The information below is intended for College of Law audiences only.
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American Constitution Society
The mission of the American Constitution Society is to harness the values of compassion and respect for each individual, and to re-incorporate them into American law and politics, in order to build a stronger and more decent national community. We seek to restore the fundamental principles of respect for human dignity, protection of individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice to their rightful—and traditionally central—place in American law. We want to strengthen the intellectual underpinnings of—and the public case for—a vision of the law in which these values are paramount. Our goal is a rekindling of the hope that by reason and decency, we can create an America that is better for us all.
Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association
We in APALSA strive to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community in the College of Law and beyond. We work to bring attention and understanding to Asian and Asian American issues and culture, and to provide an academic support system for all students to connect with the APALSA community.
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Catholic Law Student Association
The goal of the Catholic Law Students Association is to build fellowship and bridge divides that would otherwise separate College of Law students.
Corporate Law Society
The Corporate Law Society’s mission is to provide every student with a look into the depth that corporate law practice covers. We strive to put on events that show students various practice areas while also providing alumni engagement. Corporate law can include both transactional as well as litigation and we hope to help students realize their potential in whichever practice their interests take them. By engaging as many students and alumni as possible we hope to form a larger and stronger Syracuse network in the corporate setting.
Criminal Law Society
Disability Law Society
Disability Law Society is an organization of Syracuse University College of Law students who are working to create and support a positive climate toward disability that values individual difference.
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- To raise awareness about disability within the College of Law and greater Syracuse University community.
- To support students who have disabilities; who are interested in pursuing a joint degree related to disability studies; and/or who are
- To provide information and assistance to students, faculty and staff members in the COL and SU community regarding disability; and,
- To provide COL students the opportunity to volunteer in the disability community of the local Syracuse community.
Entertainment & Sports Law Society
he Entertainment and Sports Law Society is open to all Syracuse law students who possess a sincere interest and dedication to the professions of entertainment law and sports law. ESLS organizes an annual student-run Symposium, which welcomes experts from across the entertainment and sports sectors.
Family Law Society
We’ve all sat through Thanksgiving dinner…it’s easy to see why Family Law is a growing dynamic, encompassing Adoption Law, Elderly Law, Poverty Law, Disability Law, Divorce Law, Wills & Estates, Child Welfare, and much, much more.
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Family Life Law Student Association
The Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is an organization dedicated to bringing a conservative and libertarian perspective of the law to the College of Law. The Society brings speakers to campus and conducts other activities to debate and receive different perspectives about various legal ideals.
First Generation Law Students Association
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Jewish Law Students Association
The Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA) is open to all students regardless of religious affiliation. JLSA is a cultural, social, educational, and religious organization that reflects the varied interests of the Jewish student community of the Syracuse University College of Law. JLSA members participate in various cultural, social, and religious events and have an opportunity to meet and interact with members of the larger Jewish community in the University and Syracuse Area.
Korean Law Students Association
We in the Korean Law Students Association (KLSA) pursue a mission of providing a platform for the Korean community in the College of Law to academically support and professionally network with fellow students and alumni in the legal field. We strive to celebrate our cultural identity as we experience the undertakings of law school, and we work towards maintaining a memorable connection and environment with one another.
In KLSA, our mission is to:
- Embody a community of acceptance and support through shared experiences
- Facilitate communication and collaboration between the College of Law community
- Promote Korean causes and efforts in the legal community
Latin American Law Students Association
The Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA) is a student-led organization created with the purpose of creating a space for law students of Hispanic and Latino descent at the College of Law where they can connect with other students of a similar ethnic and linguistic background. Our goal is to foster an environment of unity among our members and also to create a network of support to ensure the academic and professional success of one of the most underrepresented groups in the legal field.
In order to do so, we host social events to help our members get to know each other, invite speakers from outside the Law School to give talks on different topics, partner with legal organizations in the city to expose our members to attorneys in the field, and partner with other organizations in the College of Law with similar interests and affinities to ensure that all voices are heard.
Mental Wellness Society
The purpose of this organization is to provide an open network for students who are conscientious of any mental health, physical health, or issues with addiction to have a group of fellow students and staff for support. MeWS main goal is to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health and addiction and to make a forum available for these students to voice their concerns, discuss these issues with fellow students and staff, and to and to listen to and refer those suffering from substance abuse or mental health issues that may affect one’s work while a student or member of the College of Law.
Sober events will be held by MeWS as an alternative to the traditional “bar” based activities of other organizations. MeWS strives to listen to students in times of need or as a backbone of healthy living while a student in law school. This group will take a lead in helping reshape the discussions around issues outside of basic physical health that are often hidden during a student’s tenure due to the environment and competitive nature of law school.
All members are entitled to privacy of any information that is shared at events or meetings of MeWS. Privacy is a duty of membership; it implies a responsibility in all the members to maintain confidence in the organization. MeWS will also provide assistance and support to any member seeking additional resources on or off campus.
Middle Eastern Law Students Association
Our mission is to provide a safe and educational space that supports Middle Eastern law students and create awareness for the issues the community faces.
National Security Students Association
The National Security Student Association (NSSA) creates a learning environment in which students participate in meaningful discussion on emerging challenges in national security law and policy.
Outlaw
Outlaw is an organization for queer; gender, romantic, and sexual minority (GSRM); and HIV-affected members of the College of Law community, as well as their supporters and friends.
Our mission is to foster an inclusive and welcoming queer community at the College of Law by connecting ourselves within and beyond our campus. As a social, professional, and intellectual home to prospective, current, and past members of the College of Law community, we aim to provide a consistent and sustainable network of support. We sponsor numerous educational and social events throughout the year that unite us with each other and in solidarity with other underrepresented communities on campus.
