Student Organizations: The Education Law Association

The Appalachian School of Law Education Law Association

Students created this organization in December 2009.

Mission Statement

The ELA promotes awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding the law of education, both in the public and private sector.  It promotes interest in and understanding of the legal framework of education and the rights of students, parents, school boards, and school employees.  Student members are committed to the strong support of local education programs and work with interested parties to attain common goals through active participation in community service activities. 

Any ASL student or alumnus may join the ELA.  

Student Organizations: The Sutin Public Interest Association

The Appalachian School of Law Sutin Public Interest Association (SPIA)

The Sutin Public Interest Association recognizes the deep-seated commitment our former Dean, L. Anthony (Tony) Sutin, held for serving the public.

Dean Sutin had a distinguished career as a Harvard Law graduate holding a top job in the U.S. Department of Justice before moving to Grundy in 1999.  He hoped the school would enhance economic development in the area and train pubic service-minded lawyers.  The law school continues that focus on service to the community and to the public through its curricular and co-curricular  programs and student organizations.  I blogged about ASL's award-winning community service program here.

Mission Statement

The Sutin Public Interest Association promotes awareness, educates, and empowers public-service-minded law students to uphold Dean Sutin's strong beliefs in serving the public.

Any member of the student body may join this dues-required organization. 

It affiliates with Equal Justice Works, formerly The National Association for Public Interest Law.  

It sponsors a student member to attend the Equal Justice Work's annual national meeting, if possible.  It also sponsors presentations to the student body on isues of public service or public interest law.  

Dean Sutin's Lasting Legacy

Appalachian School of Law recognizes one 3L student every year at its Award Banquet as the recipient of the L. Anthony Sutin Soul of ASL Award.  The award recognizes a person who has gone out of his or her way to help others, chosen the kind word over what he or she may really have felt, or handled adversity with class. His wish was to distribute awards to members of ASL’s community who, through no provocation or desire for recognition, perform random acts of kindness towards others.  Over time, the award has become more exclusive, and now only a distinguished 3L student can win it. 

Other awards named for Tony Sutin include the COPS Civic Imagination Award and the Harvard Law School Public Service Fellowship.

Winners of the L. Anthony Sutin Soul of ASL Award

2002

William R. Sievers

Jeffrey Moore

Lonnie Ayers

Mary Kilpatrick

Scott Hamilton

Sara Garrison

Jessica Cockerham

Jason Arthur

Jean Reynolds

2003

Tyran George

David Whitehurst

Nancy Coulling

2004

Donald R. Sutton

2005

1L:       Cory Vicars

2L:       Bryson Aldridge

3L:       Tyran George

2006

1L:       George J. Smit

2L:       Janice Hensley

3L:       Timothy D. Read

2007

1L:       Bryan Cave

2L:       Sarah McKinney

3L:       Melvin “Artie” Vaughn

2008

1L:       Jacob Eberhart

2L:       Amber Lee

3L:       Candice Mendez

2009

1L:       Drew Taylor

2L:       Charles Sidoti

3L:       Ian McCabe

2010

1L:       Joseph Birchfield

2L:       William Mossor

3L:       Sara Beth Montgomery

2011

3L:       Andrew Taylor

2012
3L:       Elisabeth Griffith

2013

3L:      Candice DuVernois

Back to School: Pre-Law Publication Recognizes Appalachian School of Law

The August 2013 issue of preLaw: A National Jurist Publication features the Appalachian School of Law in its article entitled: "Small and Personable."

The article focuses on 12 law schools -- located in Virginia, West Virginia and eastern Tennessee -- that offer small class sizes and a personal touch.

The discussion of ASL notes that its founders decided to place the law school in the heart of central Appalachia so it could serve the region in many ways.
It quotes our fabulous Dean, Lucy McGough, saying:

We are committed to and take great pride in our "Cheers Effect."  Here at ASL, everybody not only knows your name, but also is invested in your success in law school, in passing the bar, and in ensuring your professional career. 

