- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/black-law-students-association/ ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Thu, 08 Dec 2022 14:28:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Bowen Grad Plan to Help Others Through Career as Civil Rights Lawyer /news-archive/2022/12/08/jacobi-malone-grad-story/ Thu, 08 Dec 2022 14:28:16 +0000 /news/?p=84041 ...]]> Eleven years later, the Little Rock native is understandably excited about his upcoming graduation from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. “I’m excited, blessed, thankful, and grateful,” Malone said. “I feel like I am crossing the finish line of this marathon I’ve been on for the last few years. I’m excited to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next.” After passing the bar exam, Malone plans to put his skills to work helping others by focusing on civil rights law in Little Rock. “I want to inform people of their rights and represent them in cases involving gender, race, or inequality of any sort,” Malone said. “Civil rights violations are not as archaic and antiquated as people believe. They are still there and dangerous, and that is what makes me want to go and fight against it.” Providing citizens with the information to empower themselves has been important to Malone for many years. Ever since starting work at Willard Proctor Jr. P.A. in 2011, Malone has been volunteering in a monthly educational program providing legal, political, financial, and health information to minorities at his church, Abundant Grace Apostolic Church. Since joining law school in 2020, Malone has also been an active volunteer with the W. Harold Flowers Law Society, assisting in providing continuing legal education seminars for local African American attorneys. He also served as the liaison between the society and the Black Law Students Association at Bowen, where he served on the association’s scholarship and event planning committees.

From Law Office to Law School

After graduating from John L. McClellan High School, Malone immediately started working as a claims adjustor for attorney Willard Proctor Jr., where he led correspondence regarding claims related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He was later promoted to a legal assistant, where he would work on preparation for jury trials. Malone, who had never intended to go to college, gained inspiration from his boss who encouraged him to pursue a law degree. “Willard Proctor Jr. really encouraged me to go to college,” Malone said. “He told me not to waste my education. He kept encouraging me to take that next step and go to college and then go on to law school. He’s been a big blessing in my life along with my pastor Linda Scott.” Malone would go on to earn an associate degree from ��Vlog��ý-Pulaski Tech and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock before going to law school. Additionally, Malone thanks his mother, Emma Malone, a 1984 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, for also making it possible for him to complete college and law school. Malone is paralyzed from the chest down, and his mother has been taking him to classes for years. “My mom has been my biggest blessing throughout all of this,” Malone said. “She’s driven me to my classes at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Bowen. She’s been there every step of the way.” At the end of his law school journey, Malone cited faith and hard work as the key to his success. “I would encourage anyone that comes from a background growing up in southwest Little Rock that doesn’t have a lot of avenues of success to not let that stop you,” Malone said. “Don’t use that as an excuse. Use it as a stepping stone to go to the next level. Keep God first and continue to work hard, and you will be pretty well off.”]]> Black Law Students Association recognized as Bowen’s Student Organization of the Year /news-archive/2021/04/26/black-law-students-association-recognized-as-bowens-student-organization-of-the-year/ Mon, 26 Apr 2021 21:15:57 +0000 /news/?p=78877 ...]]> Each year, the Student Affairs Office selects a Student Organization of the Year. Selection is based on the organization’s community involvement, on-campus engagement, and volunteerism. The student organization is an affiliate of the The group’s mission is to introduce black law students to the professional problems and responsibilities they will encounter upon admission to the practice of law, to address and represent the ideas and concerns of its members, and to promote cultural diversity and inclusion at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. “Selecting a Student Organization of the Year is always difficult,” said Student Affairs Program Manager Rebecca Nugent. “We review résumés submitted by each student organization and select the group that has best supported the law school’s core values and the surrounding community. The 2020 year was especially challenging because all student organizations had to pivot to online and virtual events and fundraisers, all while their members adjusted to taking classes online. BLSA worked hard to fulfill its mission even when students couldn’t be on campus.” During the 2020 year, BLSA:

Hosted a Black History Month Mixer for BLSA members and alumni
Hosted the Black History Month program on African Americans and the Vote
Joined Black Lives Matter organizers in a rally and march at the Arkansas state capitol
Raised over $200 for the Social Justice Institute
Hosted a virtual 1L Kick-Off for new students, providing tips and insight on thriving during the first year of law school
Hosted the virtual BLSA Minority Pre-Law Boot Camp, a full-day event to provide prospective students with insights into the application process and the law school experience, including admissions information, a mock class, an LSAT prep workshop, an attorney panel, and a student panel
Hosted a post-graduation workshop with Career Services to provide job-hunting tips
Conducted the Season of Giving Clothing and Food Drive to benefit The Van and the Arkansas Food Bank
Competed at the NBLSA Mock Trial virtual competition, where the team placed fourth overall in their region

