UB Law School to Hold Program to Help Minority High School Students Learn About Law School

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- As part of National Minority Law Student Recruitment Month, the University at Buffalo Law School will hold a visitation luncheon and program for minority high school students who are interested in learning more about attending law school.

The program will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 22 in O'Brian Hall on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

The program is designed to expose promising young scholars to the field of law, said Lillie Wiley, associate director of admissions and director of recruitment in the UB Law School.

"According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 7 percent of lawyers in the U.S. are from minority groups: 3 percent are African-American, 2 percent Latino and fewer than 1 percent are Asian-American," Wiley said.

"We want to send a strong message to students, faculty, administrators and the legal community: Don't turn back," said Wiley. "We've come too far to let recent assaults on affirmative action erode efforts to diversify the legal community in America."

The program will begin with a continental breakfast, followed by a presentation by Wiley on "How to Get into Law School."

Following lunch, Michelle Hutchinson, partner in Brown and Hutchinson, a minority-owned law firm, will present a keynote address, and a law professor will present a mock class. The day also will include presentations and panel discussions by representatives of various minority student organizations, including the Black, Latino and Asian Law Student associations.

"Some people believe the tide may be turning against diversity efforts," said Wiley. "In view of the challenge to affirmative action, we must do more to make people of color know that the law school is a place for them and that we are working hard to achieve a diverse environment on our campuses. The negativity generated by recent news about affirmative action cannot be allowed to foster a perception that law schools have closed their doors to people of color. Legal education is too important to the rights of all Americans to allow this misconception to exist."

The program is funded by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) to raise awareness of minority recruiting issues facing law schools. The effort comes on the heels of setbacks to affirmative action in major states like California and Texas that have vastly reduced minority representation in entering law school classes.

Students interested in attending the programs can contact Wiley by Feb. 18 at 645-2907 or email her at lwiley@buffalo.edu.