Student Organizations
asian pacific | african american | glbt | latino/a | south asian
APALSA is a diverse organization that addresses the concerns and needs
of the Asian Pacific American community at the Washington College of Law.
APALSA helps its members with academic and social adjustments by pairing
them with mentors who are WCL upper-level law students or local area attorneys.
This organization also sponsors social activities and various programs
in affiliation with the local chapter of the Asian 
Pacific American Bar
Association (APABA). APALSA members remain active in the larger Asian
community in the D.C. area by participating in a variety of public
service activities.
APALSA members have been successful at the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition and continue to expand the number of conferences its members attend, which include the National Pacific American Law Student Association Conference.
BLSA sponsors special events to promote a fuller understanding of the social and legal issues that concern the African-American community. By providing course outlines and academic workshops, BLSA members provide support to black law students. Career panels and networking receptions help BLSA members make valuable career contacts within the legal profession. Special programs include a series of guest speakers, a Black History Month banquet, and alumni receptions. BLSA also works outside of the law school through community service activities, and affiliation with other BLSA chapters.
Lambda was founded in 1984 as a political, educational, and social organization to provide information on legal issues of interest and concern to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of the law school community. The organization strives to eliminate stereotypes and to foster positive images through the presentation of relevant programming and inclusive activities. Law studesnt participation in external professional groups such as Lavender Law is also encouraged by the organization. Membership in Lambda is open to all students, regardless of sexual orientation.
LaLSA provides a congenial environment for students who are interested in Latino/a issues in the United States and abroad. The purpose of the organization is twofold. First, it seeks to promote the discussion of legal and social issues affecting Latino/a communities. Second, LaLSA functions as a support group for law students and provides useful guidance for meeting the many challenges of law school.
LaLSA offers a wide array of activities that appeal to students interested in either domestic or international law. As part of its determination to promote the discussion of Latino legal and social issues, LaLSA organizes panel discussions with topics ranging from immigration issues to the impact of communications law in the ever-expanding Latin American communications market. In addition to a conference series, LaLSA cosponsors an annual Latino/a law conference and career fair with the Latino/a Bar Associations of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
In October 2005, HLSA cosponsored the 9th Annual Latina/o Law Student Association Conference in collaboration with the National Latina/o Law Student Association. Anticipated activities include a series of workshops, a community service event, a career fair, and tours of the city.
SALSA was established at WCL in the spring of 1997. SALSA aims to promote a greater understanding of the issues affecting the South Asian community, and it organizes educational, cultural, and social events throughout the school year. In the past, the WCL chapter of SALSA has collaborated with chapters at the Georgetown and George Washington law schools and with the Indian American Bar Association (IABA) in celebrating the Indian New Year-Diwali and in cosponsoring a conference on issues regarding and affecting the Indian, Pakistani, and American judiciary systems. In the future, SALSA hopes to provide an academic and social network for incoming students, where fellow returning students will help with the first-year transition into law school by serving as mentors. In aid of that goal, SALSA has produced a guide to South Asian goods and services to be found in the Washington, DC area.
For referral to the ALSA organizations, contact the Office of Diversity Services
