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A new program that seeks to improve diversity in the legal profession culminated Thursday at the Supreme Court of Ohio with a mock trial, awards ceremony and recognition dinner for 13 Columbus City Schools students entering the ninth grade.
The inaugural Law & Leadership Summer Institute, which is part of the Supreme Court’s Legal Education Opportunity program, offered students from underserved communities with an interest in the law the chance to study law at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. Twenty-five students in Cleveland also took part in the program at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
During the intensive, five-week program, students heard from attorneys, law professors, law students and judges via lectures and took field trips to the Statehouse, the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Court. The curriculum included a heavy dose of instruction on legal principles as well as how to improve study habits and presentation skills.
After learning Monday through Thursday about all aspects of the criminal justice system including the specific crimes in Ohio, the steps in a trial and hot-button issues such as search and seizure, racial profiling and police use of force, students were tested on their knowledge on Fridays.
“Originally, we intended to focus our education efforts on incoming law students,” said Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer. “But as we researched further we were advised to start earlier in the education pipeline in order to have a larger impact on the students and better prepare them before they reach law school. In future years, the program will expand to include more students in more locations and continue to assist current class members each year.”
Modeled after a successful New York program called Legal Outreach, the Court bought course materials and sent the institute’s instructors – third-year law students – to be trained in New York.
Additional summer institute partners include Ohio’s seven other law schools: the University of Akron School of Law, Capital University Law School, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, the University of Cincinnati College of Law, the University of Dayton School of Law, Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law and the University of Toledo College of Law.
“The law students who taught the course challenged these students on their preparation and analysis in the manner that law professors question law students,” said Attorney General Nancy Rogers, who serves as co-chair of a steering committee charged with launching the Legal Education Opportunity program and organizing the summer institute. “Because they met this rigorous challenge, the students now realize that their desire to become lawyers and leaders is realistic. Not only their futures, but also the diversity of Ohio’s leaders and legal profession, look brighter as a result of the investment in this program by the Supreme Court and the Ohio General Assembly.”
Part of the summer institute’s purpose was to prepare class members to compete at high academic levels via intense legal and educational programming. The hope is that these students used the summer program as a tool to foster vision, develop leadership skills, realize confidence and cultivate a passion to pursue higher education.
“Many students from underserved communities are not aware that their futures can include careers in the law,” said Ohio State Bar Association President Gary J. Leppla, whose organization serves as one of the partners. “We need a diverse profession to serve the needs of a diverse population, so our goal is to change that perception. We will be following these students through high school, college and hopefully law school, working to develop their potential and providing them with the support they will need to be successful in their studies and in their careers.”
The program, class materials and lunches were provided for free. Students earned up to $200 for completing the program.
The Kettering Foundation has loaned its general counsel, Maxine Thomas, for two years to serve as executive director of the program.
For a high-resolution, publication-quality photo of the mock trial, visit:
http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/Press_Releases/2008/mocktrial_highres.zip
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.
Editor’s Note: Here is a list of the participating Columbus City Schools students. Yusuf Ahmed, Taylor Artis, Jessica Fite, Sayvon Foster, Daeqwon Frazier, Shaneece Green, Kevyn Johnson-Simpson, Michelle Jones, Travis Lee, Candace Milner, Kareemah Muhammad, Camille Smith and Daniel Smith