INSIDE: WHY DIVERSITY MATTERS PRE-LAW TIMELINE CONQUERING THE LSAT
WINTER/SPRING 2017
CLEOINC.ORG
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOMORROW’S LAW STUDENTS
The ACC Foundation, on behalf of the Association of Corporate Counsel, is proud to support CLEO’s efforts to expand opportunities for minority and low-income students to attend law school. ACC is committed to supporting diversity in the legal community through the ACC Foundation and by partnering with diverse bar associations to assist in the furtherance of their goals. www.acc-foundation.com
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A CLEO Partner Since 1978
CONTENTS 2017 CLEO EDGE
FEATURES
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
24
It’s All About The UBE By Greg Murphy
15
CLEO at a Glance
29
Are We There Yet? The Current State of D&I: Parts 1 & 2 By Lynda Cevallos
17
Achieving Success in the Application Process (ASAP)
19
1L Prep – Attitude Is Essential (AIE)
20
42
Why Diversity Matters By Shawn Grant
46
My Identity and My Duty: Justice Compelled By Jennifer Riley-Collins
COLLEGE SCHOLARS 40
What Is Your Social Media Brand? By Bernetta J. Hayes The College Years…
54
CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute is Key to Law School Success
The Freshman Year By RJ Holmes-Leopold
57
The Sophomore Year By Rodia Vance
39
Pre-Law Timeline
60
48
Coming to Grips with Change: Law Schools Respond With Innovative Approaches By Bernetta J. Hayes
The Junior Year By Elizabeth Boretz
64
The Senior Year By Dr. Ana Alvarez
SPOTLIGHTS 86
CLEO College Scholars Spotlight: Carlos Orbe
74
88
CLEO Law Student Scholar Spotlight: Ashley Williams
Let’s Mentor By The Honorable Javier E. Vargas
91
CLEO Legally Inspired College Kohorts of Students (CLICKS)
93
CLEO Programs
94
CLEO Legally Inspired Cohort (CLIC)
116
2016-2017 CLEO Consortium on Diversity in Legal Education
MONEY MATTERS 76
Free Coffee Pay$ For Law School By Matthew Niziol
80
Strategy for Financing a Legal Education: Investment in Yourself By Reyes Aguilar
SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS 96
Countdown To College: A Timeline
107
Summer Reading List for the Secondary School Student
68
Closing The Pre-Law Transfer Gap: Successful Transitions From Community College To University By Judy Lantrip
100
Law School Admissions: To Apply or Not to Apply By Tracy Simmons & Michael States
104
Conquering The LSAT In 4 Steps By Bernie Chimner
109
Summer Reading List for the College Scholar/PreLaw Student
IN EVERY ISSUE 13
A Message from the CLEO Chair
113
Writing Resources
115
Internet Resources
120
CLEO Supporters & Contributors
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OPENING Doors The road to law school should be open to students from all backgrounds. For nearly five decades, CLEO has helped pave the way. To date, CLEO has assisted more than 10,000 students to prepare for careers in the legal profession. We at Womble Carlyle share the belief that a more diverse profession is a better profession. Congratulations and thank you for all that you do!
Pam Rothenberg Womble Carlyle Real Estate Attorney CLEO, Inc. Board Member 202.857.4422 | PRothenberg@wcsr.com
WCSR.COM WOMBLE CARLYLE SANDRIDGE & RICE, LLP
1016_9171
Š2016
McGuireWoods Promotes Diversity
From top, left to right: Alan C. Cason, Public Finance Department Chair; James Gelman, Hispanic/Latino Lawyers Network Chair; Melissa Glassman, Deputy Managing Partner, Business Development; Candace Blydenburgh, African-American Lawyers Network Chair; Naho Kobayashi, National Recruiting Committee Co-chair; Ava E. Lias-Booker, Baltimore Office Managing Partner and Board of Partners; George Keith Martin, Richmond Office Managing Partner; Jacquelyn E. Stone, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair.
McGuireWoods LLP is dedicated to the value of diversity – a commitment proven by the number of our partners in leadership roles who are of color, women or LGBT. With leaders like these, our diverse and women lawyers have promising futures. We proudly support the CLEO organization.
Jacquelyn E. Stone, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair 804 775 1046 | jstone@mcguirewoods.com One James Center | 901 East Cary Street | Richmond, VA 23219-4030
1,000 lawyers | 21 offices | www.mcguirewoods.com
STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Cassandra Sneed Ogden Chief Executive Officer
Angela Birch-Cox Chair Development Director Houston Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Yvette Gatling Shareholder / Littler Mendelson
Elizabeth A. Campbell Partner and Chief Diversity Officer Andrews Kurth LLP
Phyllis P. Harris Chief Compliance Officer / Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Leigh R. Allen II Vice President, Marketing & Development Lynda Cevallos, Esq. Director, Prelaw Educational Activities Bernetta J. Hayes Director, Prelaw Program Operations Julie D. Long Director, Finance and Administration
Darryl L. Franklin Vice President & Senior Counsel Marriott International, Inc. Malcolm L. Morris, Treasurer / Budget & Finance Chair Dean, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School The Honorable Denise Owens Vice Chair and Development Chair Judge, Fifth Chancery Court Yaneris M. Rosa Assistant General Counsel Honeywell International Inc. Pamela V. Rothenberg, Esquire Secretary and Strategic Planning Chair Managing Partner (DC) Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Kevin Gooch Partner / Alston and Bird
Harold Henderson President / NFL Player Care Foundation Wilhelm Joseph, Jr. Executive Director / Legal Aid Bureau, Inc. (MD Legal Aid) Roger Lowenstein Executive Director / Los Angeles Leadership Academy Natalie Pierce Shareholder / Littler Mendelson Dennis Shields Chancellor / University of Wisconsin-Platteville James Strazzella Professor / Temple University School of Law
Joyce Payne Yette Managing Director and General Counsel Promontory Financial Group, LLC
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Lynda Cevallos
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jewell Green Jewell Green Design www.jewellgreen.com
PRINTER: International Graphics Beltsville, Maryland
© 2016 by Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. The materials contained herein represent the opinions of the authors and editors and should not explicitly be construed to be those of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. unless otherwise noted. Nothing contained herein is to be considered as the rendering of legal advice for specific cases, and readers are responsible for obtaining such advice from their own legal counsel. These materials and any forms and agreements herein are intended for educational and informational purposes only. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission. For information contact: CLEO, Inc. • 1101 Mercantile Lane, Suite 294 • Largo, MD 20774 • 240.582.8600 • www.cleoinc.org PRINTED IN THE USA
Connect with CLEO /cleo.scholars
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www.cleoinc.org S INCE 1968 : T RAINING TOMORROW ’S LAWYER S, P R EPA R IN G TOM OR R OW’S L E A D E R S 8
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Diversity and Inclusion are core values at Andrews Kurth. It takes a leader to know how to align business objectives and resources. Working together, we have created an inclusive culture that benefits our entire firm community. For straight talk about diversity and inclusion, visit andrewskurth.com.
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ANDREWS KURTH IS PROUD TO SUPPORT CLEO
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REYES AGUILAR
Reyes Aguilar is Associate Dean for Admission and Financial Aid at the University of Utah Quinney College of Law. Early in his career he served as Director of the Rocky Mountain Region CLEO Summer Institute. He is active in the Law School Admission Council serving on its Board of Trustees and the Financial Aid Advisory Group. In 2009 the American Bar Association appointed him Vice-chair of the Government Relations and Student Financial Aid Committee for a threeyear term. His community engagement includes service with the Utah Coalition of La Raza Youth Leadership Conference and the American Red Cross High School Leadership Camp. Dean Aguilar regularly presents at national conferences, speaking on topics that include law school admission, financial aid, and diversity. In 2003, the Utah Minority Bar Association recognized him as its Honoree of the year. Mr. Aguilar earned a B.A. from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from the University of Utah.
GREG MURPHY
Greg Murphy is a Montana lawyer. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame Law School, he served as law clerk to a U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit judge. He and his wife then returned to his native Montana where he practiced law for 31 years at the same law firm. In 2013, he retired from the firm to focus his solo law practice on mediating for which he had become in high demand, and working pro bono publico. He has long been named a “Mountain States Super Lawyer,” to the “Best Lawyers in America List,” and he enjoyed the Martindale-Hubbell “AV Preeminent” peer review rating for legal knowledge, communication skills, and ability and adherence to high ethical standards.
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ANA ALVAREZ
Ana Alvarez was born in Mexico and earned her lawyer’s degree and master’s degree in Education in Mexico. She moved to the U.S. in 2000 and worked as an English faculty member at Seminole Community College in Sanford, Florida. She achieved her Doctor of Education degree in the U.S and moved to San Antonio, TX in 2008. Since then, Dr. Alvarez has worked at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). As Assistant Director of the Institute for Law and Public Affairs, she serves as a prelaw advisor and organizes and coordinates the Summer Law School Preparation Academy and other prelaw events, including the law school fair. Since 2012, she has been an officer of the Executive Board of the Southwest Association of Prelaw Advisors.
Greg has extensive experience in bar examining and legal education. After five years of law practice, Greg was appointed by the Montana Supreme Court to the Montana Board of Bar examiners upon which he served for 17 years, eight of which were as chair. He was chair of the Multistate Bar Examination Committee of the National Conference of Bar Examiners for many years, and became chair of the National Conference of Bar Examiners. For a decade he served on the drafting committee for the Multistate Performance Test. Since 2007 he has been the chair or co-chair of the Uniform Bar Examination Committee. The Montana State Bar awarded Greg its Distinguished Service Award. Greg also served as chair of the Law School Accreditation Committee of the ABA, and in August 2017 he began a one-year term the chair of the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the ABA, the national accreditor of American Law Schools. In 2015 he was “Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence at Cornell Law School.
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ELIZABETH BORETZ
Elizabeth Boretz, Ph.D. is the Founding Director of the Calvin E. Bright Success Center at the University of CaliforniaMerced, having begun her career as university faculty in the humanities. She transitioned to full-time support of student success for the state’s most ambitious, underrepresented undergraduates in the University of California in 2005. In addition to leading a diverse team of dedicated professionals who counsel students on success strategies in college, Dr. Boretz writes and implements federal grants to serve high-risk student programs, and provides individual coaching and guidance for students pursuing highly competitive fellowships, awards and graduate programs. She has been the Advisor to the Merced Pre-Law Society since the students first formed the organization on campus in 2006.
MAT THEW NIZIOL
Matthew Niziol has been advising undergraduate students for more than 15 years at both community college and university levels in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Since 2007 he has served as High School Outreach Coordinator and Academic Advisor for First Year Students at the Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun Campus. He has been primary contributor and moderator of the CLEO Diversity in Legal Education Blog, written articles for the CLEO Edge Magazine, and has presented at CLEO Scholars and Achieving Success in the Application Process programs since 2006. As a Prelaw Advisor, he has presented on topics related to prelaw success, recruitment of FirstTime-In-College students, and academic retention and collegiate success specific to underrepresented students at regional and national conferences.
BERNIE CHIMNER
Cofounder of Griffon Prep, Bernadette Chimner has coached hundreds of students to achieve higher LSAT scores and has scored 180 on the LSAT herself. When she's not teaching LSAT classes at Griffon Prep, she can be found geocaching or prowling used book stores.
TRACY SIMMONS
Tracy Simmons is the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Diversity Initiatives and Financial Aid at University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Dean Simmons has worked in legal education for over 14 years. Dean Simmons has served on the Law School Admission Council’s Diversity Initiatives Committee, Services and Program Committee, Admit-M Advisory Committee, the Annual Planning and Educational Conference Workgroup and served as Chair of the Newcomers Workshop. Currently, she serves as a consultant for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Achieving Success in the Application Process. She is a member of LSAC’s Finance and Legal Committee, the Access Group Financial Education Advisory Committee, and is Chair-Elect of Pre-Legal Education and Admissions to Law School Section for Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
CONTRIBUTORS SHAWN GRANT
Professor Shawn Grant is an Adjunct Professor at Baruch College (CUNY) and Pace University in New York, where she focuses on law, women’s issues, and politics. She is a prelaw advisor and former practicing corporate attorney. Shawn is a graduate of University of Virginia School of Law. Follow her at @myprelawadvisor.
MICHAEL STATES
Michael States J.D. is the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Financial Aid, and Diversity Initiatives at The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law. He serves as Chair of the Law School Admissions Council’s Finance and Legal Affairs Committee and is a member of the LSAC Board of Trustees. He has served on the planning group for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) Annual Meeting and Educational Conference and in 2013 served as the Conference Chair. He has served as the President of the Midwest Alliance of Law School Admissions (MALSA), and is a past Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Pre-Legal Education and Admission to Law School.
BERNETTA J. HAYES RJ HOLMES-LEOPOLD
Bernetta J. Hayes is the Director, Pre-Law Program Operations of CLEO, Inc. She manages the Pre-Law Summer Institute as well as the logistics for the 1L Prep – Attitude Is Essential and Achieving Success in the Application Process prelaw programs. She is a former communications executive who served during the Clinton Administration. She has been a travel writer for major publications, as well as an English teacher to high school juniors. She has also taught résumé writing to adults. She has a B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master of Arts degree from The George Washington University.
RJ Holmes-Leopold is the Director of the Career and Civic Engagement Center at Cornell College. He is a 1999 graduate of the College with a degree in Politics and Communication Studies, and he also has a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, College Park. Currently, he is pursuing his doctorate in higher education in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership studies at the University of Iowa. He is currently President of the Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors (MAPLA), and has served as coeditor of the MAPLA Briefs newsletter along with being the MAPLA webmaster. He is a member of the Pre-Law Advisors National Council (PLANC) and is the conference chair for the 2016 PLANC National Conference.
JULIE LANTRIP
Julie Lantrip earned her Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University and her J.D. at Harvard Law School. She is currently a Professor of Government, Moot Court Coach, and Pre-Law Advisor at Tarrant County College, Northwest. Prior to teaching, Dr. Lantrip practiced immigration and international human rights law, clerked for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica, and helped start the Opening Doors Immigration Clinic in Denton, Texas.
RODIA VANCE
Rodia Vance has worked at Emory University since August, 2001. She provides career counseling and also serves as the University Pre-Law Advisor for all current students and alumni, managing the programs and services of the PreLaw Advising Office. Rodia also serves as the Staff Advisor for the Emory Pre-Law Society and Emory Mock Trial. Rodia is the Immediate Past President of the Southern Association of Pre-Law Advisors (SAPLA) and served as the Conference Co-Chair for the Pre-Law Advisors National Council (PLANC) 2016 National Conference. Rodia holds a Juris Masters (JM) from Emory University School of Law as well as an MS in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Florida, where she graduated with Honors.
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Judges of CLEO
HALL OF FAME The Council on Legal Education Opportunity presents its virtual “Judges of CLEO” Hall of Fame recognizing the outstanding careers and accomplishments of select CLEO Alumni who have become some of the nation’s most distinguished current and former members of the judiciary!
WWW.CLEOINC.ORG/JHOF CLEO · 1101 Mercantile Lane, Ste. 294, Largo, MD 20774 · 240-582-8600 cleoinc.org
are we there yet?
IN EVERY ISSUE
Angela Birch Cox Chair, CLEO Board
For almost 50 years CLEO has been leading the way to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Over the years, we have witnessed tremendous changes -- in the practice of law, in technology, in access to information, and I dare say, in the intellectual acceptance of diversity and inclusion. Many of these changes are so deep-seated and pervasive that we take them for granted and have a hard time imagining life without them. CLEO has also enjoyed much success. There have been many judges, legislators, academics, law firm shareholders and in-house, nonprofit and government practitioners who have relied on CLEO to provide the hand-up they needed to make their lawyering dreams reality. CLEO alumnae like Eduardo who credits CLEO with giving him “the tools ... needed to apply and prepare for law school” and allowing him to “network with accomplished students, lawyers, professors, and professionals from all around the country”; Pre-Law students like Ayinde for whom participating in the CLIC program has provided “the opportunity to be connected with like-minded people trying to accomplish the same
thing” and who derives “strength in being linked to a community of people that look like you as a minority on a similar journey”; and attorneys like Edmund who says “CLEO showed me that everyone can become an exceptional attorney with hard work, passion, and the right support group, regardless of whether you fit the traditional profile that many people see in an attorney.” Despite this success, however, we are led to ask one fundamental question: Are we there yet? Are our practitioners representative of our country’s diversity? Are women, minorities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds being afforded equal opportunity to succeed? Is justice now colorblind? The statistics tell us that we are making progress, but we have a long way to go. While female and minority enrollment in law school is trending upward, of the 1.3 million licensed attorneys in the U.S., males still outnumber females almost 2:1 and 88% identified as “white” in the 2010 census. Undaunted, we pledge to continue to be the GPS to help you navigate the long and winding road to success in the legal profession. And we will get there -- to the place where inclusion and diversity in the legal profession is a reality-- even if it takes another 50 years.
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Since its founding in 1905, Fordham Law has provided a complete legal education to talented and diverse students who graduate as leaders in the legal profession. Become the next leader. law.fordham.edu
IN EVERY ISSUE
CLEO AT A GLANCE CLEO COLLEGE SCHOLARS PROGRAM WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Freshmen, sophomores or juniors interested in attending law school. WHAT: The Road to Law School, Sophomore Super Saturdays, and Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT. WHEN: Throughout the year. WHERE: Various locations across the country. DEADLINE: Varies (www.cleoinc.org for deadline dates). COST: Free. ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS (ASAP) WHO IS ELIGIBLE: College juniors, seniors, and postgraduates who plan to apply to law school. WHAT: Intensive weekend pre-law event to help participants develop the tools they need to understand the application process and become competitive law school applicants. WHEN: Summer. WHERE: Various law school locations. DEADLINE: April 1. COST: $100. CLEO AMBASSADORS WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Juniors who have participated in CLEO College Scholars programs. WHAT: CLEO Ambassadors distribute information about the CLEO program on their campuses. WHEN: Rising juniors may apply at the end of their sophomore year. WHERE: CLEO seeks representatives from as many campuses as possible. HOW: Contact CLEO at cleo@cleoinc.org. THE CLEO PRE-LAW SUMMER INSTITUTE (PLSI) WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Graduating seniors or graduates who plan to attend law school in the fall of 2017. WHAT: A residential program designed to prepare participants to be more competitive law school students. WHEN: June - July. WHERE: Various law schools. DEADLINE: October 1-November 30, 2016 (early acceptance dates) and February 28, 2017 (final deadline). COST: $2,500 (includes room, board, and instructional materials).
The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) was founded in 1968 to expand opportunities for qualified low-income, disadvantaged, and minority students to attend law school. CLEO is funded by private contributions from law firms and corporations as well as alumni support. Since CLEO’s inception, more than 10,000 students have benefited from CLEO programs and joined the legal profession. ATTITUDE IS ESSENTIAL (AIE) WHO IS ELIGIBLE: College graduates who are accepted into an ABA-accredited law school. WHAT: Intensive weekend pre-law seminar designed to introduce and prepare students for the rigors of law school. WHEN: Summer. WHERE: Various law school locations. DEADLINE: May. COST: $100. ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE SEMINAR WHO IS ELIGIBLE: All CLEO first-year law students. WHAT: A program designed to reinforce analytical reading, writing, studying, and test-taking skills introduced in the pre-law preparatory programs. WHEN: Fall. WHERE: Various locations or online. COST: Free. CLEO LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION SERVICES (CLAS) WHO IS ELIGIBLE: All college and post grad students. WHAT: These services help students with their law school application packet. WHEN: Throughout the year WHERE: Nation-wide. COST: Nominal; varies on service provided.
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Achieving Success in the Application Process Last summer for the eighth year, CLEO proudly offered Achieving Success in the Application Process (ASAP), a pre-law program designed to prepare upperclassmen and postgraduates for the law school application process. ASAP provides counseling, mentorship, and test preparation techniques to better prepare participants for the rigors of the law school application process. By exposing students to the nuances of the admission process, ASAP provides participants with a clear understanding of the dedication and commitment required to become competitive law school applicants.
© AMMENTORP
In addition, ASAP seminar participants have the distinct advantage of establishing mentoring relationships with CLEO students who will begin law school in the fall. ASAP is held in conjunction with CLEO’s popular 1L-Prep Attitude is Essential (AIE) seminars each summer.
