Students
Student Organizations
The University of Houston Law Center extends learning beyond the classroom with a full range of student organizations, extracurricular activities, alumni networking opportunities and interscholastic competitions. Student groups represent special interests and provide important avenues to help law students succeed. Many arrange mentoring programs and match first-year students with second- or third-year students or working professionals. Others coordinate resume-writing workshops, guest speaker forums, preregistration discussions of specific course offerings, or law-related charitable efforts that benefit the community. Student groups recognized by the Law Center include:
Association of Future Prosecutors
Contact: Mallory Mc Kenney mamckenn@central.uh.edu
Association of Future Prosecutors is a student organization for those students who are interested in becoming prosecutors. Prosecutors have the important role of upholding justice in the criminal courts. Our organization plans to prepare students to take on this role by hosting informational sessions about job opportunities, holding networking events with current prosecutors, and by exploring issues involved with actually being a prosecutor.
The Advocates
Office:713-743-2190
Ashley Hymel amhymel2@central.uh.edu Executive Chair
Andrew Dao aadao@central.uh.edu Vice Chair, Finance
Blair Leake bjleake@central.uh.edu Vice Chair, Public Relations
The Advocates is a student-run law school organization that is devoted to developing oral advocacy and improving trial and appellate presentation skills through mock trial and moot court competitions. The Advocates provide students with an opportunity to experience litigation and to develop the advocacy tools used by practicing attorneys.
Advocates for Life
Ben Smolij bdsmolij@central.uh.edu President
The Advocates for Life at the University of Houston Law Center is a chapter of a national organization of law students dedicated to promoting awareness of the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death and to fostering balanced and open discussion about the fundamental right to life in the legal community.
Aggie Law Society
Natasha Breaux nbbreaux@central.uh.edu President
The Aggie Law Society promotes the unity of Former Students of Texas A&M University who attend UHLC. The organization intends to meet this goal through social events, fundraising, community service, networking opportunities, and informational meetings.
American Bar Association
Samantha Soliz slsoliz2@central.uh.edu Student Representative
American Civil Liberties Union; UHLC Club
Jeffrey Adams jsadams2@central.uh.edu President
The American Civil Liberties Union; University of Houston Law Center Club works to ensure that students are educated about their rights and that those rights are protected. ACLU: UHLC Club also seeks to educate and inform the Law Center and its surrounding community with respect to outside civil liberties/civil rights issues. ACLU; UHLC Club fulfills its mission through educational events and various campaigns targeting specific issues.
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
Elizabeth Eakin eaeakin@central.uh.edu President
The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS) is one of the nation's leading progressive legal organizations. Founded in 2001, ACS is a rapidly growing network of lawyers, law students, scholars, judges, policymakers and other concerned individuals. Our mission is to ensure that fundamental principles of human dignity, individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice enjoy their rightful, central place in American law.
ACS aims to revitalize and transform the legal and policy debates occurring in law school classrooms, federal and state courtrooms, legislative hearing rooms and the media. Through student and lawyer chapters all across the country, and programs and projects at both the national and local level, ACS:
- promotes a progressive vision of the Constitution, law and public policy;
- educates lawyers, law students, decision-makers and the public about the historic basis and vitality of such a vision and its importance for the lives of real people;
- strengthens the intellectual underpinnings for progressive law and policy in the United States; and
- continues to build a diverse and dynamic national network.
Asian Law Students Association (ALSA)
Office:713-743-2220
Stephen Mao samao@central.uh.edu President
The Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) is an organization of students who share an interest in Asian affairs. The organization shares as a forum for exchanging views concerning the Asian community - both abroad and domestic. Topics of discussion include affirmative action, immigration reform, and available employment opportunities.
The Association of Women in Law (AWIL)
Office:713-743-2196
Jennifer Taveras jwtavera@central.uh.edu President
The Association of Women in Law (AWIL) is an organization at the UH Law Center that provides female UHLC students with guidance, support and encouragement during their years in law school. AWIL also gives its members an opportunity to better serve their community and strives to provide a forum for law students to become familiar with women's issues in the legal profession.
Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
Office:713-743-2221
Tamecia Glover Harris tsglover@central.uh.edu President
The Black Law Student Association (BLSA) is the local chapter of the National Black Law Students Association. BLSA fosters and encourages the success of Black law students in law school and the legal community. Seeking to utilize the talents and resources of its members, BLSA promotes and encourages professional competence, community service and meaningful change in the local community.
Christian Legal Society (CLS)
Meredith Rice mrrice@central.uh.edu President
This a wholly religious student organization organized to promote the concept of the Christian lawyer and help Christian lawyers integrate their faith with their professional lives. The organization provides a forum for the discussion of problems relating to Christianity and the law, and with bar associations and other organizations in asserting and maintaining high standards of legal ethics.
Corporate & Taxation Law Society (CTLS)
Pegah Rahgozar prahgoza@central.uh.edu President
The Corporate & Taxation Law Society is an organization dedicated to promoting the fields of Corporate and Tax law to students of the Law Center. The organization seeks to meet this goal through facilitating informative meetings, providing guidance, and promoting awareness of legal opportunities in the community.
The Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, International Cullen Senate
Delta Theta Phi Is a professional legal fraternal organization committed to providing a spirit of cooperation by offering an opportunity for lawyers and law students to promote their personal, professional, and intellectual growth through networking, leadership training, scholarship, guidance, and a collective responsibility to the fraternity and the future of the legal profession.
Energy and Environmental Law Society (EELS)
Aseel Saqer arsaqer@central.uh.edu President
The Energy and Environmental Law Society introduces the burgeoning fields of environmental and energy law to its members, as well as, addressing all aspects of the professions. ELS is active in community service by performing pro bono research and assisting in activities such as the Texas Coastal Cleanup.
The Environmental & Energy Law & Policy Journal
Office: 713-743-3040
Ryan Becker rtbecker@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Adam Fomby awfomby@central.uh.edu Managing Editor
The Environmental & Energy Law & Policy Journal's goal is to be the premier interdisciplinary publication dealing with the intersection of environmental and energy law and policy issues. EELPJ will bring together a broad constituency of industry representatives, legal practitioners and academics, and policy makers and regulators. The journal will publish two issues a year. One issue will include feature articles, casenotes and comments. The second will be based around a symposium on topics relevant to the journal's diverse audience. Both publications will include a Recent Developments section that provides brief updates on interesting cases, administrative actions, publications, and events. Because environmental and energy technologies, regulations, and markets can change quickly, the journal will offer a rolling online publication in addition to its biannual print publication.
Evening Law Students Association
Joanna Troy jktroy@central.uh.edu President
The purposes of the Evening Law Student Association (ELSA) are: 1) promote and foster development of the members through organizational activities, mentoring of new members, interaction with the Houston legal community and other worthy enterprises: 2) to provide a forum for the membership to discuss current issues; and 3) to provide a mechanism for the evening students of the University of Houston Law Center to formally present their concerns to the Deans, Faculty and Staff.
Family Law Organization
Cara Johnson chjohns2@central.uh.edu President
The Family Law Organization seeks to promote legal awareness of the field of family law at the UH Law Center and Houston legal community. We provide an opportunity for students interested in family law to bond, interact, and network. Please join our group on Facebook: "UHLC Family Law Organization."
Federalist Society
Garrett Gibson gagibson@central.uh.edu President
The Federalist Society is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of legal order. The Society seeks to promote an awareness of the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be.
Health Law Organization (HLO)
Nakis Urfi nurfi@central.uh.edu President
The Health Law Organization (HLO) is an organization for students who share an interest in legal issues related to health and the health care industry. HLO provides a forum for discussion of the legal, medical and ethical issues which pertain to health law and policy, and participates in community outreach and public service events.
Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA)
Office:713-743-2219
Steven Herrera scherre2@central.uh.edu President
The Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA) is an organization dedicated to promoting a more successful representation of Hispanics in the legal profession and community as a whole. The organization strives to meet these goals through facilitating Hispanic students transition into Law School, providing guidance and fostering social awareness in the community.
