I just got this email from the Dean of my old Law School
Things have changed since I was there - and changed in good ways...
Read Shelley's letter and the info on the school and scholarships
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As most of you likely know well, many would-be public interest legal careers founder on the sharp rocks of law school debt. Pressed to pay back huge loans, many talented law graduates opt for the highest available paycheck. And, seeing this dynamic, many other talented POTENTIAL law students, who are committed to the fight for justice, are deterred from even seeking a legal education.
To address this dilemna [sic], the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL) has embarked upon an ambitious plan to raise sufficient funds to offer up to TWENTY FULL THREE-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS to top students whose records reflect deep commitment to justice. Thanks to the generosity of our friends and alumni, we are able to begin this Advocate for Justice Scholarship this fall!
I ask you to please glance at the materials below, and to help spread the word about this exciting opportunity to your colleagues, family members and allies.
Perhaps, with your help, someone you know will use a UDC law degree to further causes you hold dear!
Thanks so much for your help!
Shelley Broderick, Dean
UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
www.law.udc.edu--------------------------
University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL)
Tuition-Free Law School for Activists!If you are, or have been, an excellent student, and if your record reflects a clear commitment to justice, you may be able to attend an excellent public interest law school TUITION-FREE!
About UDC-DCSL (
www.law.udc.edu)
UDC-DCSL is a new, fully ABA accredited public interest law school in Washington, DC. The most race, ethnic and age-diverse law schools in America, it requires, by far, the largest amount of hands-on clinical work for poor people and the public interest. This means that at UDC-DCSL, rather than "checking one's values at the door" while studying law, all students provide high-quality legal service to low-income people and public interest causes under the watchful eye of experienced attorney-professors. Rated in the top ten in four categories by Princeton Review two years running - with the nation's most progressive student body two years in a row - UDC-DCSL is a fabulous choice for those advocates for justice who know they would employ a law degree in the public interest.
Three-Year Full-Tuition Advocate for Justice Scholarships (http://www.law.udc.edu/prospective/afj.html)
UDC-DCSL and its supporters know that graduation from law school with high loan debt can deter or derail public service. For this reason, UDC-DCSL now offering up to 20 three-year full-tuition Advocate for Justice Scholarships each year, beginning with members of the class entering in fall, 2008. The award of these scholarships will be based equally upon the Scholarship Selection Committee’s evaluation of applicants’ academic talent and their proven commitment as advocates for justice. Toward this end, the Committee will consider applicants’ undergraduate and graduate fields of study; grades; LSAT scores; publications; academic, personal and professional recommendations; as well as evidence of their professional and voluntary experience and other pertinent information.
Due to our emphasis on demonstrated commitment to working for justice, some successful scholarship applicants may be more than a few years out of college, with “real world” experience. We strongly encourage second and third career applicants to apply. However, we also encourage applicants of all ages, including recent graduates who feel that their track record reveals a deep commitment to the social good.
The School of Law is the nation’s most diverse, with 55% students of color, 33% African-American, 12% Latino, and 10% Asian, Middle Eastern and Native American. DC residents, people of color and others from groups under-represented in the legal profession as well as those interested in public interest law are strongly encouraged to apply.
UDC-DCSL Advocate for Justice Scholarship Information:
http://www.law.udc.edu/prospective/afj.html--------------------------------
One Current Student's View:
"Also, for what it's worth, some things that I (having been to another law school) think are great about our school:
- The non-competitive atmosphere, camraderie, etc. (which is, I think, related to our size & mission)
- The ability to form relationships with professors (ditto)
- That everyone gets to participate in clinic (whether they like it or not!)
- The fact that many professors still practice (so that clients are still real people to them)
- The number of students from working class backgrounds and/or progressive students and/or students of color
- The school's community-based mission and the fact that it's actually put into action
- The fact that I don't have to say "I'll only have to practice in a firm for a decade (to pay off my loans) before I can start doing public interest work" and then wonder if I'm going to have to spend ten years after that simply working to undo the damage I just did."
For more information:
General:
www.law.udc.edu Advocates for Justice Program:
http://www.law.udc.edu/prospective/afj.htmlAdmissions nuts and bolts: Donald Pritchett: DPritchett@udc.edu
