Student Organizations

Student Bar Association

The Student Bar Association (SBA) is the governing body for the students at Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. The objectives of the SBA are to advance the best interests of legal education; to actively support and institute, when necessary, procedures and practices for the betterment of the law school; and to promote the academic, professional and social well-being of the membership. The SBA also represents the concerns and interests of the law school student body and sponsors a variety of extracurricular events. All students are urged to serve on one or more of the SBA committees.

The SMU Student Bar Association (SBA) is composed of all students in the School of Law. Each year the students of the Dedman School of Law elect 21 student representatives, including 4 executive officers, to serve on the SBA Voting Council. The Voting Council is the Legislative arm of the SBA. Officers, second-year, and third-year class representatives are elected in the spring semester of each academic year. Class representatives for first-year students are elected approximately one month after the fall semester has commenced.

Mailing Address:
The Student Bar Association
Dedman School of Law
Southern Methodist University
P.O. Box 750116 Dallas, Texas
75275-0116
Phone: 214-768-2359

Student Bar Association Mentorship Program

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the facilitation of character, community, and culture amongst Asian Pacific American students, professionals and community members.

Black Law Students Association

The Black Law Student Association (BLSA) is one of the largest student-run organizations in the country. Mr. A.J. Cooper founded the organization on the campus of NYU Law School in 1968 to nurture the educational needs of black law students and affect change in the academic and legal communities. Today the SMU BLSA chapter perpetuates that mission through academic and professional programs that help students of all ethnicities navigate through law school. Our programs seek to empower students with the tools they need to learn business etiquette, networking, and professionalism, in a legal framework. We offer opportunities to participate in various community service initiatives, so students may start learning early in our legal careers how to balance professional demands and community involvement.

Disability Law Association

First-Generation Law Students Association

Hispanic Law Students Association

The Hispanic Law Students Association's (HLSA) purpose is to serve as a support organization for Hispanic students, to facilitate awareness of education and professional opportunities to these students, and to promote Hispanic interests and awareness in the larger community through involvement with other campus minority organizations, community service projects, and interaction with the Dallas Hispanic legal community. By planning meetings and events that welcome all students at SMU Dedman School of Law, HLSA aims to serve the larger law school community, as well as those who choose to be HLSA members.

Jewish Law Students Association

The Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) is a cultural, social, and educational organization that reflects the varied interests of the Jewish student community of SMU Dedman School of Law. We open our group to anyone and host Shabbat dinners, events on holidays, doing our best to unite a strong Jewish community on and off campus.

Muslim Law Students Association

OUTLaw

SMU OUTlaw is a diverse group of law students, faculty, staff, and their significant others and friends who all support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons and initiatives. OUTlaw works to enrich the SMU Dedman School of Law community by providing:

Educational programs open to the entire student body;
Career-related events linking students with the local Dallas legal community; and
Social and small group events both on and off campus.

South Asian Law Students Association

The South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA) exists for three reasons. First, to increase the visibility of South Asian and Middle Eastern (SAME) culture on campus. Second, to advocate for increased professional and academic advancement opportunities for (SAME) students. Third, to create a conduit with the SAME legal community in Texas. This year, one of the organization's purposes involves setting up a South Asian Law Student Scholarship for one of our members who tragically died last year.

When and where does the organization meet? Meetings will be held biweekly to monthly, location and time TBD. Our members have varied interests and schedules and so flexibility is warranted in setting standards for organizational meetings.

Veterans Law Association

SMU Veterans Law Association (VLA) strives to ensure that veterans and their families are supported by legal representation in all matters. VLA also supports legislation that benefits those who served to keep America's freedoms safe from those that would try to end them.

Women in Law

Women in Law (WIL) is a student organization that strives to increase career, mentoring, and networking opportunities for all women at SMU Dedman School of Law.

Association for Public Interest Law

The Association for Public Interest Law (APIL) at SMU Dedman School of Law
- Helps raise awareness of public sector jobs through job fairs and speaking events;
- Helps students explore how attorneys address social issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, and discrimination; and
- Organizes a silent auction to raise money to provide summer stipends for outstanding law students who have secured volunteer internship placement in public interest organizations.

Association of International Petroleum Negotiators

The Association of International Petroleum Negotiators is an independent not-for-profit professional membership association that supports international energy negotiators around the world and enhances their effectiveness and professionalism in the international energy community.

