Events & Announcements

EIC Application!

Deadline: this Friday, Feb. 10, 2006! Click here for the application. Email/call Sera and Kevin if you wanna talk about the EIC position.

Events:

APALJ 2nd Annual Karaoke Night!
When: THIS THURSDAY night, Feb. 9, 2006 (at either 6-8pm or 7-9pm -- depending on where we end up going!)
Where: near Sawtelle and Olympic (either Peppermint or Yuu Yuu) 
Why: Because you are sick of your section mates, want to meet new cool APALJ people, and it'll be OODLES of fun! =) Seriously!
What: Karaoke, Drinks, and Friends!
How: If you need a ride, please email apaljnews@gmail.com, and include where you'll need to be picked up.
RSVP: RSVP to apaljnews@gmail.com if you are interested in going!!

Tentative dinner scheduled prior to APALJ Karaoke Night (sponsored by our very own Youngmee Kwon and Ian Barlow!) .. more details to follow, esp since we haven't squared down the details for the karaoke yet!

APALJ MEETING - Monday Feb. 13, 2006!
Agenda:
- EIC(s) Election/Vote
- Discussion about opportunity to add another piece to Volume 11
- Another call for volunteer readers -- FUN!
- Discussion of Board positions and Board application process
+ Mingle with current board members - ask them about their positions, etc.
- Email apaljnews@gmail.com if you want anything added to the agenda!

Hiking with Kevin on Feb. 18, 2006!
Hiking in Solstice Canyon Park
Saturday, February 28, 2006
meet at UCLAw at 9:00 or Trailhead at 9:35
Hike is about 2.8 miles, and should take about 2 hours
We should be back around 12:15 PM
Bring water and maybe a jacket
Who: You and your friends (please RSVP if you can so I know how many to expect)
What: Hiking in Solstice Canyon Park; we'll see the ruins of the "Tropical Terrace" house, the headquarters for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (a 1940's cottage), an 1865 cottage (probably the oldest house in Malibu), rock grottoes and a hidden statue, as well as oak woodland, canyons, a
creek, a waterfall and rock pools, and a spectacular ocean view (on a clear day you supposedly can see Rancho Palos Verdes). One reviewer even reported spotting 2 sets of mountain lion tracks! Something for everyone, both natural and architectural/historic.
Where: The trailhead is just .2 miles north of PCH on Corral Canyon Rd., in Malibu, about 18 miles from Westwood.
When: Let's meet at the trailhead at 9:35 AM; or carpool over from UCLAw at 9:00 AM
Why: Because you still have time to enjoy nature and meet some new people, so you should get out there!
Trail Details
The hike is a little less than 3 miles roundtrip, and it should take us a leisurely 2 hours. There is an approximate 450 ft elevation gain. The hike is not difficult though there is some uphill walking. Also, if you want to see most of the rock pools, you will have to be able to scramble up some steep rocks. There are restrooms at the trailhead. While I usually recommend wearing shoes with some ankle support (like light hiking boots) just in case, you can totally get away with sturdy sneakers. Please bring water and a snack if you tend to get hungry. Depending on the weather that morning, a light jacket or sweater might be appropriate.
Please RSVP to Kevin Liu <Liu2006@lawnet.ucla.edu> if you can make it, and also let me know if you have any questions.

Play-off time:

The SuperBowl is coming up. Similarly, right now it is APALJ's playoff times -- what we do now matters the most! So EVERYONE - make sure you do a good job on your citations, editing, etc. We are on a tight schedule and everyone must make a conscientious effort to do their best!

Unique Opportunity to actually read Asian American Jurisprudence!

Opportunity to proofread AAJ piece! Read something aside from cases you're assigned for class (something you're actually interested in). 

You'll be assigned a piece you haven't been assigned previously to read over the entire piece and then focus on a particular section (most likely 1/3 of the piece or 15 pages). Mark all grammatical errors, such as words incorrectly used, etc. Basically, just double check that there are mistakes in the piece SO no substantial editing is required or should be done.

You will be working on a piece that you haven't worked on this semester yet. There are two cycles and the timeline is ample (your assignment should only take about 5 hours total), but the deadlines are hard deadlines. It's important to have "fresh eyes" looking at a piece so your input would be invaluable!!

Cycle 1: February 10-24 (That's 2 weeks to do 5 hours of work, what a deal!)
-work on Hsu, Tieu, Lee, and Teshima pieces (possibly Sora Han as well)

Cycle 2: March 10-20 (That's only 30 minutes a day)
-work on Hsu, Tieu, Lee, Teshima, and Han 

Everyone is encouraged to volunteer for this project; it is especially beneficial for Associate Editors to have the opportunity to read through an entire piece, especially if you are considering an editorial board position for next year. You will be reading for spelling, grammar, usage/diction, numbering/sequencing, headings, and formatting. There is no substantive editing involved. More details to come if you're interested!

If you'd like to volunteer, please email me (Liu2006@lawnet.ucla.edu) by February 6 (Monday) and let me know how many readings you would like to do, what piece you worked on, and if you have a preference for pieces (I'll do my best to accommodate). If you have any questions or need further guidance on the process, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks to everyone for the effort.
We are here to help:
On a similar note, if any 1Ls have any questions about jobs, life, grades, law review, lawyering skills memo, etc., please feel free to contact the upperclassmen for advice, support, etc. =)

Feedback:
SCCLA Judicial Reception was great-- go next year and go to more bar association events! There were lots of judges!

Accolades:
Cindy Uh, Iryll Umel and Ian Barlow for finishing editing the Hong Tieu piece! Bravo! 

Bar association events -- great networking events (esp for those who do not have summer jobs yet!)

