Women Law Student Association

The Women Law Student Association (WLSA) was organized to provide women an opportunity to discuss and work with common professional interests and problems. Membership is open to all students. The philosophy and activities of the organization are as varied as its membership.

2007-08 Officers

President:
Alisha Williams

Vice-President:
Madra McAdoo

Secretary:
Lacey LaRue

Treasurer:
Susan Scott

WLSA News

WLSA Hosts Fashion Benefit, April 5

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The University of Arkansas School of Law's Women's Law Student Association will host the Esquire Attire Fashion Show at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, at Teatro Scarpino in Fayetteville.

The fashion show will feature local attorneys and School of Law faculty as volunteer models and will benefit the Peace at Home Family Shelter in Fayetteville.

The Peace at Home Family Shelter, formerly known as the Project for Victims of Family Violence, is dedicated to ending family violence and to building healthy families. The shelter offers support, prevention and education to propel this mission. They also offer legal and personal advocacy to more than 1,000 individuals every year. Most of the women who use the shelter are mothers, and, usually, half of the shelter's beneficiaries are children. Peace at Home strives to reverse the damage of domestic violence, especially on children, through child advocacy and parenting education.

Dean Nance gets ready for her runway appearance.

This is the second year the Women's Law Student Association has hosted the fashion benefit. Membership of the association comprises female law students, who attempt to resolve issues facing women both at law school and in the community while cultivating common professional interests and goals.

The Honorable Richard Taylor, a 1980 School of Law graduate and current bankruptcy judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Eastern Arkansas, will emcee the show. Models will include: Kimberly Canova, Canova Law Firm; Andy Cozart, Burke, Olmstead & Cozart; Niki Cung, Kutak Rock; Matt Durrett, Washington County Prosecuting Attorney's Office; Don Elliott, Elliott & Smith; professor Ann Killenbeck; Jessica Killenbeck; professor Mary Beth Matthews; Chris Mitchell; Dean Cynthia Nance; professor Phillip Norvell; Michele Payne; Rebekah Payne; Jim Rose III; and Paul Thompson, Bassett Law Firm.

Images from last year's event are available at www.peaceathomeshelter.org/photos/esquire_attire.html.

WLSA Hosted Tea with Norma Lea Beasley, '53, Oct. 19

WLSA hosted tea with Ms. Norma Lea Beasley, '53, in the newly opened Norma Lea Beasley Entrance Hall October 19.

"I was a country girl who milked cows and wanted to be a lawyer," she told members of WLSA. However, when her classmates at Springdale High School learned what she wanted to do with her life, she said they all laughed, believing she couldn't do it.

Years later, people also laughed when she said she was going to buy Safeco Land Title Company of Dallas.

But not only did she buy the title company, but she turned the failing business into a profitable and successful title company throughout Dallas and has become what Cases of Women Who Have Won (1999) call "one of the most successful female executives in the country" and was selected by NBC's Today Show as one of the most outstanding business women in America.

Now, Ms. Beasley is senior attorney and counselor at law of Beasley & Williams, LLP, of Dallas, and according to president of WLSA K.C. Tucker, Ms. Beasley has worked to help women in the business world throughout her career.
"Her organization has 50 offices with 300 employees, more than 80 percent of which are women," said Tucker.
The School of Law is especially grateful to Ms. Beasley for her generous donation to the law school building campaign and the newly opened Norma Lea Beasley Entrance Hall.

"She has given a gift that will impact law students for many generations to come," said Nancy Cozart, director of development for the Law School.