Stanford Law School - Yearbook (Palo Alto, CA)

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F ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY: L. to R. - L. Lee, C. Chalmers, T. Springer, J. Rummonds fCo-Chmn.J, J. Heimbigner, W. Condon, D. Jackman CCo-Chmn.J. NVIRO E TAL L W SOCIETY The Environmental Law Society was formed to give respectably radical, but frustrated law students an opportunity to pitch a few snowballs at the avalanche of pollution and similar horrors which have attended Americais most recent gifts to human progress. Noting that it is usually lawyers who are writing and passing the legislation which determines how our land and resources will be used, and that it is always the lawyers who finally drag the polluters into courtg the need for a group of partisan volunteers seemed obvious. Our first major effort was directed at Stanfordls own back yard. With ELS assistance, local citizens groups working with attorneys who were donating their time temporarily halted industrial development in the Coyote Hill region of Stanford lands. President Pitzer was furious, so it seemed like we had it made as a student I Kp at organization. Some of this fair weather enthusiasm waned when requests started to come in for research assistance on the logging suit in San Mateo County, beach access problems, open space legislation, water for Pyramid Lake, and the enforcement of Bay Area pollution controls. The work was accomplished largely by the dedicated few. A willingness to align ourselves against real estate developers, industrial polluters, unresponsive govemment agencies, and politicians preaching the glories of growth and anexpanding tax base practically guarantees our members freedom from the pressure of usual establishment demands for our legal services upon graduation. One of the more successful public relations coups pulled off by the fledgling ELS involved the establishment of the National Environmental Law Society during a conference held at Stanford during the fall. Since the Environmental Law Society was formed at Stanford last sunnner over twenty other law schools have established similar groups. Perhaps a high water mark in the West's capture of professional leadership from the East occurred when Harvard Law School's Conservation Group changed its name to the Harvard Environmental Law Society, thus following the pattern established at Stanford. In addition to the more routine work of assisting attorneys involved in environmental litigation and aiding lobbying groups in studying proposed environmental legislation, several more ambitious projects are being developed. A Nader's Raiders style summer task force is being put together to investigate some lucky state agency, and a summer institute in environmental law is being proposed. Having successfully ousted the Legal Aid Society from its fashionable office at the crossroads of the law school, the ELS is stoically awaiting the change of intellectual fashion which will someday transform this vital and practical organization into another time-honored, traditionencrusted law school student group.

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1222 rr. rx F- .,' S O. 1 LAW FORU .- 1 ' 'J nailz: .Kihei UN J..4. is 1029 The Honorable Shirley Hufstedler speaks to students in the Lang Room Cabovej while Ralph Nader discusses American legal education fbelowj. la. P J iff 'P LAW FORUM: SEATED - J. Goodman, J. Chamey, C. Bruton CPres.J, S. Sacks. STANDING - J. Paul, A. Kaulins, D. Heir, P. M. Anderson. The Law Forum is one of the Law School's oldest student organizations, and it exists to enhance legal education by offering a series of able and relevant speakers. Although the Forum has no clearly defined role in the activities of the School, during 1969-70 it attempted to improve the intellectual environment by broadening its relationships with and assistance to other student organizations and seeking quality rather than quantity in its programs. Basing its approach on the belief that the School of Law, for various reasons, has traditionally been a less than stimulating place to spend leisure time, the Forum committed its efforts to changing Stanford from a commuter law school to one more like what applicants for admission believe it to be. The first major program of the year w'as a discussion of the problems of American law and the weaknesses of American legal education by Ralph Nader. Nader spoke to an overflow audience and proved himself to be an able and reasonable advocate of positive change. Judge Shirley Hufstedler of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit retumed to Stanford to present her views on the appellate process. Demonstrating the legal expertise and personal charm that has enabled her to become only the second woman to sit on a United States Circuit Court, Judge Hufstedler explained what can be termed the agonizing existential responsibility bome by one chosen to decide between conflicting human interests. Professors Meyers and Ehrlich spoke with typical perceptiveness on the difficult question of what personal decision was most appropriate for the economically ration law student rnrder the Law School's new grading system. The Forum was able to organize the nation's first debate between official representatives of the gun control movement and its opponents early in the second semester. David Steinberg, Executive Director of the National Council for a Responsible Firearms Policy, and Herbert Kohlwes, chairman of the board of a local gun club affiliated with the National Rifle Association, debated their views in a program sponsored jointly by the Forum and the Political Union of the ASSU. Professor Paul Freturd of Harvard Law School took time from his work as editor-in-chief of The History ofthe US. Supreme Court to speak at the Law School during the spring. The Forum's experience during 1969-70 demonstrates that there is a pressing need in the School of Law for greater communication. If Stanford is to be more than a stopping place where one is certified as the hope of the future, it is essential that students and faculty increase their interaction beyond the classroom and that serious attention be given to the ideas of enlightened persons in govemment and law. Legal education can exist in a vacuum, but it probably suffers for such limitation. The Law Forum is committed to changing that pattern of existence at Stanford. Chuck Bruton

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BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION: SEATED - W. S. Stevens CPres.J, J. Griffin, H. McMullen, L. Jones. STANDING - W. J. Ware, C. P. Johnson, W. Crews. BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATIO The Black Law Students' Association was formed to meet the needs of not just Black Law Students attending Stanford University, but the needs of all Black Americans. The members of the Black Law Students, Association are dedicated to Eghting the old tradition of Black students receiving degrees and tuming their backs on. the Black community. The members recognize that their first responsilility is to return to the Black community and end the legal exploitation that lies at the very foundation of ghetto unrest. The Black Law Students' Association is dedicated to ending racial discrimination practice by Law Firms and other Govemmental institutions. The Association is dedicated to finding ways and means of bringing into balance the educational scales of the law school. The history of Stanford University shows a catagorical exclusion of Black students from the educational process and the law school. This exclusion has been justified by imposing admission standards which reflect white middle-class intelligence and background. It is the goal of the Association to break this vicious cycle which tends to be self-perpetuating. The Black students have shown that if given the opportunity they are capable of performing as well as other students in the Law School. The first Black student at Stanford Law school was on the Law Review. fSallye Peyton '68J The second student was president of the Law Review. Waughn Williams ,691 The fourth and fifth Black student in the history of Stanford Law school distinguish themselves in moot court fWillard Stevens and James Robinson '70j The third student was instrumental in getting Stanford to recognize the needs of Black America by initiating a recruitment program. This student also worked closely with the Black community during his studies at the law school and remained there after graduation. fLeroy Bobbit '69j The major function of the Black Law Students' Association is to ensure that Black law students are admitted to Stanford Law School, are given all possible assistance in achieving academic excellence, and most importantly, use their education for the benefit of the Black community. fPresently, less than 275 of the Law School is Blackj With the efforts of Assistant Dean Henderson fthe only Black member of the administrationj the Black Law Students hope to increase the number of Black students, who qualify under acceptable academic standards, enrolled in the. Law School. With an increased number of Black professionals, Black problems can be solved by Black leaders, with Black prospectives, but operating within the legal framework of a society that is responsive to the needs of all its people. It is the aim of the Association to fill the power vacuum in the Alglack communities and lead our people out of the land of legal slavery. W. Steve tevens