In my book—both figuratively and literally (in Chapter 20, which discusses practical administrative and logistical issues; and in Appendix F, which identifies over 150 topics for student groups, blogs, and papers)—forming a student group is a valuable way to personalize your law school journey; demonstrate initiative and distinguish yourself; enable members of your academic community to engage more deeply with particular topics or activities; and enhance your professional networks and possibilities.
Law schools use different terminology in their lists of (and possibly in their posted requirements and procedures for official recognition as) “Student Organizations”: Society, Association, Organization, Group, Interest Group, Collaborative, Club, Forum, Project, Initiative, Workshop, Forum, and/or Caucus.
Major categories of student organizations include: Affinity, Religious Affiliation, Advocacy, Athletic, Journals, Political, Professional, Student Government, Social, Competitions/Teams, and Wellness.
In addition, some student groups focus on particular areas of substantive law.
Among the most popular topics for such “___ Law Society” organizations are (in no special order):
● International and/or Comparative
● Health
● Animal
● Art
● Intellectual Property
● Business/Corporate
● National Security
● Immigration
● Disability Rights
● Environmental
● Cannabis
● Technology
● Sports and/or Entertainment
● Labor/Employment
● Tax
● Public Interest
● Criminal, and
● Alternative Dispute Resolution
Less frequently, “___ Law Society” groups address (in no special order):
● Fashion (and Beauty)
● Blockchain and/or Cryptocurrency
● Election
● Trusts and Estates
● Food
● Education
● Children
● Elder[s]
● Human Rights
● Space
● Real Estate
● Investment, Finance, and/or Venture Capital
● Start-Ups/Entrepreneurs
● Antitrust
● Privacy
● Video Games
● Bankruptcy, Restructuring, and/or Insolvency
● Anti-Corruption, and/or Anti-Money-Laundering
● Cyberlaw
● Energy
● Family
● Military and/or Veterans
● Legal History
● Jurisprudence
● Maritime
● Transportation
● Mental Health Law
● Agricultural, and
● Gaming.
Areas (or sub-areas) of law that are of growing importance, but that don’t yet seem to be the specific basis of many stand-alone student groups, include (in no particular order):
● Bioethics
● Pharmaceuticals
● Psychedelics
● Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
● Administrative
● Regulation of Banks and Other Financial Institutions
● Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
● Shareholder Activism
● Institutional Investors
● Social Enterprises
● Social Impact Investing
● Preparation for Directorships (of For-Profit and/or Non-Profit Entities)
● Supply Chain
● Compliance
● Cybersecurity
● White Collar Criminal
● Consumer Protection
● Counseling Philanthropists
● Counseling Nonprofit and/or Philanthropic Organizations
● Media
● Secured Transactions
● Securities
● Legal Technology, Analytics, Automation, and AI
● Big Data and/or Predictive Analytics, and
● Elon Musk (and the multifarious legal issues, crossing a swath of the curriculum, raised by his activities).
For current 1Ls and 2Ls, the coming summer might be a good time to prepare to propose a new substantive-law student group when (or even before) the next academic year begins.
