Student Organizations

Please note that the links below lead to student sponsored websites which are not maintained by Northwestern Law and do not necessarily represent official views of Northwestern Law.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

The Northwestern Law chapter of the ACLU focuses on topics such as immigration rights, racial profiling, gay and lesbian rights, and free speech.

American Constitution Society (ACS)

The ACS is comprised of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, policy makers, activists and other concerned individuals who are working to ensure that the fundamental principles of human dignity, individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice are in their rightful, central place in American law.

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)

The ALDF focuses on issues facing animals in legal systems today, and raises awareness about issues such as animal testing, wildlife laws, anti-cruelty laws and factory farming.

Arts and Entertainment Law Society (AELS)

The AELS is dedicated to connecting law students to lawyers and managers within the arts and entertainment industry through discussion on campus, networking events, and visits to various arts and media organizations in Chicago.

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)

APALSA conducts educational programs and social activities that have three goals: increasing the Asian American presence at Northwestern Law and in the wider legal community; promoting a deeper understanding of the political, economic, and historical roles of Asians in America; and establishing a national network of exchange among Asian Pacific American law students and attorneys.

Black Law Students Association (BLSA)

BLSA provides a forum for addressing the concerns of Northwestern Law's Black and African American students. BLSA's objectives include increasing awareness about the black community, offering academic resources and professional development opportunities, and hosting events and programming for members of BLSA and the Northwestern Law community. BLSA strives to provide opportunities to discuss various topics that concern black culture, and to provide a support network for black students.

California Connection

CaliConn’s purpose is to increase networking, offer learning events, and provide employment opportunities in California for the Northwestern University community. It shall provide a forum for the discussion of topics of concern to the California legal market, connect students with alumni in California, foster community for students, serve as a resource during recruitment, and strengthen the informal network between Northwestern law students and alumni in California.

Christian Legal Society (CLS)

CLS addresses the concerns of Northwestern Law students who are interested in exploring issues of Christianity in the legal profession. CLS hosts weekly bible studies and periodic brown bag lunches with speakers to discuss a variety of topics dealing with religion, ethics, and morality and the law.

Collaboration for Justice (CFJ)

Collaboration for Justice is a joint effort of the Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice. CFJ conducts research on how Cook County's civil and criminal courts are run, and it uses that research to create evidence-based policy proposals designed to make the courts fairer - especially for indigent defendants. Students involved in the Northwestern Law chapter of CFJ collect information that gets put to real use by policymakers and attorneys.

Disability Law Society (DLS)

The mission of DLS is to support Northwestern Law students with disabilities, as well as, encourage open discussion about disability rights on campus. DLS provides resources and peer support for students coping with medical issues or trying to obtain appropriate accommodations, connects students with professional mentors in the greater disability community, and raises awareness of disability issues among the Northwestern Law community.

Diversity Coalition (DivCo)

DivCo was founded to bring together various student organizations at Northwestern Law with a shared purpose of promoting diversity. DivCo has broadened its focus and reach to honor and address the changes in the law school community by providing a forum for racial, religious, and gender issues, and also by striving to give a voice to the widely different issues that arise for Northwestern Law students. DivCo organizes a full line-up of activities--panel discussions, social events, workshops, and public speeches--to explore the varied issues surrounding race, gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center Student Group (DPELC)

The DPELC Student Group focuses on transactional law and legal issues facing businesses, particularly early-stage businesses. The group provides its members with opportunities to learn about various areas of transactional law and entrepreneurship outside of the classroom, as well as valuable networking opportunities with transactional attorneys and entrepreneurs. The group is unique in its affiliation with the Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center, with which it works to host a variety of events throughout the year focused on transactional law, including the DPELC-MSL Speaker Series, the Future of Innovation, Sustainability and the Law Speaker Series, and events with law firm sponsors.

Election Law Association (ELA)

The Election Law Association (ELA) brings students together to support and defend fair elections. In 2016, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law became the first law school to cancel classes on Election Day for students to volunteer and vote. Since then, ELA has committed to promoting and expanding this annual "Day of Civic Service" at Northwestern Law and beyond through hosting and coordinating events, voter registration drives, and volunteer opportunities.