It notes ASL's focus on experiential learning leading to practice-ready skills.  It recognizes our nationally known externship program.

It also describes our upper level focus on dispute resolution, our bar exam prep course, and our award winning community service program.

For the full article, see here.

Back to School: Award-Winning Community Service Program

My bragging marathon about the Appalachian School of Law continues.

Award-Winning Community Service Program

ASL has twice won the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. In 2007, it was one of six recipients to win it.

The sponsors of the Honor Roll include the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps., and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Selection factors include the scope and innovative nature of the program, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

Emphasis on Serving the Community

Since the founding of the Appalachian School of Law, students have provided over 100,000 hours of community service.  

The founders of ASLmade community service one of the three focuses of the school.  ASLseeks to develop professionals who will serve as community leaders and community advocates in their legal careers and personal lives. ASL’s commitment to service separates ASLfrom most other law schools in this country. 

ASLplaces an extremely high community service expectation on its students.  It requires each student to complete twenty-five hours of community service each semester, for a total of 150 hours over three years.

Service activities:

• Improve student organizations
• Benefit the community
• Build a tradition of service in the profession
• Strengthen the reputation of school, and
• Can be great way to take a break from studying and interact with the faculty outside of the classroom.

Wide Range of Projects

ASL embraces a broad notion of community service, which encompasses non-legal and legal work. Students may volunteer with one of about seventy school-sponsored community service projects.  Students may also develop and propose a project of their own within certain guidelines established by the school.  

Approved projects include:

• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for abused and neglected children
• Knitting Circle making blankets for CASA-kids.
• Remote Area Medical (RAM) Volunteer Corps
• Research supporting the development of the Great Eastern and Spearhead Trails located in Buchanan County
• ASL Cares pet adoption and fostering program; assists local
  
  shelter in providing services to animals
• ASL Recycles
• Grun DMC (jug band) performs at local nursing home.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) project assisting low income tax-filers
• ASL Campus Beautification project
• Grundy Lion’s Club
• Grade school tutors
• Breaks Interstate Park maintenance
• Buchanan General Hospital’s Information Desk
  
• Commonwealth Attorney’s Office
• Boys and Girls Club
• Volunteer firemen
• Voter registration drive
• Elk restoration project

Recognition During ASL's Awards Banquet

The Appalachian School of Law recognizes outstanding community service during its Awards Banquet. The program Director, Jina Sauls, presents the Sam Weddington Little Red Wagon service award annually to a law student who embodies the spirit of the community service program, demonstrates a desire to accomplish the goals of a project, performs duties with an energetic and positive attitude, and provides feedback on ways to improve services within the community.

The Sam Weddington Little Red Wagon award derives its name from an elderly, poverty-stricken gentleman who donated a handmade red wagon to ASL a few years ago. He had heard that ASL “gave a lot back to the community” and asked that ASL provide the wagon to a deserving child.

In 2005, the Director also implemented the “Willard Owens Award for Excellence in Community Service.” She presents this award annually to all third-year students with 300 or more hours of community service. In other words, it recognizes students who have exceeded their community service requirement by 100 percent. Typically, 10 to 15 percent of the students in each graduating class earn the award.

ASL named the award after the late Mayor of Grundy, Willard Owens, who provided dedicated service to the residents of Buchanan County.

Alumni Continue Tradition of Community Service

As the founders of the Appalachian School of Law predicted, its graduates continue the tradition of providing community service.  Fifty-two percent of alumni reported that the community service requirement at ASL contributed to their interest in providing community service.

