Columbia NALSA

Columbia had amazing results at the National NALSA annual meeting held today and yesterday at the Federal Bar Association Indian Law Conference. Here’s what they’re coming back with:
•Shawn Watts, National NALSA President
•Caitlin Smith, National NALSA Treasurer
•Jenny Patten, National NALSA ABA Rep
•Precious Benally, National NALSA PR Director
•Frank Holleman, Area 5 Rep
(all of our candidates won their respective races! here are the full results of the election)

•Shawn Watts, 2L of the Year
•Precious Benally, 1L of the Year

•Matt Birkhold, First Prize in the Writing Competition
•Jackie Bonneau, Third Prize in the Writing Competition

•our many moot court successes are of course a part of this
•we’re also excited that University of Hawaii is hosting next year’s moot court competition

Looks like next year will be an amazing year for NNALSA and Columbia!

Congrats to all! The Columbia community is proud of you!

We are excited to announce the 2011-2012 NALSA board:

President: Jenny Patten
Vice President.: Allison Neswood
Treasurer: Rachel Tishler
Secretary: Amy Connors
Recruit: Precious Benally
Alumni: Andrea Mcchristian
Fundraising: Jason Hipp
Communications: Caitlin Giaimo
Legal Outreach: Alex Blaszczuk
Social events: Leon Kenworthy

Columbia University’s Native American Council is hosting its First Annual Pow Wow!  NALSA is hoping for a great event, and are doing our part to contribute and attend.  See you there!

A number of Columbia NALSA members are headed to Wisconsin for a Spring Break Caravan helping Judicare with their work on local reservations, doing work in wills and criminal law.  See all the info here!

Congratulations to the Columbia 2010-2011 NALSA Moot Court team for their success this past weekend at the National Moot Court Competition!

Out of 66 teams, two Columbia teams advanced to the Top 16 elimination rounds – Caitlin Giaimo & Andrea McChristian, and Jenny Patten & Jason Hipp.  Overall, Jenny Patten & Jason Hipp were Third Place overall, making it to the semifinals.  Libby Moulton & Inbar Gal received the Third Place Best Brief award.  Amy Conners received the Best Oralist award.

This year’s team consisted of Jenny Patten & Jason Hipp, Libby Moulton & Inbar Gal, Joshua Lewey & Alexandra Blaszczuk, Andrea McChristian & Caitlin Giaimo, Sean Berens & Rachel Tishler, Jennifer Guadette & Amy Conners, Allison Neswood & Jenny Zhang, Precious Benally & Leon Kenworthy, and Kyla Jackson & Chris Street.  This year’s coaches were Frank Holleman, Alex Hogan, Kyle Kolb, Caitlin Smith, and Courtney Smith.

The full results can be seen here: http://mootcourt.nationalnalsa.org/compete/results.

162 competitors and coaches, 107 judges, 81 oral arguments rounds, 49 bailiff volunteers.  With all of that, Columbia NALSA is ready to host the National NALSA Moot Court Competition.  Beginning with early registration this Thursday at 6pm, and ending with the Final Round at 4pm and Awards Banquet at 7pm on Saturday, we are proud to host and are anxiously awaiting everyone’s arrival.

Check mootcourt.nationalnalsa.org for the most up-to-date information about the Competition, including the updated schedule.  Oral argument schedules with team round assignments will be distributed at registration.  See you there!

Please see the press release just sent out by Columbia Law School about the National NALSA Moot Court Competition that Columbia Law School’s chapter of NALSA is hosting this month.  Columbia NALSA is still looking for judges, so please volunteer if you are available.

More information about the Competition and how to volunteer to be an oral argument judge can be found on the Competition website.

Sign up for the Spring Break Caravan to a few different reservations in Wisconsin.  Participants will be helping with wills and trusts most days and will have the opportunity to do some criminal defense on one of the days.  You will also get the chance to stay with and have dinners with the tribes you work with.

Before you go you’ll get a crash course in Indian law, probate law, and wills and trusts.

Check your emails for the applications from SJI.

NALSA and its efforts are featured on the Columbia Law School website!  Read about our efforts of monitoring the elections in South Dakota this past November here.

Columbia NALSA hosted another successful Native Students Recruitment Weekend on November 11 & 12. Attendees had enjoyed a variety of events: a panel with the Admissions Office, a campus tour, the opportunity to observe law school classes, an hour-long session with Federal Indian Law and NALSA Advisor Prof. Endreson, a casual dinner with the NALSA moot court team, and group bowling at Harlem Lanes as part of a law school Student Senate event. Attendees came from throughout the region, reprenting Columbia College, Dartmouth, Harvard, Mount Holyoke, NYU, Smith, and Yale.

Thanks to all who helped make this event a success, especially the Admissions Office!