Board of Advocates

The Board of Advocates (BOA) exists to preserve, nurture, and promote a culture of oral and written advocacy at the SMU Dedman School of Law. It accomplishes this by running on-campus competitions for BOA members and non-members, by supporting teams competing in off-campus competitions, and by facilitating student events, talks, and other learning opportunities.

The BOA office is located at room 24B in the lower level of Storey Hall.

Corporate Law Association

The Corporate Law Association (CLA) seeks to further the individual welfare of its members, to foster education and research in the fields of law and commerce, and to educate the student body to appreciate the integration of law and commerce. Throughout the school year, the CLA hosts a variety of events to give students insight into current trends and issues facing corporate lawyers. Additionally, the CLA aims to facilitate networking in an effort to create relationships that will allow students to connect with corporate law practitioners.

Criminal Law Society

The SMU Criminal Law Society's purpose is to promote all things criminal law. We are focused on providing our members with opportunities to learn about the several specialties within the criminal law umbrella. We hope to foster connections between our members and current prosecutors, defense attorneys, and appellate attorneys. Additionally, we seek to provide unique opportunities to see other aspects of the criminal justice system, such as touring local jails to gain a perspective of what criminal defendants face when navigating the system.

Disability Law Association

Energy Law Association

The Energy Law Association's (ELA) objectives are to raise awareness of energy related legal issues; to generate student interest in energy law, to facilitate an ongoing dialogue regarding energy law and related legal issues; and to embrace the educational opportunities of law students interested in energy law. ELA meets these objectives through meetings, speakers, and mentoring.

Environmental Law Society

The Environmental Law Society gives students interested in environmental law a means to meet people working in the area of environmental law while learning more about the career options available in the field.

Family Law Association

The Family Law Association works to bring together students who are interested in learning about the field of Family Law. FLA sponsors speakers and events to promote awareness of family law issues and career opportunities, and serves as a source of family law information to both the law school and the local community. In addition, FLA works to promote interaction with the Dallas Bar Association Family Law section to provide networking and mentoring opportunities for students interested in Family Law.

Health Law Association

The objectives of the Health Law Association (HLA) are to raise awareness of health related legal issues; to generate student interest in health law, to facilitate an ongoing dialogue regarding health law and related legal issues; and to embrace the educational opportunities of law students interested in health law. HLA meets these objectives through meetings, speakers, and mentoring.

Immigration Law Student Association

The mission of the organization shall be to promote awareness of immigration law and the careers therein by bringing professionals from government, public interest, and private immigration practices to the law school. The Organization wishes to encourage greater student involvement with respect to immigration issues through various edification efforts and community outreach initiatives and will facilitate access to volunteer/job opportunities. Most importantly, the association shall serve as a space where law students can openly discuss the legal and political landscape.

Intellectual Property Organization

The Intellectual Property Organization is one of the most active interest based organizations of Dedman School of Law. Meetings are frequently held to cover various aspects of Intellectual Property including Copyright, Trademark, Tradeservice, and Patent Law. IPO also hosts numerous speaker events to discuss topics such as the practical business application of IP law and how to prepare for the the Patent Bar. IPO also serves as a career base for students interested in IP law as we are the first to hear about job, moot court and out-of-school networking opportunities specifically designed for students interested in IP.

International Law Society

The International Law Society aims to connect law students to the international law network, to bring awareness to the issues facing the modern international law practice, and to educate our members about the various facets of practice in international law.

JD/MBA Society

The JD/MBA Society exists to improve the experience of JD/MBA students at Southern Methodist University. The Society facilitates communication and mentorship among and between alumni, current students, and prospective students of the dual law and business programs. In addition, the Society works on behalf of JD/MBA students to ensure that they have access to the resources necessary to continue SMU’s trend of producing leaders at the intersection of law and business.

Labor and Employment Law Students Association

The Labor & Employment Law Association is an organization dedicated to preparing students for a well-connected career in labor & employment law. This is accomplished by putting students in contact with attorneys in all areas of labor & employment; introducing students to alternative careers in the field; and exploring the social issues that are essential for a successful practice. We aim to create a well-prepared and connected group that extends outside the walls of SMU.

