National Conference of Bar Foundations Annual Meeting July 31, 2015 Workshop 5A – Addressing Challenges of the Changing Legal Landscape: Pipeline, Debt Forgiveness and Lawyer Employment Efforts

Louis Stokes Scholars A Diversity Pipeline Program for Cleveland-Native College Students Interested in Law Presenter: Anne Owings Ford, President Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Congressman Louis Stokes

2015 Louis Stokes Scholars Class

Sources: American Bar Association, U.S. Census data Of the 1,281,432 lawyers in the U.S.: 88.1 % are White 4.8% are Black/African-American 3.7% are Hispanic/Latino 3.4% are other ethnic/racial minorities. Distribution in the U.S. population: 62.6% White 13.2% Black/African American 17.1% Hispanic/Latino 7.1% other ethnic/racial minorities

CMBA Programs for Cleveland-Native Students High School Programs: 3Rs: Rights, Responsibilities and Realities; 3Rs+; Cleveland Mock Trial; and Stephanie Tubbs Jones Summer Legal Academy. Law School Programs: Minority Clerkship Program; and Free Law Student Membership in CMBA.

There’s a Hole in the Pipeline: No CMBA College Programs

Program Goals Plug gap in diversity and inclusion pipeline programs; Stretch participants’ imaginations; Create and continue mentor relationships – for a lifetime; Bring talented Cleveland natives back to Cleveland’s legal community; and Change the world.

Program Parameters Applications disseminated at beginning of year Spring application deadline; rigorous interview process Group dynamics, funding and number of willing employers drives class size; twenty or fewer Scholars is ideal Eight-week, twenty-hour a week paid summer internship, consisting of: Working for legal employer; and Seminars, workshops, meetings, mentoring social events, city tours and field trips. Concluding luncheon and ceremony

Partners For Success Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation College Now Greater Cleveland Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education Federal, state, county and municipal government offices and judicial officers Cleveland Law Library Numerous law firms Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Cleveland Marshall Law School; Case Western Reserve University Law School Corporations, such as Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team Volunteer mentors

Mentoring PHoTO

Stokes Scholars at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judges’ Conference Room

Stokes Scholars with Eighth District (Ohio) Court of Appeals Judges

Stokes Scholars with Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor

Just over half from a grant from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation; Almost 20% from grants from other sources, including the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Foundation and the Attorney Admission Fund of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio; A little less than 10% from donations specifically directed to the program; and Just over 20% from law firms, which includes salaries paid to Stokes Scholars hosted by Cleveland firms. Stokes Scholars Program Budget: $40,000

Forty-three Scholars have participated over the past four years: 2015: 17 Scholars, including 12 Alumni 2014: 17 Scholars, including 7 Alumni 2013: 16 Scholars, including 6 Alumni 2012: 18 Scholars – Inaugural Class One Stokes Scholar Alumnus has just finished his first year in law school at Case Western Reserve University Law School. Two Stokes Scholars Alumni have been admitted to law school, to start in Fall At least five Stokes Scholars Alumni are preparing for and taking the LSAT, seeking admission to law school in Fall Stokes Scholars Impact By the Numbers

Stokes Scholars Stats Scholars attend the following colleges and universities: Morehouse College Hawaii-Pacific University Ohio University Bowling Green State University Baldwin-Wallace University Cleveland State University Denison University Case Western Reserve University Kent State University The Ohio State University Howard University University of Toledo Marietta College Ursuline College

Stokes Scholars Stats Stokes Scholars include: A winner of the Diversity Center Writing Competition $50,000 Scholarship (“Stop the Hate”) An NCAA Division I varsity fencer Members of honors and social fraternities and sororities A four-year NCAA Division III football player A member of the Morehouse College Glee Club A Jimmy Malone Scholarship winner The founder of a college service club – AMEN (Alliance of Males Enriching Neighborhoods) A dual-major student, preparing to study in Spain for the entire school year

“The best part of this internship was reaffirming my decision to become an attorney... because of this program and after meeting many wonderful people and listening to their stories and advice, I am confident that I am making the right career choice.” Jzinae Jackson, 2014 Stokes Scholar; 1L, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Changing lives, one student at a time. Louis Stokes Scholars Program

Questions? Many thanks.