Our ACS Chapter engages in many initiatives, both on and off the HLS campus. While many of these are evolving in today’s virtual world, we’re committed to continuing our important work. Read more about what we do in the pages below!
Academics: Our Academics programming includes resources such as an ACS outline/exam bank (focused on visiting professors whose outlines might not otherwise be available to ACS students) and events centered on academics, particularly programs that support 1Ls as they adjust to HLS. Our Academic programming also focuses on clerkship resources and helps connects Chapter members with each other throughout these exploration and application processes.
Activism: Our Activism Directors organize opportunities for the ACS community to engage in community activism on the HLS campus, such as rallies and petitions on Harvard-specific issues, as well as off-campus activism for progressive causes like voter registration and racial justice.
Alumni and Career Resources: Alumni and Career Resources entail the development and management of our relationships with Harvard ACS alumni as well as the national ACS community, in addition to general career development assistance. Our Alumni and Career Resources Director coordinates an alumni-student mentorship program, as well as opportunities for current students to connect with individual alumni as well as groups and networks throughout the country. These relationships can be helpful for topics like summer jobs, EIP, clerkships, and public interest fellowships.
Member Connections: ACS is a big organization—one of the largest on the HLS campus—so there is a lot to communicate with all of our members! An important part of our Board’s mission is to make sure that everyone feels fully included, engaged, and up-to-date on our work and our wonderful community. An important aspect of our Membership is the ability to attend a variety of social events throughout the year, from casual hang-outs to our annual Progressive Formal with HLPR!
Section Representatives: We know that 1L is an important, but busy, year for many reasons. That’s why our Board finds it important to connect with each HLS section and have a spot for their representatives on our board. We specifically look each year for a section representative from each 1L, LLM, and Transfer section so that our entire Chapter is tuned into the needs and interests of these communities.
Student Organization Outreach at HLS: We are a large organization, and HLS has a large student body, so we are committed to building strong relationships with all groups and students on campus so we can serve both our members and the larger campus community. If you are another HLS student organization, journal, coalition, etc., please reach out to us for any questions on cosponsorship, joint programming, or any way that we can support your organization’s members and mission. The best email for these inquiries is [email protected] — we’ll then direct your request to the appropriate Board member.
Supreme Court Moots: Each year, our Chapter coordinates the law school’s Supreme Court Moots program with the Harvard Law Review and Federalist Society. As part of this program, ACS hosts moot arguments for real-life Supreme Court advocates who are in the process of preparing their cases currently before the Court. These advocates deliver their arguments to a panel of professors and practitioners with expertise in the precise question presented. Students can attend and observe these moots, which is an unparalleled window into the craft of appellate advocacy and the unique world of Supreme Court litigation. NOTE: As our moots feature live cases, there are particular logistical and confidentiality features to these events. Please pay close attention as you encounter these features while attending.
Washington, D.C. Trip: Each year our Chapter takes a trip to D.C. to meet with and learn from amazing progressive lawyers, policy professional, and judges. We also try to connect with ACS chapters from National and schools in the D.C. area. This year, we are in the process of exploring possibilities for what this programming looks like in various remote school scenarios.