The SBA coordinates many different activities within the law school including:

Arbitration

Arbitration is the law center’s happy hour. Events include drinks and food, and are usually held two to three times a semester. Arbitrations are usually held in the courtyard area of TUII and admission is free for all students.

Bookswap

Bookswap is one of the fantastic services the SBA offers to students. The Bookswap is a consignment shop where students, faculty, and alumni can buy or sell used casebooks and study aids. SBA also sells t-shirts and other items in the Bookswap. The hours of operation are posted on the Bookswap information page within this website.

Committees

The SBA nominates students to serve on various Law Center committees seeking student representatives. Although the committees that exits change from year to year, representative types of committees include the Curriculum, Facilities, Student Affairs, Safety and Secuity, Faculty Affairs, and Faculty Appointments (faculty hiring) Committee. SBA also nominates students to serve on the Honor Court.

Sports

• Softball: The SBA coordinates UHLC’s participation in the annual Triple Play Softball Tournament. The tournament is run by the South Texas College of Law and features teams from all three of Houston’s law schools and numerous law firms. This event is held in the fall.
• Flag Football: In prior years, UHLC has held an intramural flag football competition in the spring. In 2007, the tournament was expanded to include South Texas College of Law and is now known as the Bayou City Barrister’s Bowl. The flag football tournament is held in the spring.

Forums and Advocacy

As the official student government at the University of Houston Law Center, SBA conducts a forum each semester to hear student concerns, complaints, and suggestions. SBA stays in contact with the law center’s administration and works to represent the interests of students, particularly in addressing issues raised in the forums.

Halloween Party

The Halloween Party is on of the Law Center’s strongest traditions. Held each fall, several hundred law students attend the event which is held off-campus, usually on a Saturday evening. Wild costumes and fun await what is usually the last major event before the fall final exam season. The party usually features an open bar and admission is free for active SBA members.

Spring Fling

Spring Fling is the SBA’s major off-campus party held in the spring. Like the Halloween Party, it is well-attended and always fun! The event is free for active SBA members.

The Follies

The Follies is a generation-old law school tradition where students spend months organizing skits parodying their professors, aiming to offend as many as possible. Anything goes! In the past, student bands and professional comedians have performed. The Follies at the University of Houston Law Center takes place in Krost Hall every spring semester.

Holiday Toy Drive

The Law Center’s toy drive is an annual charity event intended to give law students an opportunity to volunteer during the holiday season. The Toy Drive is sponsored by Dean Richard Alderman, “The People’s Lawyer,” and also serves to foster awareness within the legal community of our societal responsibilities. Law students collect donations from professors, classmates, and others during lunch, in their sections for the toy drive.

1L Orientation and Mentoring

Mentoring and New Student Orientation Mentoring is an important program that unites 1L’s with upperclassmen and the administration. Each spring, students are selected by the SBA to serve as mentors for the incoming 1L class. The mentors work together to plan events, offer advice, and guide new students during the notorious first-year of law school. The mentoring program in integral to the administration of SBA because it provides an opportunity for students of all classes and sections to communicate with each other and SBA about concerns, complaints, issues, and ideas.

Locker Rentals

SBA manages all the lockers in the Law Center and rents them to students. Contact Randy Macchi if you would like to rent a locker for the 2008-2009 school year, his e-mail address is rvmacchi@central.uh.edu.

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Questions, comments? Email us at sba@uh.edu.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on these pages are those of the author. The contents of these pages are not necessarily those of the University of Houston Law Center.

Problems with the site? Contact the Webmaster: Randy Macchi (rvmacchi@central.uh.edu)