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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. 

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.

Learn More - Judicial Clerkship Program

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. In 2023, the Pipeline Council added the Alexander Legal Ambassador Award to honor a law firm or corporate legal department that has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the educational pipeline for diverse communities.

View Our - Alexander Awards

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.

Read 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.

See Our - National Pipeline Directory

Community College Pathway to Law Toolkit

The purpose of this Toolkit is to provide guidance and resources to those associated with community colleges who are interested in either creating a pathway program to law school or enhancing an existing program.

Explore - The ToolKit

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.

The Emotional and Psychological Impact of Anti-Inclusive Legislation on K-12 Learning

What About the Students? : Webinar

There has been little to no discussion about the emotional and psychological impact of legislative efforts to craft curriculums that exclude the experiences, history, and identities of students from marginalized communities. Many of these students are already grappling with navigating the societal challenges connected to their sexual, gender and/or racial and ethnic identities. Is this wave of anti-inclusive legislation exacerbating these challenges? What is the impact on the students’ educational achievement, especially in light of the studies that show that inclusive curriculums are beneficial to all students, regardless of background? Finally, if the goal is to create a more diverse and inclusive legal profession, does the impact of these policies run counter to that goal?

View Recording - Now

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.

Watch - Recordings

2024-2025 Council Members

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.