My observations about student leadership

You have probably realized this about me by now, but I am nothing if not self aware. I do my best to be aware of my abilities, as well as their limitations. And believe me when I say the simple recognition that my abilities have limitations was a bit of an adjustment. It is tempting to think of ones abilities as limitless. But truthfully, it does not benefit one to think that way. This is particularly true in law school. You see, in law school the various demands on your time can serve to further rein in the limits of your abilities, driving home the very harsh reality that although your aspirations may be limitless your time most certainly is not.

Today I will attempt to expose the hidden underbelly of student leadership without ruining the fanfare that usually accompanies the finished product. Sort of like a behind the scenes of the MCLSA, an exposé if you will. And I must warn you, it is not for the faint of heart.

A first year law student recently asked me whether the fact that he was a first year law student should deter him from assuming a leadership role in a student organization. I will share with you what I told him. Any student leader needs to be prepared to make the functioning of the organization a priority. The extent to which you are prepared to do that should be the primary guiding principle in your decision. And that is no less true your second or third year than it is your first.

Everyone in the organization has the luxury of making the organization third or fourth or maybe even last on their list of priorities. The leaders of a student organization, particularly the president, do not have that luxury. For its leaders, the organization has to either be a first priority or close to it, even when it is the last “priority” for everyone else. And that is to be expected in law school. The IL members will be busy with legal methods and simply adjusting to law school. The 2L members will be busy with Constitutional Law and Evidence, two of the most important and most difficult classes in law school. And the 3L members will be busy with the job hunt, bar exam preparation and the MPRE’s (more on that later). Obviously, the leaders will either be first, second or third year law students themselves and will have to deal with these challenges as well. But there are certain sacrifices that the leaders need to be willing to make, regardless of where they fall in that spectrum. The trick is to keep those sacrifices to a minimum, to make them only when absolutely necessary and to do your best to make sure that your schoolwork does not become one of the casualties.

I hope my observations on leadership do not appear so bleak as to deter anyone. The truth is, I regard my role as MCLSA President as one of the best decisions I ever made. And as far as my experiences with the new MCLSA Board, I will say this. I have been blessed to govern with a team of leaders who have surpassed my expectations and continue to impress me every day.

You’re the best, guys.