Spring 2024 – Week Four – Temple Law School Student Post

COMMUNITY REMINDERS

All May 2024 Graduates – The Graduation Application is Now Open!

The Graduation Application is now open for the May 2024 graduating class.

Students who plan to graduate in May 2024 must apply to graduate through the University TUPortal/Self Service Banner system. This application must be completed by Friday, March 1, 2024 for all law May 2024 graduates. Students enrolled in dual degree programs will have to submit a separate graduation application for each degree. The graduation application is an easy and fast application to complete, but failing to complete it by the deadline can cause a delay in receiving your diploma.

Please follow the instructions below to apply for graduation.

Sign in to TUPortal.
Click on the Student Tools tab at the top of the page.
Go to the Records section which is located on the right side of the page.
Select Apply to Graduate.
Confirm that the program listed is correct (should be: Current Program – Juris Doctor)
Select a Graduation term – Spring 2024 should be the only option.
Review and submit.

You should receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of submitting your application. The email will include information on how your name will appear on the diploma. If you would like to make changes to your legal name, you can follow the instructions outlined in the email or submit the Personal Information Update Form directly to the Law School Office of Academic Records.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Laura Frisby-Selby at lfrisby@temple.edu or Senior Director Walden at walden@temple.edu

PA Defense Institute and Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel Law Students Observer Program

Judges Needed for John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Championship

For the past four decades, the Temple Law’s Legal Education and Participation Program (LEAP) has partnered with the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association to put on the John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Championship, the Philadelphia regional high school mock trial competition. Now it is your turn to help give back to the community and raise the next generation of advocates in Philadelphia. Over the next six weeks, dozens of practicing attorneys, judges, and other volunteers will be gathering to judge rounds of this year’s mock trial, and you could join them. No trial advocacy experience is required, but it is always welcomed, and volunteers can serve as either presiding judges or scoring jurors, depending on their experience with mock trial competitions.

With 31 competing teams from across the city, the competition needs sixty judges each on February 2 and February 9 alone! We have both daytime (February 2 and March 2) and nighttime (February 9 and February 23) rounds available, most rounds are downtown, easily accessible from the Broad Street Line. We can even take a limited number of just-in-case volunteers for make-up rounds at Temple on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

To sign up for any round of competition, just go here: https://philadelphiabar.org/?pg=YLDMockTrial . To sign up as an alternate, please email leapmocktrial@gmail.com.

Montgomery County Bar Association seeking volunteer jurors for High School Mock Trial Competition

The Montgomery County Bar Association is looking for volunteers to serve as jurors for their annual High School Mock Trial competition in January, February, and March. Anyone is welcome to serve as a juror – law students and staff members included! This is a great opportunity to check out the courthouse and network with attorneys and other professionals. If you would like to sign-up, you can go to this link and take just one minute to pick a date (or multiple!): https://www.montgomerybar.org/?eid=278275&evAction=showDetail&pg=events

Round 1’s trials will occur:
– Tuesday, January 23, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
– Thursday, January 25, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
– Tuesday, January 30, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
Round 2’s trials will occur:
– Tuesday, February 6, 2024 started at 4:30 p.m.
– Thursday, February 8, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
– Tuesday, February 13, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
Playoff trials will occur:
– Monday, March 4, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
– Wednesday, March 6, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.
– Thursday, March 7, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m. (if needed)
The Final trial will occur:
– Tuesday, March 12, 2024 starting at 4:30 p.m.

All trials will take place at the Montgomery County Courthouse, located at 2 E Airy St, Norristown, PA 19401.

If you have any questions or problems signing up, you can reach out to Jordan Rhone, Montgomery County Bar Association Law School Liaison, at jordan.rhone@montgomerycountypa.gov.

TELS Presents: A Guide to Sustainable Event Catering

UPCOMING EVENTS

Esquire Bound Series: Reorientation to the Bar Exam – Sunday, February 4th at 7PM via Zoom

Join us for our first “Esquire Bound” event for the spring semester on Sunday, February 4th from 7 – 7:45 pm via Zoom. You can access the Zoom link for every session here: https://temple.zoom.us/j/6398848836. This session will be recorded.

