Student Activities

Hawaii Law School Release on NNALSA Moot Court

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

MORE THAN 100 LAW STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN HAWAIʻI

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI: Law students representing 28 law schools will argue for and against native political recognition, as well as a native government’s right to determine its membership, when they compete in the 20th annual National Native American Law Students Association’s moot court competition. The upcoming competition, hosted at the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, will take place on February 24-25, 2012. A symposium on the issues highlighted in the problem will take place the day after the competition on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

UH Law Associate Professor and Director of Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law, Melody K. MacKenzie authored the competition problem. Three outside reviewers also reviewed the problem to ensure its fairness and accuracy. Designed to simulate the practice of law, the annual event requires competing law students in 2-person teams to conduct research and write legal briefs, without assistance from professors or others, and argue against other student teams at the competition.

Participating law schools include Arizona State University, Columbia, Cornell, UCLA, the University of Michigan, and the University of Washington, and 22 others.

Competition organizers are hoping to recruit more attorneys to serve as competition judges over the two-day event.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a lead sponsor of the event.

Hawai`i’s only law school last hosted this competition in 2000 shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court decided Rice v. Cayetano. That case resolved whether non-Hawaiians may vote in elections for trustees of the office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Derek Kauanoe, an event organizer noted, “we’re very excited to host the 20th annual event and to have so many competitors. It’s an opportunity to focus on some of the issues important to the Native Hawaiian community and to educate law students and attorneys across the U.S. about those matters.”

More information is available on the competition web page at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~nalsa/mootcourt.html

National NALSA Moot Court Brief Judges Needed

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Shawn Watts:

Aloha!

Now that the holidays are coming to close, we are reaching out in hopes that you are willing to score briefs for the NNALSA Moot Court Competition.
We hope to get about 60 volunteers to score briefs, but we are far short as of now. If we do get 60, that will mean each judge will have three or fewer briefs to score. We have changed the moot court rules so that briefs will be submitted electronically. That means it will be easier to get the briefs to you and for you to get them back to us.
Signing up to score briefs is easier than ever thanks to this website that Hawaii has set up to streamline the process:
So, if you are willing to score briefs, sign up at the site above. Or, if you have questions about the process, please contact the competition organizer Maria Carmichael at maria.ann.carmichael@gmail.com, Derek Kauanoe at derek.kauanoe@gmail.com, or the competition administrator, National NALSA vice president, James Simermeyer at simermja@law.unm.edu.
The competition is just around the corner and we need your help to make the experience a rewarding one for the competitors!

National NALSA Indian Law Writing Competition

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

11th Annual NNALSA Writing Competition

Hosted by Lewis and Clark Law School NALSA Chapter

 Submission Deadline: 5:00 pm PST, January 15, 2012.

All submissions must be electronically submitted to nalsacomp@lclark.edu.

The purpose of the competition is to recognize excellence in legal research and writing related to Indian law,  actively encourage the development of writing skills of NNALSA members, and enhance substantive knowledge in the fields of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and traditional forms of governance. The competition is open to matriculated law students at any point in their law school career and regardless of race or tribal membership status. Eligible topics are Federal Indian law and policy, Tribal law and policy,International law and policy concerning indigenous peoples, and Comparative Law (i.e intertribal or government-to-government studies). Existing work is welcomed.

  • First Prize – $1000.00 – Sponsored by Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker
  • Second Prize –  $500.00 – Sponsored by SNR Denton
  • Third Prize – $250.00 – Sponsored by Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry

All awardees will also be recognized at the National NALSA yearly conference.

Writing Competition general information

Registration Form (please email nalsacomp@lclark.edu for the .doc version)

Writing Competition Rules

LEAD Summer Business Institute for American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian High School Juniors

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Deadline: January 9, 2012

LEAD Summer Business Institute
for Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian
High School Juniors

Dartmouth College
Duke University
Stanford University
University of Pennsylvania

The LEAD Summer Business Institute is a dynamic summer program open to Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian high school students in their junior year. Students spend 3-4 weeks on a college campus learning about exciting careers in business and finance. Students take finance, business, accounting and marketing classes with world-renowned professors and converse with executives during corporate site visits at companies such as Google and Apple. Tribal leaders and Native American professionals share with students exciting business developments and help them to understand how a financial career can benefit tribal communities. Students also participate in field trips to amusement parks and sporting events.

Cost and Scholarships: The cost of the program is $1,250 plus round trip airfare. Significant full and partial scholarships are available through NAFOA. Last year, 98% of students received financial aid.