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) in conjunction with the

Japanese American Bar Association
Korean American Bar Association
Philippine American Bar Association
South Asian Bar Association
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association

invites you to attend our New Admittee Reception

Join fellow Asian and Pacific American attorneys in welcoming our newest members of the bar

Thursday, February 2, 2006, 6:00 p.m.
at Oiwake Restaurant
122 Japanese Village Plaza Mall (2nd Floor)
Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles

Please RSVP to Ed Lew treasurer@apabala.org

Complimentary for all new Bar Admittees and law students

$10.00 for all others.

Admission includes buffet dinner, non-alcoholic drinks and karaoke.

Info on Law Review from Sera:

I know you 1Ls are wondering what this thing called "Law Review" is all about. There is buzz going around about it ... whether you should spend your entire Spring Break doing something you know nothing about! Well, I just wanted to let you guys know a little bit about the Law Review and about the write-on competition (what you'll do during Spring Break if you attempt to write-on to the Law Review).

(This is taken from a sheet that will be handed out in one of two People of Color Law Review Workshops)

Here's info about the law review so you can make an informed choice of whether you want to join.

What is Law Review?

• Academic Legal Journal
• Student-run organization that publishes 6 volumes a year, including a symposium volume
  - Students choose the articles and the student-written comments or notes. Usually 3 articles and 2 comments in each volume
  - Students cite-check and edit the volume and are responsible for bringing it to publication
• Useful for promulgating new ideas about how to interpret the law or a statute

What do members of the Law Review do in the first and second year?

• First year: cite-check
  - runs 15-40 hours per assignment – approximately 5 assignments per year (this can be done in the summer)
  + have 3 weekends, 2 full weeks to do assignments (assigned on Thursday noon and due Monday noon two and a half weeks from the Thursday assigned)
  - you are graded/evaluated on this
  - required comment in the first semester of your second year (chose topic and advisor – take this for 3-5 credits: 30-50 pages) - similar to Devo!
• Second year: run for board positions -- if not, you are automatically a managing editor who review staff members' cite check work.
  - You take a test for certain positions
  - Evaluated by the previous Law Review board

Why does the greater law community care about whether or not I'm a member of Law Review?

• Because, like the LSAT, law review is a proxy for good research and writing skills. Detail-oriented, hard working, push you to your limit, willingness to give up personal time for the law
• They were on law review – gives you something to talk about in interviewsReally, this just means that you made it through the competition and there are other ways of demonstrating you have good research and writing skills
• Many professors and people who get federal clerkships were on Law Review while they were in law school. Thus, it can be inferred that Law Review makes some doors open more easily, such as the doors of getting a clerkship or a professorship.
• LR can't totally make-up for absolutely deplorable grades or a bad personality

What is the Law Review Write-On Competition?

• ONE AND ONLY CHANCE [1]
• Occurs during Spring Break
• Given all you need in one packet
  - Emphasis on anonymity and adherence to the rules
  You are given 7 days to complete the Write On competition
  You can do this in another city and simply Fed Ex the package in
• Comprised of two parts (bluebooking/ editing test – 30% and the writing portion – 70%)
  - Bluebooking test – Given a bunch of footnotes to ensure that they are correctly bluebooked (you will be given the sources)
  - There will be one topic but no one correct answer. Unlike your Lawyering Skills paper and more like the papers you probably wrote before law school. Two years ago, the issue was whether the 8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment was violated when a prisoner was denied visits from his family. You could go either way on this topic.
  + Your chance to write creatively! You might be really psyched about the topic and want to write a lot about it
  + Given a variety of sources: cases, legal articles, other academic articles, transcripts, newspaper articles, poetry, comic

[1] This past year, a few students with top grades were accepted on the law review based on the fact they competed on the write-on and made a good faith effort on the test but did not write-on to the law review. This may not mean that the law review students

Please let me, Sera Hwang (serahwang@gmail.com), know if you have any additional questions about Law Review.

Things to do to prepare NOW (advice from Sera Hwang):

• Read some actual UCLA Law Review comments to see the general structure of Law Review comments.
• Go through the Bluebook and get comfortable with it. Skim through Rules 1-9.
  -Make the extra effort in doing your APALJ cite checking assignments and Lawyering Skills bluebooking well as practice
• Attend the Minority Coalition Law Review Workshops (led by 2Ls Keemin Ngiam and Kaipo) -- more details forthcoming!
  Start outlining for classes now so you don't stress during Spring Break.
• Clear out any emotional distractions so you'll be free to focus on the Law Review write-on during Spring Break.
• For your graded memo, front-load so you'll have time to recover from handing in your memo (early in the week prior to Spring Break) and will feel refreshed when you pick up your Law Review write-on competition packet the Thursday prior to Spring Break.

Adam Carolla insulting Asian group:

From Angry Asian Man... (for more info, please see here).

SCCLA's 2006 Installation and Awards Banquet

Hi everyone! My name is Arthur Tsai and I am the student volunteer coordinator for SCCLA's 2006 Installation and Awards Banquet on Friday, March 17, 2006. SCCLA is looking for 30 law student volunteers to help out at the March 17th dinner. Volunteers are required to arrive at Empress Pavilion Restaurant at 4:30 p.m. sharp and expected to stay until the dinner concludes (approximately 9 p.m.).

The restaurant is located at 988 North Hill Street in Chinatown. Parking is in the attached garage and you should enter on Bernard Street. Each volunteer receives a complimentary admission to the dinner and it's a great way to meet lawyers and judges. The list
is first-come first serve. Please sign up before March 1, 2006.
To sign up, please call or email me (contact info below), and provide the following information to me when you sign up: Full name, email address, phone number, law school attending and year in school. Once you're on the list, I will send you an email with more information.

Arthur Tsai
Phone: 626-512-0899
Email: artmtsai@yahoo.com

PLEASE see http://www.xanga.com/apalj for other announcements!!!