Grace Stevens ‘24, ggs2tq@virginia.edu
Presidential Candidate
At its core, I believe SBA’s dual purpose is advocacy and events. Accordingly, as I run for SBA President alongside Vice President candidate Kennedy Williams, our platform is two-fold: advance UVA Law’s community and restructure SBA as an organization so that SBA can better accomplish its purpose through its programming. Ultimately, SBA must focus time and energy into ensuring the organization becomes a stronger source of advocacy for all law students and must be intentional with respect to event planning and execution so that everyone feels welcomed into our community. To do so, I hope to rely in part on my prior experience within SBA, where I have served as the Vice President of the First-Year Council, a 1L Senator, and SBA Secretary. My experience in each role will allow me to pinpoint areas in which SBA can improve to be better advocates and organizers for the Law School community.
With respect to restructuring, I find that SBA struggled to meaningfully involve and solicit comprehensive feedback from its Senators, incorporate committee chairs into the organization’s structure and delegate to them a healthy amount of work, and strike a balance between professionalism and approachability. Kennedy and I also recognize the importance of accountability within SBA and its advocacy, and we intend to keep SBA and its members accountable to the student body, while also utilizing standing meetings with administration to keep administration accountable to the concerns of the greater student body that we ultimately serve as a voice for.
Furthermore, SBA has made strides towards strengthening the UVA Law community, but we will continue to work towards building a wider community where everyone feels welcomed. Our platform contains two specific goals with respect to fostering community at the Law School. First, SBA must continue to support student organizations and uplift sub-communities within the Law School without infringing on their core events. Kennedy and I hope to continue the partnerships SBA developed with student organizations for monthly socials this year, while also building upon an internal program connecting Senators to student organizations to develop stronger touchpoints and find areas for support, advocacy, and collaboration. Second, it is important that SBA focuses on improving and expanding SBA’s own programming to continue building our wider community, while also refining our execution of traditional events like Fauxfield and Barrister’s Ball. Specifically, we hope to expand options for students who would prefer to attend events without alcohol and collaborate with affinity groups and other student organizations to determine how we can make classic events, like Bar Review, more exciting for everyone.
Lastly, I intend to be an organized, attentive, and passionate leader. I sincerely want to assist SBA in reshaping the organization’s presence on Grounds and what it means to participate in student government at UVA Law. I hope you consider providing Kennedy and I with the chance to lead SBA forward for the 2023-2024 academic year–we will stay true to our platform and values and serve you all to the best of our abilities.
James Hornsby ‘24, wzp8aj@virginia.edu
Presidential Candidate
Rowan and I are both highly experienced student leaders, and as queer people, we both know what it’s like to not be heard or seen in the legal world. James served as president of his college’s student government, and at UVA Law, he is Lambda Law Alliance’s Interim President, a Law School Ambassador, a Peer Advisor, and a 2L Senator. Rowan was a student senator and vice president of their college’s student government. At UVA Law, they were First Year Council President before serving as a 2L Senator and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Virginia Journal of Criminal Law. We want to use our experiences to give back to the law school community and give a voice to those who need it most. We are both tested leaders ready to be your SBA President and Vice President.
In office, we will act in three spheres: amplifying students’ voices within SBA, asserting the school’s voice within Charlottesville and throughout Virginia, and enhancing opportunities for fun and community.
In amplifying students’ voices, we will rethink the ways SBA operates within the University’s internal functioning and provide more leadership opportunities for students to apply their passions and lived experiences. Namely, we will reshape SBA’s Senate. Our vision for the Senate will empower each class’s Senators to take on a more active role. As Vice President, Rowan will run the Senate, and they will meet weekly with the Senate to organize and plan as committees, write and pass legislation, and speak with administrators about issues that arise at the school. Through this new approach, Senators will have a greater voice in SBA, giving students outside of SBA a greater voice into how the law school functions. Senators too frequently take a passive role in SBA, and their unique skills and experiences are not applied for the benefit of all law students. Rowan and I will change this.
We are extremely excited to use SBA in a new way to advocate for the law school. As one of the best law schools in the country and the most well-respected law school in the Commonwealth, we hold unique powers as law students to lead change at the state level. If elected, we will incorporate a legislative component into SBA to give students a direct way to advocate for issues they care about in Richmond. This new element of SBA will enable law students to participate in regular legislative updates, create opportunities for students to interact with legislators, and travel to Richmond to speak at House and Senate meetings. When UVA Law students speak up, people listen. As your SBA President and Vice President, we will give students the opportunity to have their voices heard.
