University of Kentucky Legal Education Access Program (LEAP)

The goal of the Legal Education Access Project (LEAP) is to lessen the traditional underrepresentation of economically disadvantaged rural, urban and minority communities within the legal profession; and to increase the number of lawyers practicing in Kentucky's economically disadvantaged rural, urban and minority communities. LEAP addresses the underrepresentation issue with an array of special initiatives targeted at young people living in Kentucky's economically disadvantaged communities to encourage and assist them to pursue a legal career. Attracting and successfully educating more law students from these targeted communities will, in turn, expand the pool of attorneys who are willing to practice in these underserved areas. LEAP has both a community and law school component. Currently enrolled law students will offer specially designed programs in high schools in the targeted communities and will serve as mentors. Recruitment specialists will identif~' and assist undergraduates from the targeted communities apply for admission to UK College of Law. Financial assistance in the form of tuition remission and fee waivers will be made available to lessen the economic barriers to studying the law. Entering law students from the targeted communities will be offered an enhanced and expanded legal writing and reasoning program to facilitate their academic success.