Some reasons people came out to learn how to get more involved with ACS:
ACS and the ACLU presented Whirly Ball (a fun combination of bumper cars, lacrosse, and soccer) along with pizza. In a series of ten-minute games, two teams of five took to the arena and began the quest for dominance...or at least, the quest to learn how to steer the bumper cars properly! After the matches, we concluded that everyone had a good time, which means everyone was a winner.
For more information, see the Whirly Ball website.
Have you ever dreamed about clerking on the Supreme Court? Ever imagined what might go on there behind the scenes? Dean Caminker and Professors Barr, Hershovitz, Katz, and Mathieson, spoke about their personal experiences clerking for the Supreme Court. We and and about 70 of our closest friends heard the inside scoop on Justices Brennan, Souter, and Ginsburg, and got the real dirt on how the Court actually functions!
ACS hosted a student-led discussion of the Boumediene v. Bush case, discussing the oral arguments and legal issues surrounding this Guantanamo Bay detention case currently before the Supreme Court.
Participants were encouraged to review the lower court ruling, the Petitioner and Respondent briefs, and the oral argument transcript for more information on the current state of the case. (Whether or not you participated in the discussion, you are welcome to do the same!)
ACS held a membership drive and social at Colonial Lanes, demonstrating that the "mystery of human life" truly encompasses striking wooden pins with a ball.1 ACS National members bowled for free, joined by a few non-member bowlers.
1 Planned Parenthood of S. Pa. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 851 (1992)
ACS and Outlaws proudly presented Steve Sanders, a Supreme Court attorney with Mayer Brown, LLP in Chicago. Same-sex couples can legally marry in Massachusetts...but what happens when a couple moves to a state that declares same-sex marriages null and void? If the Constitution doesn't give gay and lesbian couples the right to get married, does it give them the right to remain married? Drawing on Supreme Court family-privacy and gay-rights cases, as well as common law and federalism, Steve Sanders argued that it does. About 30 people came to enjoy pizza and join in an engaging discussion of the rights and issues involved in this hot topic.
About the speaker: Steve Sanders, JD '05, is an attorney in the Supreme Court and appellate litigation practice group of Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago. He was counsel to a group of law and history professors as amici curiae in Varnum v. Brien, the case in which an Iowa court last summer struck down that state's prohibition on same-sex marriage. For more information on Steve's background, see his biography page at Mayer Brown LLP.
About Varnum v. Brien: Some background on the case:
ACS and ACLU sponsored Judge Pratt, Chief Judge on the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa. Judge Pratt spoke to a crowd of about 50 people, giving us the inside scoop on two recent cases. He wrote the Gall v. United States opinion, a federal sentencing case reversed by the 8th Circuit but restored by the Supreme Court. He also discussed Americans United, a prison ministries establishment clause case recently affirmed.
The American Constitution Society, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Law Students for Reproductive Justice have many things in common; among them is a desire to help you study! We served breakfast (or brunch, or early lunch, or a nosh...) before exams got into full swing to help keep students fully fueled and ready for anything. (Even exams...)
ACS co-sponsored an informal discussion on public religious expression, inspired by the "What's God Got To Do With It?" lunch talk (Nov. 18). About 30 members from different groups discussed the First Amendment over snacks and drinks. Prof. Herzog moderated and ventured his own views. "A good time was had by all!"
Additional Sponsors:
ACS proudly finished up its "Working Lunch" series! Julia Franklin spoke to an audience of about 40 people, discussing her experiences working with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the U.S. Attorney's Office. She discussed the benefits of working in these roles and gave tips on how 1L's can improve their applications when applying for these roles.
Julia suggested looking to the following websites for more information:
ACS proudly kicked off its "Working Lunch" Series with a discussion on judicial internships! Nearly 100 people, mostly 1L's, came to enjoy sandwiches and the talk. First, we heard Robin Kaplan from the Office of Career Services give an overview of what her office can offer. (See below for relevant web links!) The audience then learned how to apply for internships, picking up an information sheet on how to do this. They also heard personal accounts of what it is like to work at the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court, and Federal District Court.
Robin recommmends these links to clerkship web resources:
The American Constitution Society proudly presented Tom Goldstein, head of the Supreme Court practice at Akin Gump Straus Hauer & Feld, LLP, creator of SCOTUSBLOG and Lecturer at Stanford Law School and Harvard Law School. Tom offered his thoughts on how to succeed in the practice of Law, the life of Supreme Court practice, how key upcoming cases may turn out, and what we might expect in terms of Court changes in the wake of the upcoming election. Over 100 people came to hear his humorous and insightful presentation!
For information on Tom's extensive biography, please see his biography page at his law firm.
The American Constitution Society and SQUALSA proudly sponsored Steve Stitt, City Attorney for Siloam Springs, Arkansas. We heard Steve discuss how legal education and Constitutional Law both can suffer from what Steve terms "minority rule."
Abstract: Law schools, and the U.S. Supreme Court, are cornerstones of America's legal system. American law schools, however, teach principles of due process and democracy while providing neither to their students. Democratic principles are similarly pushed aside by "minority rule" in American Constitutional law -- where power assumed by the U. S. Supreme Court actually renders the Court useless when its perspective is most needed.
About Mr. Stitt: Steve Stitt is a graduate of Michigan Law (1971). He clerked for Chief Judge William A. McRae, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, then joined the University of Florida Law School faculty. Afterwards, he served as a public defender in the Florida Keys before becoming the City Attorney of Key West. He currently serves as City Attorney for Siloam Springs, AR.
Try out for places on our Moot Court teams! All ACS members may apply. Those selected must join ACS National to participate (which is only $10). Briefs for the contest are due mid-January; oral arguments will be held around mid-March. For further details, see the tryout problem or contact Lesley Onan.
The American Constitution Society and Outlaws proudly cosponsored a talk about LGBT issues and the military. Audience members heard Aaron Tax from the Servicemembers' Legal Defense Network in Washington, D.C. talk about the overall "Don't Talk, Don't Tell" issue, the case SLDN recently filed in the First Circuit, and the related Equal Protection, substantive Due Process, and Free Speech issues involved. The topic was discussed in the context of the Lawrence v. Texas case.
The American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society jointly hosted a Supreme Court Roundup on Tuesday, October 2. Hosted by our dean Evan Caminker, the event discussed cases in the Supreme Court's upcoming term. Speakers included professors Joan Larsen, Douglas Laycock, Richard Primus, and Christine Whitman.
For more information about the Court's current Docket, see the Supreme Court website.
The American Constitution Society and the American Civil Liberty Union jointly hosted a social "get together" - participants had a chance to meet members of two fantastic groups at the same time.
Students came to meet other progressive students at our first meeting of the year. Board members outlined our agenda and goals for this school year, discussing upcoming events, moot court, and how you can get involved. In particular, we discussed a great way to get involved: running for a Board position!
Curious about the Constitution and how it affects day-to-day life? Want to learn about important and current issues? People with such quesitions (or who just wanted coffee) came to the ACS table outside of HH 100 to meet our members, learn about ACS, and, yes, to drink great coffee!