The Jeffersonian

Kim Davis is not Rosa Parks.  She is not a martyr, nor is she a hero.  Kim Davis is the bus driver who refused to do his job when Rosa Parks sat down on that bus. Kim Davis did not need a U.S. Marshall to protect her while she was at work, she needed a U.S. Marshall to prevent her from having to do her work.  

Our country has rarely welcomed change.  This past June, the Supreme Court made a ruling we thought would bring about a more just, loving, and open society; one that would come with the same speed and alacrity that mobilized the same sex marriage movement. It was naive of us to think there would be no resistance after the Obergefell decision.  We were wrong.  We should have seen this coming and we should expect more to come.   We cannot change the beliefs and views of others.  What we can change is how we react.

Kim Davis wants attention.  That is the foundation of her cause.  Not her God, her faith, or her convictions.  What she desires is attention, and we are giving it to her just as she hoped we would.

When we share, post, and re-post articles denouncing her we too are contributing to her cause.  We perpetuate her story and draw out every second of her fifteen minutes of fame.  When we call her a hypocrite and a bigot we are lowering ourselves to her level of blind hatred, we are not riding a wave of righteousness.  Despite our intentions, we are as wrong as she and we are chopping the wood to keep her fire ablaze.

The sincerity and depth of her beliefs should not be in doubt as they are as sincere and strong as the beliefs of those who believe a marriage between two persons of the same sex is a basic liberty our country cannot deny us.  We should denounce her actions, not her convictions. 

History will not remember Kim Davis well, nor the supporters and politicians who stand by her side.  We already know this to be true.  History does not look fondly at the picture of George Wallace blocking the doorway at the University of Alabama.  History remembers the students who had the courage to walk through that doorway.  We must rise above and act, not just speak.

We live in a society where we are welcome to our own beliefs so long as they do not infringe on those of others.  Ms. Davis has turned the tables.  She isn’t stepping down and she isn’t resigning.  And for now, she isn’t going away because we won’t let her.

We must prove to Kim Davis and her supporters that same sex marriage strengthens our country. If we change our reaction and deny her the attention she so desires, her fire will cease to burn.

Instead of spending our time, resources, and energy blogging, tweeting, and creating memes about her, it is time to show her how powerful love truly is.  It is not our job to change her views or the views of others that may be contrary to our own, it is our job to prove to the world how strong and unified we are.  It has been said that the arc of history is long and it bends in the way of justice.  Together we can bend that arc sooner.  The time for words has passed; it is now time to act.

8,000 people, along with the rest of the world, were shocked when they woke up one morning last month.  Daraprim, a medication used to treat toxoplasmosis, jumped from $13.50 per pill to $750.00 per pill.  The extreme price jump came shortly after Turing Pharmaceuticals acquired the exclusive distribution rights from Impax Laboratories for $55,000,000.  Even at $750 per pill, Turing’s founder and CEO, Martin Shkreli, claims it is still under priced. 

Daraprim is the trade name for Pyrimethamine and was originally approved by the FDA in 1953.  The Nobel Prize-winning American scientist, Gertrude Elion developed Daraprim at Burroughs-Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline) to combat malaria.  More recently, Daraprim is being used to treat toxoplasmosis. 

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that usually causes no symptoms in otherwise healthy adults.  However, in individuals with weakened immune systems, toxoplasmosis can cause severe symptoms such as seizures, poor coordination, and eye problems.  AIDS patients and cancer patients, whose chemotherapy has weakened their immune system, are among the prime candidates for being prescribed Daraprim.  Daraprim cures toxoplasmosis with a course of treatment lasting roughly four to six months.  A typical course of treatment now costs $75,000.

Since the market is relatively small, roughly 8,000 prescriptions in 2015, a generic substitute is not available even though the drug’s patent has long expired.  Currently, the FDA’s drug approval system is backlogged and it takes about six years to bring a generic to market.

Shkreli and Turing have been under ridicule since the 5500% price increase.  Shkreli conceded that Turing purchased the distribution rights of Daraprim with the intention to immediately raise the price.  Shkreli claims Turing has a program in place to make Daraprim available to qualified patients for $1.00 per pill, though a single instance couldn’t be located.  Shkreli claims that Daraprim being sold at $13.50 per pill is not profitable and Turing’s price increase to $750 per pill makes it reasonably profitable.  Further, Shkerli claims Daraprim’s price increase allows Turing to invest in other research and development to find alternatives to Daraprim and other, new drugs.

