Proposed National Online Law Students Association

[passaroa25]

I would like to form an organization by and for those of us who are studying law online.  I thought about a lobbyist organization that would give online law school students the same or similar recognition that home school students have. This organization would also give online law school students a sense of belonging, regardless of the school they are enrolled in.  What do the rest of you think?  Is this something you would be interested in joining?

[GovLaw]

I must start off with a disclaimer – having graduated, I am no longer a law student - either online or B&M.

That being said, I am a big supporter of distance learning and I think an organization/online presence such as you propose would be very valuable.  This discussion board could have been such a place, but it tends to be stupidly negative – largely from those individuals intent on quashing distance learning in the field of law.

However, keep in mind that reactionaries historically always fail; else we would be living in caves and hunting beasts.  In the long run there will be ABA accredited distance degrees, and it’s the people on this very board who are paving the way.

I wish you the best of luck.

[justanothersucker]

go for it.

[passaroa25]

Thanks guys.  I am currently researching the ABA's heartburn with online law schools and the history of home schooling.  I should have a website up and running within 90 days.  My first mission is to get online law school students the respect they deserve.  And I need to find the most efficient way of making that happen.  I do know that it will start with a lot of us contacting someone or some group.

It will take 90 days to get started because I am enrolled in Mid-Atlantic.  I read the cases cited in the Gilberts volumes.  Each volume cites over 1000 cases.  I am also studying for the CLA exam.

I will post the link to the website sometime in late November.

[justanothersucker]

cool. Just don't get so focused on it that you don't give enough efforts into your fybx coming up. (sorry if I misspelled it)

Is there a kaplan/barbri type equivelent to pay to help you prep for that? Going in person to few seminars but be worth a few hundred bucks for the end result.

[passaroa25]

I do need to look into a seminar.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[passaroa25]

I have been thinking that the best way to get the ABA'S attention and respect is to show them what online law school students can do.  I think that our association should be an online law school students' e-law review.  This website will be a database of legal memoranda written by online law school students.  Your name and your school will be in the from block.  If you would like to submit articles, send me an email.  I will know whether or not I should start the website depending on how many people want to submit articles.  All students from any online law school are welcome.

[Swede1]

Absolutely.  And have the association sponsor a law review also.  Well written, scholarly articles will go a long way from dispelling myths and stereo types.

[passaroa25]

The website will be up as soon as I get at least 5 articles to upload.  I will do all the editing.  But, the articles should be as letter perfect (using either the Bluebook, ALWD, or Garner's Redbook) as possible.  This e-Law Review cannot be about my articles (http://works.bepress.com/angela_passaro).  Input from other students is very important.  The ABA law school students have their own law reviews to contribute to. 

As we get more articles, other people can assume some of the editing tasks. 

This e-Law Review will be a database of articles in legal memorandum format. 

MEMO

TO:  National Online Law Students' E-Law Review

FROM:  Your name, the name of your law school

RE:   Any legal issue of your choice

DATE:

The memorandum discussion will be in the Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion format. 

I chose this format for the articles because we all know how to write the Introduction, Body, Conclusion articles already. 

[InterAlia1961]

Great idea. I would be happy to contribute on occasion.