Student Organizations

Student Representatives:

President: Abby Coogan

Faculty Advisors: Rachel Smith and Nancy Oliver

Student Representatives:

• President: Patrick Sivak
• Vice President: Julia Healy
• Secretary: Haley Dominique
• Treasurer: Zainab Raza
• Resource Coordinator: Vickey Young

The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Club promotes negotiation and dispute resolution activities at UC Law. The students assist with organizing UC Law's internal negotiation competition, and when scheduled, with the Mid-West Regional Competition. From time to time, the ADR Club also hosts speakers on topics in negotiation and dispute resolution.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Lawrence

Student Representatives:

• President: Josh Lang

The American Constitution Society (ACS) promotes the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy and the rule of law. ACS believes that law can and should be a force for improving the lives of all people. We are revitalizing and transforming legal and policy debates in classrooms, courtrooms, legislatures and the media, and we are building a diverse and dynamic network of progressives committed to justice. Through these efforts, ACS will ensure that the institutions of American law reflect the highest values of our nation and serve the needs of its people.

Faculty Advisor: Dean Tomain

• President: Madeline Brown

Contact: acsuclaw@gmail.com

The Asian Pacific Law Students Association serves the interests and needs of students with ethnic and/or cultural ties to Asia and the Pacific Rim. Sponsoring symposiums, workshops, and social events, the organization heightens awareness of Asian Americans in the legal community. Through active participation, members derive a sense of self-empowerment, while developing invaluable leadership skills.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Houh

Student Representatives:

• President: Gabby Maramara

Faculty Advisor: Professor McMahon

Student Representatives:

• President: Emily Schmidt
• Vice President: Patrick Maney
• Secretary: Stephen Cordle
• Treasurer: Emily Gamber

Faculty Advisors: Yolanda Vazquez and Meghan Mooris

Student Representatives:

• President: Madison White

The University of Cincinnati Chapter of BLSA is an active participant in the National Black Law Students Association. BLSA was created in 1969 with the goal of opening law school doors and enhancing the quality of legal education for African-American students throughout the United States. BLSA has been instrumental in providing African-Americans with expanded access to the field of law during the 70's, 80's, and 90's. In the 21st Century, BLSA is poised to continue advocating for major increases in the number of African-American faculty hired and African-American students admitted to law schools throughout the United States. Although many doors have opened, many more remain closed; consequently BLSA's job is hardly over. African-Americans are still disproportionately under represented in the legal arena. To prevent erosion of the advances made by BLSA, the organization is determined to push onward with continued vigor. BLSA has established a strong working relationship with the National Bar Association, Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati and many other national and local organizations. BLSA does not seek to isolate itself from the law school community, rather it advocates cooperation and involvement of its members with other students, student organizations, faculty and staff. In fact, members of BLSA are active in Law Review, Moot Court, Student Bar Association, Student Court, the Urban Morgan Human Rights Institute, Student Legal Education Committee, and the Honor Council, must to name a few. Each year, in conjunction with the Moot Court program, BLSA sends teams to the Frederick Douglass Moot Court competition sponsored by the National Black Law Students Association. During the academic school year BLSA presents speakers from the legal community whose expertise can offer stimulating insight into the field of law and enhance the quality of legal education at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Indeed, BLSA is ready for the challenges of the 21st Century and beyond.

Preamble: (from Our Constitution)

We, the members of the Black Law Students Association at the University of Cincinnati, in order to promote the development of committed Black law students and lawyers, to inform Black law students and to encourage participation of Black law students in the affairs of the Black community, to increase the representation of Black law students, faculty members and administrators at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and to promote unity and awareness, do hereby establish this Constitution for the University of Cincinnati Chapter of the Black Law Students Association. The purpose of BLSA shall be to represent the views of Black students at the University of Cincinnati College of Law; to provide a forum for the discussion of local and national issues affecting both the Black law student community and the University community as a whole; to promote the welfare of its members through educational, professional, cultural and social programs; to focus upon the relationship between the Black law student and the law structure; to instill in the Black attorney and law student a greater awareness of and commitment to the needs of the Black community; to influence American law schools, legal fraternities and associations to use their expertise and prestige to bring about change within the legal system in order to make it responsive to the needs of the Black community; and to do any and all things necessary and lawful for the accomplishment of these purposes.

Faculty Advisor: Dean Jeter-Bailey

Student Representatives:

• President: Alex Mayanja

• President: Charles Rappe

The Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a group for Christians of all denominations, and non-Christians to explore a Christian perspective on the law and the legal profession. CLS as an organization looks to share the good news of the gospel with its community by serving fellow students and the city at large.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Mank

Student Representatives:

• President: Jonathan Walthour

Criminal Law Society seeks to promote interests in issues related to criminal law, provide opportunities to those interested in criminal law, and to teach the general student body about issues facing the criminal law community. We are open to all students. We support and promote all criminal law professions and seek to present professionals from all aspects of criminal law.