Real Estate Law Association

The Real Estate Law Association serves the unique interests of law students interested in pursing a career in real estate through connecting law students to the larger real estate legal community. We invite real estate practitioners in the fields of law and finance to speak at workshops and seminars at the law school. We encourage networking in the real estate community by keeping students updated on DFW real estate events and organization membership opportunities.

Sports and Entertainment Law Association

The Sports and Entertainment Law Association (SELA) is a student run organization that facilitates various sports and entertainment law related events for educational and networking purposes. We bring in guest lecturers from major sports and entertainment firms in the DFW metroplex to give lunch talks. We collaborate with the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and the Dallas Bar Association to organize workshops and outings. We bring in speakers from major sports law institutes and ABA accredited law schools. Our primary goal is to assist aspiring sports and entertainment attorneys in making the necessary connections to facilitate a future in sports and entertainment law. Our secondary goal is to educate law students about current trends in the sports and entertainment legal market. Additionally, our organization seeks to provide public service to the community through volunteer activities and donations.

Student Animal Legal Defense Fund

Tax Law Society

The Tax Law Society (TLS) seeks to bring together members of the SMU Law community who are interested in tax law. TLS organizes events—aimed at strengthening students' understanding of tax law— where individuals from the policy world, academia, and the private sector can share their views on current tax law issues. Additionally, the organization helps students learn about the practice of tax law by connecting students with local tax attorneys and promoting awareness of professional tax law opportunities in the Dallas community.

Federal Bar Association - Law Student Division

Students, legal interns, and recent graduates now have the extraordinary opportunity to participate in virtual panel presentations hosted by various Federal Bar Association leaders, federal agencies, and other notable speakers. The panel presentations will allow students and interns to learn directly from practitioners about career development, missions and operations, enrichment and employment opportunities, and more!

Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity

The purpose of Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) is to form a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement; so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service.

PAD is the largest law fraternity in the county and is a great organization from which to begin your legal career. This year we are planning a number of social events and speaker conferences that are a great way to meet other law students and have some fun. PAD will be accepting new members at the beginning of the semester and will also be hosting a welcome back happy hour where new or prospective members can meet PAD's returning students. We will be sending out more information about recruiting and events during the first few weeks of school. We look forward to meeting you!

Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity

Phi Delta Phi (PDP) is SMU Dedman School of Law's only Legal Honors Fraternity. During the spring semester of each school year, Phi Delta Phi invites the top 33% of the class to become initiated. PDP is an International Legal Fraternity that was established in 1869, and it is now the world's largest legal fraternity. Please note that to become a member of PDP, you may not be a member of any other legal fraternity. The most notable activity of PDP is the Teddy Bear Immunity toy drive and fundraiser, in which PDP collects teddy bears, or alternatively $5 donations, from SMU law students. In exchange for their donations, the students receive immunity from getting called on in their classes, and the proceeds are used to give teddy bears to children for comfort during times of sickness and tragedy. For more information on Phi Delta Phi, please see the website at  http://www.phideltaphi.org/

State Bar of Texas Law Student Division

One of our priorities at the State Bar of Texas is to enhance law students' participation in the administration of justice, professional responsibility, and public service.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association

The Texas Trial Lawyers Association was founded in 1949 with a simple mission to bring trial lawyers together in a joint effort to promote justice for Texas families.

Christian Legal Society

The Christian Legal Society (CLS) seeks to provide students with community and fellowship within the law school by organizing speakers, bible studies, service events, and other programs.

J. Reuben Clark Society

We affirm the strength brought to the law by a lawyer's personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and professional excellence to promote fairness and virtue founded upon the rule of law.

Jewish Law Students Association

The Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) is a cultural, social, and educational organization that reflects the varied interests of the Jewish student community of SMU Dedman School of Law. We open our group to anyone and host Shabbat dinners, events on holidays, doing our best to unite a strong Jewish community on and off campus.

Muslim Law Students Association

American Constitution Society

The mission of the American Constitution Society is to harness the values of compassion and respect for each individual and to re-incorporate them into American law and politics in order to build a stronger and more decent national community. We seek to restore the fundamental principles of respect for human dignity, protection of individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice to their rightful – and traditionally central – place in American law. 

