Quinnipiac Law Student Organizations

ACS is a national network of lawyers, law students, scholars, judges, and policymakers who believe that the law should be a force to improve the lives of all people. ACS works for positive change by shaping debate on vitally important legal and constitutional issues through the development and promotion of high-impact ideas. ACS promotes community involvement through events to increase voting accessibility and legal educational presentations in local schools. ACS hosts speaking events with leading experts in the field and offers career development workshops for student members.

The Business Law Society aims to provide a network for business law interested students and expose those students to opportunities and career options in the field of business law. Through thought provoking panels and presentations, Business Law Society inspires conversation regarding current business law topics. If you have an interest in business law related topics such as M&A, bankruptcy, or commercial litigation, come join us!

The Criminal Law Society provides a unique opportunity to learn about criminal law at the state and national level, meet experienced practitioners, and network with other students interested in criminal law. The Criminal Law Society is a great supplement to courses offered at the Quinnipiac University School of Law. Past events include presentations by prosecutors and defense lawyers, prison field trips, and fundraisers for a women’s shelter. In addition, the Criminal Law Society is a great way to make new friends and learn about related summer internships.

The Family & Juvenile Law Society provides a forum for students who are interested in practicing family and/or juvenile law in order to: meet to discuss aspects of their future career goals and provide mutual support; network with attorneys practicing in the field; organize interesting colloquia for the student body on topics of interest in the field; and advocate within the law school for continued excellence in education for future family and juvenile lawyers.

The purpose of the Federalist Society is to foster critical thought and debate about the application of conservative and libertarian principles to the law. The Society embraces the principle that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to the integrity of the Constitution of the United States, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is – not what it should be.

The Federalist Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities. This entails reordering priorities within the legal system so as to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law. It also entails restoring recognition of these norms among lawyers, judges, law students, and professors.

The Federalist Society hosts numerous speakers that engage in meaningful and thoughtful discussions regarding current events. Additionally, the Society collaborates with other organizations such as The ACA and Outlaws to ensure that all sides of a discussion are represented.

The Health Law Society (HLS) is an interdisciplinary organization of students, faculty and alumni dedicated to exploring the career opportunities and current issues in health law. The mission of the HLS is to provide a forum for interaction and information exchange among law students interested in the many different facets of a rich and complex field of law full of varied niche opportunities for aspiring subject matter specialists.

HLS strives to explore the range of possibilities in health law from beyond the traditional practice area of medical malpractice to managed and long-term care, bioethics, corporate issues, and health care reform. We also participate in health-related public service activities benefiting the community. HLS draws on the diverse resources available at Quinnipiac University - students, faculty, and alumni - to build a greater understanding of health law practice.

The Human Trafficking Prevention Project (HTPP) is a student-run organization in partnership with the Civil Justice Clinic dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking through trainings and on-campus events. HTPP trains diverse audiences on how to identify and respond to situations of human trafficking. These trainings allow students to work on their public speaking skills and network while making a difference in the lives of victims and survivors of trafficking. HTPP also participates in advocacy work surrounding trafficking.

Learn more about Human Trafficking Awareness Week

The Intellectual Property Law Society (IPS) serves the interests of those students who are interested in the traditional intellectual property practice areas of copyright and trademark and patent law, as well as those who want to learn more about technology, biomed law and cyber law.

Students meet to discuss recent developments in intellectual property law and to present programs to interested students on such topics as digital copyrights and piracy, publishing rights in the cyber age, and trademark infringement as unfair practice.

In conjunction with the school's intellectual property concentration, students have opportunities to meet and greet partners at Connecticut IP firms, fellow QU alumni in the fields of patent and copyright/trademark law, and members of the Connecticut Bar Association's Intellectual Property Division.

As a student organization, members of the Society are committed to generating public awareness about human rights issues; building a community for future practitioners of human rights law by exploring resources and networking with non-profit and non-governmental organizations; and, engaging in public advocacy and direct-action campaigns to make a tangible difference in our global community.