Under contract and distribution right laws in the U.S., any company can control the price at which a consumer or distributer purchases a product from the manufacturing company or authorized distributor.  This creates a mechanism to protect the company’s financial interest in the products it sells.  Additionally, this helps protect against the distribution of counterfeit goods being passed off as authentic.  

One policy behind the right to control sale price is the same promoted by intellectual property laws in the U.S.: to reward those who provide useful products to people - even if it prices the products well beyond the cost of manufacture and development.  Currently, the generic biotech industry uses bargaining power to help lower the price point at which a generic sells.  That is, if an acceptable price cannot be reached though bargaining, the would-be distributor solicits another manufacturer to bargain with.  In the case of Daraprim however, there are no other manufacturers. 

Examining the system as a whole, why shouldn’t a company be able to set a price according to what the market will bare?  Generally, in our pseudo free market economy, price is predominantly influenced by supply and demand.  If the basis for that demand were taken into consideration, companies may be discouraged from investing into new products. For example, a pharmaceutical company would be discouraged from investing a large amount of resources into developing a drug that cures cancer because it may not be able to sell that drug at a price that would allow it to recoup its cost. 

As many reading this could probably relate, I believe I have a strong argument that my computer, a MacBook, has become an integral component of my life as a law student.  I would posit that it is even considered a necessity.  Should Apple be forced to sell me a MacBook at a lower price because replacing my computer for $2200 is unreasonable?  No, Apple shouldn’t.  Personally, if I was infected with toxoplasmosis or malaria and I was forced to beg, borrow, and steal to secure the $75,000 cost of treatment, I would.  In doing so, I would be thankful and grateful that Daraprim exists.  If I couldn’t, I would use whatever money I could come up with to through the best going away party I could muster.

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/business/a-huge-overnight-increase-in-... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrimethamine

In 2010, The California Bar Journal and the American Bar Association (ABA) published articles listing a study done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The study found that “while about 7 percent of Americans were alcoholics, nearly 13 percent of lawyers surveyed by the ABA admitted to consuming six or more alcoholic drinks per day.” According to the NIAAA, moderate drinking is up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. In 2014, the numbers still hadn't changed much, as those in the legal profession still reportedly abused alcohol at twice the rate of the general U.S population.

The study of law is brutal. For 3 or 4 years students have to learn the language and rules of law, learn new study habits, and focus on passing midterms and final exams. All the while, the anxiety of passing the state bar at the end looms overhead. Student’s weeks are filled with all-night study sessions and a demanding academic calendar so, it is easy to understand that students may go out with friends and get drunk on weekends or during semester breaks as a means to relax or even celebrate. However, these occasions can soon turn into a daily way to escape or cope with school pressures. Anxiety over financial worries and fear of failure can also lead to depression or the use of drugs in order to cope with it all.

What law students need to know is that stress does not end once they officially enter the legal profession. And those addictive behaviors that began in law school (or in undergrad) oftentimes follow fledgling attorneys into the workplace and remain during their career. The stress of starting a new legal practice, paying back student loans, and building a prosperous career can all lead legal professionals to use alcohol and drugs. Depression is very prevalent within the legal field, particularly among female attorneys. The ABA reports that, “The legal profession has the 4th highest rate of suicides, and that those who are lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than those who are not.” Depression causes sadness, hopelessness, and trouble sleeping. Sometimes medication is needed to combat depression, but if not prescribed, people may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.

The website, Lawyers With Depression (www.lawyerswithdepression.com), features a September 2015 blog from a female attorney who writes, “Acknowledging my depression for the first time during my third year of law school was as terrifying a realization as it was liberating…I would wake up in the morning in tears, yet by the afternoon I was at school, going through the motions, and relieved to just make it to the end of the day.” Since law school is where addiction and depression seem to initially become noticeable, this is the best time to make students aware and give them the skills needed to cope with these issues. Developing a healthy lifestyle of eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep are key. Also, maintaining good support systems with friends and family, as well as ties to their faith and interaction with their local community are great ways to combat isolation.

