Legal Education Advancing Diversity (LEAD) at Dillard University

Directed Grant
School: Dillard University
Grant: LEAD – Legal Education Advancing Diversity
Grant Amount: $250,000

Summary of Grant Outcomes

The Legal Education Advancing Diversity (LEAD) program at Dillard University aims to increase diversity in the legal profession by helping underrepresented students gain admission to law school. The year-long program is designed to provide students with individualized and holistic support through LSAT preparation, law school admissions workshops, and mentorship with attorneys and judges in the community. The program is open to current undergraduate students from three HBCUs in the New Orleans area: Dillard University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Southern University at New Orleans.

The LEAD program served 20 students in the 2021 cohort. Over the course of the year, students’ LSAT scores increased by an average of nine (9) points on practice exams. In addition, students also developed a better understanding of the law school admissions process, including how to secure letters of recommendations from their professors and create strong personal and diversity statements. Nine students were accepted into law school.