The Honor Court is a student organization created to adjudicate violations of the Law Center's Honor Code, to educate students about the Honor Code, and to promote ethics in the Law Center's aspiring lawyers. The Honor Court provides students with the opportunity to make ethics a part of their everyday lives, and to use trial advocacy and evidentiary skills in a real proceeding.
Houston Business and Tax Law Journal
Office:713-743-0922
Kelsey King kaking2@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Marion Phillips mnphilli@central.uh.edu Managing Editor
The Houston Business and Tax Law Journal ("HBTLJ") is a scholarly journal managed and distributed by students at the University of Houston Law Center. The Journal serves the scholarly interests of students, academics, and professionals within the legal community. HBTLJ is a medium for thought provoking academic discussions and practical application insights in the following areas of law: Corporate, Securities, Bankruptcy, Antitrust, Intellectual Property, Employment, Labor, Mergers/Acquisitions, and Tax.
Houston Journal of Health Law and Policy
Office:713-743-0768
Jarrett Dziuk jsdziuk@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Kevin Green kmgreen@central.uh.edu Managing Editor
The Houston Journal of Health Law and Policy ("HJHL&P") publishes two issues devoted to health law and policy topics each year. HJHL&P is operated by student editors and candidates, with the assistance of faculty editors Professor Richard Saver, J.D. and Professor Barbara Evans, Ph.D., J.D., L.L.M. HJHL&P publishes an issue devoted to general health law topics in the fall and an annual symposium issue in the spring. HJHL&P uses an anonymous peer review process for the selection of professional articles; the peer reviewers are nationally recognized legal and medical experts from across the country. Student candidates also write articles, which may be published in HJHL&P's fall issue. HJHL&P provides members with many networking opportunities with local health law attorneys during the year. Student members are selected from the top twenty-percent of the class and through the Law Center's annual write-on competition. Members typically have either a background in health care or a strong interest in the field.
Houston Journal of International Law (HJIL)
Office:713-743-2212
Brooke Sizer besizer@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Todd Latiolais tjlatiol@central.uh.edu Managing Editor
The Houston Journal of International Law is a scholarly legal journal that is published three times annually. Each issue includes articles by leading legal scholars, book reviews by both scholars and legal practitioners, and student- written case notes and comments on topics of international legal significance.
Houston Law Review
Office:713-743-2247
Matthew Hoffman mchoffm2@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Katharine Larson kbtaylo2@central.uh.edu Managing Editor
The Houston Law Review is a student organization that publishes quarterly issues annually, in addition to a symposium issue each spring. The Houston Law Review contains articles on current legal issues written by academicians, judges, practicing attorneys, and other legal scholars, as well as selected Law Review students. The Review serves the local and national legal communities through its publications, but also provides its members with an opportunity to perfect their research, writing, and organizational skills.
Houston Young Lawyers Association (HYLA)
Catherine Zarate cazarate@central.uh.edu Student Representative
HYLA (Houston Young Lawyers Association) is a specialty bar association which offers an associate membership for law students. HYLA is a fun, diverse organization that gives its membership an opportunity to serve the community, socialize, network, and enjoy recreational activities. HYLA is a great way to meet people in the Houston law community, to make friends and to be leaders.
Intellectual Property Student Organization (IPSO)
Sujohn Das sdas3@central.uh.edu President
The Intellectual Property Student Organization is an association of Law Center students dedicated to helping its membership enhance their professional development in conjunction with the Law Center’s Institute for Intellectual Property and Information Law (IPIL), the greater Law Center community, and the Houston bar. IPSO members have opportunities for networking with leading Houston attorneys who are involved in both litigation and transactions for IP & IL, both at IPSO-organized presentations at the Law Center, and at various other events. IPSO also: facilitates student involvement in various local and national competitions such as moot court opportunities in IP & IL; develops materials and venues to assist its members with their employment search; maintains an active IPSO alumni outreach through the IPSO membership web site; provides mentoring to incoming Law Center students with an engineering, science or technical background in order to allow such students to leverage their strengths in the academic matters of law school while avoiding the pitfalls often encountered by such students; and, through the IPSO Officers, maintains a collaborative relationship with the Law Center IPIL faculty.