Faculty Advisor: Brian Howe

Leadership

• President: Bethany Notestine

Contact: uccrimlaw@gmail.com

• President: Abby Mcnichols

The purpose of the Entrepreneurship Law Club is to connect law students in the greater Cincinnati area to its thriving business, entrepreneur, and startup community.

Entrepreneurship is reshaping the legal industry. The modern legal world not only requires being legal savvy but it also requires an understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset, passion, and hustle. Not only are we future legal advisors, but we are future business advisors as well.

 The UC Law Entrepreneurship Club aims to bridge the legal world and the flourishing entrepreneurial communities.

Through networking, education, and being hands on, we will provide a venue for exploring the entrepreneurial mindset and the opportunity to network with major players in the entrepreneurship and legal community.

• President: Sean Meyer
• Executive Vice President: Elizabeth Black 
• Vice President of Operations: Carly Holloway
• Treasurer: Allen Chan 
• Secretary: Bernard Casis

The Environmental Law Society promotes an awareness of present and future issues in the field of environmental law. It sponsors programs featuring guest speakers on topics of interest to its members and the community.

Faculty Advisor: Brad Mank

Student Leaders:

• President: Delaney Cook

The purpose of this organization is to support the interests and needs of the University of Cincinnati College of Law students aspiring to Federal practice, both public and private, as well as to strengthen student interest and knowledge in the Federal legal system. To meet these goals, the Student Division of the Federal Bar Association works closely with the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky-John W. Peck Chapter.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Lenhart

Student Representatives

• President: Teresa Labello

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order. We believe that principles and legal rules strongly influence the direction of societal development and in so doing can secure or destroy individual rights and liberties. The Society's purpose is to investigate the role of law as one of the great organizing forces of our society, and to participate in that shaping process. The Federalist Society is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve individual freedom, that economic and political liberties are inextricably intertwined, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be, and that the true purpose of the legal order is to ensure that the power conferred upon the state is used to secure people's lives and goods. The Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities. This entails ordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law. It also requires restoring the recognition of the importance of these norms among lawyers, judges, and law professors. In to achieve these goals, the Society has created a conservative intellectual network that extends to all levels of the legal community. The local chapter is named after Judge Norton Parker Chipman, an 1859 graduate of the Cincinnati Law School.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Bryant

Student Representatives

• President: Nick Novotny

The First Generation Law Students goal is to support those who are the first in their family to attend law school, or who did not grow up in the presence of a lawyer or legal practitioner. To accomplish this goal, the FGLS provides programming and support meant to help its audience:

• Adapt to the difficulties and unique challenges of law school
• Become better prepared and situated for future legal employment on graduation

Student Representatives

• President: Emily Hamaker

Student Representatives

• President: Megan Fisher

The Honor Council adjudicates Honor Code violations and recommends sanctions to the dean and faculty. The council is comprised of elected class representatives, the president of the Student Bar Association, and the chair of the Student Legal Education Committee.

Faculty Advisor: Professor McMahon

Student Representatives

• Chair: Andy Gray
• Associate Chair: Chase Wellman
• 3L Representatives: Leah Bartlam, David Brodsky, Gabriel Cripe, Marissa Kuryla
• 2L Representatives: Abigail Coogan, Nick Kwon, Charles Rappe, Natalie Smith
• Special Members :Ashley Nkadi, SBA President; Laura Callihan, SLEC Chair

If/When/How: Lawyering 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.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Kalsem

Executive Board

• Thomas Ribar

Faculty Advisor: Tim Armstrong

Student Representatives:

• President: Jacob Metzger 
• Vice-President: Micah Kindred 
• Treasurer: Joshua Lang
• Secretary: Connor Trapp

Faculty Director: Professor Cogan

Student Representatives: 

• President: Shannon Conroy

Faculty Advisor: Rachel Smith

Student Representatives:

• President: Rebecca Davis

The Juvenile Law Club seeks to foster student engagement in the area of juvenile law. We are interested in "child welfare, and the rules and procedures for dealing with juvenile delinquency, status offense or dependency," (Ohio State Bar Association). We network with local lawyers that work with children in all forms, including child welfare, delinquency, and family law. These events foster relationships with local practitioners. Our service projects partner with local community organizations such as ProKids to aid children in need in the Cincinnati area. Our club is for anyone and everyone interested in child welfare, juvenile delinquency, dependency and family law issues. No interest in practicing juvenile and/or family law is necessary. Please join us in supporting local endeavors to benefit and improve children's lives.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Hubbard

Student Representatives

• President: Emma Kalucki

The Labor & Employment Law Club is centered around developing an understanding of both Labor law and Employment law. We work with union agencies and administrative agencies to enhance the law students understanding of the specific areas of labor law and employment law. We currently have several positions available that require minimum time commitments but will offer opportunities to network and connect with the local field. We have plans to hold another forum on a topic within the labor and employment law fields and make a trip to the National Labor Relations Board to learn more about the role of the board.

