This past weekend, from March 17-19, 2006, Democratic law students from across the country convened at Harvard Law School to kickoff a new association of Democratic law students, the National Democratic Law Students Council (NDLSC).  Headlined by the DNC Chairman, Gov. Howard Dean, the convention brought together 140 students from 33 schools with a common purpose: to forge a new organization devoted to promoting the work that law school Democratic groups do on campuses while connecting them with the voter protection and other efforts of Democratic lawyers.

Delegates of varied backgrounds from as far away as Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, New York, and California came together at this inaugural event, attending a series of panels, talks, and trainings relating to the intersection between law and politics, and electing national officers to move the new organization into the next year.  David Burd and Russell Anello, third-year and second-year students at Harvard Law School, respectively, led the organizational effort.

The founding of the NDLSC can trace its origins to two trends.  First, law students have historically fallen within the College Democrats of America.  However, while the College Democrats have thrived in recent years, that group's focus on college students has often left Democratic law student groups somewhat on their own, ebbing and flowing in strength based on the election cycle.  Second, the need for a permanent law student infrastructure became increasingly clear after the 2000 and 2004 elections, during which voter protection efforts and other election law work has taken on new importance.  

After the 2004 election, a group of Democratic lawyers created the National Lawyers Council (NLC), which was brought in house at the DNC in the spring of 2005.  Late that summer,  David Burd met with Anna Martinez, the Executive Director of the NLC, and began what became a seven month journey to create the NDLSC.  Ms. Martinez was looking to engage law students more systematically in the NLC and David Burd's efforts tapped into that desire.  They also culminated in the convention this past weekend, which formally launched the NDLSC.  As of now, the group encompasses Democratic law students and law student clubs at over 65 law schools nationwide.  

The Convention itself was a great success and bodes well for the future of the NDLSC.  The group held elections for national officers, who will serve from 2006-2007 and build upon the growth of this past year.  Sarah Resnick, from Cardozo Law School, became the group's first President.  Matt Bailey, from Oklahoma City University School of Law, was elected Vice President of Membership and Communications.  Danny Frost, of Columbia Law School, won the position of Vice President of Campaigns & Elections.  Will Conroy, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia, won the Vice Presidency of Campus Organizing.  Andrew Bruck, of Stanford Law School, was elected the group's treasurer.  The candidates ran on innovative platforms, presenting new fundraising and structural ideas to the assembled law students.  The candidates' energy and initiative means a bright future for the NDLSC's place within the Democratic infrastructure, as a result, for Democratic electoral prospects.