The ASAP curriculum focuses on aspects of the application process that are frequently overlooked or undervalued by students when applying to law school, including: •
Selecting a law school
•
The significance of the early application process offered by many law schools
•
Drafting an effective personal statement
•
Choosing sources for letters of recommendations
•
•
Preparation strategies for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Debt management and developing credit worthiness
•
•
The impact of LSAT scores and grade point averages (GPAs) in the selection process
Common mistakes committed by law school applicants
For further information or to apply online, visit www.cleoinc.org DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2017 WINTER/SPRING 2017
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I will make a dierence . . . Jonathan Geneus Class of 2017 colorado.edu/law
1L PREP-
An experience any student about to begin law school does not want to miss! In existence since 2000, CLEO’s 1L Prep – Attitude is Essential (AIE) regional seminars are designed to familiarize incoming first year law students with the rigors of law school and to acquaint them with the various resources that are available to meet those demands. TARGETED STUDENTS: Incoming first year law students who will enroll in an ABA-accredited law school during the same fall they attend the CLEO 1L Prep – AIE seminar. BENEFITS: • Law school orientation • Skills-building workshops • Network opportunities
For further information or to apply online, please visit our website at
www.cleoinc.org/aie
The workshop sessions and accompanying handout materials cover such topics as, legal analysis and writing, exam preparation, time management, the Socratic Method, case briefing, and understanding IRAC. Additionally, AIE helps students prepare for the major transition from undergraduate to professional school and motivates them to succeed. Participants who successfully complete the program and enroll in a law school are eligible to receive ongoing academic and professional development support throughout law school from CLEO. DEADLINE TO APPLY: MAY 1, 2017 WINTER/SPRING 2017
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION PR E PARATION 20
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
C L EO PR E-L AW SUMME R INSTITUTE IS
KEY TO LAW SCHOOL SUCCESS
“If I hadn’t attended CLEO, I would never have become a __________ .” (You fill in the blank with judge, lawyer, politician, etc.) Thus goes the refrain from CLEO alumni nationwide. For more than 48 years, CLEO, the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. has worked diligently to provide prelaw recruitment, counseling, placement assistance, and training to increase the number of qualified students in law school through its premier program the Pre-Law Summer Institute. Alumni testimonies to CLEO’s effectiveness come from federal judges to Members of Congress to successful businesspeople. Since 1968, more than 10,000 persons from traditionally under-represented racial and ethnic groups, low-income, and disadvantaged communities have been oriented to law school through CLEO’s rigorous, residential pre-law program that prepares students for law school. During the 2016 Summer Institute, only 42 students—20 of whom were CLIC students were selected to participate. The Institute, hosted at various law schools around the country, is designed to develop abstract thinking and legal writing, as well as analytical, test-taking, and study skills.
How does CLEO’s Pre-Law Summer Institute work? The following information should help you get on the CLEO track to becoming a successful law school student.
HOW DO I APPLY TO THE CLEO PRE-LAW SUMMER INSTITUTE? CLEO applications are accepted online only. To apply, please visit our website, http://cleoinc.org. First, you MUST register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) through the Law School Admission Council (www.LSAC.org). The CLEO CAS Code is 5096. After completing the CAS registration, you may then complete the application on the CLEO website. Be sure to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY before you begin the Summer Institute application. Upon receipt of the application, CLEO will request an applicant’s CAS file from LSAC. You must take the LSAT by February, 2017, to be considered for the Pre-Law Summer Institute.
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS Applicants for admission to the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute should:
`` Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university earned prior to the start of the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute
`` Pay a nonrefundable $30 application fee as part of the online application; only credit cards are accepted. No fee waivers will be granted.
`` Obtain LSAT scores and `` Apply to at least one CAS subscription
`` Be prepared to upload a personal statement
CLEO Consortium Partner School or Supporting/Sustaining Institution
`` Apply online by February 28, 2017 Note: Any changes in application information after its initial submission should be sent to bhayes@cleoinc.org.
If an applicant has been accepted to the Summer Institute, he/she will be notified by email.
WHAT ARE THE ACADEMIC CRITERIA FOR THE SUMMER INSTITUTE? The Pre-Law Summer Institute is designed to assist all persons from traditionally under-represented racial and ethnic groups, low-income, and disadvantaged communities seeking a solid preparation for the first year of law school. Most of the program participants have either already been accepted into a law school or have received a “conditional acceptance.” Students seeking law school placement assistance usually have marginal academic criteria (i.e., LSAT score and GPA which meet a law school’s admission standards, but are in the lower percentile), yet have other indicators of a strong likelihood for success. Although CLEO is extremely liberal with respect to academic eligibility, it is unlikely that a student with an LSAT score and GPA in the lowest percentile will be selected without a strong recommendation from a CLEO Partner School or Supporting/Sustaining Institution.
HOW DOES CLEO MAKE ITS DECISION? Admission to the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute program is selective. Each year hundreds of applications are received for consideration. In an effort to increase diversity for members of underrepresented groups in the legal profession, CLEO considers such factors as age and economic, educational, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds. Admissions decisions are the responsibility of the CLEO Admissions Committee, Summer Institute Directors, and the admissions deans/directors of the CLEO Consortium on Diversity in Legal Education.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ATTEND THE SUMMER INSTITUTE? The cost of participating in the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute is $2,500. This includes room and board for the duration of the institute, books and materials, and administrative costs. Transportation to the Summer Institute is not included. A nonrefundable $200 deposit is required within 10 days of being accepted into the Summer Institute program. The remaining $2,300 balance is due 20 days from the date of the acceptance letter. A nonprofit organization, CLEO, Inc. pays the law schools that host the Summer Institute a per student cost for her/ his pre-law experience. Many students are generally firstgeneration college graduates.
WHAT IS CLEO’S REFUND POLICY? A nonrefundable $200 deposit is required within 10 days of being accepted into the Summer Institute program. The remaining $2,300 balance is due 20 days from the date of the acceptance letter. A 90% refund of the $2,300 will be granted provided that the request is made in writing and received in the CLEO office by April 28, 2017. NO refunds will be made for cancellations received after April 28, 2017.
WHERE ARE THE INSTITUTE LOCATIONS? The Summer Institute locations vary from year to year. Most recently, they have been held at Drake University School of Law. Students are generally assigned to a location away from their permanent residence so they can devote their full attention to the program. All participants must reside in the dormitory. The Institute begins in early June.
DOES CLEO OFFER PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE? CLEO participants who successfully complete the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute program and demonstrate a probability of success in law school are certified as CLEO Fellows and are eligible to receive law school placement assistance. CLEO Institute Directors devote substantial energy to secure active consideration of those participants who have not gained admission to law school, either prior to or during the course of the institute, by CLEO consortium partner schools and supporting institutions. While every effort is made to place all Summer Institute participants, CLEO cannot guarantee that all certified CLEO Fellows will be admitted to an ABA-approved law school at the conclusion of the Institute.
CLEO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability regarding admission, access to, treatment, or employment in its programs and activities. For further information or to apply online, please visit our website at cleoinc.org. 22
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FULL-TIME AND WEEKEND JD PROGRAMS Students at Loyola University Chicago are inspired by the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, intellectual openness, and service to others. Through our exceptional JD programs, you can become an ethical advocate for justice and the rule of law. LEARN MORE • LUC.edu/law
FULLY ABA APPROVED RANKED #1 FOR BAR EXAM PREPARATION IN CALIFORNIA AND #5 NATIONALLY BY NATIONAL JURIST FEBRUARY 2015 WESTERN STATE RANKED 12TH IN DIVERSITY BY NATIONAL JURIST NOVEMBER 2014
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Argosy University is accredited by the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, www.wascsenior.org). Western State College of Law at Argosy University is fully accredited by the American Bar Association (321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-5000). See wsuprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info. Programs, credential levels, technology and scheduling options are subject to change. Western State College of Law at Argosy University, 1111 North State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831-3014 ©2015 Western State College of Law. Our email address is csprogramadmin@edmc.edu.* Subject to ABA approval
FEATURE
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE UBE BY GREG MURPHY
The Universal Bar Examination (UBE) is gaining greater acceptance among bar examiners and supreme courts around the country. Here are FAQs about the UBE which we hope will be useful to our readers.
1. WHAT IS THE UBE? The UBE is created and produced by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (the “NCBE”) for use by jurisdictions in their bar admission processes. It is a two-day examination given at the end of each July and each February. The UBE is composed of three parts: (1) The Multistate Bar Examination (“MBE”)
These components have been in use by many jurisdictions for many years. UBE jurisdictions agree to grade the MEE and the MPT according to common rubrics, give the same relative weights to the three components, combine the MEE and MPT scores with the MBE, and accept scores from other UBE jurisdictions.
(2) The Multistate Essay Examination (“MEE”)
2. WHAT ARE THE UBE COMPONENTS?
(3) Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”) items.
The MBE is a 200-question, multiple-choice, equated and scaled bar examination covering seven
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topics: torts, contracts, evidence, constitutional law, property, criminal law, and civil procedure. The MEE is composed of six 30-minute essay questions covering the seven topics tested on the MBE plus business associations, conflict of laws, family law, trusts and estates, and article 9 of the UCC (secured transactions). The MPT consists of two 90-minute performance test items. In each item the applicant is asked to perform a task an entry-level lawyer might be asked to complete (for example, write a response to a demand letter, write a memorandum for a senior partner, or write a brief). The law necessary to respond to each MPT item is provided with the item.
3. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE UBE TO APPLICANTS? The portability of a score earned is a chief advantage to the bar applicant. A UBE score may be transferred to another UBE jurisdiction and the applicant does not need to take another bar examination. Each jurisdiction still sets its minimum passing score. With the UBE, if an applicant fails to achieve the minimum passing score in jurisdiction A, the score may nevertheless meet or exceed the minimum passing score in jurisdiction B. Also, the economies of scale, the psychometric expertise, and the quality control measures the NCBE brings in the creation of the UBE exceed those possible in any one jurisdiction. Committees composed of experienced academics, judges, and practitioners with the assistance of expert psychometricians create the UBE test
components. (Psychometricians are trained in the science of measurement of human performance, including the knowledge, skills, and abilities a professional might need in a particular profession or job. The NCBE psychometricians help bar examining authorities give valid and reliable bar examinations.) The UBE represents the state-ofthe art in reliable bar examining.
4. IS THE UBE NEW? Not exactly. The UBE came about with the growing realization that many jurisdictions were already using two or three of the same testing components. The MBE is used in 54 jurisdictions (49 states, D.C., and several U.S. territories). The MPT has been adopted in 45 jurisdictions, and the MEE in 37. As more and more jurisdictions came to be using the high-quality testing products of the NCBE, the question was asked, “If bar applicants are taking much the same examination already, why should they be required to take an examination again when going to another jurisdiction?” Many jurisdictions already were accepting transferred MBE scores because the MBE is considered to be a very reliable examination. What is new with the UBE is the portability of one’s total bar examination score from one jurisdiction to another without having to take another bar examination. Note: One would want to transfer scores only to jurisdictions where one’s score meets or exceeds the minimum passing scores in the accepting jurisdictions). Jurisdictions still set their own minimum passing scores.
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FEATURE 5. WHY DON’T WE HAVE A NATIONAL BAR EXAMINATION? We have a federal system, and the licensing of lawyers is within the police power of each jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has the power to establish its own conditions for admission to the practice of law. Indeed, UBE jurisdictions retain the authority to set their own character and fitness requirements, decide for how long a period a UBE score from another jurisdiction will be accepted (Three years is common.), require a local law component such as an on-line open-book test on local law or a seminar, etc.
6. HOW MANY JURISDICTIONS USE THE UBE? To date, 25 jurisdictions have officially announced they have adopted the UBE. Some of the 25 are still in the process of implementing rules changes prior to administering the examination. The UBE is actively under consideration in other jurisdictions. See Map.
7. IS THE UBE HARDER? Declining bar passage percentages nationally beginning in 2014 have been in the news lately. The fact the declines have come about at the same time jurisdictions have been adopting the UBE has led some to suggest that the declines are a result of the adoption of the UBE, or that the UBE is somehow harder. Neither is the case. The MBE is the anchor for the bar examination everywhere except Louisiana. It is an equated and scaled examination. Its psychometric “reliability coefficient” exceeds .90, and .80 is considered to be the gold standard for high-stakes licensing examinations. The MBE is not “harder.” The reliability of the scoring is such that it does not matter whether one takes the MBE this year, or next year, or the next. Moreover, the combining of the MEE and MPT scores with the MBE brings greater reliability to the ultimate scores and has been going on for years. Following the onset of the Great Recession there was a sharp decline in the size of the law school applicant market, and we have not seen a significant rebound. The numbers of persons taking the LSAT and applying to law schools dropped precipitously, perhaps as a result of widespread publicity about a decline in the number of entry level lawyer jobs, the high cost of law school, growing student
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debt, and questions about the “return on investment” of a J.D. degree. The issue is complex, and there may be other factors at play, but there is a correlation between declining entering credentials and bar examination performance. Many law schools are taking steps to address the issue, including providing academic support to those they identify might be at risk of not passing a bar examination upon graduation. There is some good news lately. The data from the July 2016 bar examination shows that the mean MBE did not decline further from the mean in 2015. Everyone would like to see the mean climb to what it was in previous years like 2013.
8. HOW DO HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED MINORITIES PERFORM ON THE UBE AS COMPARED TO OTHER VERSIONS OF THE BAR EXAMINATION? There is no reason to suspect that these minorities perform less well on the UBE than other versions of the bar examination. Indeed, no data has yet emerged from jurisdictions that have been administering the UBE to support the proposition. Nevertheless, the matter is being watched. New York, one of the larger jurisdictions, is undertaking a study.
9. HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE UBE? The most comprehensive information about the UBE and the NCBE testing products can be found on the NCBE website: http://www.ncbex.org. There, one may find the list of jurisdictions that have adopted the UBE, more FAQs about the UBE, information about the MBE, MPT, and MEE (including subject matter outlines), and a wealth of other information relating to bar examinations. (See, for example the Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admissions Requirements: http://www.ncbex.org/publications/bar-admissions-guide) Also, the September 2017 issue of “The Bar Examiner” should be published soon, and will be available on line at the NCBE website. It will be devoted to the UBE. Finally, of course, one should go to the bar examination websites of the jurisdiction(s) in which one is contemplating admission. Just use your favorite search engine with a sensible search query like, “Bar admission requirements in (insert state).”
Drake Law
“At Drake Law School, we celebrate unique perspectives and talent. We were proud to host the 2016 CLEO Prelaw Summer Institute in addition to our many ongoing diversity initiatives. From scholarship opportunities and events such as Diversity Week, to our numerous diverse student organizations, Drake Law is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment. – jerry anderson, dean of drake law school
For more information visit www.drake.edu/law
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FEATURE
ARE WE THERE YET? In 2008 Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected President of the United States. Yet, only 55 years before that historic day, segregation was still being enforced because of the “Separate but Equal” doctrine of Plessy v Ferguson. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1896 that racially separate facilities, if equal, did not violate the Constitution. Fortunately, President Obama was not born until seven years after Brown v Board of Education (1954), where a unanimous Supreme Court overturned Plessy and held that “separate but equal” educational facilities for racial minorities are inherently unequal, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For more than 60 years since the landmark decision in Brown, diversity has been and continues to be redefined by cultureshaping decisions related to race, ethnicity, women’s rights, gender equality, religious freedoms and more. How have the legal profession and legal educators responded to the ever expanding social justice and equality challenges of today’s global marketplace? Does diversity matter? As CLEO prepares to celebrate 50 years of working to create a more diverse legal profession, Lynda Cevallos, Esq., CLEO’s Director of Pre-Law Educational Activities, reached out to attorneys and law school admissions officers to explore questions about diversity and inclusion. The result, a two part thought-provoking feature “Are We There Yet?”
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FEATURE
D&I
The Current State of
PART 1:
A Conversation with the Law School Admissions Professionals
Jay L. Austin
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Financial Services University of California, Irvine School of Law
Q. What still needs to be done? Is there anything that gives you hope that we are making progress and moving towards a more diverse legal profession?
Today, when we speak about diversity in law school, there is no distillation of the meaning of diversity, rather we speak about multi-culturalism and intersectionality. We each have inherent diversity—our race and ethnicity, our gender identity, our age and our acquired diversity are the things we experience and learn along the way. I believe that although law schools are still acutely interested in the former, it is the latter expression of our individual experiences that legal education and the profession so desperately need today. Furthermore, it is the role of the chief admissions officer to ferret out the uniqueness in each of us to craft an entering class where inclusive excellence is the norm. 30
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FEATURE
Michelle Heck, M.Ed.
Director of Law School Admissions University of Missouri School of Law
Q.
Has diversity changed since you started your legal career in admissions– either in how it’s defined, how it’s discussed, or how it’s being measured? If so, how has it changed and what impact has that had?
I have spent the past 10 years in law school admissions, witnessing the evolution of the legal community’s conversation about diversity. I have had the privilege of facilitating two six-week CLEO Summer Institutes. Early on, it felt as though many in the legal community only viewed “diversity” through the lens of racial diversity. While many people acknowledged the benefits of increased diversity in our classes, the conversation around it had a negative feel. It was as though we knew we should be promoting diversity in the admissions process, and ultimately in the practice of law, but the community did not know how best to start. During the past 10 years I have been pleased to see the expansion of the definition of diversity to include new populations. Today we acknowledge diversity through the lens of first generation college students, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and age, among others. We acknowledge each of these characteristics, and more, as factors that contribute positively to the diversity of our incoming classes.
More importantly than simply including new categories of diversity, we as a community have finally begun an open and honest dialogue about how to recruit and retain different types of students. The impact of this inclusive definition and the recognition of these communities has created an environment more conducive to the success of all students. Over these years, I have witnessed an increase in diverse faculty nationally, an acknowledgment of the different techniques needed to support all students, and an increase in funding to help us achieve those goals. I am proud to have seen these changes over the years, but am also acutely aware, especially given today’s global challenges, that we have a lot of work left to do. We need to think critically about the special responsibility we have to the legal profession and use the data to determine techniques that are working and ones that still need improvement. We have come a long way, and I am optimistic about the great leaps we will take forward to increase diversity in the coming years. WINTER/SPRING 2017
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Shirley Jefferson
Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Diversity and Title IX Coordinator Vermont Law School
Q. Has diversity changed since you started
your legal career in admissions – either in how it’s defined, how it’s discussed, or how it’s being measured? If so, how has it changed and what impact has that had?
Law School Deans wanted to see high diversity numbers then and now. But in the mid-90s, when we talked about “diversity,” we were talking primarily about African Americans. Our diversity numbers typically did not count Latino, Asian, Native American students, or any other ethnic group. And we looked at African Americans as one group; the admission of any member of that group increased diversity numbers. We did not look at African Americans individually and they all typically received the same financial aid package, regardless of their actual financial situation. For example, a wealthy African American football player‘s wife would receive the same package as a middle class African American social worker. Also, a socioeconomically deprived white student would not increase diversity numbers and therefore would not receive any aid. This practice caused resentment in many law school communities. It has taken a generation for Admissions professionals to consider each applicant based on his or her individual characteristics. Now, we improve our diversity numbers by including students of many different races, upbringings and socioeconomic backgrounds. We also try to take a more individualized approach to awarding financial aid. There are still challenges when speaking about diversity in a broader sense. But technology and social media have played a part in making conversations about diversity more mainstream and inclusive. Because of these changes, we have more ethnic diversity now than we ever had.
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Ethan Rosenzweig
Assistant Dean of Admission Emory University School of Law
Q. Has diversity changed
since you started your legal career in admissions– either in how it’s defined, how it’s discussed, or how it’s being measured? If so, how has it changed and what impact has that had? Throughout both my tenure in law school and since I began working in admissions in 2009, there has consistently been a strong focus at Emory Law on building diversity, with broad tracking of a number of diversity measures. What has really changed, though, is our focus not only on building a diverse class of students, but also cultivating a community that is inclusive – ensuring that we have the right tools and support in place to ensure the success of all our students. This has been a change that has been prompted by our student experience, and our administration works collaboratively with students to learn more about how best to achieve that goal.
Cathy Casiano
Director of Recruitment St. Mary’s University School of Law
Q. What still needs to be
done? Is there anything that gives you hope that we are making progress and moving towards a more diverse legal profession?
Many people still do not fully understand what it takes to enter the field of law. Educating the broader public that they can shoot for a career in the legal industry is an important component of improving diversity in legal education. Initiatives like our Leadership in Law Summer Camps represent one of our approaches to addressing this. Generally speaking, another ongoing need is for funding for LSAT preparation for disadvantaged individuals to help level the playing field.
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FEATURE
D&I
The Current State of
PART 2:
A Conversation with the Legal Profession
EDITOR’S NOTE: A longtime Partner at Hunton & Williams LLC and former president of the ABA, Robert Grey now serves as President of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). Founded in 2009 to build a more open and diverse legal profession, LCLD today is comprised of more than 260 general counsel of Fortune 500 companies and the managing partners of the country’s major law firms. Since 2011 LCLD has launched a number of programs for diverse individuals ranging from law school students to senior partner-level attorneys in firms and corporations. The following Q&A was conducted by Mr. Grey with a group of LCLD Fellows and their colleagues.
