A goal of the Business Law Section (BLS) is to recruit young future lawyers. The Scholars Program is designed to further this goal by providing law students the opportunity to meet and interact with a diverse group of business lawyers and judges by attending the Business Law Section’s annual meeting, held in conjunction with the Florida Bar Annual Convention in June, and the BLS’s mid-year meeting in January. Through the Scholars Program, another BLS goal is to encourage students to become active BLS members after they graduate, and to educate other law students by promoting BLS within their law school student organizations. Through the Scholars Program, students will enjoy incredible opportunities to get involved in the various committees and projects of BLS. At the BLS meetings, Scholars will be able to immerse themselves in various social and academic activities offered by BLS and begin building meaningful relationships by joining and participating in substantive law committees. Students will also learn recent developments by attending meetings of BLS substantive and standing committees and continuing legal education sessions.
As a participant in the Scholars Program, each Scholar will receive the following:
Mentorship. Each Scholar will be paired with a BLS mentor to help the Scholar navigate the annual and mid-year meetings and events and share advice for a successful career in business law.
Professional recognition. After completing the program requirements, each Scholar will receive a certificate recognizing their participation in the program. Scholars are also encouraged to list involvement in this program on their resume.
Enhanced law school experience. Scholars will receive continued opportunities for involvement in BLS, providing them an opportunity to expand their knowledge base and network with leaders in various fields in business law, which will help them stand out from their peers.
Meeting registration and fee waiver. Each Scholar will be invited to attend the BLS annual and mid-year meeting at no cost for participating in the meeting, the BLS luncheon, and BLS reception. While BLS cannot pay Scholars’ travel expenses, BLS Membership Committee members will encourage faculty liaisons to provide funding to permit students to become Scholars and attend the BLS meetings.
Requirements for Participants in the Scholars Program:
• Be a 2L or 3L law student in good academic standing.
• Actively communicate with their assigned BLS mentor.
• Attend and introduce themselves at a minimum of (two) 2 substantive BLS Committee meetings.
• Attend the Inclusion, Mentoring, Fellowship (IMF)/Membership Committee Meeting at the BLS annual and mid-year meeting; and
Write a report to BLS and their law school of their experiences as a BLS Scholar.
