Monday! Capitol Hill Staffers on Careers on the Hill and the Judicial Nomination Process

Social Justice Initiatives' Government Speaker Series

Monday, April 17
Jerome Greene 102
4-5 P.M. & 5-7 P.M.

Senior lawyer staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Committee from both sides of the aisle will be at Columbia on April 17th for two programs.

Preet Bharara – Senator Schumer (D, NY)
Helaine Greenfeld – Senator Leahy (D, VT)
Pete Jensen – Senator Spector (R, PA)
Jonathan Meyer – Senator Biden (D, DE)
Ajit Pai - Senator Brownback (R, KS)

Careers on the Hill
4-5 P.M.
Curious about what Congressional staffers do?
Interested in a summer or postgrad job?
This panel will provide answers to your questions.
Moderated by Dean Ellen Chapnick

Roundtable on the Federal Judicial Confirmation Process
5-7 P.M.
A thoughtful bipartisan exploration of the various needs served by the Constitutionally mandated procedure for appointing and confirming federal judges, the current process and alternatives that might be more useful and appropriate.
Moderated by Professor Gillian Metzger.

Co-Sponsered By
the Center for Public Interest Law,
the Columbia Chapter of the American Constitutional Society,
and the Columbia Chapter of the Federalist Society.

George Bizos, Nelson Mandela's Lawyer -- Tuesday, 4/11, 6-8pm

The Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program
and
The Columbia Chapter of the American Constitution Society

invite you to hear

George Bizos
International Civil Rights Legend
International Trial Lawyer of the Year
Recipient of the Order for Meritorious Service
Former Visiting Professor at the Columbia Law School

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
President's Room, Faculty House
6-8 p.m.
(including Reception)

The gales of war blew 13-year-old George Bizos away from Greece to South Africa where he studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand. He joined the Bar in Johannesburg in 1954 and has been a senior member since 1978. He was counsel to Nelson Mandela, where he was part of the team that defended Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Bram Fischer, Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, and Barbara Hogan. He represented the families of Steve Biko, Matthew Goniwe, Dr. Neil Aggett, and others who died in detention. He opposed amnesty applications by those who killed Chris Hani and other leaders of the struggle. He has written "No One to Blame? - In Pursuit of Justice in South Africa," describing the crimes of the perpetrators who were exonerated by the apartheid's justice system. He appeared for the South African democratically elected government to successfully argue for the abolition of the death penalty and the certification of the new South African Constitution.

Mr. Bizos is a member of the National Council of Lawyers for Human Rights, which he helped found in 1979. He is Senior Counsel at the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg in the Constitutional Litigation Unit. He was a judge on Botswana's Court of Appeal from 1985 to 1993. Mr. Bizos was counsel to United Democratic Front leaders, including future provincial Premiers Patrick Lekota and Popo Molefe in the Delmas Treason Trial, 1985-89. In 1990 he became a member of the African National Congress's Legal and Constitutional Committee, and at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) he served as advisor to the negotiating teams and participated in drawing up the Interim Constitution. He was involved in the drafting of legislation, an particularly the Truth and Reconciliation Bill and amendments to the Criminal Procedures Act, to bring it into line with Chapter 3 of the constitution, guaranteeing fundamental human rights to all citizens of South Africa. He was appointed by then President Mandela to the Judicial Services Commission which recommends candidates for appointment as judges and proposes reforms to the judicial system to erase its apartheid past.

Mr. Bizos is still working for the Constitutional Litigation Unit of the Legal Resources Centre and recently successfully defended the Zimbabwean opposition Movement for Democratic Change's leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was charged with planning a coup d'etat by conspiring to assassinate President Robert Mugabe before the 2002 general elections. He was a visiting scholar at Columbia University 1985-1986 and 1995. He has received numerous awards for his contribution to human rights. Mr. Bizos is married to Arethe and they have three sons and six grandchildren. He is also a keen organic vegetable grower.

More Information:

http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/scholars/calendar.php

Lavinia Lorch
Sr. Asst. Dean of Student Affairs
Director, Scholars Office
lel52@columbia.edu

Amos Blackman
Events Chair
Columbia Chapter of the American Constitution Society
abb2116@columbia.edu

U.S. News Law School Rankings: The Harriet Miers Effect

Although it did not surge forward as much as University of Denver's Sturm School of Law (from #95 to #70) or Seton Hall (from #83 to #70), Harriet Miers's JD alma mater, the Southern Methodist University, tied for 3rd largest positive gain in the rankings, moving up 9 slots from #52 to #43.

2007 U.S. News Rankings
2006 U.S. News Rankings

Click here to view older rankings.

This Week at the ACS--Farewell Edition

Dear Columbia ACS,

The next time you read this announcement, it will come to you from the new ACS chapter president (elections are on Tuesday at lunch--see below!). It's been a real privilege to serve the chapter as president this year. The 2005-2006 Board has done a terrific job of bringing you the kinds of events and programs that are so important to building a new progressive community.

