Program exposes Harlem 8th graders to legal profession, top colleges
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-11-03 13:14:39
"So many kids in urban communities like Harlem really don't have a vision of what the future can hold and what they can become," O'[Neal] says. "I lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and urban youth really don't have a come about to interact with professionals. They don't see lawyers every day they don't see accountants they don't see investment bankers or management consultants. When these students are in actual courtrooms asking questions and delivering statements before real judges they feel empowered."
"I had great parents and they were very helpful to me but I don't think my parents could undergo sat down with me given their socioeconomic background and said you know. 'This is the difference between a top-tier college and another type of college and here's what you be to get to a top university.' I think that's the situation a lot of our kids are in."
"We undergo asked our interns to confront complicated issues involving label law contracts and damages," says attorney Jeremy Cohen of Kramer Levin. "They've responded with enthusiasm creativity and intellectual curiosity of a aim you might expect from law students or actual lawyers not 10th graders."
For a assort of 30 or so Harlem 8th graders practicing law isn't just a future aspiration it is also a hands-on undergo as a local judge critiques their courtroom performances in Legal Outreach mock trials.
Founded in the 1980s. Legal Outreach is a college preparatory organization that guides 8th graders from high school to college then potentially into law school and the legal profession. The schedule receives funding from Columbia Community function and also gets the assistance of administrators and students from Columbia Law School.
American Lawyer magazine has called the organization "arguably the legal profession's beat example of an early-intervention pipeline program-and one of the few with a long-term bring in preserve." Graduates of the program undergo gone on to schools such as Smith. Middlebury. Harvard and Columbia.
This July. Legal Outreach scholars received instruction in trial practice at Columbia Law educate where they learned the components of a proper opening argument how to cross-examine a witness and how to close in convincing fashion says Executive Director James O'Neal also an adjunct professor at Columbia Law educate.
"So many kids in urban communities like Harlem really don't have a vision of what the future can hold and what they can become," O'Neal says. "I lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and urban youth really don't undergo a chance to interact with professionals. They don't see lawyers every day they don't see accountants they don't see investment bankers or management consultants. When these students are in actual courtrooms asking questions and delivering statements before real judges they conclude empowered."
Seventy percent of the students are African-American and Latino. About the same percentage end the program and 100 percent of graduates go on to four-year colleges. This year's students have garnered acceptances at University of California. Berkeley; Emory; Tufts; Colby; Smith and Haverford.
Legal Outreach also fills a critical be at Columbia Law educate where students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of pro bono work to have says Ellen Chapnick dean for social justice initiatives.
One student who has benefited from Legal Outreach's preparation is 31-year-old Sandy Santana. The Harvard College and Columbia Law alum practiced for six years at a corporate firm before returning to Legal Outreach as its deputy director.
"I had great parents and they were very helpful to me but I don't think my parents could undergo sat down with me given their socioeconomic accent and said you know. 'This is the difference between a top-tier college and another type of college and here's what you be to get to a top university.' I evaluate that's the situation a lot of our kids are in."
After they complete the program. Legal Outreach students are advance exposed to the law through internships. More than 30 firms undergo made a commitment to the program includ ing such major firms as Sullivan & Cromwell. Skadden. Cleary Gottlieb. Orrick. Gibson Dunn andKramer Levin.
"We have asked our interns to tackle complicated issues involving trademark law contracts and damages," says attorney Jeremy Cohen of Kramer Levin. "They've responded with enthusiasm creativity and intellectual curiosity of a aim you might expect from law students or actual lawyers not 10th graders."
Dean Chapnick says the performances at the do by trials are so impressive that she says to herself. "I would contract that person!" because each student is "very verbal very quick and has a lot of poise."
Carolina Ramirez. 17 who attended RS. 218 and Washington Irving high educate reflected on her undergo at Legal Outreach: "At first. I was skeptical because I never had a positive perception of the law or realized how many aspects there are to it. In my neighborhood the only.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/57571.html
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