For more information on the Esquire Bound series, including dates for upcoming events and a copy of the recordings for the events, see the BAR EXAM & MPRE section of the Student Post below.

Bar Exam Virtual Helpdesk – Sunday, February 4th at 8PM via Zoom

Do you have specific questions about the bar application process – or anything bar exam related – that aren’t covered by our Esquire Bound series? Drop by our virtual help desk on Sunday, February 4th from 8-9 PM after our spring Esquire Bound event. Students will be brought into the waiting room one at a time so we can address your questions and concerns confidentially. Any student in the waiting room by 9PM will be seen. You can access the Zoom link for each help desk here: https://temple.zoom.us/j/6398848836.

Attacks on DEI and the Path Forward with EEOC Vice Chair – Jocelyn Samuels – February 7th at 12PM

In the wake of legislation in Florida, Texas and other states banning DEI efforts, the Supreme Court’s ruling in the affirmative action cases, and predictions of the ruling’s impact on the workplace, this event will ask how organizations can continue to build diverse workforces and maintain the values and goals they have set for equitable and inclusive workplace cultures. Featuring a fireside chat with EEOC Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels, this event will discuss the obstacles facing DEI work, what motivates this work, strategies to continue, and reasons to be hopeful.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information. Learn more about the EEOC here.

Careers in Government Panel and Networking Reception – Wednesday, February 7^th at 3:30PM in Shusterman Hall

Immigration Law Student Mix & Mingle Event – Tuesday, February 8th at 6PM

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) invites area law students to a mix and mingle event at Tír Na nÓg (1600 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103) on February 8^th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Join us in connecting practicing immigration attorneys and law school students interested in immigration law. Free admission with food provided. Cash bar. Please RSVP here. Any questions can be directed to Temple Law alumnus, Andrew Fuller, at afuller@lhscimmigration.com.

Second Chances: Pardon Me Film Screening and Panel Discussion – Tuesday, February 27^th at 3PM

Join Temple University Libraries, the Temple Department of Criminal Justice, Temple Law, and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity for a screening of the documentary “Pardon Me” and panel discussion on Tuesday, February 27 at 3PM at Charles Library, 1^st Floor Event Space.

Pardon Me is a documentary film by Philadelphia filmmaker Shuja Moore that shows how pardons offer the potential to live as full citizens and how they uplift entire communities. The film features the stories of two people going through the pardon process and includes interviews with key civic leaders. By showcasing the transformative potential of pardons, Pardon Me sheds light on the importance of addressing the long-lasting impacts of criminal records and the need for a final release from the criminal justice system.

Our very own Shanda Sibley, Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Systemic Justice Clinic, Sheller Center for Social Justice, will moderate a panel discussion featuring:

Shuja Moore, Pardon Me director, producer
A PA pardon recipient
Nyron N. Crawford, Associate Professor, Political Science, Temple University College of Liberal Arts
Tobey Oxholm, Director, The Pardon Project

For more information, or to register for this event, please visit https://events.temple.edu/second-chances-pardon-me-film-screening-and-panel-discussion

Affirmative Action – A Latinx Perspective: Diaz Professorship Panel Discussion and Reception – Thursday February 29th at 4pm

Join us for the second celebration of the Honorable Nelson A. Diaz Professorship Panel Discussion and Reception on Thursday, February 29th at 4:00 PM in the Moot Court Room.

Honorable Nelson A. Díaz’s vision of sharing the pivotal role of Latinx civil rights contributions in the United States is in keeping with his commitment to civil rights for all. In the inaugural celebration of the Professorship, panelists discussed Mendez v. Westminster (1946) (California), a landmark school desegregation case and precursor to Brown v. Board of Education.

Considering the upending of affirmative action in college admissions by the U. S. Supreme Court in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC, the second celebration of the Professorship in Law will focus on affirmative action.

For more information, or to register for the event, please click here.

WRITING COMPETITIONS, CONTESTS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND TOURNAMENTS

Looking for more information on available scholarships, writing competitions, contests, and tournaments? Check out our Student Post Scholarship Page! If you’d like to explore opportunities that are currently accepting applications or submissions, you can find them sorted by submission deadline here: https://www2.law.temple.edu/studentpost/scholarships/.