ROBERT GREY WRITES:
Since 1968 CLEO has been focused on its mission: diversifying the U.S. legal profession. While LCLD works with the top leaders of the profession to achieve that goal, CLEO has worked for many decades at the grassroots level, and has succeeded in impacting the lives and professional trajectory of thousands of diverse lawyers, even as diversity in the profession has changed and attitudes and approaches continue to evolve. As CLEO approaches its 50th anniversary, we thought we’d take stock of where we are and how far we’ve come as a legal profession. As president of LCLD, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with the profession’s leaders to think creatively about diversity and inclusion; more importantly, I’ve worked with the LCLD membership to create a unique talent-to-leadership trajectory through our program offerings. In doing so, we interact with thousands of diverse lawyers, some of whom have contributed their thoughts on the state of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession today.
ROBERT GREY [RG]:
Has diversity changed since you started your legal career – either in how it’s defined, how it’s discussed, or how it’s being measured? If so, how has it changed and what impact has that had? What/who has influenced the change?
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FEATURE Darwin Conner: How diversity is viewed has certainly changed since I began my career way back in 1999, after I graduated. Back then, firms kept their eye open for diverse talent, but were perfectly satisfied taking no steps to improve diverse recruiting or retention efforts. Although the numbers in the legal industry are still dismal when it comes to diversity, I think firms have been reassessing not just how diversity fits in with institutional culture, but how a lack of diversity affects the bottom line. It has become apparent to many in firm leadership that clients are aware of poor performance when it comes to recruiting, retaining, granting opportunity, and promoting diverse talent. Continually failing without actively assessing firm performance and taking corrective steps towards creating a diverse firm with a culture in which everyone has the same types of opportunities is no longer acceptable. “ It’s hard,” and “There isn’t enough diverse talent,” are no longer viable excuses. As more and more Fortune 500 and other companies continue to make it known that they will take their business to the firms that are successful in their diversity efforts, the more things will evolve. Darwin Conner, a 2013 LCLD Fellow, is a partner at Sullivan & Worcester in New York.
Chasity Boyce and Tiffany Harper: In 2013 we co-founded the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP), the first and only pipeline program that focuses on connecting 1L, women of color law students with opportunity and resources. Our Chasity Boyce approach is hands-on and focuses on empowering women of color and providing a strong academic and professional foundation for those populations who have the most barriers to accessing prestigious positions in big law. Organizations like LCLD and DAPP
are the future of diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal profession because they give diverse attorneys opportunities that are not naturally created for them inside of firms. Lack of opportunity is rarely the byproduct of an intentional act. Instead, it’s the result of a culture built by non-diverse individuals, an antiquated system that is strug gling to keep up with every other professional market. Tiffany Harper and Chasity Boyce are the co-founders of the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP), a 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of cultivating and developing women of color law students into the next generation of diverse lawyers, and the cofounders of a blog that focuses on diversity issues in corporate America, Uncolorblind.
RG: Do junior lawyers view diversity
differently than senior lawyers? If so, how do you think that will shape diversity and inclusion work going forward?
Cecilly Shelton: I believe junior lawyers do view diversity more broadly than senior lawyers. I think junior lawyers also view diversity as being more attainable than senior lawyers. Junior lawyers are developing their careers in an environment where an African-American president has served two terms and the first female presidential candidate has been nominated. For junior lawyers, diversity has become more of an expectation. In contrast, senior lawyers developed their careers in an atmosphere where this was unheard of; having the benefit and burden of being pioneers for diversity and inclusion work. I expect that junior lawyers’ views of diversity will drive inclusion work to become the status quo for more organizations. For junior lawyers, diversity is likely more than one’s ethnicity or gender. Differing ages, experiences and sexual preferences now contribute to junior lawyers’ standards for diversity. I expect that as more legal organizations and their clients embrace the power of
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FEATURE social media for marketing that junior lawyers will be more sought after. In turn, junior lawyers will be more apt at shaping inclusion initiatives that encompass the broader attributes of diversity.
Tienne Anderson, a 2015 LCLD Fellow, is legal counsel at Medtronic, Inc.
Cecilly Shelton, a 2014 LCLD Fellow, and a partner at Shelton Law LLP in Atlanta.
The profession has been working on diversity and inclusion for several decades and while the progress may be slow, there is reason to be hopeful. LCLD’s leadership-driven approach to diversity and inclusion sends the message that a more diverse legal profession is everyone’s responsibility. Meanwhile, a shift towards a more metrics-driven approach provides hope for more substantive outcomes.
RG: What still needs to be done? Is
there anything that gives you hope that we are making progress and moving towards a more diverse legal profession?
Tienne Anderson: While we have miles to go, hope springs eternal. People are paying more attention to the diversity and inclusion conversation now and it has gone from a fringe issue to a mainstream policy component for many businesses and firms. I am encouraged to see the nuance and depth of this ongoing discussion highlight new challenges and areas for improvement. It is not enough to hire a Diversity and Inclusion coordinator, convene a D&I committee or support affinity groups. Leadership is crucial and what truly gives me hope is to see (through various experiences, including LCLD) white, hetero males step up to the plate and help drive the conversation forward. There is widespread recognition that this is not simply an issue for “other” people to deal with, but must be a part of everyone’s daily work, from the CEO to the sanitation engineer and everyone in between. This recognition is crucial and will drive progress in new and exciting ways going forward, creating a more diverse and richer legal profession as a result.
ROBERT GREY WRITES:
LCLD sees a path forward, founded on our commitment to leadership, action and results. At the time of publication of this article, we are celebrating our seventh anniversary and are excited to report that our members remain committed to our core principles. LCLD will continue to rely on its “leadership, action, results” model as we focus on three guiding principles. First, whenever possible collaborate with others to work towards a common goal; there is strength in numbers. Second, set goals and measure outcomes. Be prepared to be honest in how you evaluate your progress and don’t be afraid to reframe your goals and try alternate routes. Finally, be open to innovation. It’s clear from the commentary above that today’s lawyers are anxious for change and willing and able to be trailblazers. As CLEO has been doing for nearly 50 years—and LCLD has for seven— empowering these talented attorneys is an important part of the solution.
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Introducing our brand new,
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And here’s what hasn’t changed: 122 NATIONAL ADVOCACY CHAMPIONSHIPS: MORE THAN ANY LAW SCHOOL IN THE U.S.
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PRE-LAW TIMELINE
IN EVERY ISSUE
FRESHMAN YEAR
SENIOR YEAR
AUGUST • Grades count in law school admissions. Do your best from the very beginning!
AUGUST • Request applications, if needed, from the law schools to which you plan to apply (most law schools have online applications).
SEPTEMBER • Visit www.cleoinc.org and register for the College Scholars Program and CLEO Connection.
SOPHOMORE YEAR AUGUST • Get a head start on LSAT prep. Register for a formal logic course in college. SEPTEMBER • Register for Sophomore Super Saturday and CLEO Connection.
JUNIOR YEAR SEPTEMBER • Meet with a pre-law advisor to discuss the law school application process and your personal plan of action. • Stop by your school’s pre-law advising office and pick up an LSAT & LSDAS Information Book, or download it online at www. lsac.org • Register for Juniors Jumpstart and CLEO Connection. OCTOBER • Apply to ASAP. • Order LSAT preparation materials and/or register for a preparation course. PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE and PREPARE! DECEMBER • Begin choosing law schools to which you would like to apply. MARCH • Register for the June LSAT. JUNE • Take the LSAT.
SEPTEMBER • Attend law school forums and order a FREE copy of the CLEO Edge Magazine. OCTOBER • Register for LSDAS about six weeks before you send your applications to law schools. • Start filing out your applications and working on personal statements. • Take the October LSAT, if necessary. NOVEMBER • Submit law school applications for early review process (check deadlines carefully!). • Submit your application for the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute for early acceptance—deadline is November 30, 2016. DECEMBER • *Apply to ASAP • Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). JANUARY • Send your updated transcript with fall semester grades to LSDAS. • Submit applications to law schools (check deadlines carefully!). FEBRUARY • Application for the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute is due February 28, 2017. *Seniors taking time off before applying to law school may apply for ASAP. WINTER/SPRING 2017
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
WHAT IS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA BRAND BY BERNETTA J. HAYES
10 Steps to Ensure Your Entry into College
You Tube. Twitter. Facebook. Text messages. Instagram. Smartphones. High School students are bedazzled by a countless array of internetbased tools and platforms that increase and enhance the sharing of information. This new form of media—social media— makes the transfer of text, photos, audio, video, and information in general increasingly fluid among internet users. Yet teenagers often engage in indiscreet behavior, bullying or posting disparaging remarks online. And increasingly colleges are
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keeping track of high school students’ social media mentions. In fact, research from Kaplan Test Prep suggests that online scrutiny of college hopefuls is growing. “Students’ social media and digital footprint can sometimes play a role in the admissions process,” said Christine Brown, the executive director of K-12 and college prep programs at Kaplan Test Prep. “It’s something that is becoming more ubiquitous and less looked down upon.”
COLLEGE SCHOLARS What can you do to make sure your “brand,” your digital identity is appealing to colleges and universities? Excerpted from The Education Portal, following are 10 things you should NOT post on Facebook to help you avoid self sabotage so you can present the most appealing version of yourself.
1. Over-the-Top Party Pictures You may be proud of what you see as your wild ways now, but you probably won’t be in a few years. It’s one thing to post pictures of you and your friends having fun, but posting pictures of any age-inappropriate activities is just going to look immature. Post this kind of content at your own risk.
2. Stupidly Insensitive Jokes You might think that a certain racially charged joke is just hilarious, but not everyone is amused. The point of Facebook is to make social connections, not to alienate people. If you think there’s any chance that someone might be hurt or feel targeted by a Facebook post, you should consider just not posting it.
3. R-Rated Memes No one with any common sense is going to suggest that high schoolers only access age-appropriate, squeaky-clean content online. But that doesn’t mean you should force everyone else to see the gross and weird stuff you see online by posting it in your Facebook feed. This is especially true if you have younger siblings or friends who might be upset or disturbed by what you posted.
4. Relationship Drama Ah, young love. Nothing seems as urgent or important. And nothing makes adults feel more snidely smug. Even if you are “it’s complicated” with the object of your affection, keeping the sordid details to yourself can help protect you and your social circle from unnecessary and potentially incriminating drama.
5. Insults About Teachers It’s not unheard of for students to get in trouble for stuff they’ve posted online. You might feel the need to vent about a teacher, but it’s best to do that in a way that can’t be recorded and used as evidence in punishment.
6. Bullying Classmates It can be easy to gang up on people online, since it is indisputably easier to insult someone when you don’t have to look them in the eye. But again, you can get in trouble for the things you say on Facebook. Plus, you’ll just come off looking like a jerk if you bully a classmate on a social network. Why would you want to show that side of yourself in such a permanent way?
7. Anything You Wouldn’t Want Your Parents to See This is a pretty good general rule of thumb - you might think your posts are completely protected, but most parents have Facebook these days, and your parents are probably way more Internet-savvy than you’d like to think. If you post about stuff you know you’ll get in trouble for, you’ll only have yourself to blame when you actually do get caught because of something you stupidly decided to share with the public.
8. Anything You Wouldn’t Want a College Admissions Board to See Again, you might think your Facebook is totally safe from prying eyes, but it’s always possible that you forgot to finalize a certain privacy setting. Why put stuff out there in public that’s going to make you look like an idiot? Facebook searches are a pretty standard part of the job application process at this point. Everyone expects it. You should probably make the same assumption about college admissions boards. Don’t share any information you wouldn’t want to be judged by.
9. Links to Questionable Web Content You might think that “NSFW” (Not suitable/safe for work) link is hilarious, but your older sister - who happened to click that link while at work - might not share your opinion.
10. Gossip
Like bullying, gossip is particularly easy to spread online. But there’s no way to backpedal when everyone saw you post something with your name and picture right next to it. Save yourself the social trouble and just steer clear of gossip on Facebook.
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FEATURE
WHY DIVERSITY MATTERS by Shawn Grant
In our current climate of divisive political rhetoric, civil unrest and discontent, racially disproportionate police killings, competing dialogues of Black Lives Matter-Blue Lives Matter, and the threat of increasing social and cultural fragmentation, one thing remains clear. Diversity matters. The interests of equity, fairness and justice are better served when our justice system—comprising lawyers, judges and law enforcement officers are more inclusive of the populations they seek to serve. While the roles of lawyers, judges and law enforcement officers are interrelated and
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interdependent, ultimately, lawyers play a significant part as the architects of this system. The shooting deaths of several unarmed men of color and the failure to indict and convict the perpetrators, to many, further highlights the implicit bias, inadequate representation and failure to protect the civil rights/liberties of defendants and condones and encourages aggressive policing, and the misuse of prosecutorial discretion. Improving the diversity within our legal system, specifically the legal profession, affects who becomes a lawyer and how individuals are treated under equality of the laws and ultimately, the public’s confidence in our legal system.
FEATURE LAWYERS BY RACE/ETHNICITY
WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
DISTRIBUTION OF EQUITY PARTNERS
3% 4%
14.4%
5%
88%
■ WHITE ■ BLACK ■ HISPANIC ■ ASIAN PACIFIC
5.6%
■ MEN ■ WOMEN
36%
82.6%
64%
■ MEN ■ WOMEN ■ MINORITIES
*Source NALP Bulletin 2016
Why become a lawyer? Generally it is an impactful, widely respected and admired profession. The ever versatile juris doctorate degree supplies a broad array of other professions, most notably, presidents, governors, members of Congress, leaders of corporations, nonprofit and legal organizations. Our current 114th Congress comprises: 151 Representatives and 51 Senators who are lawyers.1 59% of U.S. Presidents have been lawyers, as well as 68% of Vice Presidents and 78% of Secretaries of States.2 Yet, decades after the profession reached its milestones of admitting the first female lawyer and lawyer of color to the bar, lawyer remains the least diverse profession of all comparable professions in the nation, such as architects, engineers, physicians and surgeons.3 In spite of increasing proportions of women enrolling in law school and earning J.D. degrees, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions and in the legal profession, as a whole.4 Equity partners in multi-tier law firms continue to be disproportionately white male.5 At the intersection are women of color whose numbers are even lower and face some of the most challenging recruitment and retention issues.6 The National Association of Legal Professionals reports LGBT representation among lawyers in 2015 at 2.34%.7 Paulette Brown, the first woman of color to be President of the American Bar Association expressed her views on the inability to achieve diversity in the ABA’s Diversity and Inclusion Report, a commission that she formed in 2016 to conduct a comprehensive review of where the profession stands in terms of diversity, “I have grown weary of discussing statistics that have not changed in decades and of wondering why strategies used have not caused our profession to be fully inclusive of everyone without regard to race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or socioeconomic status.”8 There simply is not enough diversity in the legal profession-
-this is a reoccurring theme heard ad nauseum but remains a moral imperative. Recent protests around the nation in solidarity with Ferguson, Baltimore, New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Baton Rouge and the Black Lives Matter movement demonstrate growing disenchantment among young people and people of color with the fairness of our justice system. These feelings are nothing new. The failure to provide indictments and convictions in these recent publicized incidents turned a simmering mistrust of police due to unfair targeting and aggressive policing into a conflagration. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating in several cities for systemic violations of civil rights and unconstitutional policing. But creating a more diverse cadre of lawyers may in many ways be more imminently crucial than correcting the deficiencies of the police force within certain communities.9 While the police are the first point of contact that many of us have with the justice system and are charged with “law enforcement”, no small task to be sure, it is the prosecuting attorney that determines whether and what charges are levied against individuals and suggests the severity of a person’s sentence. It’s the judge (a former lawyer) who renders a final decision regarding the disposition of that case. In most instances, lawyers play a role in the drafting and adoption of the laws in question as members of Congress. Federal guidelines for mandatory minimum sentencing, which is largely held responsible for the mass incarceration of black men, was passed by Congress (predominantly lawyers) and signed by the President Bill Clinton (a lawyer). Clearly, when we fail to diversify the legal profession, it matters. Of course, diversity in the legal profession must begin with diversity in law school admissions, a complex and somewhat thorny issue for many law schools who struggle to balance diversity with prestige, as if these areas are WINTER/SPRING 2017
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FEATURE
mutually exclusive. Our educational institutions can no longer stand as monolithic phallic ivory towers accessible to a few but must actually reflect the racial, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic realities of the real world. Learning does not take place in a vacuum. Students learn best in an environment where the views of more than a chosen few are expoused and examined, lending itself to livelier classroom discussion, which fosters understanding and breaks down barriers and stereotypes. A less homogeneous faculty presents itself as a pool of potential role models and reinforces the notion that the student belongs there and can be successful.10 The Supreme Court’s decision in Grutter v. Bollinger11 and more recently Fisher v. University of Texas12, reaffirmed and further articulated the substantial educational benefits yielded by a diverse student body. Only through the inclusion of the rich diversity of students and faculty can a law school truly be excellent in their pursuit of preparing legal professionals to participate in the increasingly competitive and diverse global marketplace. Increasing diversity in the legal profession is an excellent step, but of course it is not a panacea for all of challenges faced by our justice system. Diversity in itself doesn’t breed equality. More lawyers of color won’t automatically lead to fewer convictions within communities of color. But increased diversity within the legal system will hopefully lead to increased understanding and empathy which may help to stem the tide of implicit bias and encourage better lawyering, which may in the end lead to better policing.13 These changes will not occur without advocates within the legal system that understand how these inequities develop
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and are actively working to change them. A few minorities breaking through should be seen as role models for others and not solely relied on to create change In the wake of the tragic killing of police officers in Dallas in July, the Police Department Chief, in an effort to diversify the police force, told protesters to “Get off that protest line and put in your application in, and we’ll put you in your neighborhood, and we will help you to resolve some of the problems you’re protesting about.”14 In short, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Without challenges to long held beliefs and bias, ideas will not change and new solutions to ineffective policies will not be developed. If you are dissatisfied with the current state of the legal system, do your research and consider law school. The shrinking law school applicant pool, has created an opportunity for the further diversification of incoming law school classes.15 As a future lawyer you can play significant role. Your contributions are valuable and add to the broader discourse. Your perspectives and ideas matter. You matter. Endnotes 1 Congressional Research Service, “Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile,” July 1, 2016. 2 Nick Robinson,” The Declining Dominance of Lawyers in U.S. Federal Politics, Yale Law School, Harvard Law School,” 2016. 3 Deborah L. Rhode, “Law Is the Least Diverse Profession in the Nation. And Lawyers Aren’t Doing Enough to Change That,” The Washington Post, May 27, 2015. 4 “A Current Glance At Women in the Law,” American Bar Association, May 2016. 5 “Women and Minorities Maintain Representation Among Equity Partners, Broad Disparities Remain,” NALP Bulletin, National Association
for Law Placement, March 2016. 6 ”Women, Black/African-American Associates Lose Ground at Major U.S. Law Firms,” National Association for Law Placement, November 2015. 7 LGBT Representation Among Lawyers In 2015. National Association for Law Placement, December 2015. 8 “Diversity and Inclusion 360 Commission, Executive Summary, American Bar Association, August 2016.
UC Davis Legal Research Paper Series, February 2011. 11 Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003). 12 Fisher v. University of Texas, 579 U.S. _____2016. 13 Yolanda Young, “The Story Behind the Black Lawyers Matter Slogan and Why You Should Believe It,” Rolling Out, July 12, 2016.
9 Yolanda Young, “The Story Behind the Black Lawyers Matter Slogan and Why You Should Believe It,” Rolling Out, July 12, 2016.
14 Jacob Bogage, “The Dallas Police Chief told protesters to apply for police jobs. Now, job applications have tripled,” The Washington Post, July 25, 2016.