Student Representatives

• President: Sadie Sand

The National Latina/o Law Student Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation serving as a conduit for Latina/o law student voices. Founded on principles of social, ethnic, racial, gender and sexual equality, NLLSA is focused on advancing Latina/o academic success and commitment to community service. NLLSA is fueled by a progressive coalition-building approach to addressing the legal issues affecting Latinas/os around the nation.

The University of Cincinnati College of Law Chapter aims to embody the values set forth by the National Chapter. As the nation’s premier, small, urban, public law school, we have the unique ability to promote representation of Latina/o voices in the Midwest. As the country’s fourth oldest continuously operating law school, we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of social justice issues that present themselves locally and nationally.

We strive to be the leading center for student resources, dialogue and action. LLSA is committed to encouraging student-led encuentros, conferences, and other community-strengthening gatherings. We aspire to inform, excite and empower generations of law students so that they may be responsive to the legal needs of the communities that surround them.

Student Representatives

• President: Michael Hakes-Rodriguez

The Law Democrats (Law Dems) is an organization that strives to encourage civic involvement and progressive thinking throughout the law school. Law Dems promotes camaraderie between students, public service, and political participation at the local and state levels. Our group works to promote Democratic policy and ideals.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Aaron

Student Representatives

• President: Peter Korchak 
• Vice President: Chase Wellman
• Treasurer: Amy Volz

Email: uclawdemocrats@gmail.com

Interim Executives: James Hardman; Irina Zemkina

The mission of MLA is to provide Muslim law students a platform where they can connect with the legal community and advocate for the social, economic, political and religious issues of Muslims in the United States. MLA’s goal is to reach out to the Muslim community and prove to be a legal liaison for Muslims in Cincinnati. The MLA believes in the legal, political, economic, religious and social equality of all people regardless of sex, gender, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, political ideology, sexual identity, age, disability, class, or socioeconomic status and promises to adhere to that belief inside and outside the law school.

Student Representatives:

• President: Sarah Saadeh

This is the Bearcat Chapter of the National Association for Public Defense. Cincinnati Law is the first law school in the country to organize a student chapter of the NAPD. For more information on the NAPD website.

Mission:

The National Lawyers Guild mission is to use the law for the people, uniting lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people by valuing human rights over property interests. For more information about NLG visit: https://www.nlg.org/.

The UC Law Chapter’s mission is to create a coalition of individuals dedicated to protecting and broadening the rights and liberties of workers, women, LGBTQ+ people, farmers, people with disabilities, and minority groups, upon whom the welfare of the nation depends; who seek actively to eliminate racism; who work to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; and who look upon the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression.

Faculty Advisors:

Professor Houh and Professor Howe

Executive Council:

• Tori DeLaney
• Greg Gerbus
• Julieana Hay 
• Correna Kuhl 
• Treasurer portfolio: Caleigh Harris

Email: uclawnlg@gmail.com

Out & Allies is a student organization dedicated to creating a forum for all students and faculty to discuss issues of sexual orientation in the law. We aim to create a voice for law students who identify as members of the LGBTQIA community, and to foster a supportive atmosphere for inclusivity within the law school. Out & Allies is dedicated to community engagement and service. Throughout the school year we present educational programming on LGBTQIA issues, we raise funds for local charities who directly benefit the LGBTQIA community, and we strive to ensure that LGBTQIA students are fully supported as they enter the legal community.

You can follow us on facebook.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Kalsem

Student Representatives

• President: Tori Delaney

Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) is a co-ed legal fraternity that engages in regular social activities while also offering great networking, educational, and leadership opportunities.

Contact: chasepad.uclaw@gmail.com

Faculty Advisor: Joseph Tomain

Student Representatives

• President: Kayley Hoffman

• President: Sarah Smith

Contact: uclawpils@gmail.com

Law Republicans of Cincinnati hope to work with our counterparts, the Law Dems, in increasing political discussion at the law school. We invite all Republicans and conservative allies to join, regardless of how your beliefs match the current GOP leadership. We are about ideas and helping make the GOP a better party, not partisanship.