Available Scholarship Opportunities: new opportunities; next deadline February 9th

Below is a list of the scholarships, writing competitions, contests, and tournaments that are currently accepting applications or submissions:

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND TA POSITIONS

National Black Prosecutors Association Foundation Fellowship Application – Deadline February 29th

The National Black Prosecutors Association Foundation is currently accepting applications. The Foundation partners with local and state prosecuting offices and law schools to recruit and place eligible students in competitive 8 – 10 week internship programs nationwide and provides a $5,000 stipend. We are currently accepting applications, which are due no later than February 29th. See the attached flyer for additional information.

For more information, visit https://www.blackprosecutors.org/fellowship

Background on the NBPA

The National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) is the only professional membership organization dedicated to advancing Blacks as prosecutors at all levels of government. Founded in 1983, the Association’s membership comprises chief and line prosecutors nationwide. In addition to prosecutors, the association’s membership includes law students, former prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel.

In 2016, the NBPA expanded its mission by creating a 501(c)(3) foundation to support the next generation of law students of color passionate about pursuing a career in public service. The NBPA Foundation provides scholarships to Black law students who demonstrate an interest in prosecution. In 2021, the NBPA Foundation launched a fellowship program, providing funding and mentorship to students who interned at state prosecutors’ offices. The Foundation seeks to strengthen the pipeline of minority law students entering a career in prosecution through its Fellowship Program, which will provide placement and financial assistance to law students interested in participating in a non-paid internship at a prosecutor’s office.

iLIT Grants for Summer Internships in Public Interest Technology

iLIT is excited to announce grants for summer internships in public interest technology for diverse Temple students! Applications will open early February 2024.

As you conduct your summer internship search, we hope this grant opportunity will encourage you to consider organizations doing work in public interest technology. iLIT can help you connect with PIT employers, including some who have already expressed interest in hosting a Temple law student. We also encourage you to do your own research and propose any organizations you like whose work you think could qualify!

For more details about these grants, check out this info sheet. To learn more about PIT, check out the Explore PIT Law website.

If you have any questions, please contact lydia.hurtado@temple.edu.

Public Interest Committee – Chair, Professor Shanda Sibley – Hiring Work-Study Student – Apply Now!

Professor Shanda Sibley, Chair of the Public Interest Committee, is hiring a work-study student to assist with the work of the Temple Law Public Interest Law Committee. Students can start as soon as possible and work through April 2024. Interested students should send a resume to molly.paige.levy@temple.edu.

Community Legal Services Summer 2024 Law Student Internship – Applications for 1Ls now open!

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia offers a summer internship program for approximately 15-20 students that have completed their first or second year of law school.

CLS offers a rich and exciting summer internship experience. Our law students receive exceptional training and the opportunity to work with some of the most talented legal minds in civil legal services.

The application for the CLS Summer 2024 Law Student Internship is now open. For more information, or to apply for this internship, see more here: CLS Summer 2024 Law Student Internship.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS REMINDERS AND EVENTS

Spring 2024 Temple Law Wellness Events – Mark your Calendar!

Below is our calendar of wellness events for the Spring 2024 semester. We hope you will join us!

Knitting Club: begins 1/29 (biweekly) from 12-1PM: Want to learn a new skill and be more mindful? Come join the knitting club! All knitting abilities are welcome! Snacks will be served.
Housing Hunt: 2/1 from 7-9PM: Looking for housing options after the spring semester? Not sure where to start? Summit Park Housing is hosting an open house to tour their apartments! Games, drinks, and food will be served! A shuttle will pick you up at 6:30 pm and bring you back to Klein Hall at 9 PM.
Rec & Relax: 2/21 from 12-2PM: Join us as we relax and rec together! Come and create your own stress ball, relax with mindful coloring, and make your own trail mix!
LCL Virtual Student Office Hours: 2/26
Let’s Hike! 3/16 (Rain Date 3/23) from 11 am – 2 pm: Come join us for a spring hike/walk on Saturday 3/16! Take this time to enjoy the beauty of Fall and connect with other Temple Law Owls! Everyone is welcome, no hiking experience required! We hope to see you all there!
Wellness Fair: (Specific Date TBA): Interested in what the rec centers offer? Need to see a doctor or a counselor? Temple’s wellness team will be here to answer all your questions!
Walk Philly! 4/13 from 10:30-12:30 PM: Enjoy the spring cherry blossoms and get your steps in with other Owls! The meeting location will be the Art Museum steps!
End of Semester Lemonade and Cookies! 4/29 from 10-12:30: Congratulations! You did it! Enjoy a cup of lemonade and a cookie to celebrate the end of the semester!

