The American Bar Association, through its Diversity Pipeline project, has recognized that it must assist and encourage individuals of color in all years of their development to become attorneys. In 2006-07 the ABA Young Lawyers Division has developed a new pipeline project designed for high school students of color: "Choose Law: A Profession for All."

Although great strides have been made, individuals of color continue to be under-represented in the legal profession. The causes for this under-representation are many, but include: fewer financial and educational opportunities, fewer opportunities to be favorably exposed to the legal profession, and fewer role models who have attended college or become attorneys.

Choose Law encourages individuals of color to become attorneys through use of a new video, a written guide, a website, attorney volunteers and educators. Through Choose Law, students learn about the importance of the legal profession and how the law affects all aspects of their lives. The project teaches the students that the legal profession is a noble profession and that attorneys of color have played a crucial role in its development. Finally, Choose Law teaches that there are wonderful and diverse opportunities for individuals pursuing a legal career, but that the students must begin preparing early by obtaining a good education, making good grades, and staying out of trouble if a career in the law is what they truly desire.

Choose Law is perfect for career day seminars, for guidance counselors, for social study classes, or for programs designed to educate students about the practice of law and to encourage them to consider becoming attorneys. Educators and counselors can use the video and written materials as a stand-alone project or as a supplement to similar local programs, such as programs where a local attorney or judge speaks to high school students about the practice of law. You can modify the project to suit your needs. Choose Law can be presented in fifteen minutes or an hour depending on what will work best. How you incorporate Choose Law into your curriculum or program is up to you.

Although Choose Law is primarily directed at students of color, its message about the importance of the legal profession and of overcoming obstacles and pursuing an education is appropriate for everyone.

In order to fully implement Choose Law, the ABA YLD needs volunteer attorneys and educators to arrange for the project to be shown in local schools and to local youth groups. We also encourage educators to recruit local attorneys or judges to speak to the students about a career as an attorney after the video has been shown.

Choose Law is managed by a team of dedicated and diverse volunteers who are available to answer your questions and to assist in the implementation of the project. This team is led by the Choose Law Coordinators: Phenise Poole (phenisepoole@abanet.org) and Rita Diaz (rdiaz@abanet.org). We always need additional volunteers. You can volunteer by writing to either of the project coordinators.

Click hereto download the Choose Law: A Profession for All brochure.