National E-mail Newsletter

Greetings membership! Welcome to school 1Ls, and welcome back upper division students!
This is the September issue of NBLSA News. Please read this issue carefully as there are several events that are rapidly approaching. This issue brings us a letter from Community Service Director, Courtney J. Broussard, urging each one of you to come out and support the Academic Retreat in New Orleans. There will be a community service component coordinated by Courtney, designed to pay respect to and help uplift this great city!
As always, each issue will feature a calendar of events. This issue highlights September events such as the CBC Reception hosted by Sadden, Academic Retreat, and the Northeast Regional Boat cruise. As a reminder, students who are seeking summer or post-bar employment should check http://www.blogger.com/. as there are job announcements posted regularly. Questions or comments? Please email me at: communications@nblsa.org. or the appropriate event coordinator listed below the event details.
Bari a. Williams, Director of Communications

Inside this issue:
1. Letter from Community Service Director- Courtney J. Broussard
2. Calendar of Events
3. Announcements

Letter from Community Service Director- Courtney J. Broussard

“Not a second…or another minute. Not an hour or another day, but at this moment with my arms outstretched….I need you to make a way.”…

“As you have done so many times before…Through a door, an open door, I stretch my hands to thee…Come rescue me, I need you right away…” – Smokie Norful

In late August of 2005 America, the Gulf Coast, and our beloved Louisiana, endured one of the greatest natural catastrophes in this nation’s history. We paused last week on August 29, 2006 and reflected on the “storm of the century.” I reflected on the lyrics of such a powerful song and was reminded that we as a people have historically done so many times before, stretched out our hands, our abilities, and our sacrificed for our brothers and sisters in dire need.

The opportunities for service and assistance are here and your help is needed. NBLSA has partnered with the Student Hurricane Network and to continue providing support for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Student Hurricane Network (“SHN”), a national law student formed organization, works for justice in the Gulf Coast. SHN is dedicated to providing assistance to communities affected by the destructive storms of 2005 and beyond. Law students have a variety of activities and service opportunities to help make a difference in the lives of hurricane victims.

We want you in New Orleans the weekend of September 22 & 23, the site of our National Academic Retreat and Inaugural Annual Presidents Retreat. Registration is free and we are working on various avenues of providing service while we are present in New Orleans. I assure you, the media coverage of the devastation, the recovery, and the rejuvenation of New Orleans can not impact your life like actually being present to experience it for yourself first hand. Our Academic Retreat Coordinator, Alcide L. Honoré and the Academic Retreat Committee have done an awesome job of putting together an outstanding Academic Retreat. Registration is available now through our web page http://www.blogger.com/. Please sign up today.

There are thousands of individuals in need of help, your skills, your talents, and your energy. Please take a moment out of your time today to get involved, get active, and get registered. NBLSA needs you, and the Gulf Coast needs you. We know you will do your part so we thank you in advance for volunteering and we look forward to working with you and seeing you in September.
Regards,
Courtney J. Broussard

Calendar of Events

September 8, 2006NBLSA Congressional Black Caucus Reception
Hosted by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones will be speaking
6:00PM-9:00PM
1440 New York Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
For more information, email L. Jared Boyd: legislativeliaison@nblsa.org

September 16, 2006NYC-Metro Sub-region of the Northeast Region of NBLSA
Present “The Moonlight Cruise” at Chelsea Piers
12 Midnight
Ticket Price $25
For more information, email: blsa.nyc@gmail.com

September 22-24, 2006NBLSA Charles Hamilton Houston Academic Retreat for Academics, Professionalism, Networking & Community.
Sheraton New Orleans
500 Canal StreetNew Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Register online today at: http://www.blogger.com/
For more information, email Alcide Honore: academicretreat@nblsa.org


Ongoing through the month of September
September 9: Tennessee Coalition Against State Killings Student Caucus. Please contact Eddie L. Koen Jr. at deathpenalty@nblsa.org if interested in attending.

Death Penalty Moratorium Project Execution Alerts
BLSA will work with grassroots organizations to distribute action alerts that provide direct links to e-mail governors, legislators, and state leaders concerning impending executions for each month. We encourage all BLSA chapters to use this system to voice their concerns about pending executions and stress the need for a nationwide moratorium. Each alert already has a sample default letter included. Please sign your name as the Black Law Students Association, Chapter Name.

For more information on any of these dates, email Eddie L. Koen Jr.: deathpenalty@nblsa.org

September 12: Farley Matchett, TX
September 13: Death Penalty Moratorium Project: National Conference Call. This will provide a general information session and an opportunity for chapters to brainstorm with affiliates for ideas of projects during the school year. Conference call number 641 – 297- 5700. Please email deathpenalty@nblsa.org for the call code.
September 19: Daryl Holton, TN
September 20: Clarence Hill, FL
September 25: Pedro Sosa, TX

3. Announcements
Southern Region of NBLSA Law Journal- Call for Student Notes
The SRBLSA Law Journal is unique in that it attracts the attention of both the academic community and the Black professional community. Being published is excellent exposure, and an opportunity to develop your legal authorship. This is also a great way to fulfill your school's writing requirement (if you are interested in this option, please contact me for additional information).

