About the Access to Law School Program
The Access to Law School Program at Yale Law School is an innovative law school pipeline program designed for people from the New Haven area who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the law. We place a special emphasis on applicants who are low-income, formerly incarcerated, or who would be the first person in their family to attend law school.
The Program invests in a class of up to twenty fellows who are passionate about uplifting their local communities in New Haven and Connecticut. In weekly Academies and one-on-one mentorship sessions, fellows work with Yale Law School students and legal professionals to develop an individualized approach to their law school application process and to prepare for careers in leadership and the law. Ultimately, the Program aims to empower each cohort of fellows to thrive in their legal studies, make a difference in their communities of New Haven and Connecticut, and pave the way for other individuals like themselves who seek a career in the law.
In its first three years, the program has already achieved significant success; our first two classes of fellows attend a wide range of schools, including Berkeley, Georgetown, Howard, Quinnipiac, UConn, Vermont, Villanova, and Yale.
Applications for Cohort 5 will open on September 1st, 2025.
The Law and Racial Justice Center is grateful to the Oscar M. Ruebhausen Fund for its generous support of the Access to Law School Program.