While each law student has different motivations for entering the legal profession. It is probably safe to say that one motivation shared by all is the desire to be their best. Being the best can be measured by reputation, income, or impact on the communities they serve. So perhaps, the best reason and motivation for not getting “hooked” on drugs and alcohol is knowing that the quality the legal services you provide will be greatly compromised, whether it be a malpractice suit for ineffective counsel, a DUI arrest, or showing up late to court; students should be aware of the detrimental impact substance abuse will have on their career.

Still, reports from the ABA indicate that, “50 to 75 percent of major attorney disciplinary cases nationwide involve chemical dependency.” In an effort to deal with the problem of substance abuse the ABA has created Lawyers Assistance Programs (“LAP”) in each of the 50 states. LAP’s provide free and professional, confidential counseling for bar members, immediate family members, and law students. The goal is not to punish but to intercede and provide help before an attorney not only causes irreparable damage to his career, but to clients and the legal profession as a whole.

Stress is an unavoidable part of both law school and the legal profession. However, it is incumbent on each of us to be committed to finding healthy ways to deal with that stress. The first step is admitting that you are human, and that you need help to develop tools for stress management such as yoga, exercise, prayer and meditation. Therapy, counseling and setting realistic work goals and boundaries can help keep stress from becoming unmanageable.  If you need help now as a law student, or know someone who does please contact your school or the LAP for California.

During the conflict in Syria, approximately 220,000 people have been killed while 12.8 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Statistically, more than 50% of Syria’s population is currently displaced.

According to Amnesty International, the Syrian gulf countries, which includes, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain have offered zero resettlement to Syrian refugees.

As of 2014, Qatar has the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the world with approximately 14% of their households being dollar millionaires. Meanwhile the economy of the United Arab Emirates is the second largest in the Arab world.  However, despite the vast array of wealth and luxury these countries enjoy they have yet to extend a helping hand to their neighbors in need.

Similarly, other high-income countries like Russia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea have also offered zero resettlement. Instead, Germany and Sweden together have received 47% of Syrian asylum applications while the 26 remaining European countries have pledged 8,700 resettlement places, which only amounts to 0.2% of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, economists are predicting that the sudden influx of refugees will help to boost the EU’s economy by advancing fertility rates and working age populations.  Therefore, while we see the Syrian refugees as a humanitarian crisis, the aforementioned countries see them as a challenge and threat, economists are hopeful that things can only go up from here.

But putting statistics and predictions aside, let’s take a moment and focus on things from a more humanistic perspective. Yes, the preservation of wealth is important, yes, the preservation of a countries economic power is important, but what about the preservation of human life?  What about the lives lost? What about the children’s homes that are ruined, their families torn, and parents lost?

In this day and age where we are surrounded with constant advances in technology and fights for the next “it” job, when do we stop wanting to climb the ladder of success and look around to see what is happening in the world?  When do we see that the things depicted in the media are happening in the real world? Can we stop and think how is this child going to go forward in life, the child whose life was uprooted, whose home was taken, whose innocence was shattered?

There is nothing wrong with wanting to get somewhere in life. We all need to do it to survive in this economy and to survive in a generation that constantly craves more-more-more. But what about the people who can’t do as we do? What about the people who are not afforded the same educations, the same basic necessities, and the same fundamental desires? When do we pause in helping ourselves to see how we can truly help others?

When the mistakes of history are constantly repeated, what can we do to correct them?

Better yet, can we?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar#Economy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates#Human_...

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/09/syrias-refugee-crisis-in-...

The Moot Court Honor Society is not just about bettering one’s advocacy skills, but also taking those skills and giving back to the community. During Constitution Week, Mesa College requested that Thomas Jefferson’s Moot Court Honor Society put on a demonstration on a topic of law relevant to constitutional rights; a request Moot Court members were more than happy to oblige with.

Moot Court’s President, Brian Del Vecchio, Vice President, Elizabeth Atkins, and Moot Court member, Donny Samporna argued Fisher v. University of Texas along with the assistance of Moot Court members Nadia Akaweih and Pua Uyehara.

During the demonstration, Samporna argued for Plaintiff, Fisher, while Atkins argued for Defendant, University of Texas. Del Vecchio served as Solicitor General and Akaweih and Uyehara assisted with practices and the facilitation of questions.

Fisher v. University of Texas is a constitutional law case pertaining to a Caucasian applicant, Fisher, who was denied admission to the state university. Fisher brought suit alleging that the university’s race-conscious admissions program violated her Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.