Alumni report the following community service activities, roles, or positions:

• Habitat for Humanity 
• PTA
• Junior League 
• City Democratic Committee 
• Landcaster Mediation Center 
• Boyertown Choral Association 
• Laurel Mountain Ministries 
• East Carolina University Educational Foundation 
• Rotary Club 
• Appalachian Reading Center 
• Ronald McDonald House 
• Domestic Violence Council 
• Basketball coach 
• Girl Scouts
• King Charles Neighborhood Task Force 
• Raleigh Charter High School Mock Trial Program 
• Tri-Cities Christian Schools Foundation
• ASL Alumni Association
• Secretary of ASL Alumni Board, and 
• ASL Board of Trustees.

Alumni responding to the survey, most of whom graduated within the last five years, also reported that they held the following lawyer-related leadership positions:

• Delegate, ABA Young Lawyers Division 
• Co-chair, ABA Young Lawyers Division Law School Council 
• Co-chair, ABA Law-Related Education Committee’s Subcommittee on Mock Trials and Student Education 
• South Carolina Delegate to ABA Young Lawyer’s Division 
• Chair of South Carolina Bar Convention Committee 
• Co-chair of the South Carolina Cinderella Project 
• President of the local bar association 
• Vice-president of the local bar association, and 
• Secretary of the local bar association. 

A number of graduates also provide government service, several at very high levels:

• One state legislator (2011 grad)
• Five state court judges (2002-2009 grads)
• Four judicial clerks (2007-2012 grads)
• Six Commonwealth Attorneys (2000-2008 grads)
• Four in the Judge Advocates General Corps (2003-2011 grads)
• One in the federal government (Soc. Sec. Adm.) (2005 grad), and
• Three in state government (2004-2006 grads)

We are very proud of a program that makes Appalachian School of Law unique among law schools.  It shows that even our co-curricular activities tie to the central mission of the school, which I described in an earlier posting.

For more information, contact Jina Sauls, Director of the program, at 276-935-4349.  More information also appears here.

Back to School: Mission of the Appalachian School of Law

A Mission Tied to Its Locality

As I noted in an earlier blog, I am using this week to remind faculty, students, alumni, and entering students why the Appalachian School of Law is so special.  Let's move to its unique mission.

The Mission

Appalachian School of Law (ASL) is a mission-driven school created by local business, legal, and political leaders concerned about the well-being of people living in the central Appalachian Mountains.   ASL’s founders hoped to create an opportunity for central Appalachians to see beyond their own mountain valleys and, having done so, to return home with greater insight, effective legal skills, leadership ambitions, high ethical standards, and a commitment to community service.   

A 2008 student survey, conducted in conjunction with the strategic planning process, revealed that on average the parents of ASL students only had “some college” or a “2-year degree.”  Thirty-four percent of our students reported that their mothers obtained only a high school diploma (or less).  Another 30 percent reported their mothers had business or trade school, some college, or a two-year associate degree.  Their fathers tended to be more highly educated, with 26 percent of alumni reporting their fathers had a high school education (or less), with 20 percent reporting their fathers had business, trade school, some college, or a two-year associate degree.  

Our students are ambitious, working-class kids looking for a way to increase their earning potential, engage in a service profession, and make changes in this part of the world. 

           

At the same time, ASL's founders hoped that lawyers educated within the region would more likely stay in and provide service to the people of the region.  In other words, they hoped to educate lawyers for Main Street, not Wall Street.  

That hope has been fulfilled.  ASL has conferred a total of 1,064 law degrees over the last thirteen years.  Approximately half of our alumni are employed in small law firms in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.  Our graduates have become community leaders,  holding positions as state legislators, judges, magistrates, Commonwealth Attorneys, public defenders, solo practitioners, and industry managers (especially in natural resource production companies).

For more information about the Appalachian School of Law, see here and here.

Under-served Client Population

ASL’s founders expected to provide legal services and civic leadership to under-served and economically depressed communities. In 2005, of the 250 counties in the U.S. with the lowest per capita incomes, Kentucky claimed thirty-five of those counties. Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia added another twenty-four counties to this list. Thus, the region ASL serves includes 23 percent of the poorest counties in the United States.

The map recently created by the Appalachian Planning Commission graphically represents this economic reality.