There is no formal deadline for Abstract Proposals. This process was created to help authors flesh out their ideas and assist their writing process with suggestions and recommendations from the Editorial Staff. If you would prefer, you may just submit a completed Note by October 31st.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA
This year, the second volume of the SRBLSA Law Journal will accept author submissions from attorneys, professors, judges, and law students nationwide. The Journal’s theme is “Economic Sustainability,” which includes areas of law such as:
Real Estate and Land Use Law
Bankruptcy Law
Insurance Law
Health Law
Employment Law
Education Law
Environmental Law

This list is not exhaustive; thus, we encourage authors to select a topic pertaining to economic sustainability that also corresponds with the Journal’s broader mission to stimulate legal thought on issues that have a disproportionate effect on Blacks living in southern states. Your topic need not be about race, but it must address issues in an area of law that historically or inevitably will have an effect, whether adverse or positive, on Black communities in southern states.

--- ABSTRACT PROPOSALS ---
To be considered for publication, an author must submit an Abstract Proposal for approval by the Editorial Board BEFORE the writing process commences. We encourage authors to submit a proposal as soon as possible to reserve a place in the Journal. The Journal is limited in the number of articles and notes it can publish. Once we reach that limit, no exceptions will be made.
An abstract is a complete, but concise, description of your work. It must contain the important points of your argument, particularly its thesis. For all proposals, we are looking for well thought-out and innovative arguments that analyze an area of law or a particular case in a way that stimulates thought on the issue. Abstracts are also evaluated on thoroughness, grammar, and style.
The Abstract Proposal must be no more than one page, single-spaced, and it must include the proposed title, topic, and all significant case law the submission will address. One-third of the cases for the submission must have been decided between August 1, 2001, and August 1, 2006. Although electronic format is preferred, paper copies of abstracts may be submitted.
MAIL TO: EMAIL TO:
Shaylah E. Nunn SRBLSALJ@uga.edu
SRBLSA Law Journal and cc:
125 Jennings Mill Pkwy, Suite 5303
Athens, Georgia 30606

Once an abstract is approved for publication, each author will be sent a formal packet with all pertinent documents with further instructions for the writing process. Each author must commit to meeting very rigid guidelines to ensure a successful and timely publication.
A COMPLETED NOTE OR COMMENT IS DUE TO THE EDITORIAL STAFF NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31st. A COMPLETED ARTICLE IS DUE NOVEMBER 15th.

--- ARTICLES, NOTES & COMMENTS ---
Each work will go through five (5) rounds of editing. After the first round of editing, if the Editorial Board does not believe the work is up to the standards expected or the work varies greatly from the Abstract Proposal, the Journal reserves the right to return the work to the author and rescind the offer to publish.
FOR STUDENTS:
Note & Comment Submission Qualifications:
What is a Note and Comment?
Notes and Comments are written by law students and typically shorter than Article submissions. A Note is an analysis of the holding or issue in a specific court case, while a Comment is focused on either legislation or on a more general legal theory or principle.

Basic Formatting:
Length:
Word Limit: 5,000 to 10,000 words, excluding endnotes OR
Page Limit: 20-25 pages, excluding endnotes
Endnotes in 9 point font, formatted with the 18th ed. of the Bluebook. No footnotes allowed.
Double spaced with 1” margins on all sides
12 point font, Courier New style for text, page numbers, and endnotes
Page numbers must be centered on the bottom margin and in 9 point font.
Include a title page with the title of your work and a brief biography of the author no more than 100 words in length.

Satisfy your School’s Writing Requirement?
Each law school has its own formatting criteria (page numbers, etc.) to satisfy their writing requirement. As such, the Journal will accept notes with the formatting criteria required by your school. Should the journal submission be used for this purpose, please contact and notify the Editor-in-Chief so that a notification letter can be sent to the dean of the law school.

FOR PROFESSIONALS:
Article Submission Qualifications:
What is an Article?
Articles are written by law professors, judges and legal practitioners. They serve an important purpose in that they express the ideas of legal experts with regard to the direction the law should take in certain areas. Such writings have proven influential in the development of the law and have frequently been cited as persuasive authority by the United States Supreme Court and other courts throughout the United States.

Basic Formatting:
Length
Word Limit: No less than 10,000 words, excluding endnotes OR
Page Limit: At least 25 pages, excluding endnotes
Endnotes in 9 point font formatted with the 18th ed. of the Bluebook. No footnotes are allowed.
Double-spaced with 1” margins on all sides
12 point font, Courier New style for text, page numbers, and endnotes.
Page numbers must be centered on the bottom margin and in 9 point font.
Include a title page with the title of your work and a brief biography of the author, no more than 200 words in length (provide a picture, if possible).
National Black Law Students Association1225 11th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001-4217
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