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October 28, 2022

Yale Law School expands opportunities for prospective students

PHOTO | Courtesy Yale University
By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich

Students aspiring to earn a law degree, particularly those from underrepresented and underserved communities, are getting some help with starting their future legal careers.

Thanks to backing by the New York-based law firm Latham & Watkins, the new Yale Law School Launchpad Scholars Program is providing more people with an opportunity to access a legal education. 

The YLS Launchpad Scholars Program is designed to help students navigate the law school application and admission process from start to finish. 

Yale declined to disclose how much financial assistance the program is receiving from Latham & Watkins. 

The Launchpad Scholars Program is open to all current college students and graduates planning to apply to law school in the fall of 2024, with the goal of matriculating to law school in the fall of 2025.

Scholars will be selected based on their potential for academic excellence, leadership promise, engagement with their communities and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives.

The program will provide participants with application and career readiness support, including  LSAT preparation, attorney and law student mentorship and other resources aimed at preparing  participants to apply to the law schools of their choice. The program is open to all applicants, but especially welcomes applications from members of groups historically underrepresented in the legal profession.

Applications for the inaugural program will open in March 2023. Information sessions will be held throughout this fall and winter.

The program will kick off in August 2023 with a Welcome Summit scheduled at Latham & Watkins’ New York office. 

Each scholar will be paired with a student mentor from Yale Law School and a lawyer mentor from Latham & Watkins.

Launchpad scholars will also participate in a comprehensive, cohort-based LSAT preparation program, including classroom instruction, proctored practice tests, individual review sessions and more. 

Throughout the year, scholars will attend monthly sessions led by YLS staff and alumni designed to prepare them for the law school application process, law school itself and post-graduation careers. 

The program will conclude in June 2024 with a week-long Residential Institute, where students will spend a week at YLS focusing on the law school application process, participating in field trips to legal employers and engaging with members of the YLS School and Latham & Watkins communities.

Yale Law School Dean Heather K. Gerken lauded the program.

"The Launchpad Scholars Program will meet prospective students where they are, providing the knowledge and skills they need to enroll in law school, thrive while there, and go on to become leaders in their chosen fields," said Gerken. "This program is a critical part of our ongoing commitment to further diversifying the legal profession and making the benefits of a rigorous legal education available to everyone."

Michèle Penzer, a YLS Class of '93 graduate and partner with Latham & Watkins, is excited about the partnership.

“We believe drawing from students of all backgrounds will build strong future lawyers, and best enable us to serve the communities in which we live and work," Penzer said. 

There is no cost to apply to or participate. All travel, food and lodging expenses for in-person programming will be covered, as will all expenses of the LSAT program, including registration fees for two test administrations. Scholars will also receive reimbursement for six law school applications.

For more information about the program and application requirements, visit www.law.yale.edu/launchpad.

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