alarm, and out the door I go. It's 5:40 a.m. and I'm one of hundreds of students headed to the Fieldhouse, hoping to draw a low number for my camping group. A low number, barring an occasional and oh-so-unfortunate slipup during the proceeding week of camping in the Fieldhouse, will directly translate into great seats for the upcoming game. And that is why we do it. However, camping for basketball provides some unforeseen perks as well.

Neil's Atomic Fireballs is the official law school camping group. In my experience over the past season, it is also the official "friend finder" at KU Law. Coming into law school, you can pretty much count on having one thing in common with other students. However, discussing whether a conveyance to an unborn widow violates the rule against perpetuities can only carry a budding friendship so far. In joining the KU Law basketball camping group, you immediately find yourself discussing Marcus Morris' stat line for the previous game or where your new friend was on the night of April 7, 2008.

Thanks to a full course load of 1L-exclusive classes, it can be pretty difficult for a first-year law student to branch out into the second- and third-year social circles. Through camping, I have developed some very close friendships with students whom I otherwise most likely would not have met. These friends have provided me with advice about law school, invited me to hang out on weekends and screamed themselves hoarse next to me in the Phog.

As a Jayhawk alumnus, and now a KU Law student, I can attest to the power of KU basketball to bring people together. If you are looking for a way to meet some great people and to get some great seats in the best venue in college basketball, look no further than the KU Law camping group. Tortious feoffment will be a conversation topic of the past between you and your new law friends. And the next time someone watching the game asks where you are sitting, you can text back, "beak side, just behind the bench!"

Andy Stein, 1L and Student Ambassador

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Saint Thomas More Society combines faith, legal studies

The Saint Thomas More Society is a group of Catholic law students at the University of Kansas School of Law. Group members focus on living out our Catholic faith in our daily lives and studies. Encouraging daily prayer, frequent receipt of the Sacraments, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and learning more about our faith are methods by which we foster this lifestyle. We aim to protect life at all stages, uphold the sanctity of marriage and family, and open hearts and minds to God's mercy. The society hosts speakers and debates touching on pertinent social issues facing attorneys in modern society. In addition, we actively pursue opportunities to serve the church through volunteer opportunities.

In the fall, we invited an attorney from Shook, Hardy & Bacon to speak to the society about pro bono opportunities and the Catholic practice of law. We also co-hosted a discussion with the Federalist Society on the origins of natural law. Dr. John-Mark Miravalle represented the society and presented that natural law is immutable and implanted on man’s heart by God, which in turn provides the foundation for moral rules to guide his choices. This spring, the society will co-host a debate along with the Society of Open-Minded Atheists on the existence of God. If you would like to learn more about our group, please visit our blog to get information about recent and upcoming events. St. Thomas More, pray for us!

Frank Basgall, president, Saint Thomas More Society

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Law school: You don't have to do it alone

"Build a network of legal professionals."

You will hear this at the welcome orientation, from at least one of your first-year law professors, from the great people at career services and basically from anyone in the legal profession when you ask, "What should I be doing?" While I completely agree, I have always felt that the most overlooked but also the most important network is a social network of fellow law students who will help you graduate.

Most of the social networks you are told to build focus on helping you get a job after graduating law school -- or at least getting a summer internship. But the most important network to a law school student, in my humble opinion, is a social network of friends who help to get to graduation. Law school, although not impossible to get through, is also not a walk in the park. There will be days you ask yourself, "Why am I here?" and "Oh God, what if I graduate and can't get a job with an $80,000 salary to pay off my debt?" It's on those days that a social network of fellow law students comes in handy. After all, what good is it to have 10 possible jobs lined up if you can't graduate?

I formed my network through joining the Black Law Students Association. What I love most about BLSA is its focus on reaching out to the community and reminding us that there is life outside the law school. Every year, BLSA hosts two great events: a Thanksgiving food drive, in which the collected items are distributed to local charities, and Thurgood Marshall Law Day, at which area high school students are invited to Green Hall to learn about the legal system. The food drive reminds us that there are many people with more serious concerns than passing a final exam, and Thurgood Marshall Law Day reminds us of a time, oh so long ago, when we had clear answers to those why and what questions.