In 1997, the year that Fisher had applied to the university, the Texas legislature had enacted a law that required the University to admit all high school seniors who ranked in the top ten percent of their high school. Fisher did not fall within the top ten percent.

For those students who did not fall into that category, the school would consider race, amongst a number of other factors, such as Personal Achievement scores, as factors for admission. Fisher believed that the consideration of race violated her Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.

However, the district court did not agree as they decided in favor of the University.  Upon appeal, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision. However, Fisher appealed the court’s decision and the case found it’s way before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court held that such cases were reviewable under the Fourteenth Amendment and that a strict scrutiny standard was to be applied in determining whether such policies are “precisely tailored to serve a compelling governmental interest.” The Court held that the lower courts had not properly conducted the strict scrutiny analysis in this case. 

What was most exciting for Moot Court members was having the chance to demonstrate their litigation skills as thought they were really presenting a case before a court.

In addition to the invaluable experience, Samporna, who argued for Fisher, really enjoyed the process of helping college students see how Moot Court works and what all it represents. Samporna said, “Helping non-legal minds develop an understanding and appreciation of laws and the legal process deepens my own appreciation for my chosen profession.”

Hopefully the demonstration inspired more than just Moot Courters but also the young minds at Mesa College hoping to pursue a career in the field of law.

While living in Washington, D.C. this summer I somehow ended up watching “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” on The Food Network Channel. For those who aren’t aware, this is a show led by host Guy Fieri where he travels around the county and finds the best “hole in the wall” restaurants to showcase. Of course, as luck would have it, the episode I watched highlighted restaurants in San Diego. One of which was Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill.

Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill is a restaurant and market located north of Little Italy off India Street that serves up some of the most outstanding food I have come across. The restaurant is a little small and always has a line; but is without a doubt, worth the wait.

Now as someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy seafood, I am always hesitant to branch out so I tried the shrimp tacos and crab and artichoke dip. I enjoyed the artichoke dip but what was the best was the shrimp tacos. My entrée came with three tacos, but I could have easily eaten way more. The shrimp were beer-battered and topped with cabbage, tomatoes, onions, white sauce, cheese, and came with a side of tomatillo sauce. I have never had a better shrimp taco. It was simply outstanding.

The great thing about this restaurant (other than its food) is the ordering technique. If you want something from the grill you choose your fish, the marinade, and how you want it – either in as a sandwich, a salad, or a plate. The fish is fresh daily and cooked simply. The owners are avid fisherman who built the restaurant around their love of fishing. When dining inside you are surrounded by pictures of their fishing adventures and sizeable catches. It’s a really cool place.

There are a few things that I did not appreciate about the restaurant. One of which is the parking. The restaurant shares a parking lot with a few businesses and only has a few designated spaces that are quickly filled by patrons, the other spots in the lot are designated for the business and they will tow your car. Additionally, their staff are seating fascists. It’s the type of restaurant where you wait in line and place your order at the counter and then take a seat but instead of allowing you to choose, they have staff who place you at a table by your order in line. So if you happen to be waiting for someone to arrive before you place your order and take a seat, the seating fascists will come and tell you that saving tables is not permitted and then make you move. Very weird – and annoying.

Blue Water’s prices are reasonable. On the grill items range in prices depending on the type of fish you order. Sandwiches are approximately $8-$14; entrée salads $10-$19; plates $15-$25; and tacos from $4-$10. I would highly recommend this place and will be back!

Rating 4.5 stars for restaurant overall $$ for cost of food

Professor Susan Tiefenbrun runs what may be one of the best study abroad programs out there. Based out of the Nice University's Law School on the French Riviera, students are able to choose from a colorful assortment of international law classes. I had the privilege of taking Professor Tiefenbrun's course on international human rights and Professor Herald's course on comparative constitutional law, both of which allowed me to broaden my legal horizons while reinforcing the law learned during 1L and 2L years.

Besides amazing curricula in the classroom, other perks for me personally included: A romantic setting for my wife and I to celebrate our 1-year wedding anniversary; living a block away from the beach with 80 degree water temperature; building strong relationships and lifetime friendships with the professors and students there; free French classes; three-day weekends offering opportunities to experience European art, history, and culture; and an amazing weekly lecture series including an Italian Supreme Court Justice and a French sports law doping expert involved with the Tour de France scandals.