Thank you so much for supporting us by joining the national organization in record numbers, for coming to our happy hours, for attending our events and volunteering for the moot court. It has been a rare pleasure to meet so many of you and to see your enthusiasm and excitement throughout the year.

Thanks are especially due to the 52 Columbia students who were involved with our moot court program as competitors, editors, or judges, and to Adam Nagorski, the team's coach. Thanks are also due to the moot court organizers, whose dedication gave ACS this new program, and to the many volunteers who made the competition possible.

We at the ACS share one great idea: that law must serve human values. We are united in our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. These values shape our community and bring us a purpose larger than ourselves. I'll never forget the year we spent together in pursuit of that vision. I hope you don't either.

Keep reading to find out about the great events we've got coming up. And, as always, we await your comments and suggestions at acs@law.columbia.edu. Good luck and I'll see you soon--Mary Kelly

ELECTIONS TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 12:20

The 2006-2007 Columbia ACS Board will be elected at lunch on Tuesday April 4 in JG 106. Consult the message archives of this listserv for more information on election procedures, Board positions, and nominations lists. Please contact Mike Newman, mjn2102@columbia.edu, or Liz Aloi, eaa2101@columbia.edu, with questions.

PUBLIC INTEREST REVOLVING DOOR, APRIL 4, 5:30

ACS, the Office of Career Services & CPIL Present:
Law Firms, Pro Bono, and the Revolving Door
5:30--6:45, Tuesday, APril 4th
106 Jerome Greene
This event will feature wine and snacks. Your first job out of law
school will probably not be your last. A panel of four Columbia Law
School alumni will discuss their experiences in transitioning between
different sectors of the legal field, and in ways that lawyers can
give back to the community and promote the public interest from within
large law firms. panelists will include Tracy Cole, former Assistant
District Attorney in NY County and currently of Baker Hostetler, Mark
Falkoff of Covington & Burling, Eric Olney, Law Clerk on the Southern
District of NY, and Luisa Cabal, formerly of Gibson Dunn and currently
at the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Contact nsn2102@columbia.edu

VOICES FROM HURRICANE KATRINA WINTER AND SPRING CARAVANS

We would like to invite you to join us on Monday, April 3rd at 7:30-9:30pm for "Voices from the Hurricane-Disaster Areas" in WJW 105.

This event will feature food, drinks, presentations from volunteers,
and a special slide show of photos from our Winter and Spring Break Caravans.

Almost 90 CLS students spent Winter and/or Spring break in Louisiana,
Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, and Florida providing legal assistance to
communities devastated by Hurricanes. Please join us to learn about
their experiences!

Please contact Michael Newman at mjn2102@columbia.edu with any
questions.

KATRINA FUNDRAISER QUIZZO, APRIL 7--SIGN UP NOW!

FRIDAY APRIL 7th 5:30-7:30PM in Lenfest Cafe. Doors at 5pm. Join Us For a Great Cause!
$8 Per Person If You Pre-Register Your Team (Maximum 6 People) By
E-mailing the Team Name and Member Names to andrew.amend@gmail.com.
The deadline for Pre-Registration is Friday 4/7 at 2pm.
$10 Per Person At the Door.
5 Rounds of 10 questions Each Plus 1 Music Round. Prizes for the
winning team. Pizza and Beer Will Be Served.
Many Thanks To Our Sponsors: ACS, ACLU, Rightslink, and the Columbia
Law Students' Katrina Coalition.
Come Show the Law School That They May Take Your Life, Your Sleep,
But They May Never Take Your Knowledge of The Breakfast Club.
Contact Jon Sherman js2842@columbia.edu with any questions.

GEORGE BIZOS, NELSON MANDELA'S LAWYER, APRIL 11, 6:00 PM

George Bizos will address ACS and the Columbia College Scholars Program on Tuesday, April 11 in the President's Room of the Faculty House. The title of his talk is "The Deeds of Men Often Do Not Accord with their Words." Attorney Bizos' talk will address many instances, particularly in Southern Africa, where the rule of law has been abrogated, corrupt and tyrannical regimes cling to power, opposition is equated with treason, and human misery prevails. Civil society, the judiciary, the legal profession, and other structures can and should play a role in upholding human rights and democracy. Please contact Mary Kelly Persyn, mp2331@columbia.edu, with questions.

HEY YOU! COME TO CONVENTION WITH US!!!

ACS National Convention will take place Thursday, June 15-Sunday, June
18, with the student leadership retreat on Thursday during the day and
the moot court final round on Thursday night. Convention is a great
experience--ask around! National will probably pay for your travel if
you agree to volunteer during the weekend, and many Columbia ACSers
will be in DC for the summer and have offered their floors (there's
also a cheap hostel nearby). Plan NOW to go--don't miss the great
panels, talks, parties, and networking opportunities! Contact Mary
Kelly at mp2331 for more information.