Phi Alpha Delta (Carmody Chapter)
Phi Alpha Delta Law (PAD) unites students, faculty, and alumni in professional service and social activities. PAD encourages members to promote the ideals of liberty and equal justice under the law, to stimulate excellence in scholarship, and to foster integrity and professional competence. With almost 200 chapters in the country, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity has prominent members in the legal and political community illustrating its purposes of professionalism and integrity in their careers. As one of the largest organizations within the College of Law, we enable our students to develop skills of service to other students, the College of Law, the community, and the profession.
In addition to the contacts and bonds that our members form, the benefits of membership include: participation in a mentoring program with second and third-year law students, personal assistance and advice about test-taking and outlining skills, discounts on restaurants, Bar preparation courses, and everyday needs; as well as recommendations for programs and tracks not readily known to all College of Law students. After law school, all PAD members are offered admission to the United States Supreme Court Bar after 3 years of practice,
The Carmody Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta at Syracuse Law accepts applications throughout the year and recruits and initiates students in the fall and spring semesters. Students are required to pay national dues and maintain good academic standing in order to participate.
Pro Bono Advisory Board
The origin of the term “pro bono” comes from the Latin phrase pro bono publico, which means “for the public good.” In the legal profession, pro bono services are performed by an attorney for free or for a substantially reduced fee to assist people with limited means. As leaders, attorneys have an ethical responsibility to their communities, and often, a professional obligation, to perform pro bono work. Syracuse University College of Law’s Pro Bono program is designed to provide professional engagement opportunities to students and to serve the community. To that end, the College of Law uses Rule 6.1 of the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conducts a framework for the Program.
The Syracuse University College of Law Pro Bono Program is a student-lead initiative that supports connections between law students and legal volunteering opportunities in the community. Our goal is to connect you with opportunities to perform pro bono service, which is overseen by an attorney. Typically, these attorneys work for one of the local legal aid organizations. Participating in pro bono is great for giving back, networking, learning about the community, and getting a feel for different practice areas.
The College of Law and the Pro Bono Advisory Board (“PBAB”) work hard to find as many opportunities as possible. These include legal pro bono and community service activities. The Board will communicate these opportunities to the student body through regular emails. There is a General Interest Meeting every fall where every student can hear more about different opportunities at the College of Law and in the greater community.
The College of Law, Pro Bono Advisory Board, Student Bar Association, and other student organizations provide many community service opportunities as well. These may include volunteering at an animal shelter, blood drives, food drives, GED Tutoring at Auburn Correctional Facility, and many more. Student organizations host various community service and pro bono opportunities as well. Be sure to connect with them directly to let them know of your interest. Students are encouraged to create new opportunities for pro bono and community service.
South Asian Law Students Association
The South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA) at the College of Law seeks to promote and improve the university’s diversity initiative. The organization holds events to promote and educate South Asian culture by events. Some of these events that promote and educate about South Asian culture have included a movie night where a South Asian movie is played and Indian food is served, Diwali celebration, and Henna night. All currently enrolled students are encouraged to join in celebrating South Asian culture.
Syracuse Animal Legal Defense Fund
Syracuse Public Interest Network
The Syracuse Public Interest Network, (“SPIN”), is a student-run organization at the Syracuse University College of Law committed to fostering the careers of students who intend to advocate for the public interest. Through a variety of programming, SPIN seeks to instill a sense of passion for pro bono efforts and community service in the students at the Syracuse University College of Law, as well as create a public interest network for students to connect with alumni, practitioners and the community.
SPIN raises money to provide grants for College of Law students with SPIN Fellowships, who are employed during the summer in the public interest legal field. Broadly defined, public interest employment includes public service, government work, judicial clerkships, and Fellowships. Public interest organizations tend to represent people and issues that might otherwise lack meaningful representation in the legal system. The necessity of such representation cannot be emphasized enough; because without public interest organizations, the nation’s legal system would serve only those who can afford counsel.
Public interest practice is often considered work done in pursuit of individual or group concepts of justice, equity and advancing the public good, rather than for purposes of commercial or personal gain. Public interest practitioners strive to remedy social and legal injustices, consistent with their values and political perspective. By supporting students who would otherwise be financially unable to accept positions in the public interest sector, SPIN increases legal services to those who cannot afford to hire an attorney themselves.
Syrian Accountability Project
The Syrian Accountability Project (SAP) is an internationally recognized cooperative effort between activists, non-governmental organizations, students, and other interested parties to document war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the Syrian Crisis.
The project aims to produce non-partisan, high quality analysis of open source materials and to catalogue that information relative to applicable bodies of law; including, the Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and Syrian Penal Law.
The SAP primarily creates documentation products in a narrative and graphical format, as well as a quarterly and annual trend analysis of ongoing crimes. Furthermore, the SAP publishes issue-specific white papers. Its clients include the Syrian National Council, United Nations, U.S. Department of State, and the International Criminal Court.
Veterans Issues, Support Initiative, & Outreach Network (VISION)
Veteran’s Issues, Support Initiative and Outreach Network (VISION) was created with the aim to better serve the local veteran population in Syracuse and the surrounding areas. VISION provides veteran legal support and services, community outreach, and veteran policy research to support various veteran issues. VISION strives to better connect the College of Law with our veteran population.
Women's Law Student Association
The Women’s Law Students Association provides a forum for the discussion and advancement of women in legal education and the legal profession. It creates a graduate network to enable women in the legal profession and in law school to learn from and support one another, and to address societal impacts of women on the law.