UB Discovery Law Now Taking Applications

Post date: Jan 06, 2020 6:54:52 PM

A Bridge to Law School

How can we make the legal profession look more like America? That question has been a vexing one for all of us who care about equal justice under the law. One solution: Invite more talented people of color to consider legal education and a legal career – and support them to make that dream a reality.

At the University at Buffalo School of Law, Discover Law is doing just that. This award-winning intensive summer program, now in its seventh year, has given dozens of bright young scholars a taste of law school life and opened their imaginations to careers in the law. For these promising future lawyers, the experience is already paying off.

The Program

Discover Law provides up to 20 promising underrepresented minority students the opportunity to live on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus for an intensive four-week summer residency. Students take rigorous courses taught by law professors, attend field trips to see the law in action, learn about the admissions process, and shadow a judge or attorney for a day. Throughout the four weeks, students build and refine skill-sets such as:

• • Critical thinking, close reading and legal analysis

  • Enhanced writing and oral advocacy skills

  • Practical strategies for doing well on the LSAT

  • Successfully navigating the law school admissions process

In addition, students are given a broad vision of the value of a legal education, the importance of the legal profession and the breadth of career opportunities it offers, and the vital contributions they can make to society through the practice of law.

Always a collaboration of partners, Discover Law  has been heavily supported by the University at Buffalo's Office of the Provost, the University at Buffalo Office's of Inclusive Excellence, UB School of Law alumni, Western New York law firms, the Minority Bar Foundation, the Minority Bar Association, and other benefactors. Throughout the four-week residency, we draw upon these generous partners to help match Discover Law Scholars with volunteer mentors from the local legal community. Mentorships continue long after the program is over, providing crucial support and encouragement for Discover Law Scholars as they prepare for law school.

Apply Now

The Discover Law application is available from January 1, 2020 – March 18, 2020

Apply at law.buffalo.edu/scholarsProgram

Through the generosity of campus and community partners, the Discover Law program is at no cost to participants. Preference is given to:

• • Academically promising underrepresented and first generation college students

  • Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and above

Favorable consideration will be given to students who can demonstrate a record of academic achievement in spite of economic challenges, social or cultural disadvantages, linguistic barriers, extraordinary family circumstances, or personal responsibilities.

Discover Law is intended for undergraduate students who have completed freshman, sophomore, or junior year, but who will not begin their senior year prior to the end of the program. Program dates are May 30, 2020 – June 26, 2020.