PreProBono: A Brief At America’s most top ranked ten law schools: 424 W 54th St. N Y, N Y 1 0 0 1 9 PreProBono.org
“The future looks just. Like you.”
“
My drive and desire to succeed comes from the realization that I can do some good in this world, and I’m working to see that through.” Dami Animashaun PreProBono ‘12 Harvard Law ‘16
• Over 82 percent of the student population come from the top 25 percent of the socioeconomic spectrum* • Only 5 percent of the student population come from the bottom half of the socioeconomic spectrum* These disparities do not reflect a lack of passion or ability but rather a lack of access and opportunity. In the last two decades, entire industries have developed to serve the test preparation and admissions consulting needs of students who pay expensive fees to enhance their law school candidacy. These expensive tools often leave underrepresented and underprivileged students who cannot afford them at an extreme disadvantage. As a result, students from the top 10% of socioeconomic strata are: • 10 times as likely to go to law school as students from the bottom 10%* • More than 18 times as likely as students from the bottom 25%* * Richard H. Sander, Class in American Legal Education, 88 DENV. U. L. Rev. 631, 631(2011).
In 2008 we conceived PreProBono to effect positive social change by expanding educational access and forging a robust public interest network to develop and empower the social justice leaders of tomorrow.
PreProBono is a member-led organization that is committed to building a movement to expand educational access to law school and to grow a robust public interest legal community that will develop and empower the social justice leaders of tomorrow. 100% of our members are alumni of the program, who come from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds. They unite a cross-country community coalition of education, legal, corporate, and grassroots champions who recognize the urgency of our work and the need to expand the leadership pipeline of lawyers focused on social justice.
PreProBono is a 501(c)3 project of Prime Produce Limited. This document was last updated March 17, 2018.
Together, our members and community partners provide free educational programs and mentorship to assist women, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented pre-law students to attain admission into top law schools that will facilitate their careers in public interest law.
PreProBono: Program Overview The PreProBono Fellowship is a highly selective one 424 W 54th St. N Y, N Y 1 0 0 1 9 PreProBono.org
“The future looks just. Like you.”
“
I consider law school to be a route where I can leverage my abilities to make a global impact and improve lives.” Ally Chiu PreProBono ‘13 Harvard Law ‘17
year program that prepares promising changemakers to gain acceptances into the top law schools in the country. In the preparatory phase of their fellowship, our fellows receive unlimited access to premier, comprehensive, online LSAT instruction from our curriculum sponsor (7Sage LSAT), admissions consulting, a leadership/team building retreat, and networking/mentorship opportunities during which they engage with established and rising public interest lawyers. In the “payit-forward” phase of their fellowship fellows run Weekend Programs and the next fellowship program.
PreProBono Weekend Programs are hosted by a
growing portfolio of 15 community partners in 7 cities across the country. Since 2008, PreProBono has helped to level the playing field by providing over 2500 students with a free, comprehensive, and rigorous introduction to a career in public interest law. Each of our weekend program students receives: • 16 hours of intensive LSAT instruction • 1 hour of law school admissions consulting • 2 hours of networking with a public interest lawyer and/or law student
“This program is not just phenomenal for its honestly great teaching, but it’s also so for the network you can gain from being part of such a great community interested and invested in pro bono and service-oriented legal work now or in the future.” - Alex Cheung, NYU Law ‘13
Our Partners & Hosts
PreProBono is a 501(c)3 project of Prime Produce Limited. This document was last updated March 17, 2018.
Columbia University Harvard University New York University Dartmouth College UC Berkeley University of Southern California CUNY Hunter
CUNY Baruch CUNY John Jay CUNY Staten Island Fordham University University of Minnesota University of Hawaii
PreProBono: Who We Serve PreProBono Fellowship 424 W 54th St. N Y, N Y 1 0 0 1 9 PreProBono.org
GENDER
ETHNICITY
“The future looks just. Like you.”
“
I am passionate about building a fairer criminal justice system.” Sam Edandison
PreProBono Weekend Programs (2011-2014) GENDER
ETHNICITY
PreProBono ‘12 Michigan Law ‘15
“I want to help give women and other oppressed groups equal access to bodily integrity, economic security, and civil / political rights.”
Jennifer Lee | PreProBono ‘12, Fordham Law ‘16
“ PreProBono is a 501(c)3 project of Prime Produce Limited. This document was last updated March 17, 2018.
Educational equity at the graduate school level is a gaping hole in the movement for educational equity. As an African American male, I chose PreProBono because I would have the opportunity to help ambitious students access laws school from my community but from other underrepresented groups. ”
“
I honestly learned more in the PreProBono weekend than I did in the 4 month LSAT course I overpaid for. The instructor made sure it hit home for each of us in the larger sense of logic and law school and not just limited to the LSAT. I feel genuinely inspired by the other PreProBono students and their passion to do their part in changing the world. ”
Sam Edandison
Jenny Bach
PreProBono ‘12, Michigan Law ‘15
Columbia Weekend September ‘08
PreProBono: Our Fellowship Results 424 W 54th St. N Y, N Y 1 0 0 1 9 PreProBono.org
“The future looks just. Like you.”
“
I want to help those that otherwise may not be able to have a voice.” Justin Giles PreProBono ‘12 Fordham Law ‘15
Law School
Accepted
Arizona State Boston College Boston University
1 1 2
Brooklyn Cardozo Chicago Cornell Columbia CUNY
10 9 2 3 7 3
Duke Emory Fordham George Washington Georgetown Harvard Hofstra Law St. John’s Michigan NYU Pace Law UPenn St. John’s Law SUNY Buffalo Syracuse Law UC Berkeley UC Hastings UCLA USC UVA Vanderbilt William & Mary Yale
6 2 10 1 5 6 1 2 3 9 2 5 1 1 1 4 1 4 1 3 1 1 2
“
I enjoyed the fellowship not only because it helped me to get into the law school of my choice, but more importantly because it connected me with other women in public interest law that continue to mentor me and help me to develop as a leader. I am thankful that the weekend program provided me the opportunity to assist other women in entering the legal field and receive similar opportunities.” Amanda Weingarten PreProBono ‘2012 (Yale Law ‘15)
“
As a former member of the armed services I made a career of giving back to my country. The PreProbono fellowship preparation and community building events were critical in helping me to access law school and continue my lifelong commitment to public service.” Julian Sarkar PreProBono ‘2012 (UC Hastings ‘15)
Since 2010, our 56 fellows have earned more than $4.5 million in scholarships.
Total Fellowship LSAT Preparation Results
90% of fellows improved by 15 percentiles or more 30% of fellows improved by 30 percentiles or more 71% of fellows scored better than 80 percent of test takers 53% of fellows scored in the top ten percent of test takers PreProBono is a 501(c)3 project of Prime Produce Limited. This document was last updated March 17, 2018.
50% of fellowship graduates admitted to top 15 law schools*
* Source: 1997 U.S. News and World Report Rankings (Same as reference year for the study) See page 10