TUSafe App – download today!

Temple University’s Department of Public Safety has launched the TUSafe app, a one-stop personal safety app that will be available via mobile device. The new TUSafe app includes enhanced features such as the ability to link to new key resources within the app. It also retains all of the features that were available in RAVE Temple Guardian, including the ability to chat with Temple Police, call Temple Police, call 911 or start a virtual safe walk. Users are also able to report crimes; provide emergency contacts; access real-time tracking for Flight, Temple’s fixed-route shuttle loop service that transports students around the Main Campus patrol zone; and access the university’s walking escort service.

For more information on TUSafe, please visit the university’s Public Safety website for the new application. If you have any questions regarding the use of the app, contact Information Technology Services. Additional details on how to use the app are also available here.

Bike Temple: Register your Bicycle; Free U-locks

Students, staff and faculty can register their bicycles online using Campus Safety’s Bike Registration Form. Just complete and submit the online form, and then visit one of the following Campus Safety locations:

Main Headquarters: 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue
Center Station: Beasely and Pollett Walks
Morgan Hall Mini-Station: 1600 N. Park Avenue

At one of these locations, an officer will inspect your bike and place a sticker to the frame that corresponds to your file in the police database. This way, if your bicycle ever turns up without you on it, the police will be able to get in contact with you to return it. The information is also shared with the Philadelphia Police Department, in case your bike is found outside of the campus area.

Every semester, Campus Safety provides a free U-lock to the first 500 students to register their bicycles with the Temple Police. The U-Lock will be given when you bring your bike to a Campus Safety location for inspection by an officer.

Temple Campus Walking Escort Program

To request an escort,

Call: 8-WALK (8-9255) from a campus phone, or call: 215-777-9255 from a cell phone. Escort service is available daily from 4 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. Security Bike Officers provide escort services and maintain communication with Temple Police. Patrol boundaries are Susquehanna Avenue on the north to Jefferson Street on the south, with the exception of 13th to Broad Street, where the southern boundary is Girard Avenue. The western border is 18th Street and the patrol area extends east to 9th Street

Temple Flight Program

Flight is Temple University’s nighttime fixed-route shuttle loop service. Flight-branded shuttles circulate throughout the areas within and surrounding the main campus patrol zone, and pick up and drop off students at each of its over 40 stops. The shuttles arrive approximately every 15 minutes at each stop, and you can track the locations of each shuttle in real time using the TransLoc app.

Any student, faculty, or staff member with a valid TUid can use Flight. A valid TUid can be your physical or mobile OWLcard.
Flight operates 7 days per week from 6 PM to 2 AM, and the shuttles arrive at each drop-off and pick-up location every 15 minutes during this service time. The service continues to operate in a modified form during university breaks.
Flight serves the Main Campus patrol zone. It operates in two loops – the north loop, which covers the northern parts of the patrol zone, and the south loop, which covers the southern and eastern parts of the patrol zone. Shuttles on each loop follow a fixed route around that loop.

Flight shuttles can be tracked in real time using the TransLoc App during hours of operation. Use the website or app to plan your arrival at the shuttle stop most convenient for you – the shuttle driver will stop for you if they see you at the stop, but the shuttle will continue on its way if no one is waiting. Display your Temple ID when boarding the shuttle, and when you’re a block or so from your destination, let the driver know so they can stop the shuttle and let you off.

BAR EXAM & MPRE

“Esquire Bound”: Bar Exam and Admission Information Series – Spring Calendar

Join us for “Esquire Bound” – our series of virtual information sessions on admission to practice and how to pass the bar exam. These sessions will be held on Sunday evenings from 7 – 7:45 pm via Zoom. You can access the Zoom link for every session here: https://temple.zoom.us/j/6398848836. These sessions will be recorded.