Would I recommend the program to other students? YES. Would I do it again? YES. In fact, I am already making arrangements to return to the program during Summer 2016 to take part in the opportunity-of-a-lifetime and receive classroom instruction from Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who will be teaching one of the courses!

Pros

1. Earning 4 credits in 1 month, which count towards the International Law Certificate
2. Make lifetime friends and strengthen your network with fellow students, faculty, and guest speakers in an intimate setting
3. Become cultured by utilizing 3-day weekends for traveling around Europe

Cons

1. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia did not teach in 2015, but will be teaching in 2016!!!
2. It takes place approximately June 15 - July 15, right in the middle of summer which might interrupt summer internships
3. Likelihood of weekend traveling is a little more than your budget allows

In my opinion, coffee boy/girl internships can wait. Hope to see some of you next Summer!

Help us continue publishing our law school newspaper by volunteering for our Jeffersonian positions!

For the first time, and upon approval of the student body vote, the coveted “Editor in Chief” and “Managing Editor” positions will be open to rising 2L and 3L students.

We hope our student body will rally with the new opportunity to seek out these positions. We look forward to seeing the evolution of our school’s paper!

How to be Appointed:

Read descriptions of duties and responsibilities for each position below.

Check your eligibility and send your “Statement of Intent” to laurena@tjsl.edu by 5:00pm by April 26th!

The newly elected SBA E-board and acting Editor in Chief will choose from the applicants to appoint positions!

Editor in Chief, The Jeffersonian

Description of Duties and Responsibilities

1. Generally, the Editor in Chief (EIC) of The Jeffersonian is responsible for the final product of The Jeffersonian’s print and website publications. He or she will set the tone, editorial direction, and policies for the publication and ensure every issue is consistent on these measures.

2. The Jeffersonian’s EIC will execute the following duties and responsibilities for the full academic term of their position. Note, this list is not exhaustive or all-inclusive:

a. He or she will manage budgeting, marketing, and event planning for the organization. Insofar, the EIC will coordinate with the acting SBA Vice President to finalize a budget for the organization’s following academic year.

b. The EIC will submit The Jeffersonian’s budget to SBA prior to the start of the following academic year.

c. The EIC will manage all advertising content and submissions that are submitted through the online and or print publications.

d. The EIC will hold monthly staff meetings, to review and set parameters for article submissions, deadlines, and topics for each publication.

          i. Article submissions are subject to change as necessary, given the style and oversight of the print edition template.           ii. Generally, article submissions should be sent to the EIC and Managing Editor for edits a week prior to printing the publication.           iii. To date, articles should be minimum 10pt. font, between 1-2 pages single-spaced typed, and submitted with pictures and    

          citations.

e. The EIC will work with the Managing Editor to ensure the content of each publication reports on topics of interest to its readers. Both EIC and Managing Editor will coordinate on edits and layout concerns for the print and website publications.           i. It is not the responsibility of the Managing Editor to change an article’s content, tone, or style.

f. The EIC will coordinate to license the iStudio Publisher program for the monthly print edition template; he or she may have editorial authority to change the layout as necessary to accommodate the publication’s theme, style, and content.

g. The EIC is responsible for acquiring a staff of writers and editors at the outset of the academic year. He or she is to hold an information meeting to acquire such persons.           i. Writers may include guest student, faculty, and alumni writers.

h. The EIC will maintain the content of The Jeffersonian’s website publication. After each print edition, articles will be separately uploaded to the website and organized accordingly into their respective columns.           i. The EIC will coordinate with TJSL’s Web Developer, Patricia Ramert, for website maintenance, changes, and questions.

i. The EIC will manage and monitor the TJSL Jeffersonian Facebook group page and Gmail account, at TJSLjeffersonian@gmail.com.

Managing Editor, The Jeffersonian Description of Duties and Responsibilities

1. Generally, the Managing Editor of The Jeffersonian is responsible for senior editing operations for The Jeffersonian publications, and reports to the Editor in Chief.