10 Kevin R. Johnson, “The Importance of Student and Faculty Diversity at Law Schools: One Dean’s Perspective,”
15 NPR, “As Law School Applicant Pool Shrinks, Student Bodies Diversify,” April 26, 2016.
FEATURE
BY JENNIFER RILEY-COLLINS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ACLU OF MISSISSIPPI
My Identity and My Duty: JUSTICE COMPELLED
When I first became the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi (ACLU of MS), I was asked which issue was I most passionate about. My response then was: “My personal passion would not dictate the direction of the work of the office. There was other work to be done that is necessary to make Mississippi better.� I was wrong! My personal passion to see my young sons, three black men, be treated fairly and have the same opportunity as every other person fueled my pursuit of this profession and continues to energize my fight for justice for all. I was asked this question as some had concerns that my identity and my duty are in conflict. I disagree; they are in 46
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concert. I identify as a single mother of three black men, as a veteran and defender of the United States and the Constitution, as a Christian with conservative beliefs, and as an individual compelled by my identity with a duty to fiercely advocate for justice and equity for all persons. I identify as an African-American woman, a native of Mississippi, raised on the dirt of red clay soil. I am the child born out of the union of a woman, who worked as a maid for a white man, and a hardworking man reared in Philadelphia, MS. I clearly remember my paternal grandmother stepping into the street and literally snatching me off the sidewalk so that a white woman and her son, who appeared to be my age, could pass by. This
FEATURE was a pivotal moment in my life. I knew right then and there that I had to do something so that I would never again be forced to step into the street. I knew somehow that we should all be able to walk on the sidewalk together – even if we did not like something about the other. It is with this mindset that I find myself, despite my identity or experiences which shaped my identity, faced with the duty that requires me to stand-up and intervene when government officials attempt to infringe on the First Amendment rights of protestors who feel women should not have the right to make their own health care decisions or when organizations I fundamentally disagree with, like the Ku Klux Klan, are prevented from exercising their right to free speech. I realize that if we do not make the laws work for all of us they work for none of us. I identify as Christian. I am, therefore, perplexed and know that I have a duty to use legal skills to intervene when laws are written and passed that use my religion as a weapon instead of a shield. I was raised in church. Both my parents and grandparents instilled in me a love for God and for the church. It was inside the church and confirmed inside the walls of my school library, where my Mudear’s picture ironically hangs, where I began to recognize my identity and my duty. I knew I was called to be an attorney and that my duty was to stand in the gap for others. My childhood experiences, and having a sense of calling, reflected back at me in each step of my progression. The law would be how I would fulfill my purpose. I identify as Joseph, Jonathan and Joshua’s mama. As a single mother of three black men, I know all too well the disparate treatment faced by young men of color. I know as the result of divorce, my sons faced being stigmatized as “at risk.” I know personally the fear of having their conduct at school criminalized by school officials, struggling with underfunding, zero in on zero-tolerance as the only alternative. I have experienced the cry of frustration from sons who see black men shot down in the streets by law enforcement officers without penalty. I have listened to the anguish in their voices when stopped by cops for no other reason than driving while black, while praying they make it home alive. I am fortunate that I have also seen my sons excel as high school scholars and athletes, walk across graduation stages and enter the workforce. Part of my fortune comes from the reality that I am a lawyer and have been my sons’ fiercest advocate and law professor. I have equipped them with knowledge of their rights. In turn, they have equipped their friends with their knowledge or at least my personal cellphone number. Having in-house counsel is not the reality for the majority of young men of color and this reality is
why the “Black Lives Matter” civil rights movement is an imperative. Young men of color are disproportionately placed on the path toward prison. They are often inappropriately put in special education, given harsher discipline in school and referral to the police and courts for childhood behaviors, and are over-represented in juvenile justice facilities and prisons. The school-to-prison pipeline is a reality for the African-American community. The pipeline is a result of racially biased laws, policies, and practices that manifest in institutional and structural barriers to opportunity for many young men of color. The pipeline coupled with racial profiling, militarization of police departments, a lack of transparency and accountability for law enforcement, and a negative narrative require that legal and advocacy organizations challenge the policies that echo that the life of a young person of color does not matter. As a lawyer, lobbyist, and advocate, it is my duty to stand at the intersection of opportunity and deprivation, and ensure that young men of color are given the same chance to succeed as another. I identify as Colonel Collins. Thirty plus years ago, I raised my hand and swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I have taken this oath many times as I have progressed through my military career. Being a defender of freedom, however, is not only my identity, it is my duty. I mentally take this oath each day I am fortunate to stand as a lawyer defending the rights of defendants, advocating for equality for LGBT citizens, advising community members on their rights, or writing legislative proposals that ensure protections against discrimination. I was proud, therefore, to stand beside same sex couples at a Mississippi courthouse when the right to marry finally came to fruition as well as when they courageously challenged a government determined to treat them differently. I identify as a lawyer, and it is therefore my duty to ensure that all are provided access to justice. As a legal professional, I took another oath. This oath imbued me with the duty to act as an officer of the court and to act with fidelity to both my client and the court. It is an unfortunate fact that there are many laws, policies and practices meant to ensure that inequality remains a reality. As Executive Director of the ACLU of MS, I am proud to lead a team of social justice professionals who demand that the rights guaranteed in the Constitution are available to all, regardless of race, ability or disability, immigration status, gender identity or sexual orientation. This is our call. This is our duty.
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
COMING TO GRIPS WITH
Law Schools Respond With Innovative Approaches
BY BERNETTA J. HAYES
Legal education is in flux. More flexible ABA accreditation standards (Krantz, Millemann, 2014), declining student applications, and cost of legal education are but some of the things causing a shakeup in the legal academy. In the current climate, law schools have responded with career focused, accelerated, and experiential curricula and programs not only to attract new students, but to better prepare law students for practice. In late June 2015, CLEO polled more than 200 ABA-approved law schools to determine what changes they had instituted in the last two years that could influence a student’s decision to attend their law school. Almost 10 percent of the law schools--either current or previous partners of CLEO’s Consortium on Diversity in Legal Education--responded with a breadth of programs. These methods are explored in the next paragraphs.
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE Experiential Learning From the Carnegie Foundation to the American Bar Association, many inside and outside the legal profession have called “for law schools to offer a broad range of curricular initiatives in addition to traditional casebook offerings.” (NYC Bar Association, 2013) Eight law school respondents report they have developed initiatives that provide students direct experiences outside a traditional academic setting. New England Law| Boston; Northeastern Law School; University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law; The University of Iowa College of Law; University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; Washington University School of Law; Western New England University School of Law; and Willamette University College of Law tout experiential learning opportunities for their students. According to Deborah Feldman, Director of Communications for Northeastern University School of Law, “Northeastern law students are guaranteed a year of full-time, handson legal practice experience with employers worldwide.” Ranked by The National Jurist as number 1 for prac¬tical training, “[Northeastern] continually improve[s] our program to meet the needs of our students,” said Feldman. At New England Law |Boston’s Summer Fellowship Program, “Summer fellows gain hands-on experience and develop valuable connections with practicing attorneys and firms while earning a $3,500 school-paid stipend.” Washington University School of Law in St. Louis offers students 18 clinical opportunities. Additionally, with the law school’s Semester in Practice program, “we fit our externships to our students’ interests rather than requiring students to fit their interests to our externships,” stated Ann Nicholson, Director, Marketing and Communications.
Accelerated Programs As a result of student concerns about soaring costs, student debt, and a difficult job market, there has been an emerging trend to develop accelerated JD programs. Even President Obama has weighed in on the issue: “This is probably controversial to say…I believe that law schools would probably be wise to think about being two years instead of three years.” The accelerated programs usually take one of the following forms: ▲▲ A “3+3 JD program” or “BA to JD program” is a program in which students combine certain requirements of a bachelor’s degree (usually a BA) with the requirements of the Juris Doctor degree. Students receive their bachelor’s degree after completing the first year of law school. Typically, students complete the two degrees in six years rather than the usual seven. At some law schools this program is known as the Six-Year Law Scholars Program.
▲▲ A “2-year JD program” is a Juris Doctor degree that is offered independently of a bachelor’s degree. Typically, students are required to complete the same number of credit hours as traditional three-year JD students, but in a more condensed period. Creighton University School of Law, New York Law School, and Willamette University College of Law all have two-year JD programs. New York Law has reduced the cost of its two-year program by one-third. “New York Law School is the first law school in the nation to reduce the cost of tuition for an accelerated program by a third,” said Mae Estrada, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid and Deputy Diversity Officer… [Furthermore] New York Law School will also guarantee postgraduate fellowships to all two-year honor students through partnerships with firms, companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.” The University of Iowa College of Law and the University of Southern California Gould School of Law have the “3+3 JD program,” while the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law has devised the Six-Year Law Scholars Program. Western New England University School of Law has frozen its tuition at the 2013-2014 level through the 2017-2018 academic year.
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
Law School Programs and Trends LAW SCHOOLS
3+3 JD PROGRAM
SIX-YEAR PROGRAM
2-YEAR JD PROGRAM
OTHER ACCELERATED PROGRAMS
University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS
Mentoring Program; LEAP Barry Boot Camp(LSAT Prep); Admission2Oath (academic success)
Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
Boston University School of Law University of California at Los Angeles School of Law
Elective Courses for 1Ls
Creighton University School of Law Empire College School of Law
Masters of Law
Masters of Law; Advanced Standing JD
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Freddie Gray’s Baltimore: Past, Present & Moving Forward
University of Massachusetts School of Law - Dartmouth
The University of Iowa College of Law
University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
No LSAT required if maintain a 3.5 cumulative
New England Law | Boston
New York Law School Northeastern University School of Law
Summer Fellowship Program
Postgraduate Fellowship Guarantee
Cooperative Legal Education Program Pathways - A Career Planning Website
South Texas College of Law University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Elective Courses for 1Ls Part-time JD Course Sequencing
JD/LLM in Advocacy
Stetson University College of Law
International Semester in Practice
Villanova University School of Law
Professional Development
Washington University School of Law
Negotiation & Dispute Resolution LLM
Western New England University School of Law
Tuition freeze; Law Office Management Course
Whittier Law School
Accelerator to Practice Program
Suffolk University Law School
Willamette University College of Law
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Master of Legal Studies
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
Innovative Programs On the other hand, many law schools are making ambitious reforms “because they believe these reforms will make them more competitive in attracting applicants.” (Krantz, Millemann, 2014) Northeastern Law, for example, allows its law students to work under the supervision of all types of professionals, not just lawyers, in its Cooperative Legal Education Program. “By allowing students to work under the supervision of non-lawyer professionals, we are opening up opportunities for law students to explore business environments in which the combination of legal and business expertise will allow them to more nimbly navigate the wider marketplace,” opined Deborah Feldman. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law employs a Mentoring Program for 1Ls. Law students are assigned a mentor who practices in the area of law the student intends to practice. After developing a career plan, the student completes 10 hours of job shadowing - an unpaid, on-the-job learning opportunity in an occupational area of interest to the student. Alternatively South Texas College of Law has developed a detailed website around many legal fields, what it is like to practice in those fields, and how to plan a curriculum to help students to plan their careers. This new tool should help students focus on their course selections. Other law schools have developed: ▲▲ Master of Law programs; ▲▲ Programs where students are not required to take the LSAT; ▲▲ Fundamentals of business courses; and ▲▲ Elective courses in the first year Law schools have set in motion many new approaches (see graph for a more detailed list of program innovations) to respond to market forces, declining student applications, budget reductions, and increased law school competition. One thing is certain; change has come to legal education.
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boston college law one community "What makes BC Law so special? My answer has always been the same: this is an unbelievably supportive community, where faculty, administrators, students, and alumni come together to create a vibrant academic and social experience." —Tracey West, Associate Dean for External Relations, Diversity and Inclusion ad.indd 1
BC Law has a tangible sense of community that makes going to law school here different than anywhere else. Combine that with the very best faculty, academics and real-world programs, and it's easy to see why we're so unique. Visit our website, or call our admissions office to schedule a tour and come see what we have to offer. You'll be glad you did.
• 25% Students of Color • 16 Moot Court Teams • 5 Law Reviews • #1 for most 'superlawyers' in New England • LAHANAS diversity program • Top 30 clinical programs • Top 20 school where big firms recruit • #16 for JD required/advantage employment
Office of Admissions | 885 Centre Street | Newton, MA 02459 | 617.552.4351 | www.bc.edu/law | bclawadm@bc.edu
5/8/15 1:49 PM
Prepare for the practice. No law school in the nation does a better job of preparing their graduates for the practice than Stetson in Tampa Bay, Florida. Stetson is ranked #1 in trial advocacy and #3 in legal writing by U.S. News, and preLaw Insider magazine placed Stetson in the top 20 for bar exam preparation. Stetson Law provided me with an outstanding opportunity to learn the law in a supportive and judgment-free environment. The ability to practice many of the skills I’ve learned helped to grow my confidence and prepare me for life as a legal professional. — Ed Narain JD ‘13 Florida House of Representatives
To learn about diversity at Stetson Law, contact 727-562-7802, lawadmit@law.stetson.edu, or visit stetson.edu/diversity.
World Class LSAT Tutoring
“Help me help you achieve a happy, focused, LSAT mindset” - David Yi | The University of Chicago Law School, JD
www.LSATsensei.com WINTER/SPRING 2017
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
Preparing for Law School as a
Freshmen
College Student BY RJ HOLMES-LEOPOLD, DIRECTOR OF THE CAREER AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CENTER, CORNELL COLLEGE
As you start your college career, the decisions you make now can have significant implications for the options you have at the end of your time in college. While law school may seem like an eternity away, the four years of your undergraduate education will go by fast. To help you maximize your time and preparation for the law school admissions process and success as a future attorney, here are six quick tips to keep in mind as you navigate your first year in college. 1. You have a pretty
clean slate, it’s up to you what goes on it moving forward. For the most part, what you have accomplished prior to starting college won’t have much of an impact on whether you get into law school. That’s not to say your ac54
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ademic achievements, co-curricular activities, volunteerism, and work experience throughout high school don’t matter. What it does mean is that what you choose to do with your time at college—how well you do in class, the leadership and volunteer activities you participate in, the internship and research experiences you complete—will have an impact on how
law school admission committees view your candidacy. Think of it this way, what story do you want to tell the law school faculty member looking at your admission application about what you’ve accomplished in college? As a new college student, you have a blank slate to work with—what will you create?
COLLEGE SCHOLARS 2. Take courses you find
interesting and that you will excel in. Your grades matter. In combination with your LSAT score, your undergraduate GPA forms an impression of how likely you may be successful in law school. Your main objective when choosing courses and ultimately a major program of study should be about how engaged you’ll be in the coursework. The more interested you are in the subject matter— especially in courses that really challenge you—the more you are likely to invest the time and effort required to do well in the class. Consequently, your grades should be a fairly accurate reflection of your academic ability. At the same time, don’t be afraid to take a risk and enroll in a course outside of your comfort zone throughout your undergraduate career. You might find a new area to be passionate about or learn something that can help you become a well-rounded individual and more insightful future lawyer.
3. Take courses that help
you refine your skills… regardless if you become a lawyer. While a degree in political science is really popular for pre-law students, you don’t need that major to go to law school. In fact, you can choose whatever major you want. What is most important are the skills you get to develop as part of your program of study. For example, how will the English class help you become a better communicator in written form? In what ways will the Biology course improve your logical reasoning skills? How does the Art History class enhance your critical thinking abilities? Will the Spanish course help you with your ana-
lytical reasoning? The aforementioned list of skills are prerequisites not only for success in law school, but success in life, and you will want to have a solid foundation in them regardless of what you choose to do after graduation from college.
4. Get involved in
activities that help you develop “soft skills.” The path to becoming a lawyer isn’t just about knowing the law, it’s also about knowing how to be with other people and collaborating in the context of an organization. Your college campus undoubtedly offers a multitude of student activities that will help you develop the interpersonal skills you need as a young professional. Activities like: student government, cultural identity groups, club sports, intramurals, performing arts, academic interest, and campus programming offer multiple opportunities for you to develop tangible skills outside of the classroom setting. Some of the important skills you can gain from being involved in campus activities include how to work with people on successful projects, learning from failures, handling conflict, giving/receiving constructive criticism, and building trust among team members. Your ability to develop and improve upon your interpersonal skills will serve you well long after your time in college and in law school.
5. Take the time to
explore the legal industry.
inside of a courtroom. You want to take the time early in your undergraduate career to talk to people who are in law school to learn about what it’s really like as a law student. You should also network with individuals who have built careers as practicing attorneys in law firms or as corporate counsel, and those who have gone on to become judges. A law degree is also useful beyond the practice of law so you will want to meet people who have gone on to pursue other industries with their law degree (e.g., corporate executives, non-profit leaders, sports administrators, higher education professionals). Connecting with these people can help you gain practical insight into what it’s like to be a lawyer and give you ample information to reflect upon to ensure a career in law is the right choice for you.
6. Connect with your Pre-
Law Advisor/Advisor. Your campus pre-law advisor can be an excellent partner for you in your journey towards law school. If you don’t get to connect with them during orientation, make sure you seek them out sometime during the fall semester to introduce yourself and to express your interest in pursuing a career in law. Many pre-law advisors coordinate workshops to help pre-law students learn what they need to know to be successful law school applicants and work with students personally to get the support they need to make an informed decision about becoming an attorney. Get on their campus mailing list so you know about the opportunities and resources available to you.
Practicing law is so much more than what you might see on TV or in movies. In fact, the majority of attorneys don’t practice law
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
Maximizing Your
Sophomore Year For Pre-Law Success
BY RODIA VANCE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR & UNIVERSITY PRE-LAW ADVISOR In the nearly 15 years that I have been doing pre-law advising, I have worked with thousands of students to help them pursue their dream of going to law school and having a successful legal career. I run into the student who has decided at the last minute that they want to apply to law school. Even if they have done well academically, they have often missed out on the opportunity to truly maximize their pre-law collegiate experience because they did not take certain steps earlier in their college careers. These steps are essential to the overall career development of any college student, and definitely to the pre-law student. In addition to pre-law advising, I also do general career counseling for certain majors on my campus. My perspective as a career counselor informs my style of pre-law advising in myriad ways. The biggest paradigm shift that stems from this perspective is that I am a firm believer that pre-law students are not exempt from the overall career development process simply because they are facing an application process rather than a job search during senior year. Because of that belief, the work I do with my pre-laws begins not with the question of “where do you want to apply?”, but rather “why do you want to go to law school in the first place?”. At its core, the decision to become a lawyer is a career choice. Law is a vast field with many paths stemming from one starting point. How will you know which direction you want to go? If you’re waiting for
the answer to that question to be miraculously revealed when you graduate from law school, I challenge you to think again. And then, keep reading.
THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS This consists of four main steps. If you have made any use at all of your college career center (it’s not too early to do so as a sophomore!), you have probably heard about the importance of doing these steps to ensure that a particular career choice is right for you. If we examine the process through the lens of the pre-law student, we see that it is directly applicable to the goal of becoming a successful lawyer.
1. Self-Exploration – Who Am I? Becoming more self-aware is a good life goal, generally speaking, but it is certainly critical for making good career decisions. Ask yourself these questions, and write down your answers:
`` `` `` ``
What do I like to do? (Interests & Passions) What am I good at doing? (Talents & Skills) What is important to me to do? (Values & Motivations) How do I like to “do” things? (Personality & Temperament)
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS Gaining clarity on these key points will help you gain insight into what type of law you might like to practice, what type of work environments might be the best fit for you, and what will motivate you to work hard (or demotivate you).
2. Career Exploration – What’s Out There? Once you are clear on who you are and what you like, you can begin to overlay that knowledge with what you learn about the field to further cement your plans to pursue a law degree. Some useful strategies for researching the legal field include the following:
`` Conduct informational interviews with lawyers (tap into your college’s alumni network for this!)
`` Read books and articles about law school life and legal career pathways.
`` Shadow/intern/work in legal settings to get a
first-hand glimpse of a day-in-the-life of a lawyer (NOTE: Legal experience is not a requirement or preference for admission to law school. These types of experiences should be done for the purposes of career exploration, not racking up points with admissions officers).
Compare and contrast what you learn about the field to what you know about yourself (this is why it is important to do that self-exploration step first!). Doing this analysis will help you to make better decisions about which practice areas and legal work environments are a good match for you.
3. Skill Development – How Do I Prepare? Upon deciding which direction you would like to go in the legal arena, you will want to start building up a portfolio of skills and experiences that will prepare you for success in the law school application process and beyond. There are several areas that you will want to address:
`` Coursework & GPA – Seek to have a broad-based curriculum that will prepare you to view problems from a wide variety of perspectives by taking courses across the liberal arts and sciences spectrum. Challenge yourself! Law school will be harder than any classes you take in college, so taking more difficult coursework now will help to prepare you for that reality. And be sure to do well while you’re at it…your GPA will be integral to your competitiveness level for law school admissions.
`` Extracurricular Activities & Work Experiences – Adding these experiences to your resume help to demonstrate a host of skills to law schools, including professionalism, maturity, time management, leadership, and service orientation. However, they should not interfere with your academic performance. Select a few that are meaningful to you and stick with them.
`` Relationship-Building – You will want to have solid letters of recommendation to bolster your application. Get the ball rolling on this step as early as your sophomore year by making an effort to get to know your faculty members and letting them get to know you. Visit office hours. Be prepared for class and contribute thoughtful insights. Do research with a faculty member. All of these actions will give your faculty (a.k.a. future recommenders) a top-notch opinion of you as a student and future lawyer.