International Law Society (ILS)
Lillian Baker labaker@central.uh.edu President
The International Law Society is an organization of students sharing an interest in international law and affairs. ILS endeavors to integrate students into this increasingly vital area of law by providing a forum for domestic and foreign students, practitioners, and academics to exchange ideas and opportunities in international law.
Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law
Office:713-743-5701
Nadia Barrow nabarrow@central.uh.edu Editor in Chief
Kelsey Stokes klstokes@central.uh.edu Chief Managing Editor
Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law is one of the few publications in the country devoted to issues related to consumer law. The Journal has been in existence for more than twenty years and is published four times a year. It is the official publication of the Consumer Law Section of the State Bar and is distributed to more than 2000 lawyers, judges, and law professors. Membership is open to any student following the completion of the first year of law school.
J. Reuben Clark Law Society
UH Student Chapter
Jonathon Jansen jejansen@central.uh.edu President
The Law Society is guided by the philosophy, personal example, and values of its namesake, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. Those values include: (1) public service; (2) loyalty to the rule of law; and (3) appreciation for the religious dimension in society and in a lawyer’s personal life. We affirm the strength brought to the law by a lawyer's personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and professional excellence to promote fairness and virtue founded upon the rule of law.
Law-Horns at the University of Houston Law Center
Michael Hoffman mjhoffma@central.uh.edu President
The purpose of the this organization is to promote unity among former students of the University of Texas at Austin who attend the University of Houston Law Center, and to develop contacts with other alumni of the University of Texas involved in the field of Law. The organization intends to meet this goal through social events, fundraising, community service, networking opportunities and informational meetings.
Law Student Assistance Program of Houston
Kathy Goodwin kmgoodwi@central.uh.edu President
The Law Student Assistance Program of Houston (LSAP-Houston) serves a function that is more than purely social and fills an important need at the University of Houston Law Center not already being met by other organizations. LSAP-Houston seeks to become a student organization at the University of Houston Law Center to help current and future lawyers develop healthy coping strategies to deal with the rigors and stresses of legal study and practice. We recognize that the legal profession may place today’s attorney and law students in a consistently high-stress environment and that this strain may sometimes drive lawyers and law students to develop unhealthy habits in order to cope. As a result, it is well documented at our profession is at high risk for substance abuse, mental illness, depression, and other dependencies. Our aim is to provide law students at the University of Houston with information, alternative methods, and assistance in dealing with stresses of legal practice.
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
Kristen Young knyoung2@central.uh.edu President
Law Students for Reproductive Justice is a national nonprofit network of law students and lawyers. Our organization educates, organizes, and supports law students to ensure that a new generation of advocates will be prepared to protect and expand reproductive rights as basic civil and human rights.
Military Law Society
Russell Gifford rlgiffor@central.uh.edu President
The purpose of the Military Law Society is to encourage and provide informed discussion regarding issues of military law, primarily focusing on current legal issues affecting the military. The Military Law Society is not an advocacy organization, and will not take positions on any issues, instead providing viewpoints from all sides of a given issue. In addition, the Military Law Society will work to enhance students' career opportunities after law school by networking with current and former members of the military, whether Judge Advocate General or otherwise, assisting students with internships in positions related to military law, and educating students regarding the benefits arising from military service.
Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA)
Nakis Urfi nurfi@central.uh.edu President
Muslim Law Students Association's purpose is to serve the social, spiritual, and intellectual needs of the Muslim students at UHLC. MLSA intends to provide a needed forum open to all students and faculty designed to encourage free dialogue and debate on issues relating to Islamic law, society, and politics concerning the U.S. and the Muslim world. MLSA seeks to encourage understanding and harmony between people of all faiths.
Native American Law Students Association
Cara Johnson chjohns2@central.uh.edu President
The Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) promotes the study of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and traditional forms of governance, and supports Native Americans in law school. We strive to reach out to Native communities and encourage Native People to pursue legal education. We also strive to educate the legal community about Native issues.
