Awarded Grants

Law and Social Science (LSS) Fellowship and Mentoring Program

For 17 years, the American Bar Foundation (ABF) has advanced justice and cultivated the next generation of sociolegal scholars through its Law and Social Science (LSS) Fellowship program. The program supports early-career scholars from underrepresented backgrounds by providing financial assistance, mentorship, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative cohort experience. Fellows conduct research in residence at the ABF, benefitting from a rich intellectual environment. This project supports one such scholar.

Camp Esquire

Camp Esquire (Camp ESQ: Evaluate, Structure, Question) is a summer bar preparation program for graduates of Mississippi College School of Law. Participants pledge to diligently prepare for the bar exam by completing at least 90% of commercial prep assignments and scoring a minimum of 120 on a simulated MBE. The program emphasizes disciplined study habits, including on-campus learning, and fosters a collaborative, supportive environment. Students are also expected to uphold the values and spirit of Camp ESQ.

National Black Law Students Association Survey Project (NBLSA)

The NBLSA Survey Project was created in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions (2023), which led to a decline in race-specific data collection in law schools. This initiative aims to systematically count and track Black law students’ admissions, retention, and graduation across 200 ABA-accredited institutions using mixed research methods. NBLSA will leverage its national chapter network to implement standardized reporting.

U.S. Law School Alumni Employment and Satisfaction: Classes 2022 – 2024 project  

AccessLex will fund ten law schools’ participation in the U.S. Law School Alumni Employment and Satisfaction Study, conducted by The NALP Foundation and NALP. The selected schools include six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and four others with significant populations of underrepresented students. This expanded alumni data strengthens the study’s overall scope and depth. Each participating school receives customized reports to support strategic planning and benchmarking.

Nevada Comprehensive Licensing Exam Project

The State Bar of Nevada is developing a new three-stage Comprehensive Licensing Exam to establish a national model for (1) better assessing the knowledge and skills that new lawyers need to serve clients competently, and (2) increasing access to the profession by eliminating artificial barriers to entry. The State Bar of Nevada will use grant funding for the development of a high-quality multiple choice Foundational Law Exam.

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.

Pathways to Legal Licensure: Individualized and Comparative Outcomes 

The purpose of this research is to gain an empirically grounded understanding of the degree to which both exam-based and performance-based approaches to legal licensure are valid, reliable, fair, aligned with curriculum, and feasible — as well as the degree to which these pathways achieve their own stated goals. Findings of this study will support development of robust legal licensure ecosystems across the country.