`` LSAT Preparation – While sophomore year may be a bit too early to begin formal LSAT preparation (prep courses should be saved for junior year), you can begin laying the groundwork for strong test performance by sharpening the skills you will need to do well on the exam. Take courses that will challenge you to develop strong analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension skills. These skill sets are tested on the LSAT for a reason…you will need them to be successful in law school and as a lawyer.
4. Implementation – How Do I Apply? As you approach your junior and senior years, it will be time to put all of your planning into action. For those who plan to start law school right after college, you will begin taking steps in the application process as early as the spring semester of your junior year, when you should begin LSAT preparation in earnest. Aside from taking the LSAT, you will begin the process of researching schools, writing application essays, securing your letters of recommendation, sending in your transcripts, and formally submitting the applications during the summer after junior year and during the fall of senior year. While the career development process may seem daunting, the sophomore year is a great time to get started! You are still early enough in your college careers to make any course corrections that you need to make around courses or grades while still having enough time to build substantial and meaningful experiences. And there is still plenty of time to get ready for the LSAT too. With good self-awareness and smart planning, you can achieve your dreams of being a lawyer. Now, go forth and prosper!
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
what your
JUNIOR
year means for Law school Success BY ELIZABETH BORETZ
Your Junior Year status means that you have committed to a major, having come to recognize your genuine talents and passion. You have taken the courageous step of being true to yourself by following the pathway that has illuminated itself before you. This also means that your circle of friends is shifting; you may be feeling disloyal to your family at times, and self-doubt may occasionally tempt you to stop and turn around. Build your confidence and preparedness this year, so that you will be ready for your application season that is coming up in another year or more, depending on your plans. Your areas of focus this year need to be in advancing your writing, knowing how to tell your story, immersing yourself into the professional world, taking risks and being competitive, and gaining familiarity with the LSAT and application process. In a nutshell, Junior Year is the time to harness the power of your support system and take control of your destiny.
Refine Your Writing Continue taking as many opportunities as you can to develop and enjoy your writing; this is a lifelong reality whether you are in law or most any elite profession. In large part, how you present yourself in writing will determine how employers, educators, admissions professionals and colleagues rate your credibility and competence. In your Junior Year, you are faced with larger written projects in class. These projects will
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advance your expertise and analytical skills. Seeking the support of writing tutors and your instructors along the way, and placing as much care on how you express yourself as on what you are saying, will optimize your progress as a scholar and future professional. When you cannot communicate through a handshake, smiles and eye contact, you must learn to convey your sincerity and professionalism in written form. Writing well is a universally recognized way of expressing your respect for the reader.
Tell Your Story Your story is exceptional and captivating. As an underrepresented student, you must remember that your family’s sacrifices, achievements, and the obstacles that you have overcome empower you to enrich any group or profession that you join. In your personal written statements for scholarships, internships, law school admission, and in casual or formal oral interviews, share openly about yourself. I have read hundreds of drafts of students’ personal statements. The narratives that stand out are the ones that transported me into the student’s or his or her family’s brightest or darkest moments, and then tied those stories to the student’s sense of purpose today. You can be formal and professional, while still being personal in how you present your uniqueness. Use this year to define and embrace your own story.
Immerse Into the Professional World The connections you make by volunteering or interning in a law office, even just an hour or two a week, will prove to be invaluable. However, there are other important ways to prepare yourself for law school admission. Focus on your major, whether it is in management, engineering, art, social sciences or anything at all, and find an internship relevant to your field of study. While you are there, make your law school aspirations known, and see what the ties are between your major area of study and the field of law. If you have not yet done so, visit a career counselor on your campus. This is the time to break away from the student jobs you held in your first years of college and to seek paid or unpaid work where you are taking a preprofessional role. Even if you need to travel far away for the summer or a longer period to do this, work with your family and campus resources to find a way to make it possible.
Gain Familiarity with the LSAT and Admissions Process First and foremost, take advantage of all of The Council on Legal Education Opportunity’s (CLEO) programs available to you. If you have not yet attended an LSAT workshop or practice test hosted by CLEO on your campus, speak to your pre-law advisor to learn more. Also, explore the forprofit test preparation organizations, as they offer many free-of-charge training sessions and exam preparation materials in print and online. On your own or with your campus’ pre-law organization, visit law schools and meet with admission professionals. If you need to, ask
questions about support for application fee waivers and tuition assistance. Plan your timeline and strategy to ensure that you will know when to apply and how to map out the long-term preparations for that.
Take Risks Applying to law school, earning your law degree and facing the job market will be competitive experiences. Prepare yourself in your Junior Year by seeking opportunities to compete: run for office in your student government; enter an elite or prestigious national competition, such as Truman or a local debate or speech competition or other award; find out how to join a community organization’s Board of Directors; or ask your professors about opportunities to research, publish or present at a conference. The sooner you can overcome the feelings of intimidation or fear of rejection in unfamiliar situations, the sooner you will see that you have the confidence to heighten your goals and take risks. Set a short-term goal to take a new risk, and enlist your friends, mentors or others whom you trust to hold you to these commitments. As an underrepresented student pursuing the field of law, you are a source of pride and hope for your community. Walking through your Junior Year, remember that you are now a role model for the less experienced students who will follow behind you, and it is up to you to stay on course with your goals. Stride into the role of pre-professional with confidence and openness to risk, stay true to your story, make connections, and make your needs and talents known.
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
Preparing for Law School as a
Senior
College Student BY DR. ANA ALVAREZ Now that you are a senior, you’re wondering about your next steps. This is, most likely, the period for you to apply to law school if you don’t want to take any time off. You should start by thinking like a lawyer: make your case for a successful application to and admission into law school.
GRADES Hopefully, you’ve earned good grades during your previous scholarly years. Keep a strong GPA. Otherwise, strive to improve your grades now. Law schools will study your transcripts and notice your academic improvement. However, if the change is too drastic, you should explain the reason you initially got poor grades in an addendum or personal statement [as part of your law school application packet].
LSAT You should also be prepared for the LSAT, but if not, get ready ASAP. Take a mock LSAT and recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Have a serious introspection and make a decision to either prepare on your own using LSAT books/practices or with any LSAT prep company. Decide if you are comfortable with online prep courses or need a person-to-person approach. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel and stronger LSAT score you’ll achieve. Your GPA and LSAT score are strong indicators for law schools’ scholarship consideration if you’re perceived as a top candidate who will successfully graduate and pass the bar exam.
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Create an account with the LSAC. Select the date to take the LSAT. You may take up to three LSATs in a period of two years, and there are four LSATs administered during the year. Because of the date of the LSAT scores release, you may apply for early admissions with the June or September LSATs scores of the previous year to which you are planning to attend law school. Note: LSAT scores are valid for five years. Consider taking the LSAT ONCE when you are ready. After completing your preparation, keep practicing with timedLSAT practices. These scores will evidence your latent result in the LSAT. If you decide to take it a second time, don’t wait to register again until you get your scores. The LSAC will release your scores after the LSAT registration deadline has passed.
LORs Most law schools require applicants to submit one to two letters of recommendation (LORs), so wisely select your recommenders. Give priority to professors with whom you have taken several courses, have observed your academic abilities, talents, and know you well. A work manager, internship, or volunteer supervisor might also be good recommenders. Visit your potential recommenders at their offices, inform them about your plans to pursue a legal education and politely request that they write the letter. Observe their body language. If they enthusiastically consent to write it, be certain your LOR will be impressive. Otherwise, thank them, move on, and find another recommender. After your recommenders have sent out the LOR, visit again and genuinely thank them. If possible, write a thank you card.
COLLEGE SCHOLARS Some law schools, however, don’t require LORs-they are optional. You should submit them, anyway. Think of your LORs as making a case for your acceptance into law school.
P.S. Write a strong personal statement (P.S.). Your P.S. has a twofold purpose. One, it portrays who you are with evidence of traits such as responsibility, maturity, leadership skills, insights, organizational and time management abilities, perspectives, overcoming disadvantage and learning experiences. Two, it reflects your writing. Remember that law schools don’t have time to teach students how to write well. Ask your professors, college learning/writing center, or prelaw advisors to give constructive feedback. Be open to suggestions. Consider your P.S. as proof on making your case for admission into law school. You also might be prompted to write a specific topic as to why you want to go to law school rather than a personal statement. Be ready to follow the previous P.S. guidelines.
TRANSCRIPT Submit your transcript to the LSAC. You’re applying with the undergraduate overall GPA you have earned so far. You don’t need to have completed your undergrad to submit your transcripts.
LAW SCHOOL RECRUITMENT EVENTS In addition to attending workshops to illuminate on the application process, visit law school forums and fairs. They offer a tremendous opportunity to network with law school admissions representatives and ask about their programs, financial aid, student life, course offerings, and the possibility to obtain application fee waivers. Check the LSAC law school recruitment events and register for the closest forum or fair.
APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOLS Do some serious investigation on the law schools of your preference. You may use the ABA Standard 509 information reports at http://www.abarequireddisclosures. org/ to learn about specific data that will help narrow your college application options. Focus on median LSAT scores and median GPAs for admission, and assess yourself on your own status to get an indication of the schools you have an opportunity to be admitted into. Additionally, explore and plan the financial investment you are about to make by studying school tuition, overall living expenses, and the possibility of earning a scholarship. You should also learn all eligibility requirements for scholarship retention during 2L and 3L. Contemplate if the colleges’ location matches your ideal place to live and work. Attending a school in your preferred city might help in developing a network and getting an externship during 2L to gain experience - and potentially being offered a job. Also, consider taking the bar exam in the school location’s state. Bar passage rate, study programs, extracurricular or joint degree programs, pro-bono work, international courses, externship options, diversity, student services, school size, and faculty background deserve deliberation too. Overall, make a list of all significant features to pick your law school. Once the acceptance letters start arriving, schedule a visit to your prospective law schools, sit in on a class, and ask students about the cultural atmosphere. Students’ candid insight will permit to make a more informed decision on the school to attend. Take a deep breath. Select your law school. Congratulations! You have made your case and are ready for a new academic chapter of your life.
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
CLOSING THE PRE-LAW TRANSFER GAP:
SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS
FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO UNIVERSITY BY JULIE LANTRIP
For transfer students, the transition from community college to university during the sophomore and junior years comes at an important time in the law school preparation process. In their second year of college, community college students must choose a transfer program and apply for admission and financial aid. Since many community colleges lack prelaw advisors or programming, many of these students may miss the opportunity to take advantage of law 68
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school prep summer programs, LSAT practice exams, and other pre-law activities that are normally offered to university sophomores. Then a new transfers their junior year, they may be overwhelmed as they navigate a new university and miss out on valuable time for LSAT prep, internships, and exploration of potential law schools.
What can you do as a community college student to ensure that you do not get lost in this transfer gap?
COLLEGE SCHOLARS PREPARING FOR THE LEAP There are several steps that community college students can take through their community college, regardless of whether a specific pre-law advisor or programming is offered.
1. Focus on transfer core classes while at the community college. Like many pre-law students, you may be eager to take law related courses and, unlike university freshmen or sophomores who have the option to take an upper level Constitutional Law class, for example, your community college degree plan only allows for basic courses. Paralegal or similar courses may be tempting, but frustrating as it may be, you should avoid them unless you have confirmed that your transfer university will take them as part of your regular degree plan.
2. Let your community college academic advisor know that you are considering law school, and ask if there is a pre-law advisor on campus. Sometimes due to time constraints, academic advisors may not have time to go into detail about your plans beyond your Bachelor’s. Unlike pre-med students, pre-law has no specific major or required courses, so discussing your major is not going to make it obvious that you are pre-law unless you are upfront about your goal to practice law. If available, your advisor may refer you to a specific prelaw advisor for your college. If not, ask if there is a pre-law advisor. Although many community colleges do not have a specific pre-law advisor, your advisor may know of a faculty or staff member with a background in pre-law who is willing to serve as a pre-law mentor. If the advisor does not have any suggestions, contact the political science, social science, or related departments. Many practicing attorneys serve as adjuncts for community college courses in American Government, Business Law or other fields. Though someone with a law degree is not necessarily trained to advise pre-law students, they may be able to provide general guidance on legal careers, skills that are important for law school, and leads for potential local internships.
3. Think outside the box on extracurricular participation, both at the community college and your future transfer school. Many community college students are trying to make ends meet or raise a family, and find it hard to make time for weekly extracurricular activities. According to the American Association of Community Colleges, nearly one third of community college students have children (compared to 12% at four year colleges), and over 60% of full time community college students have jobs. However, most community colleges are aware of this and have events, clubs, and honor societies that work around their students’ schedules, including evening or lunchtime meetings and clubs for parents and veterans. Some colleges also offer leadership workshops, conferences, or activities that provide experience and skills development in concentrated formats that require missing work or hiring a baby sitter for one or two days instead of weekly. I have had students involved in our college’s Leadership Institute, which offers a certificate for completing at least three day-long workshops, and Community College Day, which provides free travel and training for students who lobby our state legislature for a day. Experiences do not have to be weekly commitments to demonstrate to law school admissions that you have been working on leadership and communication skills. You may be able to combine your extracurricular work with course credit, even at the community college level. Though most community colleges do not offer designated internship credit the way most universities do, faculty sometimes offer credit for service learning, conference presentations, or internships as class projects. For example, I have allowed students from our moot court team to use their case research as graded class projects, and this year several faculty and I are offering an immigration clinic internship as a graded project for sections of Technical Writing, Spanish and American Government. Ask around to see if you can find faculty, departments, or honors programs that offer these options, even if it is not in your major field.
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS CLOSING THE TRANSFER GAP Even while at the community college, remember that you are also a future university student. As you make your transfer choice, you should become familiar with the resources available at the university, including the pre-law advisor, clubs and activities, and other programs.
1. Pre-law programming and assistance at transfer schools should be one of your criteria for choosing a program, but not the only one. During your second year at community college, you will need to select a transfer university. While proximity and financial considerations are often top criteria for transfer decisions, pre-law programming and assistance are also important for you as a pre-law student. At a minimum, you should look for a university that can offer you pre-law advising and assistance with the law school application process. Since there is no specific major required by law schools, pre-law degrees are not the norm. The fact that a university does not have a specific pre-law degree, certificate or program need not eliminate that university. Many offer pre-law opportunities outside of class, such as a pre-law club or society, moot court or mock trial, mentorship programs, or law-related internships that can be equally important on your law school application and your decision to pursue a law career. In some cases, research fellowships, internships, or honors programs can build the skills you will need for law school, even if they are not specifically under a pre-law program. The university needs to be a good fit for you in terms of size, faculty accessibility, financial aid, pre-law opportunities, and other personal considerations. In other words, consider the total package that a transfer university offers.
2. Ask representatives from transfer universities to connect you with their pre-law advisor. As you make your transfer decision, you will likely visit your college’s transfer office and attend transfer fairs. When you make contact with the transfer universities that you are considering, ask about pre-law programming and get the contact information for the pre-law program, pre-law advisor, or the most relevant department. Early contact allows you to create a personal connection with the person(s) who may be guiding you through the law school application process in the near future. If there is a pre-law advisor or office, they can give you an overview of what pre-law options are available at the transfer school and help you determine if the university is a good fit for you, since law school preparation will be an important part of your university experience.
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3. Once you decide on a transfer university, meet with the university’s pre-law advisor, preferably by the beginning of the semester before you transfer. If you’re transferring in the fall, for example, meet with the pre-law advisor as early in the spring as you can. Waiting until fall may mean missing out on scholarships with Spring deadlines, as well as summer law school preparation programs that can be beneficial after your sophomore year. This early contact is even more important if your community college does not have a pre-law advisor. Pre-law advisors at transfer universities will likely be happy to hear from you earlier rather than later. The university pre-law advisors that I have worked with have noted that one of the biggest problems they face with transfer students is lack of contact when they first arrive. I have heard sad tales about transfer students who do not contact the pre-law advisor until well into their senior year and miss law school application deadlines. Unless you know that you want to take time off after graduating, you should at the latest be in touch with the pre-law advisor no later than when you first arrive at the transfer school. I have yet to find a university pre-law advisor who did not gladly help an incoming transfer student. If you do not have a pre-law advisor at your community college, have your academic advisor, transfer center, or the transfer university’s admissions office help you set up a meeting with the pre-law advisor, perhaps as part of your campus tour, or feel free to contact the pre-law advisor directly. What should you ask in your meeting with the transfer university’s pre-law advisor, especially if you have not had a pre-law advisor at your community college? Here are some example questions: ``
Are there specific certificates, minors or other programs at the university for pre-law students?
``
Are there workshops to help with law school applications or LSAT preparation?
``
What pre-law activities are available? How much time commitment do they normally require?
``
Is there anything that you recommend doing during the summer before I arrive? During my first semester?
COLLEGE SCHOLARS
``
Which classes and/or professors do you recommend to prepare for law school?
``
Are you available to assist with degree plans and my initial fall schedule?
``
Are there relevant internship opportunities that offer class credit or stipends, or grants available for research or conference attendance?
``
Is it possible to meet with pre-law students from your program before I transfer, especially transfer pre-law students?
``
Are there events at your university that I could benefit from attending before I transfer?
``
Do you know of any CLEO or LSAC workshops, law school caravans or open house events, or summer programs in the area that I should consider attending now?
Your pre-existing relationship with the university pre-law advisor, program and students can aid in your transition and help you prioritize activities that will be most beneficial.
4. Attend events at your Transfer University, summer programs and/or law school events before, during and after your transfer. Both at the community college and your transfer school, if you are headed for law school, you are a pre-law student. Take advantage of the pre-law opportunities in your area. If you have a pre-law advisor at your community college, they may provide you with pre-law event announcements, but if not, contact your future transfer pre-law advisor and see if they can include you on their announcements. Depending on the university and program, many transfer schools will allow you as a future transfer student to attend events that are appropriate for freshmen and sophomores, such as Pre-Law Day, pre-law club events, law school caravans, and diversity in the law seminars, and in some cases even LSAT practice exam workshops and law school preview days. Attending events and meeting other prelaw students can also help finalize your choice of transfer school, if you were unsure. In the end, this contact prior to transfer is a win-win. You have an easier transition to the transfer university, and the transfer university’s pre-law program gains a well-informed transfer student who does not fall into the “transfer gap�.
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
LET’S
BY THE HONORABLE JAVIER E. VARGAS
There are some concepts most of us take for granted, like “networking” or “hobnobbing,” that may require explanations for a high school or college student to understand. By contrast, “mentorship,” to many young people, is perhaps a familiar concept. Mentorship typically refers to the arrangement whereby experienced professionals teach, educate or simply impart wisdom on less experienced persons. While requiring an open mind, providing effective mentorship is less labor-intensive than you might think. In many ways, the mentor’s willingness to welcome his or her mentee with open arms is often the key to establishing and maintaining a fruitful mentor-mentee relationship. “Welcome to my chambers.” “Welcome to my courtroom.” “Welcome to my office.” “Welcome to this law firm.” “Welcome to this law 74
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school.” Opening one’s workplace to a mentee means showing them an environment with which they would not otherwise be familiar or have an opportunity to visit. The mentees, especially students of color and those from socioeconomically distressed families, need the exposure to what transpires in various legal settings, why things work the way they do, and how it fits into the greater legal system. This is what I have been accomplishing in my courtroom through my participation in the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Law School-Sí Se Puede Program (LSSSP), which is a national program conceived in the State of Colorado by the Federal District Court Judge Christine Arguello. LSSSP is a long-term program designed to prepare college students, named Fellows, from diverse backgrounds to
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
be strong candidates to attend the nation’s best law schools. In New York, we have extended our focus to include high school students, so as to address the pipeline issues at the source. Each team consists of three mentors, overseen by a judge presiding over a Court in the region of the Fellow’s residence, and it includes two attorneys and one law student who are assigned to each Fellow. The entire team is expected to make a four-year commitment to guide, coach, and assist each Fellow. I have given courtroom tours, invited students to sit in on proceedings, given them tasks and encouraged them to ask questions. Believe me, it does not take a long time or much effort to do this. The gratitude expressed by the mentees is the best payout and extremely fulfilling. In addition to LSSSP, a multitude of other opportunities exits for students to receive mentoring such as the HNBA/MetLife Mentoring program in which MetLife hosts and/or sponsors Speed Mentoring sessions and other mentoring forums. Speed Mentoring exposes the mentee to six-minute conversations with multiple attorneys. Mentees are encouraged to ask questions about the attorney’s experience as well as to seek common points
of interests or background in order to build a rapport with the attorney. But what if a student is reading this and does not readily have access to these types of programs? How is a mentee to find a mentor – a willing participant for this exchange of information? Mentees would perhaps have to know the ropes—and perhaps courage—to identify and reach out to other professionals. If they are aware of the type of law they would like to practice, the search process may perhaps be less daunting. They could ask professors, family and friends for suggestions or simply run an Internet search for particular areas of expertise or attorneys. Attorneys and judges are very often willing to speak with mentees over the telephone, have coffee or lunch, or invite them to their office or courtroom. This is often the easiest for the very busy professional and the most fulfilling for the mentee. Mentors are also encouraged to connect mentees with their peers to expand this educational opportunity. So when you’re thinking of what “mentoring” means, think of someone simply saying “welcome.” Providing young people with positive exposure to our profession is much easier than you may think. WINTER/SPRING 2017
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MONEY MATTERS
FREE COFFEE PAY$ FOR LAW SCHOOL
BY MATTHEW NIZIOL
Every Financial Aid Advisor says that if you buy one less coffee per week at Starbucks you will save enough money to pay for law school! True? Maybe. But “Starting to Save Now” is the one unbending rule of financing law school that applies to students from college freshmen to post-grads! Law school is a huge financial investment in your future and it can be overwhelming. Financial planning is preventative. If you ignore it now; you’ll pay for it later. CLEO, The LSAC, and university financial aid offices do more than list scholarship sites, they can help you plan for the costs of your education. Meet with a Financial Aid advisor and make separate Cost of Education plans for undergraduate studies and law school. Then identify the ways you can begin paying for your 76
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education: scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, internships, off-campus jobs, family support. FRESHMEN: First-things-First. #GPA is the currency of the classroom and the Business Office. Scholarships will find students with high G.P.A. every semester. The best thing a freshmen can do is perform well in class and ask for letters of recommendation from your professors. Invest in the #freemoney for undergraduate students (scholarships & fellowships) and save your money for law school. Law school scholarships place significant weight on your academic record and LSAT score. So, start now with a strong G.P.A.
