Free Essays on Interest Groups

Interest Groups Interest groups are a group of people who share common traits, attitudes, beliefs, and/or objectives who have formed a formal organization to serve specific common interests of the membership. Examples of interest groups would include such disparate organizations as the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the elementary school P.T.A., the Teamsters Union, the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Numismatics Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Brangus Breeders Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cosa Nostra, and the Benevolent Order of Elks. Interest groups typically have formal admission to membership, dues, elected officers, by-laws and regular meetings, and they often provide information and regular opportunities for communication through newsletters or magazines, sponsor recreational or educational activities, organize volunteer public service projects, make deals for g roup discounts or group insurance and so on. Larger interest group organizations may have full-time paid officers or professional staff to manage and to supplement the efforts of member-volunteers in furthering the work of the organization. Many interest groups at least occasionally engage in some form of lobbying or other political activities with respect to issues that touch directly on the common interests that are the organization's reason for being for example, the PTA may organize support for a bond issue election to pay for erecting a new school building. Some interest groups have political activity as their principal or only reason for being in the first place. Interest groups that exist primarily for exerting political influence as a means of affecting government policies or legislation are often referred to by the narrower term pressure groups. Since more and more activities have become politicized with the expansion of... Free Essays on Interest Groups Free Essays on Interest Groups Interest Groups Interest groups are a group of people who share common traits, attitudes, beliefs, and/or objectives who have formed a formal organization to serve specific common interests of the membership. Examples of interest groups would include such disparate organizations as the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the elementary school P.T.A., the Teamsters Union, the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Numismatics Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Brangus Breeders Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cosa Nostra, and the Benevolent Order of Elks. Interest groups typically have formal admission to membership, dues, elected officers, by-laws and regular meetings, and they often provide information and regular opportunities for communication through newsletters or magazines, sponsor recreational or educational activities, organize volunteer public service projects, make deals for g roup discounts or group insurance and so on. Larger interest group organizations may have full-time paid officers or professional staff to manage and to supplement the efforts of member-volunteers in furthering the work of the organization. Many interest groups at least occasionally engage in some form of lobbying or other political activities with respect to issues that touch directly on the common interests that are the organization's reason for being for example, the PTA may organize support for a bond issue election to pay for erecting a new school building. Some interest groups have political activity as their principal or only reason for being in the first place. Interest groups that exist primarily for exerting political influence as a means of affecting government policies or legislation are often referred to by the narrower term pressure groups. Since more and more activities have become politicized with the expansion of...

Harvard Law - Profile of Harvard Law School

Harvard Law - Profile of Harvard Law School The countrys oldest law school in continuous operation, Harvard Law School (HLS) is part of Harvard University and one of five  Ivy League law schools. It is generally ranked in the top five of the countrys law schools by  U.S. News and World Report  (currently #2), and is one of the most selective, with a 2007 acceptance rate of 11%. Harvard Law Schools 3-year full-time Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from mid-August to mid-May; no part-time or evening programs are available. Housing information is available through  Harvard Law School Housing. Contact Information Admissions Office, Austin Hall1515 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge, MA 02138(617) 495-3179 Email: jdadmisslaw.harvard.eduWebsite:  law.harvard.edu Fast Facts (Class of 2019) Enrollment Information Applicants: 5,231Total enrollment: 561 Women: 47%Students of color: 44%International: 15% Student to Faculty Ratio: 11.8:1 GPA/LSAT Scores LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 170/175GPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.75/3.96Costs and Fees (2015-2016) Tuition: $57,200Total estimated budget: $85,000Application Procedures Application fee: $85Application dates: Apply between September 15 and February 1 for admission the following fall. Harvard Law School strongly encourages application through the  Law School Admission Council  (LSAC), but you can also get a paper copy from the  schools website. In addition to the application form and fee, applicants must submit: Statement FormPersonal StatementTwo Letters of RecommendationResume See Harvards checklist  here. Transfer Procedures Competition for transfer admission is high. Transfer applicants must have completed one year (or 1/3 of credits required in a part-time program) at an ABA-accredited law school. Transfer applicants must complete the  online application; the deadline for applying is June 15. For more information on transferring to Harvard Law School, see  Transfer Admission. Degrees and Curriculum For the full list of requirements for earning a Juris Doctor degree, see  Requirements for the J.D. Degree. The first-year curriculum includes Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, International or Comparative Law, Legislation and Regulation, Property, Torts, First-Year Legal Research and Writing, which includes the First-Year Ames Moot Court Program, and a minimum of two and a maximum of four elective credits. Students choose all courses during the second and third years of study. Harvard offers several  joint degree programs  in which students can earn a J.D. along with another professional degree from one of Harvards graduate or professional schools, including a  coordinated J.D./Ph.D program; applications to the programs must be filed separately. Harvard Law School also offers degree programs for  Master of Laws (LL.M.)  and  Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.). Study Abroad Harvard has several opportunities for students to study abroad, including a  combined J.D./L.L.M. program with Cambridge University,  semesters abroad  in locations such as Switzerland, Australia, China, Japan, Brazil Chile, and South Africa, and a special  winter term  in various places. Law Journals and Other Activities Harvard Law School has 15  student journals, including  Harvard Law Review,  Harvard International Law Review,  Journal of Law and Gender, and the  Latino Law Review. Along with many  student organizations, the law school has specialized  Programs and Centers  for specific legal interests including the Child Advocacy Program, East Asian Legal Studies Program, and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. Bar Exam Passage Rate A majority of Harvard Law students take the New York State Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved a 97.1% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the NY Bar Exam was 77%. Post-Graduation Employment From the 2014 graduating class, 91.5% were employed at graduation and 96.9% were employed 10 months after graduation. The median starting salary in the private sector was $160,000, and $59,000 in the public sector. 60.9% percent of the Class of 2014 secured work in law firms, 19% received judicial clerkships, 14.6% went to public interest or government positions, 4.7% entered the business field, and less than one percent entered academia. Harvard Law School in the News Law School Faculty and Staff Commend Student ActivismHarvard Law Weighs InCommittee exploring whether Harvard Law School shield should be changed