2. The Jeffersonian’s Managing Editor will execute the following duties and responsibilities for the full academic term of their position. Note, this list is not exhaustive or all-inclusive:

a. If necessary, the Managing Editor will seek out staff editors to assist editing content for each print publication and website content.

b. The Managing Editor will determine the importance of the articles and what content should be recommended for front-page publication.

c. If there are no other assisting staff editors, it is the Managing Editor’s duty and responsibility to edit content as it is submitted for publication.

d. The Managing Editor will resubmit final edited articles to the EIC for layout and print publication edits at least a minimum of two days before publication is to print.

e. The Managing Editor will ensure content is fact checked and properly cited in Bluebook style.

          i. It is not the responsibility of the Managing Editor to change an article’s content, tone, or style.

          ii. Managing Editor may notate changes or recommendations that can be made to the content if there are issues with facts,

          citations, or overall fluidity. These suggestions will be made to the EIC before publication is to be printed.

f. The Managing Editor, in reporting to the EIC, will coordinate on final layout and design of the publication.

g. The Managing Editor will attend monthly meetings for The Jeffersonian.

h. It is the responsibility of the Managing Editor, upon request, to send edits to staff writers and review any changes or suggestions made.

Intramural athletics has brought some excitement in years past but this basketball season might have topped them off. The competiveness of the league brought rival games and tough competition. The competition brought injuries to some, frustration to others, and glory to a select few.

The field of teams were scattered with talent but the top four teams, three from TJSL and one from Cal West, brought an exciting day for playoff basketball.

The championship game was a rematch of the top two teams. The first meeting between the two teams included an altercation and a game winning buzzer beater, which set up for a thrilling championship game. Although the championship game did not end in a buzzer beater it ended with the number two-seeded Sports Law Society team taking out the top seed. Congratulations to the Sports Law Society team for winning the intramural basketball championship!

Look for intramural softball coming up next followed by an intramural dodgeball tournament on April 11.

Thomas Jefferson’s intramural sports are a privilege. Our school, as well as SBA, allow us to play and sacrifice other things, so we can all play and enjoy a little friendly competition. In the end that’s all it is, friendly competition, all for the sake of fun. That being said, all future students that participate in intramural sports need to keep in mind that when they play in the respective intramural leagues they are not only representing themselves but they are also representing the school. Fighting, disrespect, vulgar and disrespectful language are not warranted and will not be tolerated. If another player is getting under your skin, be the bigger person and act sensible. After all the hard work we put in as students, it is not worth the possible consequences of losing it all by doing something irrational over an intramural game. In the end we play for fun and camaraderie, so be good sports and represent yourself and your school in a positive way.

The Student Bar Association (SBA) is holding elections soon and is hoping for a great group of people to run for positions. You might be interested but might not know exactly what being on SBA entails.

SBA is the student government for TJSL. SBA communicates with other law schools throughout the state and even country to discuss school policies and practices. We are active members of the American Bar Association (ABA), Student Division and send an ABA representative and the SBA President to the annual conference every year in August. We also have representatives for our local bar associations such as North County Bar Association (NCBA) and San Diego Bar Association (SDBA).

SBA is run almost entirely by students who want to see TJSL succeed. We do this by providing activities for students as well as advocating on students’ behalf.

There is of course Barrister’s Ball, the Halloween Party, the Back to School Bash, and Bar Reviews, but SBA does so much more than throw parties. When a student has a complaint or concern, they can approach their SBA representative, whether that is a 1L, 2L, or 3L class representative and that representative is responsible for bringing the concerns either to SBA or directly to the administration. When scheduling conflicts arise with professors or when students have concerns about access to bar prep courses, SBA is the group that seeks a resolution with the administration.

Though this is no easy task and red tape often runs thick, SBA members are constantly working to make TJSL a comfortable place that encourages the success and dedication of its students.

Elections are held in April every year and as they quickly approach, I encourage you to consider running for a position. The positions are as follows:

Executive Board: President Vice President

Treasurer

Secretary

Executive Committee: Public Relations Director

Academics Director

Alumni Relations Director

Athletic Events Directors

Community Events Director

Social Events Director

Parliamentarian

Bar Association Representatives:

American Bar Association

North County Bar Association San Diego County Bar Association

Chairs and Committees:

Alumni Relations Committee

Social Events Committee

Fundraising Chair

Class Representatives: 3L Class Representatives

2L Class Representatives

1L Class Representatives (Determined at beginning of year)

If you are interested in a position, please go to tjsl.edu/ sba and review the bylaws and constitution and consider putting in an application! An email will go out in a few weeks, so keep your eyes open for this opportunity. If you have any questions, feel free to email sba@tjsl.edu.