MONEY MATTERS SOPHOMORES: If you want to live like a lawyer after law school . . . then live like a student at school! Student debt and damaged credit histories before law school can make financing law school difficult. It is time to run your credit report and start rehabilitating any problems you find there. According to the LSAC, many law students are borrowing more than $100,000 to finance law school. Your #credithistory will be extremely important when requesting a loan. Tip: Loan repayment/forgiveness can be as valuable as a scholarship, if you are planning on a public interest/public service career. Ask your financial aid advisor about forgiveness plans, VA Benefits, and Educational Awards from AmeriCorps and other National Service programs.
law school even if you do not receive a financial aid package. If you have been working after graduation, consider: • income-sensitive
repayment options that adjusts your monthly loan payments according to your income; and,
• loan
payment deferment while you are in law school (you won’t have to pay your college loan/s while you are in law school). Acceptance to a law school you can't afford can be more depressing than an Inbox full of rejections.
JUNIORS: Are you ready for the cost of "acceptance" and "rejection"? The law school application process is too expensive to ignore! Rank possible law schools and total their application fees for an estimate of your initial expenses. Ask schools about Fee Waivers to avoid application costs and to save on application expenses. The bills start accumulating before you even get accepted - including the travel and hotel costs associated with visiting your top schools and the cost of rejections letters. It is also time to start preparing for the #LSAT. Before you pay for expensive prep courses, try using the free online materials provided by LSAC and CLEO. Tip: To save travel costs, take an online tour of the law school whenever possible. SENIORS & POST-GRADS: It is time to finalize your documents. Too often students think Financial Aid offices process paperwork overnight. Not true. Help their staff help you by completing all of your documents thoroughly and submitting them as early as possible. Be careful not to commit to a school that you cannot afford. Remember that the Binding Admissions process assumes you will attend that
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MONEY MATTERS Sophomore / Junior Year:
1.5-2 YEARS BEFORE ENROLLMENT Begin researching and obtaining information on costs associated with applying to law school. Establishing a budget for: • LSAT & Credit Assembly Service(CAS) Registration Fees
Senior Year:
1 YEAR BEFORE ENROLLMENT Apply for and obtain finance specific information for your schools of interest: • Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid as soon as possible. (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Update list of schools to receive information.
• Application Fees
• Know if need and/or merit-based scholarship applications must be submitted for each school and when they become available.
• Check on application fee waiver policies for law schools
• Complete and submit scholarship applications.
• Check the Law School Admission Council’s fee waiver policy for LSAT & CAS Registration
• Once admitted, complete and submit institutional Office of Financial Aid forms ASAP.
Junior Year:
• Know Cost of Attendance Budget for each school to which you apply.
Begin researching and obtaining general information on:
• Know Financial Resource Options (may differ slightly from school to school): savings, work (not recommended first year), gifts, employment benefits, VA benefits, loans, scholarships, research or teaching assistantships in other departments, etc.
• LSAT Preparation Costs
1-1.5 YEARS BEFORE ENROLLMENT
• Cost of Attendance • Financial Aid process • Financial Resource Options • Student Debt
• Run your credit report. Request it for free at www.annualcreditreport. com. Know how negative indicators will affect your financial aid eligibility.
• Starting Salaries for Lawyers (Various employment sectors and geographic regions.)
• Set a budget and plan for making school visits.
• Legal Employment Outlook
• Plan for paying a seat deposit. Typically due beginning in April.
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MONEY MATTERS Senior Year:
Senior Year:
Financial aid process should be well under way. You have applied for and have specific information on schools to which you are being admitted:
Financial aid process should be completed and you are making final arrangements for disbursement of aid.
• Know updated Cost of Attendance Budget for each school to which you have been admitted for your first year of enrollment.
• Sign and return promissory notes.
1 YEAR BEFORE ENROLLMENT
• Know if you have been selected for verification by offices of financial aid. Submit the required paperwork as soon as possible. If you are selected for verification your award letter will not be generated until you complete verification. • Review financial aid award letters (loan information) from offices of financial aid. Know what you are being offered and the differences between the loans. • Review scholarship award letters (if offered). Know conditions of scholarship awards—especially for renewable or multiyear awards. • Accept awards formally for financial aid package, and if offered, scholarship award for the school in which you will enroll. • Know when to expect promissory notes and/or documentation to complete for scholarship disbursement. • If necessary, set a budget and plan for moving to location of law school. Remember, financial aid support does not include this expense.
½ YEAR BEFORE ENROLLMENT
• Complete and return documentation for scholarship disbursement (if necessary). • Complete loan orientation (an institutional requirement usually done online). • Know disbursement date for loans and scholarships. You may need to make arrangements for book and supplies purchases if disbursement does not happen until after first day of class. • Make arrangements for direct/electronic deposit of aid disbursements--if available. This is a sample financial aid timeline parallel to an admissions process time line presuming enrollment in the fall as a full time student.
Follow this financial advice today so that you can be successful in law school tomorrow.
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STRATEGY FOR FINANCING A LEGAL EDUCATION: Set A Financial Plan for the Long Term Investment in Yourself BY REYES AGUILAR
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MONEY MATTERS Financial matters will play an important role in your preparation for law school. Earning a law degree is a pursuit worth the investment-if you approach meeting the costs associated with attending law school as part of a financial plan for the long term. Developing your strategy for this financial plan will require research, resource acquisition, wise resource allocation, and due diligence. This will take time and oblige you to be active in taking control over the planning the financing of your legal education. Similar to the law school experience, financing your legal education is a proactive endeavor.
in U.S. News & World Report-Ranking and Reviews. It is worth noting these debt figures reflect borrowing only for law school.
employment rate is 61.3% when looking at 2013 graduates who were in those full-time positions that required passing a bar exam.
The salaries of the most recent graduating class can be viewed as one of the early dividends in the long-term investment of a legal education. The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) has a helpful website for looking at this data: www.nalp.org/research. NALP reports that the national median salary for lawyers who graduated in 2013 was $62,467 and the
While the data above is helpful in gauging some costs and salaries associated with attending law school, the information does not give a full measure of the expenses one will incur. The full cost of earning a law degree can be viewed in three parts: 1) the application process; 2) the period of enrollment; and 3) the year of licensing.
Understand the Total Costs Associated With Financing A Law Degree I’ll state the obvious: A legal education is expensive. Based on American Bar Association data, in 2014-2015 the national average for law school tuition was nearly $24,500 for residents at state supported law schools, $38,006 for non-residents at state supported schools, and $42,512 for private schools. Moreover, the national average debt for 2014 graduates of public law schools was $88,884 and the average for graduates of private law schools, was just over $127,000, as reported
overall employment rate was 84.5%. These statistics reflect the salary and employment rate information for all the Class of 2013 graduates who reported this information and it is for all types of employment--not just law practice. There is another important statistic, however, that reflects the employment rate for members of the Class of 2013 who are working in positions that are full-time and require the employee to have passed the bar exam. That
1. The Application Process The admissions process will include costs for registering for the LSAT and subscribing for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). There will also be LSAT preparation and campus visits as well as moving expenses. The fixed costs of applying to law school are LSAT registration, CAS, Law School Reports, and individual law school application fees. These costs can easily approach $1,000--depending on the number of law school to which one will apply. The variable expenses in the application process will include things like LSAT preparation, campus visits, seat deposits and moving expenses if you are relocating to attend law school. These particular costs can vary widely depending on a number of factors, but I think it is reasonable to consider a range of these costs to be $1,000$2,500. This is not an WINTER/SPRING 2017
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will make it easier to compare data from school-to-school. All the documents are in the same format and it is required to be “posted conspicuously and in 1. The Period of Enrollment a readily accessible location”. The same is true for the period This data for all ABA approved of your enrollment. The law school can also be obtained three basic questions to ask from the ABA’s website: www. when starting the process of abarequireddisclosures.org comparing the cost of individual law schools are: a) what is the 2. The Year of Licensing total cost of attendance; b) After you graduate there are what is the tuition portion of still expenses you will incur that cost of attendance; and c) to get licensed and prepare what is most recent graduating for practice. This will include class’s average debt. These are bar exam registration and starting point questions you can preparation, licensing fee build on based on your financial once you pass the bar, moving situation. expenses, updating technology, and entering repayment on There is a helpful data source your student loans. As part of for this information: the ABA this process, it is important to Standard 509 disclosures. All know that most government and ABA accredited law schools public service organizations are must post this document on not able to hire new attorneys their websites. This document 82
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until the they have passed the bar and been sworn-in. For some large jurisdictions this can take up to nine months after graduation. While some firms and organization do provide help with some of these costs, it is important to prepare for meeting those expenses on your own, if necessary. Early in this process you need to also consider your debt aversion. This is similar to deciding on a level of risk aversion one contemplates when considering stocks in which to invest. As you consider law school, know the level of debt to which you are willing expose yourself. Then balance that with the employment and salary data as well as the essential elements for your job satisfaction and long term earning potential. A general understanding of what
© ALPHASPIRIT | DREAMSTIME.COM - MONEY AND SUCCESS PHOTO
all-inclusive list. You will need to take time and consider the costs you will incur associated with applying to law school
MONEY MATTERS the costs (debt) and benefits (earnings and job satisfaction) are is essential in determining if attending law school is the right route for you.
Resources Acquisition Once you have identified the costs associated with financing a law degree, you will need to work on finding the resources to meet those costs. Gather information, do the research, and set aside the time necessary to develop this part of your plan. These resources come in a variety of forms that may include: loans, scholarships, work-study, VA Benefits, wages, employment benefits, gifts, and savings. Helpful website links for information on financial aid generally and loan programs in particular are below: Law School Admission Council www.lsac.org/jd/financing-law-school/financial-aidoverview
Heather Jarvis Student Loan Expert www.askheatherjarvis.com
Student Loan Borrower Assistance www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org
Federal Student Aid www.Studentloans.gov
GET THE DETAILS Once you receive offers of admission, you will need to sort through your choices and come to a decision about the school that is right for you. As part of that process, you need to get detailed information about your financial aid packages, student debt and employment to plan for your next three years of law school costs and gauge the feasibility of the investment paying long-term dividends. Tuition and other education related costs change from year to year. Don’t rely exclusively on the general information you gathered earlier to determine what your package would be for the next school year. Know the elements of the cost of attendance budget (tuition, books, technology, room & board, travel, and miscellaneous) and understand what changed from the previous year. These costs will vary from school-to-school and studentto-student. For scholarships, know the details of the award and understand conditions that must be met to maintain an award. It is often the case that renewable or multi-year scholarships require a minimum GPA or class standing. GPA distributions vary greatly so it is important to know what percentile ranking a required GPA has so you can understand the relative standard you will be held to in maintaining your eligibility for the scholarship.
If you will be borrowing student loans, salaries should be considered as a resource in repaying those loans. While one should certainly look to those early employment rates and salaries statistics, also consider the other things that matter most to you. Compare that with the areas of practice or the types of jobs skills developed in law school that would best suit you. Then look at the salaries and employment rates in those fields. Be sure to include both the early-career information as well as mid-career data. The law schools’ career services offices and the NALP website will be helpful resources.
EXERCISE PRUDENCE Be wary of debt. It is essential that you acquire debt in a prudent manner and at a reasonable level. Education related debt can be sensible, but too often there is over reliance on loans-especially credit cards or other consumer debt. Know that law school WINTER/SPRING 2017
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MONEY MATTERS graduates are subjected to credit checks and review of their financial history as part of the character and fitness evaluations they go through when applying for bar admission. It is important to comprehend the expenses of attending law school. Before simply deciding whether or not to enter law school based on cost alone, get the full picture. For some it may be too high a financial cost. However, do consider the other things that matter most to you in entering a profession that will fulfill you. This may include essential elements that are hard to measure in gauging job satisfaction. Some of these elements may include independence, making a difference in the lives of others, long-term earning potential, civic engagement, and others. You get to make the list. It is necessary to weigh employment and salary data, but include more than just the at-graduation and nine months after graduation data. Remember this is a long-term plan you’re a constructing. w
C O MMIT T ED TO
EXCELLENCE Law students receive unparalleled skills training and graduate practice-ready. • #1 in July 2015 Virginia Bar passage* • A top 20 school for public defenders and prosecutors** • Ranked 9th in the nation in Moot Court program • Honor Roll award — Best school for practical training*** *Virginia first-time test takers as defined by the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners **Winter 2016 preLaw magazine ***February 2016 The National Jurist
LIBERTY.EDU/LAW | LAWADMISSIONS@LIBERTY.EDU | (434) 592-5300 | /LULAWSCHOOL
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SPOTLIGHT
Q&a Carlos Orbe
COLLEGE SCHOLAR
Each year we spotlight one of our CLEO law student scholars to find out more about their CLEO journey and future goals.
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SPOTLIGHT Q How did you find out about CLEO? CLEO was made available to me once I became a member of the Lawbound Scholars PRLDEF program affiliated with Latino Justice. It was after joining I was able to see how involved CLEO is with Hispanics not only in New York but also across the United States.
Q When did you realize you wanted to attend law school? Since childhood, through close friends, I have been exposed to the immigration system and the process of deportation. I have seen people, primarily Hispanics, be violated from a system that was meant to serve and protect. It was only after my volunteer year, through Americorps, working with poverty-stricken High School students, whom inspired me to truly fight for those without a voice. It was the realization of becoming a lawyer that I can show through example that my people are meant for greater things.
Q What did you learn during the various CLEO programs Through Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT, one of the many CLEO programs catered to specific age ranges, we were able to get a great introduction to the realm of study prep. This specific course was geared towards networking and establishing a foundation for critical reading and writing skills vital to a great score on the LSAT. As a clueless student wanting to go to law school this truly made me shift my study regime and focus on particular areas I needed more focus in.
Q How has the CLEO programs influenced your preparation for law school? First, law school has always been a dream that never truly seemed possible given my financial situation; however, looking for opportunities through programs such as CLEO removed the veil of this illusion. It is through them I now know I could be a top contender in law school with the programs readily available. They have explained the different realms of law and how they can impact others like yourself. It is through CLEO I was able to meet actual law school admissions staff and see what they are really looking for in applicants. They introduced me to top LSAT prep tutors that have valuable experience to give their students and ways to contact other attorneys in fields you want to achieve success in.
Q Select one of the CLEO programs you attended. What portion of that program was most beneficial to you and why? The one CLEO program that stood out for me was the Achieving Success in the Application Process (ASAP). In this program we were able to speak with actual lawyers in the NY area and discuss our law school application process with actual law school admissions staff. A panel of students, ranging from 1st years to 3rd years, was made available for questioning and went above and beyond with their responses. We were able to discuss financial planning with reputable law school representatives and decide on a course of action given our individual circumstance.
Q Do you plan to attend any future CLEO events? The beauty about CLEO is they always offer programs that make you want to return and learn more. Once I am accepted into law school, I hope to attend the prep class they have available in which students can get a real life simulation of a class experience with actual professors. This was added so students may in fact achieve success in their first year and not be intimidated by the course curriculum. As an aspiring lawyer this provides much reassurance, as we have been breed to fear the first year course load.
Q Do you have any advice for other aspiring lawyers? My advice for aspiring law students is to truly get to know yourself. Get to know your ambition and what you’re willing to fight for. It is through the hours of studying and the application process I feel I have emerged a brand new person. It doesn’t matter what set of gifts/ talents were bestowed upon you at birth to make it into law school but the sheer ambition and determination that gets you there. Enjoy the ride of getting into this profession so that one day you may give back not only to your fellow Latino but your fellow man.
Q Do you have any additional comments about CLEO? During the program CLEO provides a clear outlook on what is to be expected from a successful student post workshop. If you are not ready they encourage you to take time for yourself and truly see if the law profession is for you. It was through this advice I realized what it was I truly wanted out of my law degree. This program opens doors that I never imagined could be opened for me.
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SPOTLIGHT
Q&a
Ashley Williams L AW S T U D E N T SCHOLAR
Q. What was your course of study in college at UCLA? I attended UCLA. My major was Sociology with a minor in Education.
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing law? I knew I wanted to go to law school when I got into the Law Magnet Program at Dorsey High School. I was also fueled by the fact that in my experience as a foster youth, there were few lawyers who effectively advocated on my behalf and my life was severely impacted because of it. Those experiences fueled my passion to become a lawyer that adequately represented the voice of foster youth.
were successful lawyers. Once I made up my mind, I began planning. I applied for the Sidley Austin Diversity Scholarship and the UCLA Law Fellows Program, which paid for my LSAT prep. After graduating from UCLA in 2012, I became a Justice Corps Fellow for one year at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, where I worked in the Resource Self-Help Center. There, I educated litigants and helped them fill out paperwork regarding their legal issues. I also taught workshops for family court matters and worked with the Domestic Violence Clinic. Then, I participated in the CLEO ASAP and Pre-Law Summer Program.
Q. How did you find out about CLEO? From my mentor, Judge Karen Ackerson-Brazil-Gauff.
Q. What steps did you take to prepare for law school?
Q. What benefits did you receive by participating in the CLEO programs?
Because I grew up in the foster care system, I was first on the social work path while at UCLA, but I woke up one morning and said to myself “stop running from law school!� I was fearful of law school because I did not think I could do well, and because I did not know people of color who
I first attended the Achieving Success in the Application Process (ASAP) at Whittier Law School, where my mentor was the guest speaker. I was really motivated by that program on how to successfully apply for law school and tackle the LSAT. I loved the panel of current law students
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SPOTLIGHT as well as the first-hand knowledge we received from members of the LSAC Board [and law school admission staff]. Then, I participated in the CLEO Pre-Law summer program at Georgia State University in Atlanta, where I studied legal writing, criminal law, contract law, and race and the law. The program really helped me prepare for law school because we had actual required readings and class discussions just like law students, we were expected to know the material cold by the time we got to class, and we were able to get the feel of what it meant to really study in law school and take a final exam. I loved that the professors did not treat us any different from actual law students. By the time I left, I was confident that I was ready for law school.
Q. What helped you cope with the stress of law school? Time management. I think most people get stressed out because they do not organize their time properly and efficiently. I also reached out to upperclassman for advice when I was worried about certain classes and struggling with understanding material. It is also important to get some kind of exercise, or listen to music, or have something you can do to keep you grounded.
Q. After law school, what are your legal career plans? I plan to work for Children’s Law Center, representing minors in the Dependency and Juvenile Delinquency system. My end goal is to obtain a Judgeship in the Dependency court.
Q. What are you doing presently? Currently, I am a Law Clerk at the Children’s Law Center. As I go into my last year of law school, I will continue to work as a caw clerk until graduation.
Q. Do you volunteer with any legal organizations? I have volunteered with many organizations, such as the Teen Court Program, SHADES Program, Neighborhood Legal Services, One Justice Clinic, Southwestern’s Public Interest Law Committee, and Dennis Cook LLP Adoption Agency.
