2011 SALT Public Interest and Social Justice Retreats

Norman Amaker Public Interest Retreat:

February 18-20, 2011:  SALT is proud that after several years in hiatus the Norman Amaker Public Interest Retreat, located in the midwest, relocated from the University of Indiana, Indianapolis’ Branford Woods Center to Loyola-Chicago’s Resurrection Retreat Center, just outside of Chicago.  Under the able guidance of SALT member Professor Emily Benfer, herself an Amaker alumna, the program for the February 18-20 Retreat was an extraordinary success.  The theme is “Building Public Interest Leaders to Overcome Social Injustice.”  Just added: Amaker Program Posted!!!   Read more about the Amaker Retreat.

Read Drew McCormick's account of this weekend's activities.  Drew is 3L, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Beazley Institute for Health Law & Policy – Health Law Fellow.

Read Sarah Pierce, 2L, Iowa's blog.



Robert Cover Public Interest Retreat:

March 4-6, 2011: Jamie Rhodes from Roger Williams University School of Law, with help from Cover alumnus Ben Smilowitz, organized this year’s Cover Retreat which is back at Camp Sargent, although with a new name: Nature’s Classroom at Sargent Center.  It will always be Camp Sargent to us! 

This year’s theme was “Can a Lawyer Really Save the World?  Fighting for Justice and Social Change.”  And every aspect of the Cover Retreat helped students ponder the meaning of this question.  Friday night began with dinner, with students and practitioners assigned to tables so that they had a chance to meet new people.  Then Steve Wizner, SALT's 2009 Great Teacher, and a professor at Yale Law School, a co-sponsor of the event, and Danny Greenberg, pro bono counsel at Schulte Roth & Zabel introduced students to Robert Cover, a beloved scholar, activist, and friend who died at the age of 42.  

120 law school students from almost thirty law schools attended.  Watch for student blogs about the Cover Retreat.  And look at the photographs on Facebook!

  Read more about the Cover Retreat.

Trina Grillo Social Justice Retreat:

March 25-26, 2011:  The Trina Grillo Social Justice Retreat was hosted this year by University of San Francisco School of Law, with Erin E. Dolly, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, guiding a cadre of students along with other faculty from the consortium of West Coast law schools.  That retreat’s theme was “Human Rights Here and Abroad” and featured ret. Commander Beth Coye (US Navy), giving the keynote address.  Commander Coye was one of the brave veterans who left the military after 21 years of service and then spoke out about the cruel and discriminatory impact of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy on the lives of men and women who valiantly served their country in the military.  Commander Coye helped organize “We Are Family, Too,” the stories of over forty servicemembers which was privately distributed to members of Congress to inform them as to the real impact of DADT.  Here is a link to that extraordinary publication which is now available to the public. 

Dean Jeffrey Brand gave a moving introduction beginning the Saturday morning session, remembering Professor Trina Grillo and inspiring all 180 registrants--law school students, professors, activists, and friends--to continue to fight for justice and fairness.  Read Dean Brand's "invocation" on SALTLAW's blog. 

  Click here to see the entire program. 

Watch ret. Commander Beth F. Coye's keynote speech, with introductions by Dean Jeff Brand and SALT executive director Hazel Weiser.

Read more about the Grillo Retreat.