UALR William H. Bowen School of Law has been awarded an $85,000 grant from The Access Group Center for Research & Policy Analysis (“Access Group”). The grant funds support Bowen’s Legal Education Advancement Program (LEAP). LEAP, a performance-based admissions program, is aimed at increasing the representation of traditionally underrepresented groups at the law school and in the Arkansas state bar.
The Access Group is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of 199 nonprofit and state-affiliated ABA-approved law schools. Its mission is to further affordable access for law and other graduate and professional students.
“Finding ways to increase diversity in law schools and, ultimately, in the legal profession is central to our mission,” says Christopher P. Chapman, Access Group President and Chief Executive Officer. “Programs like LEAP demonstrate how law schools are testing innovative models to increase diversity. We look forward to the legal education community learning from this approach.”
Bowen’s LEAP Program is in its second year. The admission by performance aspect of the program is held during the summer and is open to students whose admissions applications have been initially denied. Participants who successfully complete the summer program are recommended to the law school admissions committee for admission to the law school.
“The Access Group’s funding for this initiative serves as wonderful outside confirmation of the legitimacy and value of our vision and is critical to our success,” says Bowen Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz. “The Bowen faculty is proud of the program and our students. I personally owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Adjoa Aiyetoro and her team for their tireless efforts in crafting the program and making it succeed.”
