Breaking Down Barriers to Law

July 22, 2024

“I knew I wanted to become a lawyer at a very young age. The very moment I could work, I got a job at a law firm as an intern. Yet almost a decade later, with four law firms under my belt, I was still working toward the same goal,” said Lucy Chen, one of 25 inaugural participants in Yale Law School’s Launchpad Scholars Program, powered by Latham & Watkins.

At one law firm, Chen assisted with pro bono work with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, helping people recover unpaid wages and fight for copyright protection. The experience left Chen with a vision for her future career. “I want to [be an] advocate for similarly underrepresented groups,” she said. But Chen didn’t know how to get there. No one in her family or social circle had attended law school; she lacked mentors she could turn to for advice.

“There are a lot of prohibitive barriers to entry to law school, especially as a first-generation American. I knew I could go to law school, but I didn’t know how,” said Chen.

Chen decided to apply to the Launchpad Scholars Program “to take my dreams seriously and close that gap,” she said.

Launchpas Scholars in a classroom at YLS

Launchpad Scholars attended workshops on subjects such as writing personal statements, tracking applications, and law school interviews.

The yearlong program, which launched in 2022, is designed to help expand access to the legal profession by ensuring excellent applicants from all backgrounds gain the tools and resources they need to successfully apply to the law schools of their choosing. The comprehensive, cohort-based program is a collaborative effort of Yale Law School and Latham & Watkins.

Throughout the year, participants receive one-on-one mentorship, LSAT preparation, and step-by-step guidance through the application process.

This past June, the first cohort of Scholars convened in New Haven for a week of mock classes, visits to legal employers, and networking with Yale Law students, faculty, and admissions officers. This week-long “Residential Institute” at Yale Law School represents the program’s capstone.

The Launchpad Scholars Program is the second pipeline-to-law-school program established at Yale Law School during the tenure of Dean and Sol & Lillian Goldman Professor of Law Heather K. Gerken. The Access to Law School Program, led by J. Skelly Wright Professor of Law James Forman Jr., is open to New Haven residents, while Launchpad is open to students across the U.S.

The pipeline programs echo the School’s larger effort to open access to the legal profession. Along with the Hurst Horizon Scholarship Program, a first-of-its-kind need-based financial aid program, they are designed to support a wider range of applications to law schools and break barriers standing in the way of law school for students across the country.

Launchpad scholar Lucy Chen sits at a table talking with Van Ann Bui of the Admissions office. — Launchpad Scholar Lucy Chen (left) meets with Van Ann Bui of the Yale Law School Admissions staff during the week-long Residential Institute.

“Applying to law school is hard, and applicants with familial and financial resources have a significant advantage over those without,” said Associate Dean of Admissions Miriam Ingber. “Programs like Launchpad Scholars help ensure that applicants from all backgrounds can maximize their opportunities. Working with our incredible first cohort of Scholars has only underscored for me how much they have to contribute to the legal profession. Not only has it been a joy to get to know the Scholars, but I have been awed by the efforts and enthusiasm shown by so many of my Law School colleagues and the lawyers and staff at Latham.”

“I am thrilled by the impact of the Launchpad Scholars Program,” said Michèle Penzer ’93, Partner and Global Recruiting Committee Chair at Latham & Watkins. “At Latham, we believe in fostering diversity and providing opportunities for talented individuals from all backgrounds. By investing in this program, we are helping to break down barriers to legal education and to enrich the profession with diverse perspectives. The passion and potential of these scholars truly inspires, and we are honored to support their journey toward becoming future leaders in law.”

For Chen, this immersive experience was life-changing.

“Everyone in the program is passionate about access to resources and is invested in our success and believes in us,” she said. “Every aspect of the program is crafted with intention. Without this program I wouldn’t have taken the LSAT. I learned a plethora of skills and lessons, from briefing a case to unspoken rules in the workplace.”

Getting up to speed

Through the year, the Launchpad Scholars immerse in preparations to apply to and attend law school. The year begins with a two-day Welcome Summit at the New York City offices of Latham & Watkins in August. Each participant matches with an attorney mentor at Latham & Watkins and a Yale Law School student who advise them through the year’s programming.

At five Saturday Academies, held online, Scholars develop skills to assist them in their applications, during law school, and beyond.

During the spring, Scholars receive comprehensive LSAT preparation, held live online through a program that includes practice tests and individual review sessions.