Environmental Law Society

The Environmental Law Society seeks to develop and promote programs for students interested in environmental law as a career option, and for those generally interested in environmental issues. The society has hosted lunchtime speakers on environmental topics, has successfully argued for increased course offerings in environmental law, and has sponsored Earth Day activities at Northwestern Law and around the Chicago community.

Federal Bar Association (FBA)

The Northwestern Law chapter of the Federal Bar Association is dedicated to advancing the education and professional development of students interested in federal practice. Through its events and programming, FBA works to connect students with practitioners involved in federal law. The Northwestern Law chapter is part of a national organization whose membership includes attorneys practicing at small and large law firms, attorneys practicing at corporations and federal agencies, and members of the judiciary.

Federalist Society

The Federalist Society is a national society founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to the U.S. Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Northwestern Law chapter of the Federalist Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities.

First Generation Law Student Association (FIRSTGEN)

FIRSTGEN was created to increase awareness, offer learning events, and facilitate networking opportunities for first generation law students and their supporters. FIRSTGEN also provides a forum for the discussion of topics of concern to first generation law students.

Habeas Chorus

Northwestern Law's a cappella group performs concerts on campus and is open to anyone interested in music and singing.

High Tech Law Society

The purpose of HTLS is to increase awareness of the intersection of technology and the law, offer speakers and discussion events, and improve employment opportunities for Northwestern students. HTLS provides a discussion forum for high tech industry issues pertaining to law and investors.

If/When/How

If/When/How is a national organization of law students and lawyers committed to educating and organizing law students to successfully defend and expand reproductive rights. The mission is to raise awareness on campus about current reproductive justice issues, including political, legal, and socio-economic restrictions to reproductive health care and the links between racism, classism, sexism and reproductive freedom.

Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS)

IPLS is dedicated to increasing student awareness and involvement in patent, copyright, and trademark law. IPLS strives to engage students with presentations, panels, and other educational events, while also increasing student involvement in the legal community through networking events and an attorney/student mentorship program. IPLS membership consists of students of all backgrounds, from science and technology to arts and entertainment.

International Law Society (ILS)

The purpose of ILS is to increase and foster communication among students, faculty, and practitioners who are interested in international law, to provide increased opportunities for discussion and learning about international law and international legal careers, and to increase interaction between Northwestern Law and the international legal community. ILS also hosts the Student Ambassador program to welcome international LLM/K and LLM students to Northwestern Law.

International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Since its founding in 2008, IRAP has provided free legal aid to over 40,000 displaced people from over 100 different countries and has trained over 6,000 law students and lawyers in the process. Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is one of IRAP’s 26 student chapters across the United States and Canada.

JD-MBA Association

The JD-MBA Association consists of students that are enrolled in the Northwestern JD-MBA program, a joint degree between Northwestern Law and the Kellogg School of Management. The Association runs speaker series and conferences during the course of the year to expand students' fundamental understandings of business and law, build camaraderie, and connect the diverse JD-MBA student community with business leaders.

Jewish Law Students' Association (JLSA)

JLSA sponsors activities and events that improve the social, educational, and religious life of Jewish students at Northwestern Law, promotes an understanding of Jewish issues and concerns among students, and establishes meaningful relationships and joint activities with local organizations to provide law students with opportunities to give back to the greater Chicago community.

Labor and Employment Law Society (LELS)

The mission of the Labor & Employment Law Society is to promote awareness of, offer informative events about and provide professional development opportunities related to the field of labor & employment law. The objectives of the Society are to: inform students of the real-world complexities of practicing labor & employment law, maximize employment and internship opportunities through cultivating relationships with Northwestern Law alumni and other practitioners, and build community among Northwestern Law students interested in pursuing the field.

Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA)

LLSA brings attention to a range of minority-related issues and promotes the active role of the Latinx community and other minorities in the field of law. Open to the Latinx community and anyone interested in Latinx culture and concerns, LLSA provides a forum for Latinxs and non-Latinxs to discuss and learn about the legal, political, and social issues that affect the Latinx community and other minorities in the U.S. and abroad.