Since 2009, the Society has joined with Quinnipiac University to develop an international law and service project, featuring a trip to a different country where students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the community, culture and legal system of that country. Students raise funds to support the project, which has included trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala, and have the chance to learn firsthand about the legal and social issues facing their host community and meet with local law students and attorneys and members of the community.  Fundraising efforts include an annual trivia night and an annual bowling night. 

Learn more about the Mock Trial Society

The mission of the Society is to cultivate ethical and intellectual trial advocates whose excellence in courtroom presence and ability will be recognized on both regional and national levels. Through rigorous preparation for student trial advocacy competitions, the society's members gain a unique, invaluable courtroom education that will serve as a foundation for a successful legal career.

By participating in the Mock Trial Society, members gain a comprehensive understanding of the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. In addition, the society ensures that its members are properly trained in all areas of trial advocacy and courtroom etiquette by keeping all members apprised of traditional and modern trial techniques.

Members are selected as second, third and fourth-year law students through an intramural competition held during the fall semester. Intramural competitors prepare a full trial, which includes an opening statement, two direct examinations, two cross-examinations and a closing argument. The case is then presented before experienced trial attorneys who practice in the area. Students who receive the highest scores, and are willing to commit the necessary time, energy and dedication to become a member of the Society, are invited to join as candidates.

Students who are selected for the team are given the opportunity to represent Quinnipiac University School of Law in regional and national mock trial competitions and vest their membership in the Society. In the recent past, Mock Trial Society members were Regional Champions in the annual ABA Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, the Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition, and the ABA Labor & Employment Law Trial Advocacy Competition. They also took second place nationally in the ABA Labor & Employment Trial Advocacy Competition.

The Quinnipiac Moot Court Society assists students in their development of the research, writing and oral advocacy skills that are essential to effective appellate advocacy.

Each year, the Society hosts the Dean Terence H. Benbow Intramural Moot Court Competition for eligible 2L, 3L and 4L students. Competitors research and brief a hypothetical problem and deliver a series of oral arguments before panels of judges. Following the competition, the Society's executive board invites competitors who performed well to join the Society.

Once in the Society, members are afforded ample opportunities to learn how to conduct efficient legal research, draft persuasive appellate briefs and deliver articulate oral arguments through participation in various interscholastic appellate advocacy competitions.

Past competitions have included:

• American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition

• Domenick L. Gabrielli National Family Law Moot Court Competition

• Albert R. Mugel National Tax Moot Court Competition

• Florida Bar Tax Section National Tax Moot Court Competition

• Benjamin N. Cardozo BMI Moot Court Competition

• John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition

• Vanderbilt First Amendment Moot Court Competition

• August A. Rendigs Product Liability Moot Court Competition

• National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law

• Irving R. Kaufman Memorial Moot Court Competition

In addition to serving as opportunities for students to develop critical legal skills, the interscholastic competitions also provide Quinnipiac students with the invaluable benefit of competing against and socializing with peers from other excellent law schools around the country.

The Society also has assisted 1L students in their preparations for the summary judgment oral arguments that are required as part of the first-year Legal Skills curriculum. Recognizing that practice enhances performance, the Society hosts oral advocacy practice rounds for interested 1L students annually.

The Moot Court Society strives to assist students in their development of effective appellate advocacy skills. Even if members do not become appellate advocates in practice, the skills they develop through their participation in the Society will benefit them in whatever endeavors they pursue.

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. Our mission is to use the law for the people, uniting lawyers, law students, and legal workers to function as an effective force in the service of the people by valuing human rights and the rights of ecosystems over property interests.

One of Quinnipiac's newest student organization, the NLG chapter brought a national program of legal observer training to the law school community during 2020-21 academic uear, among other events.  The Quinnipiac chapter of the NLG is the University’s newest student organization. 

We will be bringing a national program of legal observer training this year. Legal observers have been crucial to the protection of protestor’s rights during the Black Lives Matter protests this summer. We also are planning on hosting Disorientation, a rebellious lawyering speaker series, and Students Against Mass Incarceration week.

