Organizations & Student Life: Student Organizations
GGU Law students take an active role in shaping our close-knit campus community. A diverse array of student organizations offers students the chance to build both their social and professional networks.
Click here to visit the GGU Law SORG page.
STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION (SBA)
SBA is the official voice of School of Law students. An umbrella organization funded by student fees, the SBA coordinates various programs, activities, and events to meet the educational, recreational, and interpersonal needs of the student body. All JD students are members of the SBA and pay fees every semester to fund SBA activities. In turn, the SBA disburses these funds to support other student groups and activities. Students elect SBA officers and representatives each spring. The representatives come from each class of the day and evening divisions. The officers of the SBA include the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Together with the representatives, these officers constitute the board of directors. The president of the SBA serves on the School of Law's hearing panel and attends meetings of the Golden Gate University Board of Trustees.
AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY (ACS)
ACS is a progressive organization comprised of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, policy makers, activists, and other concerned individuals working to ensure that the fundamental principles of human dignity, individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice are in their rightful, central place in American law. The GGU ACS chapter initiates and organizes events and debates that foster intelligent discussion and thought on current and future legal issues.
ASIA PACIFIC AMERICAN LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION (APALSA)
GGU APALSA seeks to promote the academic, social, and professional growth of its members by providing academic support, creating lasting relationships with the legal community, and adhering to professional and ethical codes of conduct. We recognize the disparity between the number of minority students in law school and the relatively few number of minority partners in law firms and minorities sitting on the bench, and aspire to decrease that disparity. We are dedicated to increasing the presence and numbers of Asian Pacific Americans in law schools and the Bar, as well as advocating on behalf of the Asian Pacific American community. APALSA is open to all law students enrolled at GGU.
BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (BLSA)
BLSA formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of Black law students and allies to effectuate change in the legal community. BLSA exists to increase the number of culturally responsible Black and minority attorneys who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. BLSA promotes the development of talented, socially conscious lawyers of tomorrow. Each year, BLSA participates in annual regional and national conventions to engage in legal activism and prepare new generations of Black and minority lawyers to effectuate change. Additionally, BLSA members have access to BLSA regional job fairs. BLSA also provides opportunities for members to participate in the Frederick Douglass Moot Court, Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial, and International Negotiations Competitions. BLSA is open to all students.
BUSINESS LAW ASSOCIATION (BLA)
The Business Law Association seeks to take advantage of our campus being centrally located in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District by giving law students the opportunity to connect with the business law community. Business Law Association strives to give our members the best opportunities to learn the foundations of business law and to network with people in the community. Our goal is to help our members succeed in any avenue they choose to pursue.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY (ELS)
ELS discusses current developments in environmental law and works to further the goals of protecting the environment as well as securing placements in the legal field. ELS also participates in the annual Earth Day cleanup and the annual beach cleanup, hosts speakers on environmental issues, and periodically co-sponsors a symposium dealing with emerging issues in environmental law. ELS participates each spring in an Environmental Law Conference in Eugene, Oregon, which provides a setting for interested students to meet and share information about events, school programs, jobs, and new developments in the field of environmental law.
HEALTH LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION (HLSA)
The Health Law Student Association is a student-run organization that seeks to promote health law opportunities for GGU Law students. HLSA seeks to encourage professional development, explore career opportunities, expand the health law curriculum, and raise awareness of the right to health.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW ASSOCIATION (IPLA)
IPLA seeks to forge and maintain relationships among students, the School of Law and firms, corporations, businesses, and other organizations involved in all areas of intellectual property law to educate students about intellectual property law, aid students in obtaining IP-related employment, and promote the integrity of the School of Law's IP law program to the legal community. IPLA has surveyed local firms to determine their hiring preferences regarding recent graduates and summer associate positions, sponsored presentations by local attorneys regarding issues in IP law, and cosponsored activities with professional organizations such as California Lawyers for the Arts.
INTERNATIONAL LAW SOCIETY (ILS)
ILS brings together students of diverse backgrounds and interests with a common goal of promoting and fostering an increased understanding and appreciation of international law at all levels, whether public, private, comparative, theoretical, or practical. ILS is an active member of the International Law Student Association (ILSA), a worldwide umbrella student organization.
JEWISH LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (JLSA)
JLSA plans social and culturally enriching events for Jewish students and faculty as well as events designed to educate the School of Law community about Jewish concerns.
LA RAZA LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION (LA RAZA)
The La Raza Law Student Association ("La Raza") is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic student organization committed to promoting diversity at GGU School of Law and in the legal profession. La Raza provides support to GGU Law School students by cultivating long-lasting relationships and ties with the greater Latino community through involvement with local Bay Area La Raza Chapters and neighboring La Raza law school chapters. We seek to develop competent La Raza attorneys to promote diverse representation in the legal community to better aid our respective communities through effective legal representation and leadership. La Raza welcomes all individuals.
