Student Organization Spotlight: American Constitution Society The American Constitution Society advocates for laws and systems that strengthen democratic legitimacy and uphold the rule of law.

By Law Communications
March 26, 2026

The mission of the W&L chapter of the American Constitution Society (ACS) is to support and advocate for laws and systems that strengthen democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and redress the enduring inequities in our laws. The cornerstone of this vision is an interpretation of the U.S. Constitution through the backdrop of history and through the lens of lived experience.

What are the upcoming events scheduled for this semester or any ongoing activities for the members in the group?

We’re currently working on our annual Local Advocacy Panel. This is an informal panel discussion with (non-lawyer) members of Lexington and the broader community to talk about how we, as law students, can get involved in supporting our communities on the local level. In the past, we’ve had members of the Lexington council, 50 Ways Rockbridge, and the Rockbridge Area Relief Association, among others, come to speak with us. 1L members of the ACS executive board usually coordinate this event and I’m really excited to see what our 1Ls have done this year! I organized this event my 1L year and had a blast doing so.

How can alumni get involved?

We love having alumni speak and come to the various events we hold. We’ve co-hosted a panel of public defenders with the Public Defense Group that has included alumni in the field. Similarly, we also organized a clerkship panel of ACS alumni to talk about their experiences in getting clerkships with judges that share our goals. We’re always open to suggestions from alumni on ways they can get involved with our events!

Are there mentorship opportunities?

We don’t have any specific mentorship programs but one thing we have tried to do (especially this past year) is provide space for students to come together and talk about whatever they want. We wanted to do this due to the increasingly distressing state of affairs we see in the legal field. We really like what we’ve done this year, so we’ll definitely continue it going forward.

Do you have any goals for the organization this year?

Our main goal this year was to collaborate more with other student organizations. We accomplished this through co-hosting events with the Public Defense Group, the Criminal Justice Clinic, and the newly established chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. Also, as previously mentioned, we wanted to create more spaces for like-minded students to come together.

How many law students are currently involved?  How has the law school community supported students in this organization?

We don’t have a defined membership, but we have ten members on the executive board and 125 members on our email listserv. Our events are, of course, open to all so we have a rotating cast of students who join us. No one is required to pay dues or come to every event we host. We like to keep it casual.

Our biggest event of the year, SCOTUS Preview and the following dinner reception, is generously supported by the Office of Career Strategy and the law school administration. We can’t do it without them and are so thankful for the support they give us to continue this wonderful (and my favorite) event.

Is there anything else to share about the organization?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of our executive board to find out how to get involved or to share any suggestions for future events! We’re always happy to talk with others about how they think we can improve and foster community among like-minded students.