Awarded Grants

Grant Title: JDReady, Empowering Future Lawyers from the Greater Philadelphia Area Project

Hosted at Saint Joseph’s University (SJU), the JDReady: Empowering Future Lawyers from the Greater Philadelphia Area project (“JDReady”) is a collaboration with SJU’s Law Exploration Advancing Diversity (LEAD) initiative and Barrier Breakers^®, Inc.’s Law School Scholars Program. From 2026 to 2028, the program will support 110 participants—60 SJU students and 50 nontraditional students (working adults over 30 from Greater Philadelphia)—by providing free, personalized law school admissions guidance and LSAT preparation.

Eligibility is open to two groups. SJU students must complete at least one of the following criteria: an LSAT score below 150, eligibility for a fee waiver, or self-identification as a first-generation college or law school student. Working adults aged 30 and over must also complete at least one of the following criteria, which includes being the first in their family to attend college or law school, having an LSAT score below 150, or being eligible for a fee waiver.

Bob Owens Pre-Law Center at Jackson State University

The Bob Owens Pre-Law Center at Jackson State University is dedicated to empowering underrepresented students by providing the exposure, mentorship, and preparation needed to succeed in law school. Through a robust network of internal and external support systems, the Center nurtures future leaders in the legal profession on a national scale. Key services include comprehensive LSAT preparation, personalized advising and coaching, mentorship from legal professionals, and opportunities to engage in networking events and conferences.

Prelaw Society: Prelaw Pathway Initiative 

The Prelaw Society at Bowie State University supplements the Prelaw minor curriculum through activities that provide a supportive community. Through advising, workshops, networking opportunities, scholarly forums, and mentorships with judges, faculty, and attorneys, the program equips students from all majors with the knowledge, skills, disposition, and connections necessary for success in the legal field. The Prelaw Society empowers students with a solid foundation for their future legal careers.

Colorado Pre-Law Pathway Partnership (CPPP)  

This collaboration between the University of Colorado Law School (CU Law) and Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU), a Minority Serving Institution, seeks to increase matriculation into law school by MSU undergraduates from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Program uses a differential treatment methodology to grow the knowledge base about pre-law supports through a novel, long-term intervention focused on student awareness, engagement, and belonging.

Florida Atlantic University Pre-Law University Services (PLUS) Expansion [PLUS-Expansion]

FAU's focus is on traditionally underrepresented groups in law. FAU will: 1) Create an inclusive pre-law community for all students, especially those historically underrepresented in law; 2) Eliminate barriers for law school applications; 3) Build a pre-law hub of services to enhance and integrate existing FAU Pre-Law University Services (PLUS) resources; and 4) Establish a formal articulation agreement with St. Thomas University, setting an example for partnerships with other law institutions.

Summer Pre-Law Program Arkansas [SPPARK]

SPPARK is an intervention program that addresses challenges in the educational pipeline to the legal profession by exposing historically underrepresented students to information, skills, resources and mentors focused on facilitating successful matriculation into law school and the legal profession. We will conduct a quasi-experimental process and outcome evaluation of SPPARK that involves the differential treatment of participants with high-intensity treatment and low-intensity control groups.