Diversity Pipeline Initiatives

Southwestern is involved in various Diversity Pipeline initiatives in California and beyond to encourage youth from underrepresented communities to pursue careers in the law. These include the Legal Education Action Program (LEAP) with the Hispanic National Bar Association's Legal Education Fund, the Southern California Legal Diversity Pipeline Coalition, the Los Angeles County Bar Association Diversity Summit, Wingspread, and the California State Bar efforts to ensure that those at each level within the pipeline are being sufficiently identified, trained and mentored.

The law school has also developed Pipeline programs in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Defender's Office, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Constitutional Rights Foundation, among other entities.

Southwestern also works with DiscoverLaw.org, a Law School Admissions Council initiative, to organize events geared toward high-school, community-college, and undergraduate students, introducing them to the legal profession.

Recent DiscoverLaw.org events:

Posse Foundation's Academic Immersion Day

High school students from across Los Angeles attend a day-long pre-Collegiate Training (PCT) program comprised of workshops and lectures previewing collegiate life, and the skills relevant to success in higher education. Session topics include, but are not limited to: Note-taking; Transitioning from high school to college; Time management; and Resources for diverse students thinking about law school. This event is presented by the Posse Foundation of Los Angeles, hosted and co-sponsored by Southwestern Law School's Dean of Students and Diversity Affairs office; in conjunction with the Law School Admission Council's DiscoverLaw.org Months initiatives.

Cal LAW Pathways Partner

Southwestern Law School is a proud Cal LAW Pathways member school.  Cal LAW Pathways is a collaboration between 35 California community colleges, 16 undergraduate universities, and 15 ABA-accredited CA law schools to create an educational pipeline into the legal profession for students underrepresented in the legal profession. To learn whether your institution is a member of the Pathways program, please visit Pathways Partners. Cal LAW Scholars are encouraged to contact the law school at dei@swlaw.edu for more information or to schedule an advising appointment.