Law School Democrats

The Law School Democrats bring volunteer, educational and social opportunities to Northwestern Law's Democratic community in order to foster the future of the party and encourage civic engagement.

Middle Eastern Law Students Association (MELSA)

MELSA was created to increase awareness of Middle Eastern culture, history, and heritage within the Law School community. MELSA provides a forum for all Middle Eastern students and others interested in Middle Eastern culture and issues to discuss topics of concern related to the Middle East through the use of films, literature, and open discussions.

Moot Court Society

The Moot Court Society selects law students to represent Northwestern Law at regional and national moot court competitions. Students are exposed to appellate brief writing and oral advocacy training by participating in intramural competitions, helping to prepare one another for competition, and meeting with inspiring appellate advocates from both the public and private sectors.

Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA)

As an organization welcoming all Muslim-identified persons, the Muslim Law Students Association provides a valuable platform of support, network, and community in a profession where those affiliations are largely absent. MLSA sponsors weekly activities and events that improve the social, educational, and religious life of Muslim students at Northwestern Law. MLSA aims to be of service to the Northwestern law community and the greater Chicago community by fostering dialogue, understanding, and allyship to similarly underrepresented communities, all whilst building a law school community that celebrates diversity and respects students of all backgrounds.

National Lawyers Guild (NLG)

The NLG is dedicated to the need for basic change in the structure of the U.S. political and economic system. The NLG seeks to unite lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people.

Native American Law Students Association

NALSA provides a supportive community for prospective and current Northwestern Native American students. The Association promotes inclusion, involvement, professional development, and success of Native Americans in law school and in the legal profession. In addition, NALSA is actively involved with the Native community in the Chicago area and is affiliated with organizations that aim to increase the representation of Native Americans in the legal profession. NALSA is committed to raising awareness by hosting events and programming to increase discussion of various topics that include Native American legal history, culture, representation, and current issues.

Northwestern Society of Law & Medicine (NSLM)

The Northwestern Society of Law & Medicine (NSLM) is a student society focused on the various intersections between the fields of law and medicine. NSLM examines these intersections through interdisciplinary guest speaker programming, Pritzker-Feinberg collaborations, community conversations on current domestic and international public health issues, and networking opportunities with law firms that practice in the areas of biotechnology, health law, intellectual property, life sciences, and data privacy.

OUTLaw

OUTLaw provides opportunities for students to act together on the political, social, and academic concerns of 2SLGBTQIA+ students and to be in contact with affiliated communities in the Chicago area. OUTLaw concentrates on increasing awareness and discussion of such issues as hate crimes against transgender and non-binary people, lesbians, and gay men; discrimination on the basis of HIV status; the intertwined and intersectional nature of homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism; and the legal aspects of today's changing conceptions of family and domestic partnership.

Public Interest Law Group (PILG)

PILG focuses on providing students with information about substantive issues and professional opportunities related to public interest law. PILG conducts programming on topic areas such as issues in public interest law, careers in public interest law, and summer employment opportunities.

Real Property Trusts and Estates (RPTE)

RPTE is dedicated to educating its members and the larger law school community about current issues related to real estate, land use, and trusts and estates law. As one of Northwestern Law's only professionally-focused student-run organizations, RPTE provides a unique forum through which law students can learn about these practice areas, pursue professional and personal development, and build relationships with the local legal community.

Restructuring and Bankruptcy Law Group (RBLG)

RBLG is a student group dedicated to exploring opportunities and issues in the fields of restructuring and bankruptcy. It provides a forum for those interested in all facets of bankruptcy law, including business reorganization and creditor rights, and affiliated fields such as financial advising, turnaround consulting, and distressed investing.

South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA)

SALSA aims to create a supportive community for entering law students, to encourage South Asian involvement and success in the legal arena, to promote awareness of South Asian culture and issues, and to support efforts to improve the community at large.

