The LatinoJustice Next Generation Lideres (NGL) program recruits and trains young Latino lawyers to serve as mentors for high school and college students considering law school. NGL mentors will help Latino students prepare to get into law school, access services and programs designed to prepare them for law school entrance exams, figure out financing options, and become tap a greater network of Latino lawyers who can help them access internship and job opportunities after they become lawyers.
Latinos make up close to 20% of the US population but less than 4% of all lawyers. Part of the issue is that Latino students have not had exposure to family members of close friends who are lawyers. The law profession seems out of reach for many, particularly today as the cost of a law degree has skyrocketed and, until recently, the legal job market had been in decline. Latino students have not had access to the resources necessary to prepare to enter law school and pursue a law careeer.
LatinoJustice's NGL program will create a network of support for each participating student to: 1) learn about the potential of a law career; to 2) prepare for successful admission to law school; 3) gain access to resources needed to succeed in law school; and 4) engage with mentors invested in helping them to become successful attorneys. NGL students will receive these services and support from high school through law school graduation and beyond.
Long-term, the goal of NGL, like other LatinoJustice legal pipeline programs, is to foster the development of more Latino lawyers. This is important because Latino lawyers will not only elevate the professional standing of the community but also have the wherewithal to use the power of the law and legal advocacy to stand up for the rights and opportunities of their fellow Latinos. Especially now, given the hate rhetoric infesting the highest levels of government, we need more Latino champions.