While we want to improve SBA’s internal functioning and its relationship with Charlottesville and Virginia at large, we don’t want to stop the fun! We will continue to host events like Fauxfield, Barristers, Bar Review, etc. But we also want to add more events that provide students across classes the opportunity to build connections with one another. One event we want to implement is a Field Day, where all classes come together to compete with their sections in games like Tug of War or Capture the Flag. We hope to host a Family Weekend, giving students a way to show loved ones a peek into the law school experience. Additionally, we can spice up Bar Review by incorporating theme nights periodically throughout the year.
Rowan and I will lead SBA so students feel represented inside and outside of the law school, while having fun along the way. We hope to earn your vote.
Tommy Cerja ‘24, dmk7kc@virginia.edu
Presidential Candidate
Refresh. Empower. Celebrate. Join us in refreshing SBA events and programming, empowering student voices, and celebrating all the members of our student body! My name is Tommy Cerja, and I am running for President alongside my incredible colleague, friend, and hopeful future SBA Vice President, Nina Herth. My time at UVA Law has been well spent. I have found community, learned new hobbies, made lifelong friends, and discovered passions both personal and professional that were completely unexpected. It is my hope as SBA President that I will help cultivate an atmosphere where every student is able to take full advantage of their time at UVA Law.
REFRESH. SBA led events foster community by building shared experiences across the student body. These events allow us to take a break, develop friendships, and have fun—all of which are critical to avoid burnout. While SBA has staple events that many of us look forward to each year, we hope to re-vamp these events to keep the good and fix the bad. We will prioritize creating new events that cater to a wider range of interests (think: sports watch party, karaoke night, group hike, cultural holiday celebrations). Finally, we will ensure event logistics are smooth so everyone can enjoy them (venues will be big enough for everyone and events will not be planned on religious holidays).
EMPOWER. This campaign is not about us, it is about YOU. Together, Nina and I cover many different organizations and represent both private practice and public interest career paths. TL/DR: We have you covered. We guarantee to keep an open line of communication so anyone can call, text, or email us. As organization leaders, we empathize with how daunting it can be to create programming and work with the administration, and we are here to help. If you have something you want to accomplish, we are happy to help fuel that idea and, if necessary, to passionately advocate on your behalf. We promise to listen with open minds and hearts to all ideas—even ones we may not initially agree with—because encouraging diversity of thought makes our community richer.
CELEBRATE. Let’s be real, being a student at UVA Law by itself warrants a celebration. It is an honor to be a part of a community with such impressive, hard-working, and thoughtful peers. It is easy to get caught up in the grind and forget to take a step back and celebrate all we accomplish as students at UVA. No matter what your law school path looks like, this campaign seeks to remind you just how important you are to our community. We are here to carve out time to properly celebrate not only your achievements, but your whole humanity.
We would be incredibly honored if you put your trust in us with your vote. In return, we promise to REFRESH the slate of SBA events, EMPOWER all students and student-led organizations, and CELEBRATE all that is accomplished by our incredible student body.
Kennedy Williams ‘24, fqg2ff@virginia.edu
Vice Presidential Candidate
My name is Kennedy, and I am thrilled to be running for SBA Vice President, especially with an enthusiastic partner like Grace.
SBA serves the vital role of being students’ representative body, which means it provides a platform for community building, as well as answering to, and being responsible for, the concerns of the student body. The Vice President is the chief programming coordinator and is responsible for overseeing SBA’s many committees, graduation, and many other class-wide activities. My priority as Vice President will be to use the position to cultivate community within the law school. This will work in two ways – I plan to uplift and support smaller communities within the Law School and provide opportunities to foster community as a whole school. This will include engaging with different student organizations and supporting the events they already host, on top of improving and perfecting the quintessential SBA events. As Grace mentioned, we hope to continue to build upon the different relationships SBA has already established with student groups to keep providing fun inclusive events (and hopefully bring kegs back to Spies!). I hope to make SBA’s monthly socials a collaboration with student organizations to enable more groups to share their mission with the student body and allow more students to engage with organizations they may not yet have had the opportunity to. I also intend to collaborate with organizations to “co-host” Bar Reviews to make them more accessible and welcoming.
Moreover, Grace and I will keep ourselves and the rest of SBA accountable to all of you, our classmates. We intend to make approachability and access a focal point of our administration. By further developing our internal program that connects Senators to organization leaders, we can stay more attuned to the needs of different groups. We will host regular office hours to provide anyone and everyone an opportunity to have their voices heard. Furthermore, we intend to keep the administration accountable to student concerns by utilizing existing standing meetings, where we can address needs or concerns raised during General Body meetings, office hours, or casual conversations with our peers.
