Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline

    The mission of the ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline (Pipeline Council) is to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the educational pipeline to the legal profession. 

    Re-Imagining Legal Education: Innovations in Pipeline Programs

    The goal of equity and inclusion in the legal system requires diverse representation in the legal profession. We are at a critical point in time where the pandemic has further crystallized how historically marginalized communities are disparately impacted by individual and systemic racism and oppression. Pipeline programs are critical to help ensure that students already on the margins do not fall out of the pipeline, but the environment in which pipeline programs operate has changed. This ten-part series of collaborative programming will address a number of issues impacting the pipeline to the legal profession. Each session will include an opportunity for attendees to learn and share with the goal of strengthening the educational pipeline into the legal profession.

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    Engaging Students to Diversify the Legal Profession

    The Judicial Clerkship Program introduces law students from diverse backgrounds from around the country to judges and law clerks. In partnership with judges from the Judicial Division, students have the opportunity to access and learn about the life-long benefits of a judicial clerkship.

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    Uplifting Excellence in the Educational Pipeline

    The Alexander Award was created to honor an individual or organization that has demonstrated exemplary leadership and success in educational pipeline work. The award is named after the life and legacy of two legal trailblazers – Raymond Pace Alexander and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander.

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    Providing National Scholarship Opportunities

    The American Bar Association (ABA) awards an annual Legal Opportunity Scholarship to first-year law students. The mission of the program is to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to attend and complete law school. The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship grants 10 - 20 incoming diverse law students with $15,000 of financial aid over their three years in law school.

    Learn More - Legal Opportunity Scholarship

    Compiling National Pipeline Programs

    The ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) created the Pipeline Diversity Directory in response to the critical need to increase diversity in the educational pipeline leading to the profession.

    Learn More - National Pipeline Directory

    Donate Now!

    Your support helps to continue the work of addressing the lack of substantial racial, ethnic, immigrant, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability diversity in the legal profession.

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    Re-Imagining Legal Education: Innovations in Pipeline Programs

    Series Schedule

    2020-2021 Council Members

    Spotlight: Judicial Clerkship Program

    Learn about JCP

    The Judicial Clerkship Program engages law students from diverse backgrounds and judges to simulate an experience of being a judicial clerk. Students engage in building relationships, learning about the clerkship experience, and networking with judges.

    Learning from Leaders

    Spotlight on Legal Leader Experience

    Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy, Vice Admiral James W. Crawford III speaks about his experience as a legal and military leader, the importance of diversity and inclusion, and his journey to become a Judge Advocate General.

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    Diversity & Inclusion

    Ethics

    Legal Education

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