The week-long intensive Residential Institute at Yale Law School concludes the program; this year’s Institute was held June 23–28. Scholars completed workshops on subjects such as writing personal statements, tracking applications, and law school interviews, and met with admissions officers and Yale Law faculty.

Scholars had an opportunity to attend a sentencing hearing at the federal courthouse in Bridgeport and afterward met with Judge Stefan R. Underhill ’84 and his clerks. They also participated in a mock class on Torts with Joseph M. Field ’55 Professor of Law Douglas Kysar. During a day trip to New York City, they visited the New York City Bar Association and Latham & Watkins office.

James Forman stands in the dining hall speaking to Launchpad scholars seated at tables. — Launchpad Scholars heard from Yale Law School Professor James Forman Jr. ’92.

Kenneth Gonzalez Santibanez was a member of this year’s cohort of Launchpad Scholars. The son of Mexican immigrants to Texas, Gonzalez Santibanez has always been aware of the barriers that can stand in the way of immigrants’ success, but what sharpened his desire to become a lawyer was his experience with domestic violence. During a crisis, he was able to help his family access resources and regain security. But many other immigrant families in Texas are not so lucky, he said.

Gonzalez Santibanez’ goal is to gain his law degree and then build a program in his home state that can help immigrant families recover from domestic violence.

He said the program left him feeling confident he has the knowledge and skills to prepare his law school applications. A critical component, he said, was “getting up to speed” with his peers on everything from writing professional emails to crafting a meaningful personal statement.

“Most people from the program are first-generation Americans, low-income, [or] the first in their families to graduate from college. I view this as part of the larger mission that Launchpad has — to make sure you have the same tools as your wealthier peers,” he said.

Lifelong friends

Before arriving in New Haven for the Residential Institute, Launchpad Scholar Kira Burns, a resident of Orlando, Florida, said she was nervous about attending mock classes because she knew the Scholars would practice the Socratic method.

Her fears were unfounded. “The professors were so knowledgeable and patient with us and allowed us to speak when we had an opinion,” she said. “It really sparked my interest.”

Burns, who hopes to pursue a career in administrative law and public service, says she was inspired to study law at a young age after witnessing the many challenges faced by her under-resourced community, from exposure to toxic environmental chemicals to systemic violence.

While attending Florida A&M University, Burns gained experience working in the House of Representatives, the Florida Governor’s Office, and eventually the U.S. Embassy in London. But a lack of mentorship and a busy schedule made it difficult for her to study for the LSAT. “I didn’t have the time or knowledge to put together my most compelling law school application, and I wasn’t very successful,” she said.

For Burns, the Launchpad Scholars Program has supplied the resources she needed to pursue her goals. More than that, the program offered a community of support.

“It’s very easy to doubt yourself throughout the process, especially when things aren’t going exactly how you planned,” she said. “I expected to gain resources that would help my application, and though I did that, I got more — I’ve gained lifelong friends.”

Launchpad scholar Kenneth Gonzalez Santibanez sits working on his laptop computer, which has a Launchpad Scholars sticker on it. — Launchpad Scholar Kenneth Gonzales Santibanez's goal is to build a program in his home state of Texas to help immigrant families recover from domestic violence.

Gonzalez Santibanez and Chen agreed. For Gonzalez Santibanez, the community of support has meant he no longer feels alone in the law school process.

“I think the Scholars will be wonderful connections no matter what law school they go to,” he said. “Anywhere I go, I know there are people there. If I run into any issues, I have 24 other people standing there ready to help.”

“We can’t wait to welcome our second cohort this August and grow the Launchpad community. Like our first cohort of Scholars, they are an incredible group of people that includes business owners, advocates, student leaders, government staffers, and paralegals,” said Ingber.

The incoming cohort attended 23 different undergraduate institutions, nearly half of which are public universities. Over three-fourths are or will be the first in their family to graduate from college. Nine are still in college, while the other sixteen are working, including two who have graduate degrees. Nearly a quarter of the incoming cohort are first-generation immigrants, and one in five come from families impacted by the criminal justice or child welfare systems.

Burns said she’d encourage anyone on the fence about applying for the Launchpad Scholars Program to go for it.

“People who come from communities like mine, we’re not used to having so many people excited to pour into us,” said Burns. “It’s the perfect program for you if you are struggling with having that extra push toward your dreams.”