Sports Law Society

The Sports Law Society offers students the opportunities to learn, discuss and explore the application of law to sports. The group hosts sports related speakers, networking events, and an annual symposium on current topics in the field. In addition, the group sponsors a team to attend national sports law competitions around the country. SLS is committed to informing students of the current issues involving the intersection between sports and law, mentoring students committed to entering the field, and cultivating a relationship with Chicago sports attorneys and Northwestern alumni.

St. Thomas More Society

In conjunction with the Sheil Catholic Center's Chicago campus, the St. Thomas More Society is Northwestern Law's Catholic student organization which aims to foster community, education, and service in the Catholic tradition among Northwestern Law students.

StreetLaw Association

StreetLaw is a Northwestern Law student organization with the purpose of empowering and educating Chicago-area youth about the Constitution. The program’s main objective is to educate youth about some of the most fundamental constitutional provisions – the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments. Moreover, StreetLaw seeks to provide youth with a basic foundation of the law and legal institutions, and ultimately a more positive perception of the law.

Student Bar Association (SBA)

The SBA is Northwestern Law's student government. The SBA, through its committee structure, provides students with an effective means to work with one another and the administration to help ensure that Northwestern Law students undertake their legal studies in an optimal setting. To that end, the SBA sponsors various social activities and educational programs throughout the academic year.

Student Funded Public Interest Fellowships Program (SFPIF)

SFPIF makes it financially possible for students to take summer positions working in public interest or government law or other low paying positions. SFPIF has multiple fundraising events throughout the year including, a fall auction, a winter formal for all law students, an annual pledge drive, and an annual benefit dinner, among others. SFPIF also fundraises through the L-STAR program through which students doing call-back interviews with participating firms can stay with friends or family and let the firm donate the money they would have spent on a hotel to SFPIF.

Student Mental Health Alliance (SMHA)

SMHA is committed to protecting and improving the mental health and wellbeing of students and preparing for the stresses of life as a lawyer. SMHA is a 100% student-run advocacy group and resource bank, which is dedicated to developing new resources, practices, and awareness of mental health issues in legal education. We will always provide a compassionate, understanding, and confidential ear at student level for anyone seeking support.

Tax Law Society (TLS)

The Tax Law Society is dedicated to increasing awareness, organizing educational events, fostering community service, and facilitating career development opportunities in the field of tax law. The society provides a student forum for the discussion of topics in tax law and serves as a liaison to the student body for the Northwestern Law Tax LLM program.

The D.R.E.A.M. Committee

The Day to Recognize the Efforts and Achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (DREAM) Committee is a committee of students and faculty who coordinate public lectures and programs on campus that coincide with the national observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and are designed to educate the Northwestern Law community about the civil rights leader's teachings and contributions.

Veterans Law Association

The Veterans Law Association attempts to address the unique legal issues that veterans currently face. In addition, the Association is committed to the professional development of its members by connecting with veterans throughout the academic and business communities, building camaraderie, and assisting veteran applicants to learn more about Northwestern Law.

Wigmore Follies

Wigmore Follies is Northwestern Law's own law school musical--an annual Spring semester send-up of life at Northwestern Law and beyond, and is one of the year's most popular events.

Women of Color Collective (WOCC)

WOCC aims to provide a community for women students of color to connect and support one another.

Women's Leadership Coalition (WLC)

The WLC is committed to fostering a supportive network for female law students and providing forums to discuss issues of interest to women in the legal community. The WLC offers a mentoring program, sponsors professional development events, and promotes volunteerism in the community. In addition, the WLC hosts an annual symposium with a full week of programming on legal issues affecting women in society and the law.

Other Organizations

Moot Court
Moot Court programs are an important part of legal training at Northwestern Law. They prepare students for and allow them to participate in appellate arguments. Working under faculty supervision, students prepare briefs and present oral arguments in competition with schools across the nation and around the world.

Legal Journals
Second- and third-year law students have the opportunity to participate on one of Northwestern Law's six student-edited legal journals. Students participating on journals have the opportunity to select, edit, and write cutting-edge scholarship; to pursue leadership opportunities by serving on a journal leadership team; and to work closely with other journal members in advancing the journal's goals. For more information about how to join a journal and what to expect, see the journals home page and the websites of each individual journal.