Empowering Change at the 2017 LSAT/Law School Prep Series

Above: Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Committee member JP Kernisan of Duane Morris LLP moderates the panel “How to Select and Apply to the Right Law School” on the first day of the 2017 LSAT/Law School Prep Series. Photo by J. McClinton.

“When you become a lawyer, you get a license to become a change-maker in your country,” keynote speaker Conway Ekpo told pre-law students at the 2017 LSAT/Law School Prep Series on January 3. Mr. Ekpo’s statement, which concluded the keynote fireside chat with Professor Eric Claville of Hampton University, was met with applause from the students.

Over the course of the three-day series, more than 150 undergraduates and recent graduates attended the various classes, workshops, and panels offered at the City Bar. Test prep companies, including PowerScore, Blueprint, Kaplan, The Focus Approach, The Princeton Review, and Manhattan Prep, provided prospective law students with sample courses, allowing attendees to decide which of the offerings best suited them.

In addition to preparing for the LSAT, the City Bar offered seminars on different aspects of applying to and attending law school. BARBRI Law Preview Founder Don Macaulay taught an Introduction to Socratic Method, in which students experienced the unique teaching style typical of many 1L courses. Hazel Weiser, founder of Weiser Writing, led a standing-room-only panel on writing a strong personal statement. Participants gave stirring accounts of their desires to pursue a legal career, and Weiser gave vital instruction on how to channel that passion into effective prose.

Small seminars were accompanied by targeted panels for all attendees. Jeff Hanson of Hanson Education Services and Jennifer Schott of Access Group gave a comprehensive review of the costs associated with law school. Both highlighted the significant financial undertaking of a law degree, but also stressed the importance of looking beyond the sticker price when choosing a program. Additionally, current students from St. John’s, Pace, Cornell, and George Washington Universities provided insight on preparing for the 1L year. Student panelists encouraged audience members, many of whom identified themselves as first-generation college students, not to lose sight of what keeps them grounded amidst the pressures of law school.

In the keynote address, Professor Eric Claville, Director of the Pre-Law Institute at Hampton University, and Conway Ekpo, In-House Counsel at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, shared their insight on law school and professional development. Professor Claville focused on the importance of effective planning and precise budgeting of one’s time, energy, and finances as critical facets of pursuing a legal career. Meanwhile, Mr. Ekpo stressed the importance of remembering one’s motivation for becoming a lawyer. Both speakers advised the crowd to study vigorously for the LSAT, on which a high score could be “the ticket to a free education.”

In an effort to increase accessibility for a diverse applicant pool, representatives from over 50 law schools across the country gathered to meet with attendees on the final day. Test companies also generously donated $20,000 worth of in-person and online preparation classes and books for a raffle. The admissions fair was a successful conclusion to the series, with this year’s symposium being the most-well attended in the event’s eight-year history.

The LSAT/Law School Prep Series is an annual three-day seminar for undergraduates and recent graduates interested in going to law school. The program is administered by the City Bar’s Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Committee, chaired by Ari Joseph of Brown Rudnick LLP. To learn more about supporting this program and similar endeavors, please contact Monica Parks, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, at mparks@nycbar.org or 212-382-6772.