College of Law helps improve diversity in legal profession

At a time when minority law student numbers are declining, FIU College of Law has launched an innovative pipeline program that aims to provide further access and opportunity to minority and other traditionally underrepresented students in the field of law.

Partnering with the Hispanic National Bar Foundation, the College of Law launched Project Access, a unique mentorship program, in October 2009. The initiative aims to better educate and encourage high school, college and law students from diverse communities to consider law school and legal careers. This is accomplished by matching students with mentoring attorneys and judges and helping them explore the admissions procedures and requirements for college and law school and the real world of work as a lawyer.

Hispanic National Bar Foundation and FIU College of Law Project Access 2010 inaugural class Turner Technical Arts High School

“The obstacles that students in diverse communities face often seem insurmountable to them,” said Michelle Mason, associate dean for admissions and student services in the College of Law. ‘This program gives them opportunities to meet people who have been where they are and can give them a sense that if they work hard, there are ways to overcome the obstacles.”

So far, Project Access has sponsored four events with about 28 law students, 20 college students and 60 high school students participating. For the high school and undergraduate students, these events have provided opportunities to learn about college and law school application processes, attend interactive workshops, meet influential leaders in the legal community, and even participate in a mock law class taught by College of Law Dean Alexander Acosta and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Jose Gabilondo, each utilizing the Socratic Method of instruction. Law students attending the events received practical tips on how to prepare for the bar exam and look for a job after graduation.

Students participating in Project Access have opportunities to network, win scholarships and apply for special summer programs such as the 2009 Hispanic National Bar Foundation Future Latino Lawyers Law Camp.

Project Access is only one of the College of Law’s new pipeline programs. The college also sponsors throughout the academic year “Law Student for a Day” Workshops, which introduce middle, high school and college students to law school. The College was recently selected as one of only two Host Schools nationally as the site for the 2010 CLEO six-week Summer Institute.This residential program is designed to prepare participants from underrepresented backgrounds for the first year of law school.

“Diversity in law schools is not going to increase if we have the same number of individuals applying year after year,” said Acosta. “We need to broaden the pool of applicants. We can accomplish that by reaching out and encouraging diverse students who typically don’t apply to law school or aren’t sure how to apply. Project Access and our other pipeline programs help to get them here.”

FIU College of Law, a majority-minority institution, has the largest percentage of Hispanic students of any law school in the U.S. The college’s diverse student population includes about 40 percent Hispanic, 10 percent African American and 3-4 percent Asian and Native American students. According to The Princeton Review, the College has the most diverse faculty of any law school in the nation.

— Susan Feinberg