Last month, California LAW Pathways (Cal LAW) hosted the 9th Annual Pathways to Law Summit at the University of California, Davis. This year, Cal LAW celebrated ten years of championing diversity in the legal field and bringing together law practitioners, students, and educators from high schools, community colleges, universities, and law schools statewide to share ideas, make connections, and advance diversity and inclusion within law schools and the legal profession.

The Pathways to Law Summit featured tailored tracks applicable to each attendees’ interests. A collaborative track for faculty and staff helped educators discover promising practices from schools all across California. The student track offered law school application workshops, a law school fair with expert panels where students connected directly with Deans of Admissions, a tour of the law school, and a mock class. 

This year’s agenda also included a student panel and discussions on Supreme Court decisions that have impacted higher education, which kept timely themes top of mind and allowed a shared space for attendees’ pressing questions and interests. Keynote speakers – Justice Kelli Evans, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, and Capri Maddox, Executive Director of Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department – and industry experts shared invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of pursuing a career in law, emphasizing the importance of resilience, mentorship, and community support.

Cal LAW also recognized the following community colleges from across the state through the Diversity Champion Award, the Education Pipeline Award, and the Student Scholarship Award. These awards highlight each recipient’s invaluable work in advancing equity in the law field through diversity, educational opportunity, and supported student success. 

• CALIFORNIA LAW PATHWAYS EDUCATION PIPELINE AWARD:
  Antelope Valley College
  Chapman University, Fowler School of Law Pre-Law Winter Institute
• CALIFORNIA LAW PATHWAYS DIVERSITY CHAMPION AWARD:
  Santa Monica College
  Kevin Johnson, Dean of University of California Davis School of Law
• CALIFORNIA LAW PATHWAYS OUTSTANDING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD:
  Kristen Perez, East Los Angeles City College
  Ella Jaravata, Mesa College

An impact partner of FoundationCCC and established under the leadership of the State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness and with support from the Law School Admission Council, California LAW Pathways works to establish a pathway of diverse students from high schools, community colleges, four-year institutions, and law schools into law or law-related careers so that the legal profession reflects the diverse population of the State of California. For a decade, California LAW Pathways has worked with 35 California community colleges, 23 high school law academies, 16 undergraduate universities, and 15 ABA-accredited California law schools to provide the foundational structure that connects, communicates, collaborates, and coordinates programs essential to the educational pathway for students into a career in law. 

Learn more about Cal LAW >

See photos from the 9th Annual Pathways to Law Summit >