There are many law school organizations focused on many different interests. Even if you don't necessarily have a strong interest in the organization, you should consider joining and building your social network. Law school can be tedious, and sometimes you just need a break from the monotony of it all. You are not unique in that way. At KU Law, there are about 500 other students around you on the same path and at least one who completely gets it.

Kaosy Umeh, 2L and Student Ambassador

Professor Derrick Darby talks to area high school students about
his life in law during Thurgood Marshall Law Day.

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Student group navigates 'how to be Christian in law school'

The Christian Legal Society is a small group of students aligned with the national organization whose purpose is to “seek justice with the love of God.” Every week over the lunch hour, students meet at the Burge Union for Bible studies pertaining to different aspects of law and faith. Students discuss, share and encourage one another as we all experience the same trials, tribulations and joys that come with being a law student. The environment is relaxed and all denominations are welcome.

Last semester, CLS brought to campus Judge Eric Melgren of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Judge Melgren, who has been a long-time member of the CLS national organization, spoke to the Green Hall community about his experiences as both a judge and a Christian. He commented on how his requirements as a judge interact with his faith and provided helpful insights on how to handle the challenges that are presented to Christian students and lawyers. Additionally, last semester, members of CLS purchased presents for three children through the Toys for Tots program in Lawrence. It was a wonderful experience to be able to share our many blessings by giving to those in need.

One topic that CLS has discussed at great length is essentially "how to be Christian in law school." Under this topic come questions about whether the law school environment (and the legal profession in general) encourage or discourage a Christian perspective, ways to keep God first throughout the day, and how to manage conflicts that arise between law and faith. CLS would like to encourage anyone who may be interested in these topics or has specific questions to come to the weekly meetings and share your thoughts and ideas!

Lauren Kohn, President, Christian Legal Society

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Practical matters: clinic participation and legal experience

I’ll admit it: Walking into law school, I was pretty sure that every lawsuitconsisted of attending depositions with former exercise instructors anddiscovering crucial evidence by examining an individual's shoes ("LegallyBlonde," anyone?). I showed up for the first day of orientation in full-blownElle Woods mode, despite a shocking lack of pink in my outfit. Then Lawyeringstarted.

By the end of orientation, I was introduced to the wonders of Westlaw andLexisNexis and became intimately familiar with the library. By the end of 1Lyear, I had written memos and briefs and spent too many hours highlightingcases. Somewhere along the way, I realized that being a lawyer had a lot to dowith writing and less to do with my knowledge of this season’s flats. Trust mewhen I tell you that legal writing is a whole new mountain to climb. If youthought "thinking like a lawyer" was a tough transition, writing like a lawyercan be even more difficult.

While Lawyering provides a great foundation for building legal writing skills, there are some things you cannot master in a classroom. Among other things, I choseto participate in a clinic to strengthen my legal research and writing ability.KU’s clinics provide students the opportunity to get out in the field andpractice law under the guidance of a supervising attorney. We have our ownclients and often carry a case from beginning to end, counseling clients ontheir options and drafting many of the necessary documents to proceedsuccessfully through a lawsuit. As a result, I have written supporting briefs,petitions and other documents that are ultimately filed with my clients’ cases.Being a great legal writer takes on a new level of importance when there’s aclient relying on you.

The clinic has also been a great way to experience what practicing a certain areaof law is like. KU offers 12 different clinics in differing practice areas, soregardless of what field interests you, you’ll likely have an opportunity to engagein practice before you graduate. Additionally, it never hurts to build morelegal experience for your resume. KU’s clinics are a great way to step outsidethe classroom and learn what practicing law is like … preferably in a pair ofreally cute shoes.

Amanda Ferguson, 2L

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Lawrence abounds with activities even for the budget-conscious

My name is Juliette Nguyen and I am a 1L at KU Law. I have had many recent conversations with my classmates who did not attend KU for their undergraduate degree. It appears that there are students not familiar with the Lawrence area that would like to know more about what this town has to offer outside of the law school.