Q. Do you have any advice for future lawyers?
it is okay to be a product of your own environment - just as long as you use it to the best of your advantage and achieve greatness and know there are opportunities to improve your life. Continue to seek mentors throughout your journey because there are so many people out there who are willing to help you, but you have to want it for yourself. Do not feel like you have to know exactly what area of law you want to do, it is okay to explore many areas of the legal field. I have worked in Family law as a Justice Corps Fellow. My first summer at Southwestern Law School, I volunteered as a clerk for Judge Harry Pregerson of the Ninth Circuit and then did a Judicial Externship his chambers. Last summer, I worked on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Karen Bass and wrote a policy report on issues in the foster care system. I realized that I was not as passionate about the Court of Appeals and working in D.C. on Capitol Hill. So this summer, I am working at a non-profit law firm representing children, so it is okay to move around a bit.
Q. What is your favorite motivational quote?
“A successful [wo]man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” --David Brinkley †
“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life--think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” - Swami Vivekananda
Q. Anything else you’d like to add? If I can grow up in the foster care system, live in 36 foster homes and attend 26 schools by the time I reached high school, and then graduate from UCLA and complete law school… So can you. Just think of what lights fire in your soul, and work towards it every single day.
I would tell future lawyers, especially people of color, that
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“If I had to do it over again, I would (attend the University of Idaho) without hesitation. The quality of life here, the atmosphere and the people bring great joy. This is a community and a family.” Nii-Amaa Ollennu ’15 Nii Amaa Ollennu Law Firm, PLLC McKinney, TX
The University of Idaho College of Law is among the best small state public law schools in the U.S. Recognized by preLaw Magazine as a Best Value law school, we emphasize quality over quantity. With an average enrollment of about 300 students, we guarantee the personal attention each student deserves. Our diverse selection of student organizations, which provide both extracurricular and co-curricular activities, includes: Latino Law Caucus, Multicultural Law Caucus, Native American Law Students Association and Women’s Law Caucus.
uidaho.edu/ui-law
The CLEO Legally Inspired College Kohorts of Students (CLICKS) is a multi-state mentoring initiative that empowers underserved students (primarily 9th – 11th grade) through structured mentorship and increased knowledge of LAW, SPORTS, and HEALTH-related professions. This FREE program provides:
MENTORING TOMORROW'S LEADERS Why Mentor High School Students? Most highly successful adults have had four to five mentors in their professional life. On the job and in their community organizations, mentors play important roles in the lives of their mentees. Whether it’s career advice, personal concerns, or navigating life – a good mentor can help pave the way for success! To support and/or get involved with CLICKS in any of our five areas:
Illinois / Maryland / New York / Northern Virginia / Washington, DC
• Group activities to enhance college/career readiness • Opportunities to attend sporting events and training camps • Monthly field trips and outings to provide careeroriented exposure • Mentor/Mentee networking events, such as: bowling, video game tournaments, basketball and other team challenges, and more! With the expectation that all CLICKS mentees will enroll in college, mentors play a critical role by: 1. Enhancing Life Skills 2. Encouraging Academic Readiness 3. Reducing Negative Behaviors 4. Modeling Appropriate Behavior 5. Increasing Self Esteem 6. Exploring Career Options
MORE INFO: INFO@CLICKSMENTORING.ORG WWW.CLICKSMENTORING.ORG
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Juvenile JusticeWINTER/SPRING and Delinquency2017 Prevention
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Educating the world’s lawyers for 130 years in a diverse community and a dynamic city
· Over 100 course offerings, 16 clinics, 11 student journals and over 30 student organizations · A network that includes 850 African American and 2,100 Hispanic alumni · Competitive tuition rates translate to an affordable education from a premier law school
www.law.utexas.edu
512-232-1200
“ The University of Texas is the best place in the country to be a law student. The academic program is top of the line, there are unbeatable chances for clinical learning and internships, and it all happens in Austin, one of the fastest-growing and most interesting cities in America.” – Dean Ward Farnsworth
admissions@law.utexas.edu
follow us on twitter @txlawadmissions
PROGRAMS ROAD TO LAW SCHOOL Learn about the law school admissions process and be exposed to topics such as: analytical reasoning and logic critical reading and writing mock admissions college curriculum choices financial planning for law school
SOPHOMORE SUPER SATURDAYS
JUNIORS JUMPSTART THE LSAT
While there are no prerequisite courses for law school applicants, there are important skills that you will need. These seminars will help you improve analytical and logical reasoning abilities, reading comprehension, and writing skills, which are tested by the LSAT and considered essential to success in law school.
How do LSAT scores impact your law school admission? This program exposes students to various LSAT preparation strategies that can help them improve and achieve competitive scores. Students are administered practice LSATs and taught the benefits of systematic and disciplined LSAT preparation.
The above three programs will happen simultaneously at the following locations and dates in 2016-2017:
SEPTEMBER – Fort Worth, TX
JANUARY – San Francisco, CA
OCTOBER – Chicago, IL
FEBRUARY – Atlanta, GA
NOVEMBER – New York, NY
MARCH – Washington, D.C.
ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS (ASAP) This regional program provides college juniors, seniors and post-graduate students with the tolls they need to become competitive law school applicants and exposes them to all aspects of the application process, including: selecting a law school
CLEO CONNECTION Register for CLEO CONNECTION which engages pre-law students in a lively, in-person discussion with peers, law school faculty, and attorneys in order to enhance the student’s social perspective on the law school application process and law school success. The CLEO CONNECTION will help students make “real connections” to the road to law school.
drafting personal statements preparation strategies the impact of the LSAT and GPA on applications early acceptance programs debt management selecting sources for letters of recommendation common mistakes committed by law school applicants
For future dates and locations as well as to register and apply for these programs, please visit
www.cleoinc.org. WINTER/SPRING 2017
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
CLEO RECEIVES GRANT FOR PILOT PROGRAM
CLIC Provides New Path to Diversity in the Legal Profession BY BERNETTA J. HAYES
“My participation in the CLIC program…empowered me to [pursue] my dreams despite my humble upbringing, language, and cultural background differences. It was an incredible learning experience to socialize with others from diverse backgrounds…I will take this experience with me to law school in order to remind myself that I am not alone in my journey to success,” -LETICIA AREVALO, one of 20 participants in CLEO’s newest program, CLEO Legally Inspired Cohort or CLIC Arevalo, who will attend the University of Idaho College of Law, joined 19 other students during the summer of 2016 to participate in a six-week program--just one aspect of a year-long pilot project to help minorities join the legal profession. The summer program consisted of:
`` a week-long online session to help students read more analytically;
`` a four-week residential segment at Drake University
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Law School during CLEO’s Pre-Law Summer Institute to prepare them for the first year of law school; and
`` a four-day seminar also at Drake University to hone their professional skills for the transition to law school. In November 2015, CLEO received a $125,000 grant from the Access Group Center for Research & Policy Analysis, a non-profit organization that “promotes broad access, affordability and the value of legal education,” to pilot a program that would increase access to law school for traditionally underrepresented students. CLIC,
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
CLEO’s experimental program, tests the hypothesis that diverse law students are more likely to succeed if they are prepared and provided a welcoming and supportive community. The students known as CLIC Scholars will participate in the one-year program which includes matriculating at four well-regarded law schools: Drake University Law School; the University of Idaho College of Law; Mitchell Hamline School of Law; and Vermont Law School. “CLEO has long held the notion that prepared diverse students make successful lawyers. This grant will give us a chance to present our case, while providing more opportunities for highly motivated students to obtain a good legal education,” said Cassandra Sneed Ogden, CEO of CLEO, Inc. The four law schools will each enroll up to five students who successfully completed the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute and the CLIC four-day seminar. The students worked together to sharpen their skills to be ready for law school this fall. Once enrolled in law school, the CLIC Scholars will receive continuous academic, financial, and other services from both CLEO and the partner law schools during the first year of study. Other components of the project are:
`` mentoring provided by third-year law students and the National CLIC Coordinator
`` fall webinar focusing on test-taking skills `` mid-winter academic enhancement seminar `` substantive externships at the end of the first year of law school “The Access Group Center for Research & Policy Analysis is pleased to award the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. a $125,000 Legal Education Diversity Pipeline Grant to support their Legally Inspired Cohort (CLIC). Access Group is committed to funding innovative programs that share the same goal—improving access to legal education,” said Christopher P. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of Access Group. According to law student Ayinde Ashford who will attend Drake University Law School, “Being a participant in the CLIC program has allowed me the opportunity to be connected with like-minded people trying to accomplish the same thing. There’s strength in being linked to a community of people that look like you as a minority on a similar journey…For this I’m thankful.” For more information about the CLIC Project, visit
cleoinc.org/clic
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*COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE— A TIMELINE Want to know how to get ready for college? Make sure you graduate from high school. Start preparing as early as your freshman year. Take required and challenging courses in high school. The College Board recommends creating a sound educational portfolio (selection) by taking at least five solid academic classes every semester. Do your best every day in your classes and try to get good grades. And while every school district has its own criteria, the following classes are standard for success in high school and beyond: `` ``
English Math
`` ``
Science Social Studies
`` ``
Foreign Language The Arts
``
Computer Science
Also consider taking Advanced Placement (AP) and Independent Study classes that can help you get started early on college credit.
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SECONDARY SCHOOL
9TH GRADE
11TH GRADE
12TH GRADE
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Plan for the year ahead by meeting with your guidance counselor and your mentor to sign up for challenging classes.
``
Explore careers and `` their earning potential in the Occupational Outlook Handbook at www.bls.gov/oco.
``
Start planning for college and thinking about your career. interests. At https://studentaid. ed.gov/sa/fafsa you can register with MYFSA (My Federal Student Aid) and research your career and college options.
``
Go to college fairs and collegepreparation presentations by college representatives.
``
Log on to your MyFSA account at https://studentaid.ed.gov/ `` sa/fafsa and look at the information for any colleges you saved if you completed the College Matching Wizard in the past. Try college search again if you’ve changed your `` mind about what you want from a school.
``
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Consider participating in academic enrichment programs, summer workshops, and camps with specialty focuses such as music arts, law, and science. Make a list of your awards, honors, paid or volunteer work, and extracurricular activities.
``
10TH GRADE ``
``
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Meet with your school guidance counselor or mentor to discuss colleges and their requirements. You can find a list of colleges online at http:// www.a2zcolleges.com and http:// www.50states.com/college.
``
Consider taking a practice Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or the PLAN exam, the pre-ACT test. Use your summer wisely: work, volunteer, or take a summer course (either away or at a local college).
``
Attend career information events to get a more detailed look at career options.
``
Log on to your MyFSA account at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ fafsa and try the Career Finder, or look at your career search results in the Career Finder.
``
Learn the difference between grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships at www.StudentAid. gov.
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In the fall, take the PSAT/ NMSQT. Register for all tests in advance and be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare. If you have difficulty paying a registration fee, contact your school counselor about getting a fee waiver. In the spring, register for and take exams for college admission. The tests many colleges require are the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT. Check with the colleges you are interested in to determine what tests they require. Get in-depth information on federal student aid programs, scholarships, and more at www.federalStudentAid. ed.gov. Be sure to check deadlines.
During the summer before the 12th grade, narrow down the list of colleges you are interested in attending and contact them to request information about financial aid and deadlines, as well as an application for admission. Visit the schools that interest you, if you can. Decide whether you’re going to apply under a particular college’s early decision or early action program. Check the program deadlines and requirements. Work hard all year; secondsemester grades can affect scholarship eligibility.
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Stay involved in after-school activities, and seek leadership roles as much as possible.
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By fall, meet with your counselor to make sure you’re on tap to graduate.
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Take all standardized tests that are required for college admission.
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Apply to colleges you have chosen.
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Before application deadlines, ask your counselor or teachers for letters of recommendation and other required documents.
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As soon after January 1, as possible, complete and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
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In the spring, visit colleges that invited you to enroll.
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Review your college acceptances and compare the college’s financial aid packages.
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Once you’ve decided the college or university you want to attend, notify that school of your commitment and submit any required financial deposit. Many schools require this notification and deposit by May 1.
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Graduate. Congratulations! You are now on the Road to Law School!
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SECONDARY SCHOOL Every Year in High School ``
Work hard in school.
RESOURCES AND SUGGESTED LINKS
``
Review and, if necessary, revise your course plan for high school. Talk to your school counselor to make sure the courses you choose keep you on track for graduation and prepare you for college. Use your electives to explore your interests.
www.knowhow2go.org – suggested actions to take when you begin thinking about college
Get involved. Volunteer in your community, play sports, or join clubs. Getting involved will help you explore your interests and get you started on meeting the community service graduation requirement. Plus, many scholarships require students to demonstrate a history of community service. Keep a list of your extracurricular activities, as well as any awards or recognition you receive — you will need this information for college applications and for many financial aid opportunities.
www.collegeboard.com/student/plan
``
``
Work with your parents to keep your financial information updated and save for college.
www.StudentAid.gov – commonly asked questions and answers about college
www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/33.html college board www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov - federal financial aid information *Adapted from the Department of Education’s “College Preparation Checklist” and the College Board. For more information about CLEO’s high school programs, including the CLICKS Mentoring Program, contact: Bernetta J. Hayes - bhayes@cleoinc.org
Temple Lawyers Are Advocates They are global voices, problem solvers and community leaders whose impact is felt wherever they go.
OUR FACULTY
OUR STUDENTS
bring the wisdom of their experience to dynamic classrooms and innuential scholarship.
Temple University Beasley School of Law
OUR GRADUATES
have an unique mix of passion and preparation, and are focused, driven, empowered and prepared to lead.
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inspire conndence in colleagues and clients with their professionalism, integrity, diligence, and skill.
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Committed to Diversity and the World of Ideas
“There’s no formula that we can teach people so that they are good lawyers; instead, we teach them how to think rigorously and flexibly.” -Geoffrey R. Stone, Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law
Diversity and inclusion matter at UChicago Law. Our students revel in the free exchange of ideas and look for opportunities to grow, participating in our innovative clinics and active student organizations, pursuing research and other learning opportunities, and collaborating with our engaged faculty. Ours is a community of lifelong learners who are invested in their education and developing friendships with their peers.
www.law.uchicago.edu/prospective
COLLEGE SCHOLARS
LAW SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS:
To Apply or Not to Apply...
BY TRACY L. SIMMONS, J.D. & MICHAEL J. STATES, J.D. Since Fall 2010, LSAT takers, applications to law schools, and matriculants to law schools have declined every year from the prior year. This has begged a couple of questions: 1) is it easier to get into law school these days since applications are down? 2) Can I go to law school for free or minimal cost since there are fewer applications and schools seem to have increased their scholarship budgets? These are both complex questions with multifaceted answers. We will attempt to provide general advice on how you can handle both the application and scholarship process to law school and discuss some other issues that are related to the decline in applications to law school.
Applying to Law School You may have noticed that acceptance rates have risen at some law schools. Despite this, the basic rules of the application process have not changed. And yet, there are those who believe that because law schools are accepting more of their applicants, the rules no longer apply. That is absolutely not true. Not following the instructions, deadlines, and other rules that law schools have, is a huge red flag on your law school application. You can send a message to an admission committee that you are the kind of student they would like to have, just by following their rules and instructions. Remember, as law school applications are declining, schools are reducing the size of their incoming classes at the same time. Not only is this reduction due to the decrease in applications, it’s also due to a reduction in the number of lawyers who are being hired by large law firms and other legal employers. Large law firms employ such a large number of law school graduates that when they reduced the number of new
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law graduates they were hiring, it negatively impacted the percentage of lawyers employed at graduation and nine months after graduation - the two times that the employment rate is measured. This is all to say, the law school admission process is still quite competitive and no school is going to take someone who they believe is unprofessional in their behavior and presentation. The American Bar Association, through ABA Standard 509, now requires law schools to publish information on their websites that provide you the opportunity to get more detailed information on: the number of applications a law school received; the number of students admitted; and the number who matriculated. We would suggest you view this information for every school you are applying to and get a sense of how competitive the application process is at those law schools.
Scholarships There has certainly been an increase in the amount of scholarship funds offered by law schools during the last four years. Law schools are also offering scholarships to a wider range of admitted students. This means that students who weren’t eligible for merit based awards in the past might be eligible for them now. Institutions might also have identified funds beyond merit scholarships for admitted students. These could include need based aid and grants or scholarships tied to public interest/ public service. While the chances for admitted students to receive scholarships have increased, if you receive a scholarship offer, ask the following. What are the terms for renewing the scholarship? The terms are generally
COLLEGE SCHOLARS in the scholarship offer, but if not, you should not accept any scholarship without knowing what the renewal terms are. What percentage of the class was awarded a scholarship? The answer to this question is particularly helpful if you are required to maintain a particular ranking in the class to renew the scholarship. For example, if 90% of the class is awarded a scholarship, and one has to remain in the top third of the class to retain a scholarship, most of those awarded a scholarship are going to lose it. Along the same line, ask: How many people lost their scholarship? Again, this question will give you a sense of how likely it is that you retain your scholarship. Another emerging issue in the area of scholarships is the ability to negotiate scholarship offers with different law schools. If the law school is not clear that they don’t negotiate scholarships, you can certainly ask them if they are willing to increase the award they have given you. If you are going to do this, first of all you should respectfully ask if the school is willing to increase the award. You also should be willing to share the scholarship offer letters from the other schools you have scholarship offers from. If the school is willing to negotiate scholarship offers, you are more likely to be successful in your negotiations if you behave in a professional manner during the negotiation process. You also should only negotiate an increased scholarship offer with a school if it is where you would truly like to ultimately attend.
Summary The bottom line is that if you are thinking about going to law school, you should engage in quite a bit of investigation into the legal profession and know for certain why you want to pursue a legal education. This includes researching the job market more closely by looking at websites for the American Bar Association (ABA), the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the U.S. Bureau and Labor Statistics, as well as others. Job placement after law school, while on the uptick, has not returned to pre-2010 levels. If you decide that a legal education is something you’re going to pursue, even in the face of a smaller number of applications and jobs, behaving with honesty and professionalism is more likely to lead to success in the admissions and scholarship processes. Remember that for the majority of schools, the admissions and scholarship processes are still quite competitive. Thus, applying in a timely manner, following the application instructions, answering all applicable questions on the application - including all of the supplemental information asked for - meeting all applicable deadlines, and presenting yourself as a professional at all times, makes it more likely that you will find the success that you are looking for in the admission and scholarship process. Or at least improve your chance of success.
Opportunitas.
Comprehensive experiential learning opportunities.
Named one of the Top 10 schools for public interest law by National Jurist.
Easy access to courts, jobs, and attractions in Westchester and Manhattan.
Brigham Young University Law School Preparing Students to Balance Legal Expertise with a Moral Perspective that Motivates Them to Become a Force for Good in the World
BYU Law’s solid education gave me a competitive edge in my first summer externship with other law students from top schools. — Stephanie Cotton-Betteridge ‘16 BYU Law provided me with a oneof-a-kind professional network of alumni, professors, and friends of the Law School. — Miriam Allred ‘17
COLLEGE SCHOLARS
CONQUERING
THE LSAT IN 4 STEPS BY BERNIE CHIMNER
STEP 1: TAKE A PRACTICE TEST
Why? A practice exam will orient you to the basic format and timing of the exam. Science shows that by taking a first exam, your brain will be “primed” for further studying. After you’ve finished the exam, determine what score you’ll need and set up a schedule for future studying. A simple rule: expect to study about a minimum of a week per point of desired improvement. So if you need 5 points, plan to study intensively for at least 5 weeks. How? Download the practice LSAT exam from lsac.org, find three hours and a quiet spot. (Turn off your phone while you take the exam to make the test conditions as realistic as possible.) Time yourself strictly using the timing listed at the top of each section (each section is allotted 35 minutes). Use a standard #2 pencil (no mechanical pencils or pens are allowed in the real exam!).
STEP 2: WORK THROUGH OFFICIAL LSAT SUPERPREP OR OFFICIAL LSAT SUPERPREP II Why? You’re crafting an understanding of what makes answers right and wrong. You’ll also begin to understand how to approach the analytical reasoning (logic games) section of the exam. How? Get a copy of Official LSAT SuperPrep or Official LSAT SuperPrep II (you can order them on Amazon) and begin working your way through the book. These books contain an excellent overview of all the different types of questions that can be found on the LSAT as well as strategies for answering the questions. They also include three different actual exams with explanations, directly from the exam writers! Don’t worry about trying to time anything or even about trying to identify correct answers. Just read the questions and the explanations in tandem to learn how the test writers think about the correct and incorrect answers. 104
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
STEP 3: BEGIN WORKING THROUGH UNTIMED LSAT EXAMS
Why? Speed follows from accuracy, so boosting your accuracy will boost your speed. By allowing your brain ample time to consider each question, you give your brain permission to try different approaches without the pressure of time. As you continue to practice, you’ll become faster naturally. How? Get a copy of Next 10 Real LSAT Actual, Official Preptests or 10 New Actual, Official LSAT Preptests and begin working through the exams untimed. Check your answer after every question so you can immediately assess whether your approach to that question is correct. This will allow you to reinforce good approaches and change bad approaches. Keep a log of the questions that give you trouble and come back to them periodically to review them until you understand the logic behind the correct answer. Looking to get the highest score possible? Here are two powerful study strategies from the pros:
- For logic games, do a single game multiple times right in a row. As
you redo the game, you will begin to understand its underlying deductions and you’ll be more likely to spot similar deduction in future games.