Order of The Barons
Brian Finch bafinch@central.uh.edu Chief Baron
The Order of the Barons is the student-run scholastic honor society of the University of Houston Law Center. The purpose of The Order of the Barons is to recognize outstanding students who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their law studies.
OutLaw: Students for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Concerns
Caleb Talbot cjtalbot@central.uh.edu President
OutLaw: Students for GLBT Concerns is an organization devoted to the issues of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender students at the law school. All students are welcome to join regardless of sexual orientation.
Phi Alpha Delta ( PAD)
Farrah Najmuddin fmnajmud@central.uh.edu Justice
Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) is an international organization that encourages student leaders to discover and develop important skills as leadership, public speaking, public relations, etc. PAD provides its members with support through educational aids, professional programs, job preparation, networking, scholarships and loans, and law-related education.
Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity - Hutcheson Inn
Jarrett Dzuik jsdzuik@central.uh.edu Acting Magister (no elections yet)
Phi Delta Phi is an international legal fraternity established to promote a higher standard of legal ethics. Phi Delta Phi is an honor fraternity that offers camaraderie. networking, good fellowship, and promotion of the highest standard of professional and personal ethics. Tangible benefits include scholarships, loans, and regional and international meetings and conventions.
Public Interest Law Organization (PILO, formerly Equal Justice Coalition)
Julia Zhang jyzhang@central.uh.edu President
The Public Interest Law Organization provides support to students who choose to pursue a career in public interest law or want to make service a large part of their private practice. PILO administers a voluntary pro bono program recognized by the Dean, funds as many grants as possible to financially support students who work in the public interest during the summer, and provides information on possible job opportunities to the students.
The Second Amendment Society
Byron Brown blbrown3@central.uh.edu President
The Second Amendment is an integral part of our Bill of Rights, yet there is more discussion devoted in law school—both in courses and in student organizations—to rights “contained in the penumbras” of other amendments than to the right to which the Second Amendment itself explicitly pertains. Therefore, the purpose of the Second Amendment Society is to promote the philosophical and practical aspects of the right of the people to keep and bear arms by generating an interest in the preservation and encouraging the safe, legal, and responsible exercise thereof.
South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA)
Nakis Urfi nurfi@central.uh.edu President
The purpose of SALSA shall be to promote the professional development and fulfill the cultural needs of its members; facilitate the exchange of ideas and information to its members; educate the University of Houston Law Center community about South Asian culture; and maintain affiliations with the Houston area South Asian legal community.
Sports and Entertainment Law Organization
Justen Barks jsbarks@central.uh.edu Acting President
The Sports and Entertainment Law Organization (SELO) is an organization of students that focus on career prospects and opportunities in the field of Sports Law and Entertainment.
State Bar of Texas
Russell Gifford rlgiffor@central.uh.edu Student Liaison
St. Thomas More Society
Todd Latiolais President tjlatiol@central.uh.edu
The St. Thomas More Society at the University of Houston Law Center (STMS) is dedicated to the ideals of St. Thomas More, Patron Saint of Lawyers and Statesmen. STMS is an organization formed to promote education and enrichment on the moral and ethical duties of lawyers as Catholics and Christians in the world.
The Student Bar Association (SBA)
Office: 713-743-5807
Bookswap: 713-743-7441
Student Organizations Suite: 713-743-9333
Megan Daic madaic@central.uh.edu President
Katy Gray kgray2@central.uh.edu Vice President
The Student Bar Association (SBA) is the students' organization at the Law Center. SBA represents the needs and concerns of the student body to faculty and UHLC administration, represents UHLC in the local and national law communities, serves as the umbrella organization of all other UHLC student groups, and sponsors a variety of social and networking events throughout the school year. The SBA also runs Bookswap as a student service. You can find the most up-to-date Bookswap hours and SBA news by visiting the SBA web page, updated daily.
U.S. Mexico Bar Association (USMBA) Student Chapter
Luis Gutierrez lagutier@central.uh.edu President
The U.S. Mexico Bar Association Student Chapter is an organization dedicated to promoting the study and interest of transnational law to the students of the University of Houston Law Center community. The organization seeks the goal through holding regular meetings, providing guidance and hosting relevant speakers.