In addition to these formal events, BLSA members regularly work with Bowen’s admissions office to reach out to prospective and incoming minority students and answer questions they had about coming to Bowen. “2020 was a difficult year not only because of the global pandemic but also due to the devastating killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and several others. After witnessing these injustices, our members sought to prioritize our mission,” said BLSA President Altimease Lowe. “With each scheduled event, we kept in mind our mission, as an NBLSA affiliate, to increase the number of culturally responsible Black and minority attorneys who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. From the Minority Pre-Law Boot Camp to the Social Justice Institute fundraiser, we strived to lead by example in fulfilling our mission. The executive board worked hard, maintained a positive attitude, and supported each of our members. As the 2020-2021 president, I am so grateful to have worked with such diligent and gifted members, and we are honored to be recognized as the 2020 Student Organization of the Year.” BLSA is one of Bowen’s 22 registered and active law student organizations. ]]> Bowen Law School’s BLSA chapter finishes strong in trial competition /news-archive/2021/03/05/bowen-blsa-trial-competition/ Fri, 05 Mar 2021 20:12:53 +0000 /news/?p=78476 ...]]> Bowen’s team consisted of second-year students Shyteria Dunlap, Ashley Pratt, Cassius Price, and Tashia Sowell. Dunlap and Pratt competed as defense counsel. Price and Sowell competed as plaintiff’s counsel. Bobby Forrest Jr. the managing partner of the , of Jacksonville, Arkansas, coached the team. This was the first time any of the members had competed in a trial competition. The team finished fourth out of eight teams in the regional competition, missing the national rounds by less than one point. “Which was amazing,” Price said. “Only one of us had taken lawyering skills and Ashley, who was in the part-time division at the time, hadn’t taken evidence. She had to learn as she prepared for competition.” The team received the problem, a civil matter related to a self-driving car accident and the death of the driver, in late October. They completed an in-person run-through of the trial the week before fall semester finals. Their coach surprised them by inviting Dominique King, his law partner and a Bowen alumna, as a guest judge. “The run-through gave us a good idea of what we needed to strengthen and how to structure our practices,” Price said. After that meeting, the team practiced and prepared each Saturday morning on Zoom during the fall semester final exams and over the holiday break. Each side argued against the other to keep it as realistic as possible. “Practices were very informative,” Sowell said. “Bobby gave great feedback and tips for skill-building. He really helped improve my trial strategy.” The team rehearsed a different part of the trial during each practice session. Then, as the competition neared, they put everything together and practiced the entire trial. Using Zoom for practices also helped them prepare because the competition was held virtually. This allowed the students to familiarize themselves with using online technology for presenting at trial as well as preparing for any technical issues that might arise. “Using Zoom in class helped in that we were familiar with communicating in a virtual forum,” Dunlap said. “However, since there is no screen sharing in class, we didn’t have experience presenting evidence virtually.” The team was quick to credit those who helped them prepare. BLSA President Altimease Lowe made them aware of the competition and recruited the team. Lethia Washington, a third-year student at Bowen who is on the law school’s trial team, helped with skill development. Professor Robert Minarcin, the director of Bowen’s lawyering skills program and trial team, included the team in his lawyering skills workshops and made himself available for questions at all hours — even during the competition. The students were most grateful to their coach. Forrest, who is a Jacksonville native, attended law school at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston. He competed on the BLSA trial team there. “Marshall practices for trial the same way players practice football—every day,” Forrest said. “It is very competitive.” Forrest met Bowen’s current BLSA leadership when, as a student, he was serving as a national BLSA officer coordinating the national convention. The year he served, the convention was held at Bowen. With his experience as a competitor and his practice experience in trial work, he was excited to coach the team. “I had a great time,” Forrest said. “What made it wonderful was how well the students took feedback. They want to be trial lawyers, and they want to learn.” The entire team is returning to compete next year, and they’re determined to make it to the finals. They also plan to make this competition a tradition for their chapter. They’ve even begun recruiting for a second team. “I have no doubt that they’ll place next year,” Forrest said. “They were naturals at this.”