Association of Law and Politics

The Association of Law & Politics (ALP) serves as a non-partisan student organization to promote political awareness and involvement at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. The Goals of ALP include: facilitating non-partisan dialogue on political issues; raising awareness of political issues among law students; encouraging current and future participation in the political process and the larger civic community; the examination of political issues from a legal perspective; and providing information related to careers in political advocacy and public policy.

Federalist Society

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservative and libertarian lawyers and law students founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what the law should be.

The SMU Federalist Society seeks to promote awareness and foster fair and open debate about these principles in the SMU Law School community and beyond. Every year, we host scholars, judges, and practitioners to debate and discuss a range of law and policy topics. Membership is open to all students. The Federalist Society is about ideas.

We do not lobby for legislation, take policy positions, or endorse candidates for public office. Our members hold diverse and often conflicting views on a broad range of issues.

If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice

If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice is a nationwide network of lawyers, law students, legal professionals, and movement organizers who are working to make reproductive freedom a reality for all! We strive to transform the law and policy landscape through advocacy, support, and organizing so all people have the power to determine if, when, and how to define, create, and sustain families with dignity as well as to actualize sexual and reproductive well-being on their own terms.

Law Students for Life

Law Students for Life engages students in conversation about how to promote and support life at all stages. Law Students for Life is open to all law students willing to have honest and open dialogue.

Second Amendment Foundation

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) is dedicated to promoting a better understanding about our Constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms. To that end, the SAF carries on many educational and legal action programs designed to better inform the public about the gun control debate.

Students at SMU Law have the opportunity to serve on one of three journal Associations, which are home to a total of seven prestigious journals. Visit the SMU Law Journals page for more information about each Association, their respective journals, and journal membership opportunities.

Aggie Mustang Law Society

The Aggie Mustang Law Society seeks to assist those law students who have obtained a degree from Texas A&M and/or have some Aggie connection and wish to realize the benefits of being plugged into the Aggie Network. To that end, the organization invites Aggie attorneys to speak at its meetings, often in a more informal setting where students can ask all types of questions. Aggie Law Students has organized happy hours to gather and watch Texas A&M athletics BTHO their SEC opponents. In addition, Aggie Law Students provides a connection to the organization's professional counterpart, the Texas Aggie Bar Association.

Baylor Law Student Association

The Baylor Law Student Association aims to connect fellow Baylor Bears at SMU Dedman School of Law with other law students, attorneys, and alumni in the DFW area. Bears are always looking to "fling their green and gold afar" and we want to continue that tradition into our legal careers. Watch parties for games and a networking base create a good chance for Bears to meet friends, old and new, and create new connections while at SMU. SIC'EM Bears!

Horned Frog Legal Society

The intent of the Horned Frog Legal Society (HFLS) is to provide a space for current and past students at the SMU Dedman School of Law to come together over their common enthusiasm for the TCU Horned Frogs.

Longhorn Bar Association

The Longhorn Bar Association serves the interests and needs of SMU Dedman School of Law students who are also alumni of The University of Texas at Austin or who are Longhorns at heart. The Goals of LBA include: Connecting SMU law students and UT alums to the legal community and providing a common/communal network for UT alums at SMU Dedman School of Law. The Objectives of LBA include strengthening the UT-SMU network in the legal environment in Texas and organizing UT athletic game watching festivities for group members.

Red Raider Law Society

BARBRI Bar Review

The BARBRI Group companies meet the legal education needs of law students and attorneys throughout their careers. At the core of The BARBRI Group Companies is BARBRI Bar Review, which has helped more than 1.3 million lawyers around the world pass a U.S. bar exam. Innovative testing and learning technologies combined with years of experience training lawyers around the world make BARBRI the best partner when you decide to pass any U.S. state bar exam. For over 50 years BARBRI has become synonymous with bar prep success. The BARBRI Bar Review course works.

LEXIS/Nexis

Act as liaison between LexisNexis and SMU students, student groups, faculty, administrators and staff to generate awareness, foster education and drive usage of Lexis Advance.

Themis Bar Review

Themis Bar Review provides exceptional bar preparation courses to exam takers in 44 jurisdictions utilizing innovative study tools and industry leading study strategies. Themis additionally provides free programs for law students including Law School Essentials (First Year and Upper Level) and a comprehensive MPRE Review.

This organization has Themis sponsored resources, located in the Pit of Underwood Library.