Students to Help State Legislators

About 25 Harvard Law School students will act as personal administrative assistants to members of the Massachusetts State Legislature during the 1959 session, Charles L. Edson 3L, President of the Law School Democratic Club, announced yesterday.

Students will spend two afternoons a week from late January until May answering phone calls and mail, and doing research on bills and political issues for the legislators. They may possibly represent legislators at public hearings, and will be accorded such privileges as use of House and Senate lobbies.

The plan, approved last week by leaders of the 1959 legislature, Senate President Elect John E. Powers '25 and House Speaker John F. Thompson, will allow legislators more time on the floor as well as giving the prospective lawyers a chance to get acquainted with the practical side of law-making, Edson noted.

"The idea was received very enthusiastically by the state legislators," Edson said. He added that, "If successful, the plan will be expanded to permit each of the state's 40 senators and 240 representatives to have assistants from law and graduate schools within commuting distance of the state house."

Arrangements for instituting the program during the coming legislative session were made by Edson and Sumner Z. Kaplan, representative from Brookline.

Edson expected an enthusiastic response from the students.