Student Organizations
Student Bar Association
The Student Bar Association (SBA) represents the students of the Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School. Its purposes shall be:
- To promote and maintain high standards of professional training and ethical conduct.
- To enhance the ACADEMIC program.
- To extend legal education and services to the community at large.
- To plan and conduct a program of social activities.
2026-2027 Officers
SBA President
- Name
- Jaylyn Bower
- Title
- 2026 President
Registered Student Organizations
Agriculture Law Society
American Dream Society (ADS)
Black Law Student Association
Supporting African Americans, as well as other minorities, to enter the field of law, be successful, and maintain cultural influences.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Jessica Jackson
Faculty Advisor: Sylvia Winston
Christian Legal Society
The Christian Legal Society is a fellowship organization comprised of students, faculty and staff seeking to be an example of Christian principles and behaviors through the study and ethical practice of law at SIU. CLS will host student–led Bible studies, outreach and volunteer opportunities to the SIU community.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Veronica Smith
Faculty Advisor: Shelly Page
Democrats, Simmons Law School
The organization provides information and opportunities to law students who are interested in current and future involvement with the Democratic Party. The organization strives to EDUCATE members on campaign and constituent work possibilities and future employment or other participation in politics, government and law.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Anna Stearns
Faculty Advisor: Sheila Simon
The Federalist Society
Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians dedicated to reforming the current legal order. We are committed to the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society seeks to promote awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Adam Thompson
Faculty Advisor: Gregory Nies
Hispanic Latinx Law Student Assoc.
HLLSA’s main priority is to enrich law students and their educational experience by bringing speakers, networking events, and promoting a bond within the law school community.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Cindy Bucio-Marin
Faculty Advisor: Valery Behan
Human Trafficking Law Society
Intellectual Property Society
The Intellectual Property society at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School strives to educate students on issues regarding intellectual property law -the law regarding patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks.
The organization hopes to have speakers and events in the interdisciplinary field of IP to provide students on campus with valuable experiences and networking opportunities.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Dillon Ruzich
Faculty Advisor: Thomas Reichert
International/Immigration Law Society
IILS is a group of law students primarily focused on developing connections within and furthering our knowledge of immigration and international law. We seek to educate ourselves in global legal matters and reinforce our connections to those practicing law in the global community.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Samantha Eliceche
Faculty Advisor: Cindy Buys
J. Reuban Clark Society
Labor Law Collective
Outlaw
An organization to promote the rights and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer persons and their allies, through legal advocacy and the development of policies and practices that establish equality and inclusion.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Taylor Walden
Faculty Advisor: Sheila Simon
Parents Attending Law School (PALS)
Law students who are also parents have unique challenges and demands during law school and this group aims to create a social network of resources and support for those students. Most importantly, the group strives to make law school an easy and exciting experience for the children of law students. P.A.L.S. gives children a lifetime of positive law school memories. Because law students without children have also proven to be an essential part of a parent’s support network, this group is open to any student with or without children.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Victoria Sarmiento
Faculty Advisor: Anna Vick
Phi Delta Phi (PDP)
Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society
Phi Delta Phi is one of the oldest international legal honor societies, founded in 1869. Its mission is to promote the highest standards of scholarship, ethics, professionalism, and service within the legal profession. Membership includes law students, legal scholars, judges, and attorneys who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to integrity and leadership.
President : Alexis Lawrence
Faculty Advisor: Kaitlyn Poirier
Student Bar Association (SBA)
Sports Lawyers Association
Sports Lawyers Association is an RSO that is focused on informing people on the process of becoming a Sports Agent, the changes in Sport Law, various rulings that shape the legal landscape for sports, and interviewing people who have experience in the field of Sports Law.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Jermaine Hughes
Faculty Advisor: Casey Parker
Veterans Law Student Association
Women's Law Forum
The purpose of WLF is to promote a professional image of SIU School of Law as an institution for the study of the law, to educate ourselves and others regarding the legal and social status of people and to advocate reforms for the promotion of equality under the law.
President & Faculty Advisor:
President: Hannah Lineman
Faculty Advisor: Anna Vick