The Esquire Bound events for the spring semester are as follows:

~~January 28th~~ February 4: Reorientation to the Bar Exam
February 11th: Mechanics of Bar Application; Character and Fitness
February 25th: Creating your Bar Study Plan
~~March 24th~~ March 31st: Bar Prep Panel with Recent Graduates
April 14th: Bar Exam Help Desk and AMA

The Esquire Bound events from the fall semester, along with the recordings and PowerPoint slides, can be found below:

September 17^th: Admission by Bar Exam Part 1 – Recording – PowerPoint Slides
October 1^st: Admission by Bar Exam Part 2 – Recording – PowerPoint Slides
October 15^th: Tools to Tackle the Bar Exam – Recording – PowerPoint Slides
October 29^th: Course Planning for the Bar Exam – Recording – PowerPoint Slides
November 12^th: Winter Break Review and To-Do – Recording – PowerPoint Slides
November 26^th: Bar Exam & Application Help Desk

Bar Application Virtual Help Desks – Sundays after “Esquire Bound” events at 8PM via Zoom

Do you have specific questions about the bar application process – or anything bar exam related – that aren’t covered by our Esquire Bound series? Drop by our virtual help desks from 8-9 PM after our spring Esquire Bound events. Students will be brought into the waiting room one at a time so we can address your questions and concerns confidentially. Any student in the waiting room by 9PM will be seen. You can access the Zoom link for each help desk here: https://temple.zoom.us/j/6398848836.

2024 MPRE Dates and Registration Deadlines

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice examination administered three times per year. It is required for admission to the bars in almost every jurisdiction in the United States. The 2024 test dates for the MPRE have been released, and can be found below:

TEST ADMINISTRATION	RECOMMENDED SUBMISSION DATE TO APPLY FOR ACCOMMODATIONS	REGISTRATION DEADLINE FEE: $160
March 26 or 27, 2024	December 5, 2023	~~January 25, 2024~~ (NOW CLOSED)
August 13 or 14, 2024	April 24, 2024	June 12, 2024
November 7 or 8, 2024	July 24, 2024	September 18, 2024

For more information, or to register, please go to the MPRE Registration Information page of the NCBE website here: https://www.ncbex.org/exams/mpre/registration/

Information on Free MPRE Review Courses

Did you know that most commercial bar prep companies offer free MPRE review courses? If you are preparing for the MPRE and still deciding on a commercial bar prep course, MPRE review courses are a great opportunity to get a sense of which commercial bar prep course might be best for you. Information on the MPRE prep courses for some of the most popular bar prep companies are linked below:

Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation Scholarship – Application Open; Deadline March 31st

The SCWLF awards $5,000 scholarships to Black female law students who have committed to careers as prosecutors. For these future prosecutors, the Scholarship program covers the cost of the bar application and preparation up to $5,000. The Scholarship program also offers a $5,000 incentive for scholarship recipients who secure employment as prosecutors.

Bar Application and Preparation: Payment for costs associated with preparing for and taking the Bar Exam. Awards in this category do not exceed $5,000.

Employment Incentive: Recipients who secure and complete a full year of employment as a prosecutor will receive a monetary award of $5,000. The award will be disbursed at the end of their first year of full-time work at a prosecution office.

Students who are interested in applying for the Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation Scholarship are strongly encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and program description before submitting an application.

Timeline for Application Process

September 1: Scholarship applications open
March 31st: Deadline to apply
June 20: Scholarship recipients are notified

For more information, or to apply, see this link: https://saritaandclairefoundation.org/scholarship/

Critical Pass Flashcards – 15% Discount

West Academic is offering Temple Law students and recent graduates a 15% discount off Critical Pass flashcards and most other West Academic print and digital publications. To make a purchase, go to www.westacademic.com and enter the discount code WATEMPLE when you check out.

NCBE BarNow Demo Pack

Students can now access official NCBE practice questions for free! The newly released BarNow Demo Pack includes a sample of MBE, MEE, MPT, and MPRE questions at no cost for 30 days. All that’s needed to participate is an active email address; no purchase is required. Learn more by visiting NCBE’s Study Aids Store today.