Trial team members

Shyteria Dunlap is originally from Memphis, Tennessee. Before law school, she earned her graduate degree in education and worked as a teacher. She always planned to teach and attend law school. Dunlap hopes to combine her education background with her legal skills to work in juvenile law and criminal defense. She is currently working as a legal assistant at The Buchanan Firm P.A. and attending law school at night. Her favorite parts of competing include impeaching a witness and delivering the closing argument.

Ashley Pratt is originally from Mississippi, where she was on her high school mock trial team. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in criminal justice from the University of Mississippi. Before coming to law school, Pratt worked at the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Office. She is currently clerking at the James Law Firm. Her favorite part of competing is participating rather than observing.

Cassius Price is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. While attending Morehouse College, he was a volunteer for the Georgia Innocence Project, where he helped build cases doing everything from interviews to evidence collection. Price has clerked for Arkansas Public Defender Commission and is currently clerking at the Pulaski County Public Defender’s Office. His favorite parts of competing are testing his knowledge of the case and actually applying what he’s learned thus far in law school.

Tashia Sowell is originally from Glastonbury, Connecticut. While personal experiences inspired her to study law, her desire to be a change-agent in communities led to her interest in criminal law. Sowell is currently clerking at the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General in the Criminal Department. She is also a student in Bowen’s Mediation Clinic. Her favorite parts of competing include making her opening statement and placing some emphasis and emotion behind what she’d practiced as well as feeling the satisfaction of attacking witnesses’ reliability on cross-examination.]]> Law school to co-host seminar on Arkansas heirs’ property /news-archive/2019/01/18/arkansas-heirs-property/ Fri, 18 Jan 2019 22:09:41 +0000 /news/?p=73147 ...]]> The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law will co-host a free Continuing Legal Education seminar about Arkansas heirs’ property on Thursday, Jan. 24, for practitioners to learn about heirs’ property issues and opportunities. The seminar is co-sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Small Farm Program, , and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen Chapter of the Black Law Students Association. The event will take place 1-4 p.m. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock. Heirs’ property is real property that has been passed informally from generation to generation, leading to joint ownership among family members. In many cases, this results in clouded and fragmented titles that prevent individual family members from reaping the financial gains of the property or increasing its value and building generational wealth. Attendees will gain an increased understanding of the problems associated with heirs’ property, preserving landowners’ property from loss, and generating wealth and economic value. Presenters will inclue Mavis Gragg of the Gragg Law Firm; Dr. Karama Neal with Heirs of Arkansas, Professor Lynn Foster with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, and Cliff McKinney, managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC. This event is free to the public, but space is limited, and ��ܾ��.�� For more information, contact Amy Pritchard at ampritchard@ualr.edu or 501-324-9966.]]> Bowen Law School grad plans to right rural wrongs with second career in legal aid /news-archive/2018/12/14/cynthia-aikman-gradu/ Fri, 14 Dec 2018 14:05:45 +0000 /news/?p=72977 ...]]> A U.S. Army veteran has plans to spend her “second act” helping local residents in her rural home county of Yell gain access to legal representation. “The reason I went to law school is I want to do legal aid in my community,” said Cynthia Aikman, 55, of Bluffton. “We don’t have any legal aid services in Yell County. The closest one is an hour away. It is a major problem for this rural county, so that’s my goal.” Aikman will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law on Dec. 15. Although she already has an MBA, Aikman was inspired to attend law school after seeing so many changes that hurt her local community. “Our school district consolidated after 50 years. We thought we were protected because we were so isolated. Kids are on the school bus up to two hours each way,” Aikman said. “There is also the whole cell tower issue. I testified in front of our state senators about how not having cell phone coverage affects our lives, and we need it more than anyone. We are away from our houses doing possibly dangerous jobs in agriculture, and we can’t dial 911. Many of our rural post offices were closed. All of this stuff was happening, and I decided I needed to go to law school to get on the other side of things. I am just trying to right some of these rural wrongs. I’ve learned a lot. I might even run for the legislature one day.” While starting law school with the best of intentions in 2013, Aikman was forced to leave after a year due to health problems. “I have Lupus, and stress is a trigger,” she said. “Everyone in my family was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it. The second time, I decided I am going to do it for fun, and I won’t be stressed out. The Disability Resource Center had lots of ideas. I wasn’t trying to be the top of the class. I was just in it to learn it.” Living nearly two hours away, Aikman drove in weekly and stayed with her daughter on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights so she could attend night classes at Bowen. While in law school, she was a member of the Christian Legal Society, where she ran a multi-year Bible study, as well as the