2000 – 2001  Chapter Report

 

I.                     Introduction – This year was an outstanding year for the NWSL NALSA. The highlight of the year, and the focus of most of our energy, was hosting the 9^th Annual National NALSA Moot Court Competition. It was a massive undertaking that required a huge amount of planning and dedication by our members. We also planned several social events to reach out to our larger law school community.  It is our hope to send as many as 5 of our members to participate in the National NALSA general meeting and Fed-Bar conference this year. The Indian Law program at our school has been strengthening over the past few years, and NWSL’s NALSA has played an important role. Two of our members have served on the National NALSA executive board. We are now beginning to establish an alumni network for our own chapter of NALSA. We are very excited about the future of our NALSA chapter.

 

II.                   Officers and Membership

 

Officers:

 

President – Jeremy Aliason (3L)

Vice-President – Steve Wehling (3L)

Treasurer – Akira Heshiki (3L)

Secretary – Amanda Mayhew (3L)

Historian/Public Relations – Greg Sowers (2L)

 

Members:

 

Jennifer Allison (3L)

Scott Althouse (2L)

Duane Gopher (2L)

Steve Moe (1L)

Steve Osborne (1L)

Sharon Saye (3L)

 

III.                 Past Activities

 

A. Film Nights:

 

Clearcut

Powwow Highway

Smoke Signals

Thunderheart

 

B. 2 Bake Sales

 

IV.                 National NALSA Moot Court Competition – This year we hosted the 9^th Annual Natioanl NALSA Moot Court Competition for Federal Indian Law appellate advocacy. It was a huge project that cost more than $10,000.00! This year 100 students participated in the tournament from all over the country. The highlights of the weekend included a performance by Blackhawk Blues band, an all-Indian band from Oklahoma. The final round was a battle between the University of Hawai’i and the University of Cincinnati. The setting was the historic Pioneer Courthouse, home of the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland. Judging the round was the Honorable Betty Binns Fletcher of the 9^th Circuit, the Honorable William Canby of the 9^th Circuit, the Honorable Joseph Martin of the Menominee Supreme Court, Kirke Kickingbird former professor of law at Oklahoma City University and currently with Haub, Strauss, Dean and Walker in Oklahoma City, and Ed Goodman who authored the problem and currently works for the Oregon Water Trust. The eventual winner of the final round was the University of Hawai’i who has now won 3 years in a row, and the team that won this year (Aimee Davis and Michelle Kim) also won last year.

 

V.                   Planned Activities

 

A.      Film Night (film tbd.)

 

B.    Participate in 1^st Annual Environmental Justice Conference

 

C.    End of the Year Party

 

VI.                 26^th Annual Indian Law Section Meeting

 

VII.               The Future

 

A.      New Officers:

                                                                                                                                 i.      President – Greg Sowers

                                                                                                                                ii.      Vice-President – Steve Osborne

                                                                                                                              iii.      Treasurer – Steve Moe

                                                                                                                              iv.      Secretary – Duane Gopher

 

B.       Recruiting – We have a few 1Ls who we hope will participate more next year, and we have admitted 6-7 Indian students for next year’s class.