The Women’s Student Bar Association is an active organization at Mississippi College School of Law which promotes women’s issues and giving back to the community. The WSBA through education, networking, scholarship, fellowship, and charity, helps to prepare its members for a future in the legal profession. The WSBA provides its members with free lunches at its monthly meetings.  The monthly meetings involve topics that affect women in the profession; such as “Balancing a Family and a Legal Career,” “Networking for You,” and “Giving Back to the Community.” Local women attorneys, judges, and women in the legal profession attend the meetings and functions throughout the year in order to help mentor and educate WSBA members. This semester (Fall 2006) Justice Kay Cobb, and Lydia Quarles were guest speakers at meetings.

There are many opportunities to attend continuing education workshops throughout the year such as the “Gandy Lecture Series.” The Gandy Lecture Series is sponsored by the Women in the Profession Committee of the Mississippi Bar and is a two day conference which  discusses issues that affect women in the profession such as “Juggling to be a Player,” “Juggling Family and Career,” “The Gandy hour,” and “Balancing Ethics and the Legal Profession.” Scholarships to attend the two day conference are awarded yearly to WSBA members. Throughout the year there are many opportunities to get involved such as the annual Potluck Dinner, and Faculty Brunch.  This year several women lawyers, professors, and judges from the Jackson area attended the event that Professor Judith Johnson was kind enough to host in her home.

The Women’s Student Bar Association sponsors charity events throughout the year in order to give back to the community. During the 2005-2006 school year the WSBA held its annual bake sale, book drive, and date auction in order to raise money for the Catholic Charities Battered Women’s Shelter in Jackson.  This year $1,955.00 was raised and donated to the Shelter from the charity events.  The WSBA held a cell phone drive to collect used cell phones to donate to the Catholic Charities Battered Women’s Shelter. The WSBA’s “Cinderella’s Closet” is also a charity project in which the members give back to the Jackson community. The members collect old prom, bridesmaids, and formal dresses from members of the law school to donate to Jackson high schools so that women can go to prom. 

There are 76 members in the WSBA.

Professor Carol West is the WSBA’s faculty advisor and works with the organization giving direction, guidance, and mentoring to its members and officers. 

Officers

Barbie Kinder, President
barbiekinder@yahoo.com

Rita Silin, Vice President

Kasey Norad, Treasurer

Heidi Rauch, Secretary

Lisa Bumpers, Special Events Coordinator