In the just and compassionate spirit of the late United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the CLEO/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program reaches those students woefully underrepresented in the legal profession. Indeed, the CLEO/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program provides low-income, economically disadvantaged, otherwise disadvantaged and minority students the educational tools and financial resources to excel in law school and pass the bar examination.

Funded by a United States Department of Education grant, the CLEO/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program motivates students to live out the compelling words of Justice Marshall and practice public interest law in low-income communities during the course of their legal careers. In order to encourage students to practice public interest law, the program provides financial assistance awards designed to lessen the law school debt of the student. With this reduced debt load, the practice of public interest law becomes more professionally attractive as well as economically feasible.

Recognizing that the future is in our own hands, the CLEO/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity is committed to broadening the base of legal opportunity to include all citizens of this great country, especially those historically denied equal access to a legal education. As we launch forward into an ever changing tomorrow, the CLEO/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity is sharply focused on creating a legal profession that is truly reflective of this richly diverse nation. We owe ourselves as well as future generations nothing less than this.

If you have any questions or problems with the CLEO web site, e-mail Jeffery Horne, Information Systems Specialist, at hornej@staff.abanet.org. All other requests should be directed to cleo@abanet.org.