After spending two years on SBA’s programming committee, serving on the Barrister’s committee as a 2L Senator, and my tenure as Lone Star Lawyer’s Vice President of Social Outreach, I have developed the skills necessary to organize large-scale events in a variety of formats. I would love to introduce (and, again, support the groups on the ground already doing this work) a range of social, educational, professional, and wellness programming. As a Peer Health Educator at Tulane, I worked closely with the administration, student organizations, my peers, and even local businesses to respond to sensitive issues plaguing our community; it required creating a collaborative environment that felt welcoming to all. I intend to continue that work here, as SBA Vice President.
Should Grace and I be elected to serve you, we will work to strengthen our community at UVA Law, restructure SBA to better serve students and organizations, and keep ourselves and the administration accountable to all of your concerns.
Rowan Adams ‘24, vva4qk@virginia.edu
Vice Presidential Candidate
James and Rowan are both highly experienced student leaders, and as queer people, we both know what it’s like to not be heard or seen in the legal world. James served as president of his college’s student government, and at UVA Law, he is Lambda Law Alliance’s Interim President, a Law School Ambassador, a Peer Advisor, and a 2L Senator. Rowan was a student senator and vice president of their college’s student government. At UVA Law, they were First Year Council President before serving as a 2L Senator and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Virginia Journal of Criminal Law. We want to use our experiences to give back to the law school community and give a voice to those who need it most. We are both tested leaders ready to be your SBA President and Vice President.
In office, we will act in three spheres: amplifying students’ voices within SBA, asserting the school’s voice within Charlottesville and throughout Virginia, and enhancing opportunities for fun and community.
In amplifying students’ voices, we will rethink the ways SBA operates within the University’s internal functioning and provide more leadership opportunities for students to apply their passions and lived experiences. Namely, we will reshape SBA’s Senate. Our vision for the Senate will empower each class’s Senators to take on a more active role. As Vice President, Rowan will run the Senate, and they will meet weekly with the Senate to organize and plan as committees, write and pass legislation, and speak with administrators about issues that arise at the school. Through this new approach, Senators will have a greater voice in SBA, giving students outside of SBA a greater voice into how the law school functions. Senators too frequently take a passive role in SBA, and their unique skills and experiences are not applied for the benefit of all law students. James and Rowan will change this.
We are extremely excited to use SBA in a new way to advocate for the law school. As one of the best law schools in the country and the most well-respected law school in the Commonwealth, we hold unique powers as law students to lead change at the state level. If elected, we will incorporate a legislative component into SBA to give students a direct way to advocate for issues they care about in Richmond. This new element of SBA will enable law students to participate in regular legislative updates, create opportunities for students to interact with legislators, and travel to Richmond to speak at House and Senate meetings. When UVA Law students speak up, people listen. As your SBA President and Vice President, we will give students the opportunity to have their voices heard.
While we want to improve SBA’s internal functioning and its relationship with Charlottesville and Virginia at large, we don’t want to stop the fun! We will continue to host events like Fauxfield, Barristers, Bar Review, etc. But we also want to add more events that provide students across classes the opportunity to build connections with one another. One event we want to implement is a Field Day, where all classes come together to compete with their sections in games like Tug of War or Capture the Flag. We hope to host a Family Weekend, giving students a way to show loved ones a peek into the law school experience. Additionally, we can spice up Bar Review by incorporating theme nights periodically throughout the year.
James and Rowan will lead SBA so students feel represented inside and outside of the law school, while having fun along the way. We hope to earn your vote.
Nina Herth ‘24, nah3jk@virginia.edu
Vice Presidential Candidate
Refresh. Empower. Celebrate. Join us in refreshing SBA events and programming, empowering student voices, and celebrating all of our student body! My name is Nina Herth, and I am running for Vice-President alongside with my incredible colleague, friend, and hopeful future SBA President, Tommy Cerja. The vibrant, collegial, and brilliant UVA Law community is truly unlike that at any other law school, and we both care deeply about not only continuing our beloved traditions, but also creating new ones. It is my hope as SBA Vice-President that I will help cultivate an atmosphere where every student is able to take full advantage of their time at UVA Law.
REFRESH. SBA led events foster community by building shared experiences across the student body. These events allow us to take a break, develop friendships, and have fun—all of which are critical to avoiding burnout. While SBA has staple events that many of us look forward to each year, we hope to re-vamp these events to keep the good and fix the bad. We will prioritize creating new events that cater to a wider range of interests (think: sports watch party, karaoke night, group hike, cultural holiday celebration). Finally, we will ensure event logistics are smooth so everyone can enjoy them (venues will be big enough for everyone and events will not be planned on religious holidays).
