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Student Chapters

ACS’s nationwide network of student chapters is fostering a new generation of progressive leaders. Through hundreds of programs each year featuring renowned advocates, scholars and judges addressing a wide range of legal and policy issues, chapters educate their members about the critical issues facing our country. Working with ACS lawyer chapters and the national office, they also provide students with meaningful opportunities for professional development and mentoring; participation in substantive projects; and membership in both a local community and a national network. Currently, there are over 160 law school chapters.

A list of all student chapters with contact information is available. Alternatively, visit the ACS chapter map to view the web page of any particular chapter.

If you are interested in helping to organize an ACS student chapter, please contact Hazeen Ashby, ACS's Associate Director for Student Chapters, at campus@ACSLaw.org or 202-393-6181.

Recent Stories

Portia Project Forum and Debate

On Tuesday, October 14, at 7:00 p.m., The Portia Project and the ACS hosted a public forum featuring Max Williams, the Director of the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC), in Room 175 of the University of Oregon Knight Law Center.

Mr. Williams is a magna cum laude graduate of Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College. Prior to his appointment to his present position, Mr. Williams practiced law at a leading Portland firm and completed a distinguished career as a member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. According to his official biography, Mr. Williams' "interest in corrections grew through his legislative responsibilities, where he became very familiar with the policy issues facing the agency and the larger public safety issues facing the state." Mr. Williams' presentation on October 14 will describe the work of the DOC and focus on the impact that the passage of either of two competing ballot measures, Measure 57 or Measure 61, would have on Oregon's prison population and the State's budget.

The debate and forum was non-partisan and examined all angles of the topic.

The "Imperial Presidency?" Citizens and the Growth of Executive Power

This event highlighted the growth of executive power, specifically the apparent shift in power to the executive branch and the unprecedented level of executive secrecy.

We proudly hosted, with the Morse Center for Law and Politics as well as several other supporting groups.

Marjorie Cohn is President of the National Lawyers Guild.

Shane Kadidal of the Center for Constitutional Rights is the lead attorney for Guantanamo detainees.

Jordan Paust is the author of a recent book on the Bush administration and its war on terror.

The event was well-attended by community members, law students, graduate students from across the campus, and faculty members. Ms. Cohn, Mr. Kadidal, and Mr. Paust were gracious enough to entertain the attendees after the event for a reception along with a book-signing.

From Yale to Guantanamo

Shane Kadidal gave a fabulous lunch presentation to aspiring law students on November 14, 2008. The Morse Fellows, ACS, and a small gathering of interdisciplinary students and faculty members attended this lunchtime talk with Shane Kadidal on November 14th. Shane's talk is titled: "From Yale to Guantánamo." This was a great chance to hear about Shane's experience defending Guantánamo victims, as well as his other work with the Center for Constitutional Rights. A vegan lunch was also provided.

About Shane Kadidal: Shane Kadidal is senior managing attorney of the Guantánamo project at the Center for Constitutional Rights. In addition to supervising the Guantánamo litigation, he also works on the Center's case against the NSA's warrantless surveillance program, CCR v. Bush, and its challenge to the "material support" statute, HLP v. Mukasey. He also represented hundreds of individuals being fined by the government for traveling to Cuba, and worked with the Vulcan Society of Black firefighters challenging discriminatory hiring policies of the New York City Fire Department.

Panel on Terrorism Enhancement Sentencing Guidelines

Please join us for a dynamic and lively panel on January 22nd at the University of Oregon School of Law. Lauren Regan and Amanda Lee will address the new terrorism enhancement sentencing guidelines, how the enhanced sentencing has been applied to criminal acts of property destruction, the impacts of categorizing such acts as terrorism on our 1st Amendment rights, and the political climate that has led us down this path.

The National Lawyers Guild (Oregon student chapter) and the University of Oregon student ACS chapter are co-sponsoring this exciting and dynamic panel presentation that will look into the effects that terrorism enhancement sentencing will have on our society.

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