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW ASSOCIATION (LELA)
The mission of the Labor & Employment Law Association is to provide students at Golden Gate University School of Law with a heightened awareness of the aspects of labor and employment law, to introduce perspectives and ideas associated with parties in the field, to build and maintain a network of industry experts, and to act as a liaison between the student body and employment opportunities both on and off campus.
NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD (NLG)
The National Lawyers Guild is the nation's oldest and largest progressive bar association and was the first one in the US to be racially integrated. The Golden Gate Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to furthering the organizational mission to use law for the people; uniting lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people by valuing human rights over property interests.
OUTLAW (Formerly PRIDE LAW)
Pride Law serves as the focal point for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community at GGU. Our membership is open to everyone who wants to join us! We maintain an active social presence within our community and within the GGU community at large and we're grateful to have tons of support from the ally community. We also serve as a connection between members and the LGBTQ legal community at large. We maintain an active relationship with BALIF (Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom), the regional LGBTQ Bar Association. BALIF offers career development and social opportunities as well as a mentorship program that matches students with active attorneys. At GGU, we host panels on relevant topics, coordinate cross-sectional events with other student organizations, and we also have a lot of fun! Join us!
PHI ALPHA DELTA (PAD)
Phi Alpha Delta aims to unite law students, teachers, judges, and attorneys in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and the encourage members' moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement.
PILIPINO AMERICAN LAW SOCIETY (PALS)
Pilipino/a American Law Society was started to give a voice to the Pilipino/a American law students at GGU and to address Pilipino/a American community-specific legal and social issues. PALS aims to help recruit more Pilipino/a Americans into the legal profession by forging strong ties with the greater Pilipino/a American legal community through involvement with the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC). PALS welcomes all individuals, regardless of ethnic background, who are interested in Pilipino/a American issues.
PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FOUNDATION (PILF)
PILF is a student organization run by students for students. PILF is dedicated to advancing public interest through law by encouraging and supporting members who give back to the community. PILF assists students in finding legal employment and involvement opportunities in public interest and in government. It also provides forums to hear from faculty and practicing attorneys about their public interest experiences and to discuss issues within public interest fields. As an organization, we try to promote involvement in the community. Each spring, PILF awards summer grants to current students working in public interest positions and holds an auction and raffle to raise money for these programs.
SOCIETY OF LITIGATORS
The Society of Litigators (SOL) seeks to bring together GGU students interested in litigation to exchange ideas and share experiences. SOL puts on several presentations each semester, focusing on various issues related to trial advocacy, such as how to deliver a persuasive opening statement or how to conduct an effective cross examination. SOL also helps students network by providing them with opportunities to meet and speak with practicing litigators in our community.
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT LAW SOCIETY (SELS)
The mission of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society (SELs) is to provide students with access to practitioners and other individuals in the sports and entertainment law fields through panel and sponsored events, and to afford students the opportunity to pursue and explore areas of sports and entertainment law.
STUDENT ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (SALDF)
GGU SALDF provides a forum for education, advocacy, and scholarship aimed at protecting the lives and welfare of animals while advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. GGU SALDF also arranges networking opportunities and creates a dynamic environment for its members to meet and interact with practicing attorneys and other professionals who work in the fields of animal and environmental laws.
STUDENT VETERAN LAW ASSOCIATION (SVLA)
The Student Veterans Law Association (SVLA) is dedicated to the growth and advancement of veteran law students and those in our community interested in veterans' rights. We seek to promote awareness of veterans' issues within the legal community, as well enable our members to connect and collaborate with a diverse range legal professionals who serve the interests of veterans.
Current Students: To access contact information and more information about this SORG,
please click here.
STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY (SSDP)
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is the only international network of students dedicated to ending the war on drugs. We create change by bringing young people together and creating safe spaces for students of all political and ideological stripes to have honest conversations about drugs and drug policy.
WOMEN'S LAW ASSOCIATION (WLA)
WLA is dedicated to educating and fostering dialog on issues that impact women's rights, especially in the legal field. It sponsors social and educational activities for the entire student body as well as events primarily of interest to women. In the past, WLA has provided a mentor program for first-year students.
YOUTH AND FAMILY LAW SOCIETY (YFLS)
The Youth and Family Law Society gives its members the opportunity to address issues concerning juvenile justice, family law, and education advocacy. YFLS supports law students who are interested in pursuing legal careers in youth and family advocacy. Throughout the year, we host panels, do networking events, and discuss the different nuances youth and family law has to offer. In 2017, YFLS won SORG OF THE YEAR at the Golden Gate University SORG Awards