ATLANTA—
Alfreda Robinson, the president of the National Bar Association, delivered a stern but urgent message to hundreds of college students from historically Black colleges and universities interested in becoming a lawyer.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s where you’re going,” said Robinson, who became president this summer of the oldest and largest national organization of African-American and minority lawyers, judges, law professors and students. “Every single one of you can become a lawyer. Every single one of you can go to law school.”
Robinson’s message comes amid ongoing concerns that law schools need to do a better job in diversifying its student population.
“Set high goals,” said Robinson, who is also the associate dean for Trial Advocacy and co-director of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program at The George Washington University Law School. “Apply to many law schools. Take the LSAT. Take it in time so that you can take it again. Apply early. Look for new opportunities all the time.”
Six years ago, attorney Evangeline M. Mitchell founded the National HBCU-Pre-Law Summit & Law Expo. It has become the nation’s largest gathering of HBCU undergraduate students looking to enter the legal profession.
This year’s Summit at Georgia State University College of Law provided students with a rare opportunity to hear from current law students, engage with HBCU law school deans, and find out critical information on how to finance a law school education and develop their personal essay.
