RALEIGH — Campbell Law School’s new initiative, the “First-Gen Blueprint” virtual program launched this week. It is designed to help remove barriers, close knowledge gaps and inspire future students, who are the first in their immediate family to attend law school.
“Through this program, we are trying our best to break down barriers as well as bust common misconceptions about law school in order to inspire future first-gen law students,” said Assistant Dean of Admissions Morgan Cutright. “Going into law school as a first-gen student, one of the common misconceptions is that there aren’t many other first-gen students. Our research shows this simply isn’t true.”
The online program — the only one of its kind at a U.S. law school — is the brainchild of Cutright and Assistant Admissions Director Josue Jimenez, who are both first-gen law graduates. It’s designed to allow students to participate at their own pace and is expected to take approximately six hours to complete.
“I was too afraid to call admissions or ask questions but with my experiences in law school, I’ve slowly become more confident in myself,” Jimenez said. “As first-year college students, we come with a strong work ethic and come with the attitude of being resilient and putting in the work. And we bring those same attributes to law school.”
Dean J. Rich Leonard, who was also a first-generation law student, added, “Once you get over ‘imposter syndrome,’ what you ought to have is confidence, because we all know, we got here on our own.”
Program highlights include:
- Tips on how to succeed on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
- How to find other resources available for first-generation law students including mental health services and the N.C. Lawyer Assistance Program
- Where to look for Pro Bono opportunities and financial assistance with the help of AccessLex Institute, a nonprofit company dedicated to providing financial aid education for law students
- The chance to explore the law school experience from the perspective of current first-gen law students, professors, lawyers and judges
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW
Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law School has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 4,400 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2021, Campbell Law is celebrating 45 years of graduating legal leaders and 12 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.