About Us

 

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The University of Texas at Austin, Pre-Law Division of The National Black Law Students Association is committed to advocating for and cultivating future African American law students to transform the legal landscape; while increasing the rate of minorities in law school. The Pre-Law Division is a subgroup of The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), who is a 501(c)(3) corporation and the nation's largest student-run organization representing nearly 6,000 minority law students from over 200 chapters and affiliates throughout the United States and six other countries. ​​





Mission



 

The Longhorn chapter is committed to advocating for and cultivating future African American law students to transform the legal landscape; while increasing the rate of minorities in law school.





Purpose 

 

The purpose of the Pre-Law Division is to articulate and promote the educational, professional, political and social needs and goals of African American pre-law students. By implementing functions on the law school admission process and advocating for the community. Pre-Law NBLSA bridges the gap between the aspiring law student and the actual law student. This organization is open to all aspiring law students regardless of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.





History of UT Pre-Law NBLSA

 

The Longhorn Chapter was charted on March 29th 2012 by; Sarah Odion-Esene, Crystal Aitaegbebhunu and Sharae Hamilton seniors at the University of Texas at Austin. These students wanted to implement a pre-law organization where there would be a resource to minority students interested in law. They sought to create an organization that will increase the percentage of African Americans in law school and the legal field. 





History of NBLSA



In 1968, Algernon Johnson ("AJ") Cooper, former mayor of Prichard, Alabama, founded the first Black American Law Students Association (BALSA) at the New York University Law School. In 1983, BALSA revised its name and the word "American" was deleted to encompass all blacks, including those not of American nationality. Later, the word "National" was added to reflect the organization's national expansion, which now includes representation in the law schools of forty-eight states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

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Today, the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), is a national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of black law students and effectuate change in the legal community. As the largest student run organization in the United States with nearly 6,000 members, NBLSA is also comprised of chapters or affiliates in six different countries including The Bahamas, Nigeria, and South Africa. Organized into six regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southern, Midwest, Rocky Mountain and Western Region), the organization has over 200 chapters and is present in all but a few of the nation's accredited law schools, as well as unaccredited law schools. With its headquarters located in Washington, DC, NBLSA encourages the development of talented, social conscious lawyers of tomorrow. Each year, the organization holds an annual convention to engage in legal activism and prepare new generations of black lawyers to "effectuate change." Additionally, the Frederick Douglass Moot Court , Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial and International Negotiations Competitions are held during its annual convention. Notably, NBLSA assisted in the formation of the Black Law Students Association of Canada (BLSAC), The National Latino/Latina Student Association (NLLSA), National Association of Law Students with Disabilities (NALSD), and The National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (NAPALSA).
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