Black Law Students Association and Outlaw, a student organization dedicated to promoting diversity, raising awareness of legal issues affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people, and maintaining an open atmosphere of respect, equality, and justice for all. “Cindy is loved by her fellow students and respected by her professors,” said Jessie Burchfield, Bowen’s associate dean for information and technology services. “In the fall semester of 2018, she volunteered over 200 hours at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services. Her passion is to provide pro bono services to those who need legal help and can’t afford it.” Aikman said she loved working pro-bono cases for people in need but found the experience eye opening. “It’s crazy what the full-time lawyers take care of. The lawyer I worked for probably had 80 cases at any one time,” she said. “There are so many cases coming in, and there is such a need for it. You knock out case after case after case. Anyone who volunteers there wants to work in legal aid because you see such a need for it.” Aikman credits Sarah Jenkins, Charles C. Baum Distinguished Professor of Law, and Burchfield, who have both served as advisors to the Christian Legal Society, for serving as her mentors at Bowen. “They made themselves available to all the students and especially everyone who was in the club,” she said. “They would take us to lunch if any of the students had any problems. When students have personal problems, they show up, and they are interested. They are accessible, and they are sincere.” In January, Aikman will begin a two-month course to help her study for the bar exam, which she will take later in the semester. As she reflects on her time at Bowen, she is sad to see that part of her life come to an end, but excited to start the next chapter in her career. “I just loved every minute at Bowen,” Aikman said. “I loved all my classes and all my professors. I would recommend it to anyone. You are never too old to change careers, and law is a good one.”]]> Bates named winner of Bowen Law School’s Student Public Service Award /news-archive/2018/06/13/cory-bates-student-public-service-award/ Wed, 13 Jun 2018 13:08:16 +0000 /news/?p=70748 ...]]> William H. Bowen School of Law has recognized recent Bowen graduate Cory Lee Bates as the recipient of the 2018 Student Public Service Award. Every year at commencement, the faculty, staff, and students at Bowen Law School select one of its graduating students who exemplifies the law school’s core value of public service to receive the award. Bates will also receive $1,000 to go toward the cost of a course to prepare him to take the bar exam. During his third year of law school, Bates has served as president of the OUTLaw Legal Society and helped organize a weeklong program of fundraising, advocacy speakers, and community building. The activities consisted of raising money for a student scholarship, hosting the first Legal Research Drive at Bowen, and bringing Heather Fann, a family law attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, to discuss her work on an LGBT civil rights case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Bates is passionate about helping Bowen’s student organizations. He helped the Student Bar Association generate the law school’s first food pantry, mentored a first-year law student as a member of Delta Theta Phi, and designed the program for the Black Law Students Association’s fundraising banquet. His classmates and teachers at Bowen have described Bates’ commitment to the community, his ceaseless advocacy for those who have been overlooked, and his obvious passion for every project he takes on. Outside of Bowen, Bates has helped grow and organize HIV prevention awareness through the HIV Planning Group of Arkansas as well as serving as the secretary and student representative of Q-Law Arkansas, the state’s first LGBT organization for attorneys. In the upper right photo, John DiPippa, interim dean of the Bowen School of Law, presents Cory Bates with the 2018 Student Public Service Award during the commencement ceremony on May 12.]]> Bowen Law School announces its Dean’s Fellow of the Year /news-archive/2018/03/14/bowen-law-school-announces-deans-fellow-year/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 17:30:28 +0000 /news/?p=69782 ...]]> Kimberly Mallett was recently announced as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Dean’s Fellow of the Year for 2017 during an awards ceremony on March 3. Dean’s Fellows are upper level students chosen to mentor first-year students during the fall semester. These students are selected based on their demonstrated leadership skills, excellence in academic performance, professionalism, and desire to lead and care for their fellow students. Last year, Mallett, a third-year law student at Bowen from Kosciusko, Mississippi, led two teams in the full-time student success team of the year competition. These teams consisted of entering law school students working together to cope with the rigorous demands of the curriculum. Mallett’s teams finished in first and second place, with one of her teams winning the oath-writing competition that was chosen by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall as the oath that was taken by the entire first year class during their official pinning ceremony. Mallett displayed dynamic leadership skills while working with these groups. Not only was she assisting student groups while completing her own strenuous course work, she also served as the president of the Black Law Students Association, which was awarded the student organization of the year for 2017. During her time with the organization, the students hosted one of the most successful scholarship banquets to date, raising over $11,000. They also coordinated multiple large-scale speaker events, hosted their own first-year workshop to help new students transition into law school, sponsored an on-campus health fair, and hosted Black History Month programs. ]]>