Many KU students will tell you a major reason they enjoy going to KU is because of Lawrence itself. The American Institute for Economic Research ranks Lawrence ninth on its list of the 75 best college towns. Simply knowing that Lawrence is a great college town is not enough for you to be able to find things to do, especially if you are trying to stick to a budget. To solve this problem, I will give you a few tips on what things Lawrence has to offer for people on a budget.

Student Union Activities (SUA)

SUA is a student organization that is known for planning events for the entire KU community. On certain weekends, students can attend free cosmic bowling courtesy of SUA. People can watch movies at the Union for $2 with a KU ID. It is only $3 for the general public. Their website has a list of movie times and dates. A few upcoming movies for this semester are: Sex and the City 2, Toy Story 3, Predators, Dinner for Schmucks, Inception, and Eat Pray Love.

SUA also hosts celebrities to come and perform at affordable prices. Recently many students attended a sold out show of the comedian Aziz Ansari at the Lied Center. Another celebrity that will be coming to KU is the famous Hip Hop Artist B.o.B. on October 7. If you like slam poetry, SUA is bringing the “Dynamic Duo” to campus on October 4 for free.
www.suaevents.com

Movies

I have had students ask me if there is a movie theatre in Lawrence. The answer is yes. Southwind 12, located on south Iowa Street, offers many movie choices. Since it is not a very big movie theater, people often drive about 30 minutes to Olathe for dinner and movie. Liberty Hall on Mass. Street also offers movies, but they tend to offer more Independent Films.

Massachusetts Street

You will come to know it as Mass for short. I assume by now that many of you have already experienced what great things Mass has to offer. If you have not, then I highly recommend you do so as soon as you get a chance. Among the numerous local bars, Mass also has great local restaurants and shops. These stores often have specials on certain days or discounts, so just do a little research before hand. Mass is also a great place to get coffee or ice cream on a nice day and just walk down the street. You will always see interesting people sitting around Mass.

KU Recreation Services

It is popularly know as the Rec. If you have not had a chance to go to the Rec, then you may not know it has a lot to offer outside of workout machines. There are basketball courts and racquetball courts. Don’t have a basketball or racquet? You can rent basketballs and other equipment at the Rec for free. When you enter, you will immediately notice the rock climbing wall which is open from 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. You simply sign up; the Rec has shoes and harnesses for you to rent for free. If you would like to take a break from your homework, then you should attend a KU Fit class. Individual classes cost $3 or you can purchase semester long pass for $50. The Rec also has a variety of intramural sports available. These activities can help you relax for a bit from the stress or give you something to do during any free time.
www.recreation.ku.edu

Juliette Nguyen, 1L

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International Law Society Wine Tasting Fundraiser to benefit underprivileged children

Last year, more than 150 KU Law students, faculty and alumni, including local lawyers and judges, attended the International Law Society's annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser. Guests were greeted with wine glasses and encouraged to mix and mingle over incredible wines, enjoy the exquisite fruit and cheese spread, and dance to live music. Guests were also able to bid on silent auction items flown in specifically for the event, including hand-dyed canvas batiks, hand-beaded jewelry and mounted photographs.

We had an incredible turnout and were able to make a larger charitable donation than ever before. Proceeds benefited OptimusYouth, a nonprofit organization co-founded by KU Law 2L and ILS member Sean Foley. OptimusYouth partners with well-established community efforts worldwide to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children.

The proceeds from the 2011 Wine Tasting Fundraiser will again benefit OptimusYouth, and the festivities are shaping up to be just as grand. Guests will again be treated to fantastic wines, catered hors d'oeuvres, live music and a silent auction. We hope you will join us!

2011 ILS Wine Tasting Fundraiser
7-11:30 p.m. Feb. 24, 2011
Lawrence Arts Center
940 New Hampshire Street
Lawrence, KS 66044

Lani Leighton, ILS president

Photos from last year's Wine Tasting Fundraiser

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