RALEIGH – Campbell Law School today announced plans to launch a unique virtual initiative for prospective first-generation law students.
The “First-Gen Blueprint” virtual program is designed as a bridge over the gap first-gen law students may not even realize they need, said Assistant Dean of Admissions Morgan Cutright. Its goal is to provide first-gen students with the knowledge to successfully prepare for law school admissions as well as law school in general.
“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,” Cutright explained. “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.”
Other misconceptions include:
- First-gen students think they can figure out law school on their own without any need to seeking out resources;
- First-gen students do not have the ease of access nor confidence to be able to succeed throughout law school;
- And there is always a gap of knowledge between first-gen students and those who have lawyers in their family.
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.
“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-gen 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;
- And the chance to explore the law school experience from the perspective of current first-gen law students, professors, lawyers and judges.
“First-gen lawyers are important to helping diversify the legal profession,” Cutright added. “It’s also important for lawyers to be able to meet clients where they are, in communities where they are needed but are not always accessible.”
The virtual program is set to launch March 15. The program, which is designed for students to go at their own pace, takes an estimated five to six hours to complete. Learn more about the program by watching the following virtual panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Wz7-vMI1E
To learn more about other events held by the admissions department, visit this link. To learn more about Campbell Law, visit law.campbell.edu. To learn more about the First-Gen Law Student Program, contact Cutright at cutright@campbell.edu.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
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.