The interests of our organization include, but are not limited to, fighting against the prison-industrial complex, protecting the right to protest, encouraging a holistic legal education, and supporting environmental justice movements.

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International is a professional law fraternity advancing integrity, compassion and courage through service to the student, the school, the profession and the community.

It is the goal of the Public Interest Law Project (PILP) to increase Quinnipiac University School of Law’s interest in, and support of, those dedicated to serving the public interest.

The organization hosts various on-campus events throughout the year, including an annual auction through which funds are raised to support law students working in the public interest area. This is the largest student event of the year. The PILP auction has funded grants that have enabled law students to work for such organizations as the Kings’ County New York District Attorney’s Office, the Middle District of Alabama Federal Defender Program, Inc., Dolores Street Community Services (San Francisco, CA), and the Massachusetts Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.

In addition to the auction, PILP hosts Poverty Awareness Week. This event provides students and faculty the opportunity to attend panel discussions and helps raise awareness concerning the plight of many of our country's most vulnerable citizens.

The Society for Dispute Resolution (SDR) is a student organization dedicated to the emerging legal field known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). ADR is the blanket title given to the various methods of resolving legal disputes outside the confines of a courtroom. The three most common forms of ADR are arbitration, negotiation and mediation. SDR members have diverse backgrounds and varied legal interests but all share a common understanding that many relationships extend beyond legal disputes. Clients need a representative who is versed in more than just an adversarial approach.

At Quinnipiac, SDR operates as both a student organization and as a competition team. As a student organization, the goal is to create a forum for students who share a common interest in ADR and an appreciation of the role of ADR in their future legal career. To inform the greater student body of the importance of ADR and its relevance to them and their careers, several events are held over the course of the school year. These events, which are open to the entire student body, range from panel discussions with local leaders in the field to more intimate and less formal sessions with speakers hosting roundtable discussions. These events are not only informative but also serve as good networking opportunities since students are given a chance to interact with professionals in the field.

As a competition team, SDR participates in three ABA-sponsored competitions throughout the school year: negotiation, client counseling, and representation in mediation. These competitions give our team members an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real world problems, as well as a chance to interact with other students and professionals. While all students are welcome to join SDR, the competition team members are selected from a school-wide intramural competition, open to 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and 4Ls, which is held at the start of the spring semester. Team members not only compete, they are also given ample opportunity to spar with other team members and observe practice rounds, as well as act as student coaches.

The Society has hosted the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition, the Regional Client Counseling Competition, and the Regional Representation in Mediation Competition.

The purpose of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society is to educate, inform and connect students with the sports and entertainment industry by increasing networking opportunities, hosting seminars and workshops, and building relationships with affiliated organizations.

The goal of the Society is to continually raise awareness among our students and the industry and its professionals. The Sports and Entertainment Society shall function as a supplement to the knowledge gained in school, classes and life experiences.

The Student Bar Association (SBA) acts as the student government of the School of Law and works to promote student views and protect their interests.

The SBA is the official liaison between the student body and the American Bar Association. Also, the SBA is the vehicle for interaction and communication between the student body, the law school alumni, the university community and the local community. The SBA serves the student body and student organizations by organizing, sponsoring and maintaining services, activities, groups and events that further the objectives of the SBA.

Working with the school’s popular Tax Clinic, the Tax Law Society runs the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which offers low- to middle-income area residents, and those with English as a second language, free help with filing their state and federal tax returns.

The Women's Law Society educates and increases the awareness of the Quinnipiac University School of Law community regarding issues affecting women.

Activities include annual fundraisers to benefit breast and ovarian cancer victims and their families; a series of presentations and discussions addressing a variety of topics including gender roles in the legal profession, women in prison, gender and poverty, and women in the law; a visit to a women’s prison; and, screenings of documentary films illustrating the portrayal of men and women in the media with accompanying discussion.

The Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) seeks to create a greater awareness and recognition of Asians and Pacific Islanders in our legal community and promote a greater level of diversity.

The Association also helps its members to make the transition into law school by suggesting different studying techniques, recommending courses and giving general advice.

