UALR William H. Bowen School of Law has been awarded an $85,000 grant from the Access Group Center for Research & Policy Analysis.

The grant funds will 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 about 200 nonprofit and state-affiliated American Bar Association-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,” said 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.”

LEAP is in its second year at Bowen. The admission-by-performance aspect of the program occurs during the summer and is open to students whose admissions applications were 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,” said 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.”