EMPOWER. This campaign is not about us, it is about YOU. Together, Tommy and I cover many different organizations and represent both private practice and public interest career paths. TL/DR: We have you covered. We guarantee to keep an open line of communication so anyone can call, text, or email us. As organization leaders, we empathize with how daunting it can be to create programming and work with the administration, and we are here to help. If you have something you want to accomplish, we are happy to help fuel that idea and, if necessary, to passionately advocate on your behalf. We promise to listen with open minds and hearts to all ideas—even ones we may not initially agree with—because encouraging diversity of thought makes our community richer.
CELEBRATE. Let’s be real, being a student at UVA Law by itself warrants a celebration. It is an honor to be a part of a community with such impressive, hard-working, and thoughtful peers. It is easy to get caught up in the grind and forget to take a step back and celebrate all we accomplish as students at UVA. No matter what your law school path looks like, this campaign seeks to remind you just how important you are to our community. We are here to carve out time to properly celebrate not only your achievements, but your whole humanity.
We would be incredibly honored if you put your trust in us with your vote. In return, we promise to REFRESH the slate of SBA events, EMPOWER all students and student-led organizations, and CELEBRATE all that is accomplished by our incredible student body.
Dorehn Richardson ‘24, gyy8sh@virginia.edu
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Candidate
Hi! Nice to “meet” you if I haven’t already had the pleasure. I see student government as one of the purest forms of a representative democracy. We are all future JDs. The beauty of this is that as peers the student body has the means to directly express ideas, grievances, and concerns. In turn, SBA can act swiftly to address them. It goes without saying that this school year has been marked by tragedies both on Grounds and around the world that have left many across the law school facing various forms of grief, helplessness, and isolation. As the VP of DEI, my hope is to bolster unity across all intersections such that our bonds surpass the blanket niceties that often accompany “collegiality” and we are all more equipped to lean on each other generally and in times of need.
I am currently the Firm Relations Chair for the BLSA. In my role I host events centered on bringing law firms to campus and increasing their recruitment of diverse talent on Grounds. Over the course of the last seven months, I have had the opportunity to communicate with 1Ls across nearly every diverse intersectionality that exists at the law school from a big law recruiting lens. This experience makes me want to do similar work but on a larger scale. As the VP of DE&I I hope to work with SBA, faculty, administration, and most importantly the student body to increase the integration and representation of these groups in the law school community.
My campaign centers on 3 things: Collaboration, Community, and Cohesion.
Collaboration: Bring the diverse groups of UVA Law together. Right now, affinity groups exist in silos with little interaction between them. With the backing of SBA, I want to use programming and initiatives with multicultural impact and emphasis to bring our various groups together. Many students exist across multiple intersections of diversity, and we can do a better job of recognizing that. Early in the school year I want to host a town hall where each affinity group will have representatives to talk through issues closest to them. From there a game plan can be set to collaborate.
Community: Host outreach events to benefit underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups and expand our impact in the greater Charlottesville community. While students already do so much through clinics, I am a strong believer in combining having a good time with doing good deeds. I want to host a Holiday Bar Crawl that supports a toy drive and a tutoring program where participants can win a dinner with friends at some of the best restaurants in Charlottesville.
Cohesion: Bridge the gap between as many students as possible by placing a priority on inclusion. With our many student groups, affinity, and interest alike, it is very easy to stay in familiar surroundings and not venture out. At times I have chosen the comfort of my organizations over other opportunities. Though self-segregation is real, I want SBA to make a greater effort of making sure that everyone feels included, rather than merely acknowledged, and comfortable enough to branch out, especially following 1L. As the VP of DEI, I plan to use my tenure to serve as a catalyst for that change. I will advocate for programming that highlights our different interests and invites those unfamiliar with them to join in.
With collaboration, community, and cohesion as my focus I hope to breathe new life into this role and maximize its potential.
Toni Woods Maignan ‘25, fug7rr@virginia.edu
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Candidate
As a 1L Senator this academic year who served on the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Student Bar Association Committee, my experience qualifies me for the office of Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In the fall semester, my classmates elected me to be a Section Representative and 1L Senator to represent my section and the entire 1L class. Throughout my term, I have attended every Student Bar Association meeting and consistently raised issues that my peers have expressed. I now have a better understanding of how the Student Bar Association, the law school, and the university as a whole works. As a member of Virginia Law Women, Latin American Law Organization, and Black Student Law Association, I have not only spent my entire life advocating for minority or disadvantaged populations, but I also know and can articulate the concerns of diverse communities within the law school as well. If elected, I hope to better integrate the advocacy for the diversity, equity, and inclusion of UVA Law students with the Student Bar Association. From my perspective, this advocacy role has fallen mainly on the student organizations. The Student Bar Association should take on more of this administrative burden. As Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, there are many first steps that I would like to take within the role. First, I would send more statements in support of communities, if necessary. Second, I would plan both festive and commemorative events for the community. Third, I would use the Student Bar Association budget to provide additional support to organizations or students as needed. Most importantly, I would be a listening ear, a vocal advocate, and sensitive and responsive to pertinent events and issues as they, unfortunately, inevitably arise.