- For logical reasoning and reading comprehension: jot quick notes
about why you think each answer choice is correct/incorrect. When you get a question wrong, revisit your notes to see where you went wrong.
STEP 4: BEGIN WORKING THROUGH TIMED SECTIONS AND TIMED EXAMS
Why? After you have worked through enough untimed material to get a good understanding of the LSAT, it is important to begin preparing for the reality of test day: that the LSAT is a very strictly timed exam. Getting used to both the pressure and the limitation of 35 minutes per section is an important aspect of gearing up for the actual exam. How? Get a copy of 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests Volume V. Ideally, you should take timed exams during the same time that you’ll take your real exam. Be sure to take your exam without the distraction of your cell phone, adhere strictly to the time limit, and adhere to all the test-day restrictions -- no eating or drinking during the exam, no mechanical pencils, no digital timer. If you can, have a friend or family member keep time for you and call a warning five minutes before the end of each section just like test day. After each timed section/exam, go back the next day and take the section/exam untimed. Compare your answers when untimed to your answers when you were timed. When you went back untimed, did you get questions correct that you got wrong when you were timed? This indicates that the time pressure is causing you to make silly mistakes. Did you still miss the question when untimed? Keep a log of those questions and come back periodically to review them until you understand them. Identify the questions that give you the most trouble so you can leave them until the end on test day. **Don’t take a timed exam two days in a row; full timed LSAT exams are exhausting and you won’t be performing at your peak the second day. Good luck! WINTER/SPRING 2017
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SECONDARY SCHOOL
SUMMER READING LIST FOR THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well by Paula LaRocque Countdown to College: 21 To Do Lists for High School: StepBy-Step Strategies for 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Graders 2nd Edition by Valerie Pierce and Cheryl Rilly Emily Post’s Teen Etiquette by Elizabeth L. Post Essay Writing: Step-By-Step: A Newsweek Education Program Guide for Teens by Newsweek Education Program and Newsweek Financial Aid for… African Americans, 2014-2016 Hispanic Americans, 2014-2016 Native Americans, 2014-2016 Asian Americans, 2014-2016 by Gail Ann Schlachter and R. David Weber Get to the Top of the Class: How to Succeed in High School: Your Personalized Guide to Academic Success by Grace M. Charles How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out) by Cal Newport
Keys to Success: Building Analytical, Creative, and Practical Skills by Carol Carter, Joyce Bishop, Sarah Lyman Kravits, and Judy Block Law 101: Everything You Need to Know about the American Legal System by Jay M. Feinman Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary: Strategies for Preparing for College and Scholarships by Sharnnia Artis Ph.D. Painless Vocabulary by Michael Greenberg Reasoning Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day by LearningExpress Editors Should You Really Be A Lawyer?: The Guide To Smart Career Choices Before, During & After Law School by Deborah Schneider and Gary Belsky Speak Out! Debate and Public Speaking in the Middle Grades by John Meany and Kate Shuster
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey The Thinking Student’s Guide to College: 75 Tips for Getting a Better Education by Andrew Roberts What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy by Thomas Nagel Where’s My Stuff?: The Ultimate Teen Organizing Guide by Samantha Moss, Lesley Schwartz, and Michael Wertz Who Moved My Cheese? for Teens by Spencer Johnson Words You Should Know In High School: 1000 Essential Words To Build Vocabulary, Improve Standardized Test Scores, And Write Successful Papers by Burton Jay Nadler, Jordan Nadler, and Justin Nadler Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
The Strategic Student: Successfully Transitioning from High School to College Academics by David Cass Teen Guide to Personal Financial Management by Marjolijn Bijlefeld and Sharon K. Zoumbaris Teen Manners: From Malls to Meals to Messaging and Beyond by Cindy Post Senning, Peggy Post, and Sharon Watts WINTER/SPRING 2017
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COLLEGE SCHOLARS
SUMMER READING LIST FOR THE COLLEGE SCHOLAR/ PRE-LAW STUDENT Acing Your First Year of Law School: The Ten Steps to Success You Won’t Learn in Class by Shana Connell Noyes and Henry S. Noyes An Introduction to Legal Reasoning by Edward H. Levi The Annotated LSAT by Robert Webking Basic Legal Research: Tools And Strategies by Amy E. Sloan The Basics of Legal Writing: Revised by Mary Barnard Ray Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School: Strategies for Success by Ruta K. Stropus and Charlotte D. Taylor The Complete Law School Companion: How to Excel at America’s Most Demanding PostGraduate Curriculum by Jeffery Deaver Emily Post’s The Etiquette Advantage in Business: Personal Skills for Professional Success, Second Edition by Peggy Post and Peter Post
Expert Learning for Law Students by Michael Hunter Schwartz How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie The Law Student’s Pocket Mentor: From Surviving to Thriving (Introduction to Law) by Professor Ann L. Iijima Legal Analysis: 100 Exercises for Mastery, Practice for Every Law Student by Cassandra L. Hill and Katherine T. Vukadin The Legal Career Guide from Law Student to Lawyer by Gary A. Munneke and Ellen Wayne Looking at Law School: A Student Guide from the Society of American Law Teachers by Stephen Gillers Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Sessions You Can’t Afford to Miss by David Cottrell, Alice Adams, and Juli Baldwin
Reading Like a Lawyer: TimeSaving Strategies for Reading Law Like an Expert, Second Edition by Ruth Ann McKinney Self-Improvement 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell Strategies & Tactics for the First Year Law Student by Lazar Emanuel Succeeding in Law School by Herbert N. Ramy Time Management In an Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day by Karen Leland and Keith Bailey Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard
Plain English for Lawyers 5th Edition by Richard C. Wydick
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The legal profession has changed. So have we. Our student body is diverse with over 18% underrepresented
minorities.
Our students work with clients in their rst year and complete a
full-time practice capstone in their third year.
We offer innovative curriculum with recognized specialty areas
in health law (ranked #9); international law (ranked #11); and l technology and the arts. law, Our graduates join our extensive alumni network all over the US and the world.
We salute CLEO and are proud to be a William A. Blakey Diversity Pipeline Architect.
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CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY DALE E. FOWLER SCHOOL OF LAW The law school is located just one block from a variety of restaurants, shops and taverns in the historic Orange Circle and is just a short drive to world class beaches in Newport and
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Located on the stunning Chapman University campus in the heart of Orange County’s thriving legal and business hub, the Dale E. Fowler School of Law has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s best locations to study law. A perennial top 10 favorite for Quality of Life, the law school is well-known for its accessible faculty, collaborative student body, friendly staff and amazing location. Boasting one of the nation’s lowest student-faculty ratios, the Fowler School of Law provides a personalized legal education, blending real world skills with a broad understanding of the law and a consistent focus on professionalism. The three-year JD program is capped with a comprehensive in-house Bar preparation program that has resulted in Fowler pass rates that are among the best in the state.
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www.fcsl.edu | admissions@fcsl.edu | (904) 680-7700 ABA Accredited | Jacksonville, FL
The University of Wisconsin Law School: A Community of Opportunity •
Over 70 unique courses offered every semester
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It all adds up to… A world-class legal education in a dynamic city at a Midwestern price
For more information, please contact: Rebecca L. Scheller, Assistant Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid, 975 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706-1399 Phone: 608-262-5914 | Fax: 608-263-3190 | Email: admissions@law.wisc.edu | Web: law.wisc.edu/prospective
BECAUSE THE STATUS QUO IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE.
Consistently Ranked #1 Environmental Law School in the Country by U.S. News
We are committed to developing a generation of leaders who use the power of the law to make a difference in our communities and the world. Because the status quo is no longer acceptable. You are thinking about law school because you see the law as a powerful tool for changing the status quo. That’s the way we see it, too.
Vermont Law School | 164 Chelsea Street | PO Box 96 South Royalton, VT 05068
vermontlaw.edu/admissions
IN EVERY ISSUE
WRITING RESOURCES As a secondary school student, college student, student returning to school for a second career or first-year associate, you should continually strive to improve your writing skills. Here are several resources to help you get your point across to your reader. BOOKS 6 Keys to Writing Effectively by Robert Harris The Art of Styling Sentences by Ann Longknife, Ph.D. and K.D. Sullivan The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!: 101 Ways to Impress With Your Writing and Speaking by Arlene Miller The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well by Paula LaRocque The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus The Classic Guide to Better Writing: Step-by-Step Techniques and Exercises to Write Simply, Clearly and Correctly by Rudolf Franz Flesch Edit Yourself: A Manual for Everyone Who Works with Words by Bruce Clifford Ross-Larson The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. The Elephants of Style: A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Gray Areas of Contemporary American English by Bill Walsh Grammar Girl’s Punctuation 911: Your Guide to Writing it Right (Quick & Dirty Tips) Kindle Edition by Mignon Fogarty
Grammatically Correct by Anne Stilman
Roget’s International Thesaurus by Barbara Ann Kipfer
Gregg Reference Manual by William A. Sabin
Sentences and Paragraphs: Mastering the Two Most Important Units of Writing (The Writing Code Series Book 8) by Charles Euchner
How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them by Ben Yagoda How to Speak and Write Correctly by Joseph Devlin Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing by Claire Kehrwald Cook The Little Red Writing Book by Brandon Royal Mastering the Craft of Writing: How to Write With Clarity, Emphasis, and Style by Stephen Wilbers
Words to Write By: Putting Your Thoughts on Paper by Elaine L. Orr Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark Writing Your Way: Creating a Writing Process That Works for You by Don Fry
ONLINE RESOURCES AMA Manual of Style: www.amamanualofstyle.com
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
The Chicago Manual of Style Online: www.chicagomanualofstyle.org
The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need: A One-Stop Sources for Every Writing Assignment by Susan Thurman and Larry Shea
Dictionary.com: www.dictionary.com
Perfect English Grammar: The Indispensable Guide to Excellent Writing and Speaking by Grant Barrett
Grammarly: www.grammarly.com Merriam Webster: www.merriam-webster.com
The Productive Writer: Tips & Tools to Help You Write More, Stress Less & Create Success by Sage Cohen
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Boldly Redefining Legal Education By every measure UCI Law is succeeding at being among the best at preparing students for the practice of law at the highest levels of the profession. Outstanding Faculty: No. 6 in the nation for faculty scholarly impact Successful Alumni: No. 5 in the nation for graduate placement in prestigious federal judicial clerkships Commitment to Public Service: No. 2 in the nation for percentage of 2015 graduates in government and public interest jobs Practical Training: No. 4 overall with an A+ grade in 2016 list of best schools for practical training in the nation Happy Students: 95% of 1L students rated their overall experience at UCI Law as “Excellent” or “Good”
University of California, Irvine Shine brighter.
Learn more at law.uci.edu
IN EVERY ISSUE
INTERNET RESOURCES Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc.: www.cleoinc.org ASSOCIATIONS
BAR EXAM PREPARATION
American Bar Association (ABA): www.americanbar.org
BARBRI: www.barbri.com
Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA): www.hnba.com Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA): www.mcca.com National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA): www.napaba.org National Bar Association (NBA): www.nationalbar.org National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA): www.nblsa.org
© AREKMALANG
National Native American Bar Association (NNABA): www.nativeamericanbar.org
Kaplan PMBR: www.kaptest.com/Bar-Exam FINANCIAL WEB SITES
SECONDARY SCHOOL RESOURCES
A2Z Colleges: www.a2zcolleges.com College Board: www.collegeboard.org
Access Group: www.accessgroup.org
The College Digest: www.collegedigest.com
FinAid!: www.finaid.org
College Goal Sunday: www.collegegoalsundayusa.org
United States Department of Education Federal Student Aid: studentaid.ed.gov
Next Step U: www.nextstepu.com
LSAT TEST PREPARATION
Griffon Prep: www.griffonprep.com
Quintessential Careers: www.quintcareers.com/teen_ college.html
Kaplan, Inc.: www.kaptest.com/LSAT Law School Admission Council: www.lsac.org The Princeton Review: www.princetonreview.com TestMasters: www.testmasters.net Advantage Testing: www.advantagetesting.com LSAT Sensei: lsatsensei.com WINTER/SPRING 2017
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
2016-2017
CLEO CONSORTIUM ON DIVERSITY IN LEGAL EDUCATION PARTNER SCHOOLS Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School University of California, Irvine School of Law The University of Chicago Law School University of Colorado Law School Drake University Law School Florida A&M University College of Law Houston College of Law (formerly South Texas College of Law) University of Houston Law Center Howard University School of Law University of Idaho College of Law Marquette University Law School The University of Mississippi School of Law University of Missouri School of Law Mitchell Hamline School of Law The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law St. Mary’s University School of Law The University of Texas School of Law Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law Thomas Jefferson School of Law Vermont Law School Wake Forest University School of Law
SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS Albany Law School of Union University Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Boston College Law School Case Western Reserve University School of Law Chapman University School of Law Concordia University School of Law Cornell Law School Florida Coastal School of Law Fordham University School of Law
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Liberty University School of Law Loyola University Chicago School of Law The University of Michigan Law School New York Law School University of North Carolina School of Law Pace University – Elisabeth Haub School of Law Quinnipiac University School of Law St. Thomas University School of Law Samford University, Cumberland School of Law Savannah Law School Stetson University College of Law Syracuse University College of Law Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law Western State College of Law at Argosy University University of Wisconsin Law School
SUSTAINING INSTITUTIONS The University of Alabama School of Law American University Washington College of Law University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law Boston University School of Law University of California, Berkeley, School of Law California Western School of Law City University of New York School of Law UConn School of Law University of Dayton School of Law University of Denver Sturm College of Law Duquesne University School of Law Emory University School of Law Florida International University College of Law University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School The George Washington University Law School Harvard Law School Indiana University Maurer School of Law The University of Iowa College of Law University of Kansas School of Law Lewis & Clark Law School Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law Loyola University New Orleans College of Law University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Mercer University – Walter F. George School of Law Michigan State University College of Law Mississippi College School of Law University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law New England Law | Boston New York University School of Law Northeastern University School of Law
The University of Oklahoma College of Law University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law Penn State’s Dickinson Law University of Pennsylvania Law School University of Richmond School of Law Roger Williams University School of Law University of St. Thomas School of Law – Minneapolis University of San Diego School of Law University of San Francisco School of Law Santa Clara University School of Law SMU Dedman School of Law University of Southern California Gould School of Law Southern University Law Center Texas Tech University School of Law The University of Tulsa College of Law Vanderbilt Law School Washington and Lee University School of Law Washington University School of Law West Virginia University College of Law Western New England University School of Law Whittier Law School Widener University Delaware Law School Yale Law School
WE ARE NEW YORK’S LAW SCHOOL
New York Law School
Diversity in Action Founded in 1891, New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. NYLS is located near the centers of law, government, finance, and a thriving cultural and artistic community in Manhattan’s TriBeCa district. In 2016, 37% of the incoming class identified as students of color. As New Yorkers and legal educators, we understand diversity is our greatest strength and is fundamental to our identity as New York’s law school. 185 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013-2921 T 212.431.2888 Toll-Free 877.937.NYLS E admissions@nyls.edu
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5 TH OF 15 N.Y. LAW SCHOOLS FOR J.D.– REQUIRED JOBS
EVERY STUDENT TOP 10 PUBLIC INTEREST LAW SCHOOL IN THE NATION
GUARANTEED A FIELD PLACEMENT OR CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
T H E L AW S C H O O L I N N E W YO R K ’ S C A P I TA L
A World of Legal Issues. A Degree with Strength. A School That Will Help You Make a Difference.
A legal education sharpens your mind and prepares you to find solutions to complex problems. Our students develop strong analytical and writing skills, and they pursue successful careers in government, private practice, corporate law, intellectual property, immigration and human rights, public service and many other specialties.
Founded in 1845 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina Office of Admissions | 919.962.5109 www.law.unc.edu | twitter.com/unc_law
A diverse community of leaders At Moritz, diversity is a way of life that is embedded into our culture and spirit. We offer a variety of full and partial scholarship opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds. Recipients have included students of different ethnicities, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientation, and professional backgrounds, as well as students who have worked extensively with diverse populations. We are proud that 44 percent of our faculty are women, nearly 20 percent are people of color, and 25 percent of our students in the Class of 2015 are people of color. We invite you to learn more about our community! Contact us at moritzlaw.osu.edu or lawadmit@osu.edu
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THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
CLEO SUPPORTERS & CONTRIBUTORS CLEO gratefully acknowledges the precious gifts of financial and project support that make our programs possible and our events successful. Thank you! CLEO Summer Institute and Related Programs are funded by the 2017 Consortium on Diversity in Legal Education’s Partner, Sustaining and Supporting Institutions and the following donors:
Corporate/Organizational Supporters UNDERWRITING PARTNERS
The ACC Foundation LSAC/DiscoverLaw.org Wal-Mart DIAMOND SUPPORTERS
The Ahmanson Foundation
Microsoft Corporation
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
GOLD SUPPORTERS
Andrews Kurth
McGuireWoods
National Bar Institute
SILVER SUPPORTERS
Drake University Law School
University of Idaho College of Law
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Vermont Law School
Exxon Mobil Corporation
BRONZE SUPPORTERS
AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign Greenberg Traurig
Fordham University School of Law Howard University School of Law Morrison & Foerster
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New York University School of Law
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Texas A&M University School of Law
THE CLEO ADVANTAGE
Individual Contributors INDIVIDUAL GOLD CONTRIBUTORS
Mitchell G. Brogdon Angela B. Cox
Domitilia M. dos Santos Ramon Garcia
Ricky D. Green
Pamela Rothenberg
Malcolm L. Morris
Cleophus Washington
Jerry M. Hunter
James Strazzella
Denise Owens
Joyce Yette
INDIVIDUAL SILVER CONTRIBUTORS
Rosemary E. Armstrong
Jose L. Chairez
Hermillio Iniguez
Carlton W. Reeves
Alphonso Eason
Gerald Bruce Lee
Peter M. Shane
Darryl Franklin
Gloria M. Navarro
Callie L. Baird
Elaine G. Drummond
Bernadette F. BayneUdell
Donald P. Edwards
Peter A. Barbosa
John R. Beason
Vanessa L. Bryant
G. Jaime Garza Wai Chi Ho
Keith James
Betty W. Sanders
Sylvia Lopez
James Strazzella
Kathleen M.V. Oakey
Damier Xandrine
Harrel M. Pettway
Fred A. Wong
INDIVIDUAL BRONZE CONTRIBUTORS
Yaa A. Acquaah
Clarence D. Clay
Yvonne Huggins-Mclean
Rosendo A. Pena, Jr.
Richard Crollett
Darrell Jackson
Carver A. Randle
Calvina L. Bostick
Antonio Dominguez
Anna L. Kowalewski
Sharolyn Rosier Hyson
Dorian Cartwright
Kevin P. Dullaghan
Fred R. Lopez
Natalie Smith (Walker)
Delia L. Franco
Arthur L. Manigault
Emerson R. Thompson, Jr.
Claudia J. Garcia
Amado J. Vargas
Leigh R. Allen II
Ricardo Cordova
Gordon S. Baranco
Arthel E. Crump
Stacey R. Anthony
Kim Bressant-Kibwe Lynda Cevallos
Miguel A. Colon
Charles E. Donegan Nnena Egorugwu
Gary R. Hurst Jean Ingrassia Julie D. Long
James D. Love
Joseph G. Boccia
Andrea Fulton Toliver
Earl Bracey
Lorenzo F. Garcia
Brendolyn R. McCartyJones
Bernetta J. Hayes
Jerome A. Nicholas, Jr.
Carl B. Boyd
Bert A. Bunyan
Robert L. Castillo
Okianer M.J. ChristianDark
Melinda E. Gerrard Charles L. Holmes
Loretta L. Howard
Ruben A. Martino
Linda M. Myles
Cassandra Sneed Ogden Edward Pastor
Joseph E. Porter III
Bernard J. Recenello Manuel S. Silvas
Richard G. Stewart, Jr. Eugene Tomine Adis M. Vila
Willie E. Walker
Stephanie White David Williams
Olivia J. Williams
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NATIONAL BAR INSTITUTE
Founded in 1982 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the National Bar Institute is committed to advancing minorities in the legal profession by promoting research, education and study.
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