Law Students

LAW STUDENTS

LAW STUDENT OF THE MONTH

BLSA CHAPTER OF THE MONTH

DomINIQUE MALONE BONI

Dominique (Dom) embodies everything that is right with BLSA, the law school, and the legal profession. Serving as BLSA’s Vice President from 2024–2025, she kept the organization afloat through administrative apathy and the tumult of the outside world. She ensured that meetings were well-attended, optimized, and thoroughly enjoyable. Her efforts helped springboard BLSA into a remarkable year. As an executive board member, she facilitated the success of her peers’ goals and responsibilities. More than any vice-presidential duty, Dom worked tirelessly to ensure that members entered BLSA as family. She took the time to get to know each one of them personally, playing a major role in their experiences and successes. For Dom, each BLSA member was a personal investment of her time and effort. She celebrated their victories and was always there to lift them up when they fell.

Dom’s service does not end with the conclusion of her tenure as Vice President. Throughout her law school career and involvement, she has epitomized Black excellence.

She is also a Toll Public Interest Scholar, where she leads the public interest community at Penn. She provides mentorship and education to public interest students and, in her own work, serves as a pro bono leader in the criminal reform and abolitionist space. Her legal career has been dedicated to dismantling systemic oppression within the criminal legal system. She has accomplished remarkable things and will continue to do so as she challenges the status quo and seeks to revolutionize the system.

While many 3Ls are content to take it easy, Dom has doubled down. She serves as a Littleton Fellow, teaching legal writing and research skills, and as Chair of Penn’s Moot Court Team, which hosts the annual Keedy Cup Competition.

On a personal level, Dom has inspired her peers to become better law students and better people. Many often reflect and ask themselves, “What would Dom do?” When classmates have fallen into moments of despair or difficulty, Dom has never shied away from stepping in and helping them climb out. She exemplifies the belief that great lawyers must first be great people. She will undoubtedly be an excellent lawyer, because she is already an excellent person.

BLSA at The University of Virginia school of law

The Black Law Students Association at the University of Virginia (UVA BLSA) stands as a vibrant, engaged, and historic chapter of the national BLSA network. Founded on October 16, 1970, UVA BLSA was created by students determined to advance racial justice, to increase Black student and faculty representation in the law school, and to foster candid dialogue across communities. Over its decades of service, the chapter has balanced advocacy, professional development, community outreach, and cultural community-building to enrich the UVA Law environment.
Within UVA Law, BLSA organizes programming to support academic success, cultivate leadership, foster networking, and facilitate collaborative spaces for dialogue around race, identity, and the law. The chapter also maintains a commitment to service — both locally in the Charlottesville community and regionally among law students and legal professionals.

In recognition of its excellence, UVA BLSA was named the 2021–22 Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Year, demonstrating both its strong impact and the respect it commands in the BLSA regional community.

UVA BLSA is MABLSA's Chapter of the Month because their chapter exemplifies what it means to be academically excellent, community-oriented, and forward-thinking. Over many years, the chapter has maintained a legacy of advocacy and representation while adapting to the needs of contemporary law students. Its programming consistently uplifts its members through mentorship, holistic support, and leadership development. At the same time, UVA BLSA remains rooted in the tradition of social justice and public service, making real contributions in Charlottesville and beyond.

UVA BLSA’s ability to balance rich institutional legacy with ongoing innovation, while sustaining a strong and supportive community, makes it a model chapter. We are proud to honor them and to share their story with our region.