Student Representatives:

• President: Michael Hakes-Rodriguez

The Sports & Entertainment Law Club is a club devoted to improving the law students understanding of sports law and entertainment law.They host social and educational events, attend sports and entertainment practical competitions, and attend events with local professional sports teams. These opportunities provide the law students with the chance to develop practical skills and connect with practicing attorneys and professionals within the sport and entertainment fields.

Faculty Advisor: Sean Mangan

Student Representatives:

• President: Thomas Kemmet

Faculty Advisor: Jim Tomaszewski

The Student Bar Association is the major funding and activity support group of the College. All students are members of the SBA and are represented by elected class representatives and appointed student organization representatives in the Executive Council.

The SBA sponsors social, sporting and cultural events, acts as a liaison between the administration and the student body and provides funding for student organizations. It also acts as a forum to coordinate student activities in the law school.

Five first-year representatives will be elected in September. Students interested in becoming involved in the Student Bar Association should visit the SBA office in the student activities area. (SBA By-laws and Constitution)

Student Representatives:

• Kelzé Riley-President
• Lauren Schwab-Vice President
• Ben Rininger-Treasurer
• Sarah Smith-Secretary
• Haley Dominique-3L Representative
• Rebecca Davis -3L Representative
• Alayna Ross-3L Representative
• Sarah Saadeh-2L Representative
• Emilio Tovilla-2L Representative
• Tyler Benson-2L Representative
• Vacant 1L -Representative
• Vacant 1L- Representative
• Vacant 1L -Representative
• Aqdas Khuadad-Community Co-Director
• Anaka Young-Community Co-Director
• Andrew Geraghty-Networking Director
• Courtney Spencer-Internal Networking Chair
• Kylie Rhoton-External Networking Chair
• Julie Hay-Barrister's Ball Co-Chair
• Andrea Sriskandarajah-Barrister's Ball Co-Chair
• Abby McNichols-Barrister's Ball Philanthropy Chair
• Caroline Gallo-Barrister's Ball Logistics Committee
• Tess Hogan-Barrister's Ball Logistics Committee
• Desia Hamm-Organization Co-Director
• Danielle Johnson-Organization Co-Director
• Reagan Hanna -Philanthropy Director
• Micaela Beatham-Garcia-Social Director
• Sara Sonnier-Party Co-Chair
• Delaney Cook-Party Co-Chair
• Connor Frankhouser-Tailgate Chair
• Maddie Ward-Social Media/Marketing Co-Chair
• Katie Schulte-Social Media/Marketing Co-Chair

The Student Legal Education Committee (SLEC) provides a mechanism for student participation in policy decisions affecting the College. Members of SLEC are assigned to the following College committees: Curriculum, Admissions, Faculty Appointments, Student Petitions and Academic Review, Nippert Committee on Lectures and Symposia, Center for Professional Development and Library. They may also form Ad Hoc Committees to study and report on problems affecting the student body. Together with faculty and administration representatives on these committees, students discuss and vote upon issues, assign tasks, and attempt to arrive at decisions which represent an accommodation of diverse views. SLEC members are elected from and by the student body. Members of SLEC distribute, collect, and analyze the faculty evaluation forms completed at the end of every semester by the students. Vacancies on the committee are filled in the fall semester.

• SLEC Chair: Laura Callihan
• Vice Chair: Megan Bowling
• 3L Reps:
  • Andrew Casper
  • Danny O’Connor
  • Ethan Schuh
  • Michael Woody
  • Mikayla Spencer
  • Sanjaly Geevarghese
• 2L Reps:
  • Aqdas Khudadad
  • Ashley Thompson-Lutz
  • Chris Colloton
  • Ethan Blandino
  • Kelze’ Riley
  • Nick Kwon

The purpose of the UC Mock Trial program is to build practical skills for students interested in careers in litigation. Students selected through an internal competition face teams from other law schools in courtroom trials of mock cases. Learn more about trial practice team competitions.

Faculty Advisor: Professor Aaron

The UC Law Tax Assistance Program will not provide tax preparation services in 2019. 

To find another free tax preparation site, you may visit the IRS webpage for more information.

The mission of UCLW is to provide a diverse and inclusive forum for UC Law students to promote the representation and leadership of women in the legal profession and within the law school community. UCLW advocates for the legal, political, economic, and social equality of all people regardless of sex, gender, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, political ideology, sexual identity, age, disability, class, or socioeconomic status.

Contact: uclawwomen1@gmail.com

Faculter Advisor: Betsy Lenhart

Student Representatives:

• President: Emily Harmon