Download an Application at: www.nafoa.org
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NAFOA Scholarship Program
For Tribal College, Undergraduate and Graduate Students

NAFOA is dedicated to supporting Native people pursuing their education. We are pleased to offer merit-based scholarships to Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students. Eligible majors include: Accounting, Business Administration, Economics or Finance. Awards are based upon academic merit, demonstrated involvement within the Native American community and demonstrated commitment to improving indigenous communities through a career in finance. Deadline: January 6, 2012

Download an Application at: www.nafoa.org

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NAFOA – Since 1982 – Bill Lomax – President

Reminder: Udall Foundation Congressional Internship Program Deadline — Jan. 31, 2012

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Udall Foundation:

The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2012.

Thank you for your interest in the Udall Foundation’s Native American Congressional Internship Program.

This ten-week summer internship in Washington, D.C. is for Native American and Alaska Native students who wish to learn more about the federal government and issues affecting Indian Country. The internship is fully funded: the Foundation provides round-trip airfare, housing, per diem for food and incidentals, and a stipend at the close of the program.

Below are resources available on our website, including:

Michigan State Native Heritage Month Events

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Correction to the flyer–the Veteran’s Day Feast is on November 9th, not November 10th. Same place, same time, however.

Udall Congressional Internship Information 2012

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Fully-Funded Congressional Internship for Native American and Alaska Native Students!

If you’re committed to applying your education and training directly to solving problems in Indian Country and are interested in learning about policy issues that impact Native communities, check out the Udall Foundation’s Native American Congressional Internship Program!

The Native American Congressional Internship is a ten-week summer internship in Washington, DC for Native American and Alaska Native students who wish to learn more about the federal government and issues affecting Indian country. Interns work in congressional and agency offices where they have opportunities to research legislative issues important to tribal communities, network with key public officials and tribal advocacy groups, experience an insider’s view of the federal government, and enhance their understanding of nation-building and tribal self-governance.

The Udall Foundation provides housing, travel to and from DC, a per diem for everyday expenses, and an educational stipend at the close of the program. Current graduate students, law students, and undergraduate juniors and seniors are eligible to apply along with recent graduates of four-year and tribal colleges.

For full eligibility requirements and additional information, please visit www.udall.gov or contact Mia Ibarra at Ibarra@udall.gov.

Application Deadline:  January 31, 2012

Michigan Law Student Protest at Commencement against Anti-Gay Senator

ilpc1 Comment

Here (video link also):

In many ways Senior Day 2011 at the Michigan Law School was like any other commencement ceremony. Graduates donned caps and gowns. They discussed their time together and their plans for the future. Families asked passersby to snap photos of themselves with the new lawyer in the clan. Graduates and guests laughed politely at Dean Evan Caminker’s attempts at humor. It was a day of celebration.

But it was also a time for protest.

As families and friends entered Hill Auditorium they were handed a pamphlet explaining how this year’s Senior Day ceremony would be a little bit different than normal. The pamphlet explained the students’ plans to walk out during Senator Rob Portman’s commencement address.

Portman, a 1984 alum of the law school, was a six-term congressman before being tapped by President George W. Bush in 2005 to serve as the U.S. Trade Representative and, later, director of the Office of Management and the Budget, both cabinet-level positions. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2010.

Portman came under fire for his voting record. He has opposed gay adoption in Washington, D.C. and opposes gay marriage. A number of students who took part in the protest said that such views are incompatible with basic, human dignity.

Continue reading →

National NALSA Election Results

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The new National NALSA board is:

 

President

Shawn Watts

Columbia Law School

 

Vice President

James Simermeyer

University of New Mexico School of Law

 

Secretary

Christina Snider

UCLA School of Law

 

Treasurer

Caitlin Smith

Columbia Law School

 

American Bar Association Liaison

Jenny Patten

Columbia Law School

 

Public Relations Director

Precious Benally

Columbia Law School

Continue reading →

Michigan NALSA Indian Law Day — April 1, 2011

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the schedule:

Rights, Resources, Respect: Native American Environmental & Land Use Issues

Michigan Law School, Room 132 Hutchins Hall

12:00 pm: Light lunch

12:15 pm: Colette Routel, Assistant Professor of Law at WilliamMitchell College of Law (speaking about the intersection ofenvironmental & Indian law)

1:00 pm: Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Associate Professor of Law & Directorof the Indigenous Law & Policy Center of Michigan State University College of Law and Nick Reo, Post-Doc, University of Michigan Schoolof Natural Resources & Environment (speaking about traditionalindigenous knowledge and how it might help to influence environmentalpolicy)

1:50 pm: 10 minute break

2:00 pm: Kirsten Carlson, Indian Law Resource Center (discussing howtribes can encourage the mainstream environmental community torecognize them separate sovereigns who can manage their ownenvironmental affairs)

2:45 pm: End