October 7, 2008

Colorado Bar Association 
Attorney Admissions and Law School (AALS) 
Committee Meeting Minutes
from
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 7:30 a.m.
COBAR Offices – 1900 Grant Street, 9th Floor – Executive Conference Room

I. Christine Hayes called the meeting to order and the minutes from the August 5, 2008 Meeting were approved unanimously.

II. Law School Interaction Update

A.  CU School of Law

• Presentation on Sept. 24 was a success.  AALS is now tracking student membership to COBAR, and 20 new student members have joined the CBA since the presentation.
• Upcoming Bar Application Class presentation Oct. 30th 
• Student ABA Representative Angie Morrison request for help with speakers.

B.  DU School of Law

• Presentation on October 6th had 5 students attend. 
• Next presentation on October 8th.  
• Discussing Bar Application Class moving forward for the spring.

C.  Wyoming School of Law

• Cleared concerns to speak with WYO to educate students that are interested in the Colorado legal market and COBAR
• Jim Huemoeller, Dan Glasser, and Anetra Parks discussed potential outreach ideas.  WYO has 70-80 students per class, 1/3 of which are Colorado residents and many practice in Colorado following graduation.

1. AALS will forward information about free student membership to WYO and assist with making presentations in the fall and spring to students. 
2. The possibility of making a joint presentation with Scott Johns for a Colorado Bar Application Class was also discussed. 
3. Dan Glasser is going to WO in late October and agreed to make the first presentation to WYO students for AALS.  CBA will provide swag. 

D.  Career Fairs and CaseMaker Research Tools

• Phil McGrane, DU Law Student and CBA member, attended the meeting and stressed that AALS should continue to stress the benefits of networking to student, to stress the benefits of CaseMaker as a free alternative to Lexis and Westlaw, and to have booths present at Career Fairs at the law schools so students have an opportunity to join at the same time they are job searching. Dan Glasser and Bob Berry also commented that AALS should stress the importance of networking and making connections through the bar at presentations to law students.

II. Other Committee Action

A.  Bar Bri Scholarship Update

•  Confirmed scholarships from Bar Bri for 2008-2009 School year
•  Members discussed the definition of “minority” for the scholarship.  Susani Nash suggested the more appropriate term should be “diverse.”  Upon motion and unanimous approval, the AALS committee determined to utilize the definition of diverse established by the Pledge to Diversity and the Committee for Inclusive Excellence.
• The Application will be updated and distributed and posted online accordingly.
• Charlie Garcia discussed the fact that the CBA Executive Counsel is meeting Friday and will discuss dues check-offs on the CBA membership statements, including the “minority” check-off that funds the Bar Bri scholarships.  AALS would like to keep the dues check-off, but would like the change the name of the check-off to diverse. Christine Hayes will attend the meeting in person, and Charlie Garcia by phone if possible, to provide the AALS position to the Executive Counsel.

B.  Swearing In Ceremony

• Mon. Oct. 27th Swearing In Ceremony at Boettcher Concert Hall
  Susani Nash and Becky Noecker have volunteered to staff an informational booth.  Still need 1 more AALS volunteer for 2 – 3:30 p.m.

C.  Update on Contacts with the Board of Law Examiners

• Christine Hayes reported that she had contacted Alan Ogden of the Bar Examiners to discuss AALS interaction with the Board.  Mr. Ogden stated that, while the Board welcomes AALS steering applicant questions to the Board and providing information to students, it would not welcome AALS acting as an intermediary between applicants and the Board.  The committee determined to provide contact information for the Board to students, which is listed in the CBA membership guide. 

D.  AALS Committee Web Site Update

• Carolyn Gravit and Rebecca Franciscus reported that the webpage for AALS on the CBA website contained committee materials, including meeting agendas and minutes, committee membership information, and the Bar Bri scholarship.  The encouraged members to suggest other changes and additions to the webpage.

III. Next Meeting:  (Meetings are the first Tuesday of every other month at 7:30 a.m. in the Executive Conference Room on the 9th Floor of the Bar Assn. Offices)

• Tuesday, December 2, 2008 – 7:30 a.m.