To achieve diversity within any profession, early intervention in the lives of underrepresented groups is a necessity. Legal Outreach thus recruits high potential eighth graders from underserved communities and immerses them in a five-week Summer Law Institute (SLI) in partnership with six law schools. Upon completion, the SLI participants apply for admission to College Bound (leads to CB page 14), Legal Outreach’s four-year, year round, intensive academic skill development and support program designed to prepare them for the rigors of college. Meeting after school, on Saturdays and during the summers, students spend over 2,300 hours building and sharpening the skills needed for success. Participants in the College Bound Program who desire to make our society more just and equitable are invited to join the Civic Engagement and Social Justice Council through which they develop the leadership skills that will allow them to become difference-makers within their communities.

Through the College Bound program, Legal Outreach seeks to level the educational playing field for minority, low income, and first-generation students by implementing programs designed to fill the achievement, outlook, and support gaps which prevent students from achieving their highest aspirations and professional goals.

Achievement Gap

Our core academic programming is designed to strengthen students’ writing, studying, critical thinking, public speaking and advocacy skills. Our students learn to express their thoughts and find their voice through writing and grammar courses; to analyze, reason, and think critically through examination of controversial issues; and to build confidence with public speaking and advocacy through Constitutional Law Debates. The College Bound program prepares students for the rigors of college academics and prepares them to handle college level workloads.  The following programs contribute to the development of the aforementioned skills:

• Summer Law Institute
• Academic Advisory Program
• Saturday Writing Program
• Study Skills Workshops
• Constitutional Law Debate Program
• SAT Prep Program
• College Level Philosophy Course

Outlook Gap

Several programs are specifically designed to expose our students to career opportunities that exist outside of the communities in which they reside. Through a variety of simulated professional activities, workshops, mentoring, and field trips, we seek to raise students’ awareness of career endeavors, expand their horizons, and lift their aspirations.

• Summer Law Institute
• College & Career Workshops
• Summer Internship Program
• Professional Training Program
• Professional Exposure Program
• Mentoring Program

Support Gap

Many high potential and high achieving students fail to reach their professional goals because they are not matched with the right set of colleges that can propel them forward. At Legal Outreach, we seek to match our students with an appropriate set of colleges, provide them with the support to submit strong applications, and offer guidance to help them navigate the financial aid and scholarship application process.

• Academic Advisory
• Parent Support Program
• SAT Prep Program
• College Admissions and Applications Program
• Financial Aid Workshops
• Transition to College Workshops

Leadership Gap

• Civic Engagement & Social Justice Leadership Program