APALSA also sets out to prepare its members for the future. Employment notices are distributed to members and recommendations are given to help find the right legal profession.

The purpose of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) is to: articulate and promote the needs and goals of African-American law students; foster and encourage an attitude of professional competence; focus on the relationship of the African-American law student with the American legal structure and the African-American community; serve as a source of information for prospective African-American law students at Quinnipiac University School of Law; instill a greater awareness in the African-American law student of the needs of the African-American community and to encourage a greater commitment to answering those needs; and develop means and programs to bring our legal training to bear upon problems, legal and non-legal, in the African-American community.

The members of the Association have traditionally mentored minority students in area schools, and also periodically recognize both nationally-known and local individuals, who have made major contributions to the minority community and the civil rights of all individuals, at their Thurgood Marshall Awards Ceremony.

The national mission of the Christian Legal Society is "to inspire, encourage, and equip lawyers and law students, both individually and in community, to proclaim, love and serve Jesus Christ through the study and practice of law, the defense of religious freedom, and the provision of legal assistance to the poor." The mission of QUSL's Christian Legal Society will be to, being mindful of those national principles, provide a positive and nonjudgmental Christian community for those devoted, returning, or searching souls who wish to ask questions, participate in prayer and discussion, or simply belong.  

To this end, QUSL Christian Legal Society will conduct regular meetings in public places for prayer, Bible study, and discussion of Christian living with a Gospel-centered approach to the study of law. It will also engage in regular service to the poor, and turn away no person from the activities it undertakes.  Its members, particularly its officers, will strive to carry the principles of faith into their daily life and interactions with others, remembering especially to judge not and to love their neighbor.

The purpose of the Italian American Law Student Association is to promote legal excellence and professionalism; to encourage collaboration among both the Italian American legal community and Quinnipiac University School of Law, in general; and to preserve, promote and advance Italian heritage. The organization will accomplish this through guest speakers, career panels, social events, community service, and its affiliation with the Connecticut Italian American Bar Association.

The Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) is a cultural, social, and religious affinity group at Quinnipiac University School of Law. JLSA fosters community participation in social gatherings, cultural events, volunteer activities, and other events of interest to the members of the Quinnipiac University School of Law student body. JLSA fosters and maintains an atmosphere where Jewish students can interact in both an academic and social environment and welcome students of all backgrounds and affiliations. 

The Latino Law Student Association (LLSA) seeks to remedy the underrepresentation of Latinxs in the legal community. The purpose of LLSA is to provide an atmosphere filled with open-mindedness, creativity and innovation. LLSA's goals are to facilitate the success of LLSA members both professionally and socially, to achieve active participation of all of its members, to provide public services designed to assist other Latinxs in the community, to participate in the law school admissions process to recruit Latino students, to help members in academic development and to ensure their success.

The purpose of the Military Law Society (MLS) is to provide a social and professional network for military service members within the School of Law community. Members include former and current military personnel, as well as those considering careers in the military.

The group encourages students to learn about civilian/military legal relations, military legal careers and veteran-specific issues such as disabled veterans' rights and combat veteran post-traumatic stress disorder. Members also volunteer with veterans' service groups and work with organizations to sponsor lectures, social events and community service opportunities.

The Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA) is dedicated to cultivating an informed and inclusive environment for Muslim law students at Quinnipiac University School of Law. Our mission is to foster awareness and understanding of Islamic law, principles and values. Through active engagement in initiatives contributing to our community and the broader legal landscape, MLSA hosts educational programs to encourage a climate of respect and appreciation for diversity. We are committed to building meaningful connections by collaborating with other student clubs.

OutLaws is an organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally members of the law school community. Its goal is to educate the School of Law community and beyond about legal issues and their effect on all aspects of law and culture. Activities have included a discussion panel on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and its implications on same-sex couples in areas of taxation and immigration, and volunteering with the New Haven Pride Center at its main office and also its Dorothy Awards, which is an annual award ceremony honoring local members of the LGBTQ community for their accomplishments.