Daniel Elliott ‘24, zfu3zc@virginia.edu
Honor Committee Representative Candidate
As one of the Law School's current Honor Reps, I hope to continue advocating for the consideration of law students and our perspectives as Honor undergoes changes and strives to better meet its charge of protecting the Community of Trust while also protecting the interests and rights of all students.
Henry Adams ‘24, hla8nr@virginia.edu
3L Senator Candidate
Generally, I hope to be a voice for the 3L class and to make SBA an effective supporter of the varying goals of students in the class and the organizations they belong to. To do that, I am interested in increasing the transparency of SBA, increasing the frequency of community-wide events that are accessible to all, and providing more opportunities for service within the law school and local community. I also want to facilitate stronger connections between student organizations and the SBA so that the organizations can collaborate with and work through SBA to achieve their initiatives.
I am a current 2L Senator and Co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee, where I have had the opportunity this year to work on various initiatives and learn about the inner workings of SBA. I am also involved with several other student organizations and have had the opportunity to build connections with students throughout the school. With this experience and knowledge, I feel well equipped to effectively support student organizations and accomplish goals on behalf of the 3L class and student body at large.
Toni Woods Maignan ‘25, fug7rr@virginia.edu
2L Senator Candidate
As a current 1L Senator, my experience qualifies me to hold the office of a 2L Senator. In the fall semester, my classmates elected me to be a Section Representative and 1L Senator to represent my section and the entire 1L class. Throughout my term, I have attended every Student Bar Association meeting and consistently raised issues that my peers have expressed. This academic year has been particularly challenging for UVA students. I have voiced many concerns, including the impact on mental health and grades in light of the mass shooting; the low reimbursement amount for Take Your Professor to Lunch, which has been subsequently rebranded as Take Your Professor to Coffee in response; and the limits to Barrister Ball tickets this year, which will now be sold earlier in the year; amongst others. I also bring diverse viewpoints along racial/ethnic, gender, and regional lines to the Student Bar Association. If elected, I hope to accomplish next year a number of initiatives that students have highlighted as their concerns or desires. First, students want tissues throughout the law school – not just in the library – to encourage cleanliness, healthiness, and comfort. Second, students want more study abroad location options, specifically in Latin America. Third, students want more flexibility and ease in the Alternative Spring Break Trip for public service. They want a later pro bono hour deadline than February 10th and more spots on the trip to encourage public service within the student body and to support students who have already committed to that career path. Fourth, students want more transparency regarding the governance of UVA. I understand this desire and often share that sentiment even as a current member of the First Year Council and the Student Bar Association. As a 2L Senator, I would promote communication and students’ concerns.
Laura-Louise Rice ‘25, urg8ge@virginia.edu
2L Senator Candidate
I spent this year serving as President of the First Year Council and as a 1L Senator as a responsibility of that role. I have dedicated much of my time and efforts at UVA to speaking up for those in my class and those who feel unheard. I see the importance that running for office holds in bridging the gap between student voices and the administration. In having experience carrying out this same type of advocacy before, I am certain that I am qualified to continue to do so as a 2L Senator.
I believe that as students will always be the ones closest to the student experience, students should be at the forefront of making decisions regarding that experience. As a senator, my job will be look out for the needs of all of the 2L class, not just one specific group. SBA and its senators can play an essential in driving change forward and refusing to keep standards of the past. Every year, our student body evolves with new interests and challenges, and I want to be on the front lines tackling those issues with persistence and accurate solutions in ways administration would be unable to do.
If elected, I hope to continue being a strong and persistent voice for students and their concerns. I particularly want to continue to help keep the 2L class engaged as we no longer will have such an emphasis on our student experience from administration the way we did during our 1L year. A big goal of mine is to make SBA more accessible to ALL students and help facilitate programming and advocacy that looks out for those who love Bar Review and those who don't. Being a 2L Senator is not a matter of me accomplishing my person goals and what I see best, but to look to those around me and gather their perspectives to help implement what the community at UVA Law wants as a whole.