Student members have an opportunity to become members of the National LGBT Bar Association and to participate in future national events hosted by the association such as the Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair.

The Hockey Club is designed to provide students with the opportunity to play recreational hockey through Quinnipiac intramural and tournaments associated with other law school and graduate school hockey teams. The club was formed due to an overwhelming amount of interest from students to have a stress-relieving outlet through exercise and socialization. The club additionally provides a medium in which students can network, bond and get advice from upperclassmen about scheduling, concentrations, outlining and many more experiences. The Hockey Club is co-ed and available for all talent levels.

The Quinnipiac University School of Law coed softball team was founded in the fall of 2012 to provide an opportunity for law students to form closer bonds with the school, other law students, and the legal community.  We provide a supportive environment for all law students to learn the game and improve their skills throughout the year. QU Law Softball holds weekly pickup games during the fall and spring seasons at a local field.  The team competes in Quinnipiac University intramurals in the spring and scrimmages with nearby law schools including Yale and UConn. Every November our team is invited to the Snowball Tournament, a charity softball tournament hosted by the New Haven County Bar Association and Milano & Wanat LLC. 

The highlight of the year is our trip to the annual Virginia Law Softball Invitational at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.  We join 49 other law schools and over 100 teams and, in the past, have played New England Law - Boston, Suffolk and Fordham Law, University of Baltimore Law, Case Western Reserve School of Law and University of Virginia School of Law.  The tournament consistently raises $20,000 or more for Children, Youth and Family Services, Inc. of Charlottesville (CYFS), a local nonprofit organization that seeks to address poverty, child abuse and neglect, parenting, child care quality, teen and family conflict, and early learning.

QUSL Trivia Club is the law school’s first and only trivia club! The club hosts monthly on- and off-campus trivia events for all full-time and part-time students at QUSL. Trivia Club focuses on creating a space for students of any year to come together, take a break from the stress of law school, and show off random knowledge. Our events bring all students together to get to know one another and build lasting relationships. All are welcome.

Club members can come to events and play or can help organize the events. Prizes are given to the winning teams. Club members can also expect to collaborate with other clubs on campus as well as partners in the greater community to execute events. QUSL Trivia Club gives back to the greater community through community service projects which all members are invited.

A wholly student-run organization, the Quinnipiac Law Review publishes four issues a year, composed of articles written by judges and practitioners from all over the country, as well as students.

Candidates must dedicate a significant amount of time to complete cite-check reviews and perform other duties. Candidates must also write a note or case note in accordance with established procedures and timelines.

Students who successfully complete these requirements will attain full membership at the end of their second year. They will be eligible to receive two academic credits in each of their last two semesters. The student's note or case note is eligible for publication and may also be used to fulfill the substantial paper component of the school's advanced writing requirement.

Read the Quinnipiac Law Review

A wholly student-run publication founded in 1995, the Health Law Journal publishes two issues a year featuring discourse on both practical and theoretical issues in the field of health law and policy, biomedical ethics and medical-legal research.

Each issue features articles by the leaders in these critical topic areas. Past issues have addressed topics such as:

• forensic evidence

• legal medicine

• long-term care for the elderly

• fraud and abuse enforcement and compliance

• medical malpractice

The journal also publishes articles written by students at the School of Law. Students are eligible for candidacy in their second year of law school. During the period of their candidacy, students participate in the editorial process and write a substantial article. Once the candidacy period is complete, student members are solely responsible for the editorial and publication process.

Read the Health Law Journal

The Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal is a wholly student-run journal published quarterly by the Quinnipiac University School of Law. First published in 1986 as the Connecticut Probate Law Journal, the journal was at that time the official reporter of probate decisions in the State of Connecticut. The journal has also benefitted from the longstanding cooperation of the National College of Probate Judges and the Connecticut Probate Assembly.

The Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal provides the legal community with a source of information regarding probate law. Each issue includes student notes and case comments, opinions from probate courts in Connecticut and other jurisdictions across the country, and scholarly articles by judges or practitioners.

Read the Probate Law Journal