Welcome to the Official Website for the 2nd Annual National Black Pre-Law Admissions & Preparation Conference and Law Fair 2006! The Magnolia Hotel Dallas, Texas Friday, September 8, 2006 until Sunday, September 10, 2006 Encouraging Excellence, Strategic Thinking, and a Competitive Mindset Among African American Law School Aspirants *** A Message from the Conference Chair *** We would like to thank the African American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas for your expression of support of our 2005 conference!!! To view pictures from last year's conference, please click on Black Pre-Law Conference 2005 Photos
A Message from the Conference Chairperson I am pleased to personally invite you to attend The Second Annual National Black Pre-Law Admissions & Preparation Conference and Law Fair 2006! This groundbreaking event will be held on Friday, September 8, 2006 until Sunday, September 10, 2006 at the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas. Dallas is an ideal setting for this conference as it is a major metropolitan city with Southern charm and hospitality, and the number one leisure and business destination in the state of Texas! Recognized by Black Enterprise as one of the best cities in the country for African Americans, it has a vibrant population of African American students and professionals. Last year, due to the negative publicity regarding Blacks and law school success, I took a bold and proactive step by creating this conference to address these issues directly geared toward the population affected by such low expectations and unfavorable statistics - the African American law school aspirant. We set out to provide practical and empowering workshops to provide them with the information they needed to become more competitive and knowledgeable applicants. Based on the response we received from Black law school hopefuls who were appreciative and reinvigorated, we believe we definitely accomplished something. But there is so much more to do and so many more to reach - and this effort along with many others across the country will definitely make a difference. This year, we will continue this annual conference as a tradition of leaving a legacy of giving back and laying the foundation for a new better-informed generation of Black law students and lawyers who don't have to reinvent the wheel and make the mistakes that so many of us as first-generation law students had to make.
This year's conference theme is "Encouraging Excellence, Strategic Thinking, and a Competitive Mindset Among African American Law School Aspirants. " Our goal is to increase the chances of admission of prospective Black law students by emphasizing the importance of striving for excellence as an everyday habit, early strategic planning, understanding the highly competitive nature of the law school admissions process, and stressing the significance of academic preparedness and standing out from tough competition. Another component of this conference is to inform students about the academic rigors and expectations of legal education, and to impart strategies to help them prepare for the challenging law school experience prior to actually beginning their law school careers. Additionally, we want to expose law school aspirants to Black attorneys, many who have succeeded against the odds, who will serve as role models and share their real-life experiences and invaluable advice regarding the practice of law and nontraditional paths for those possessing a law degree.
All day conference workshops and panel discussions will be presented with an emphasis on providing concrete information, while at the same time motivating and inspiring those with legal ambitions to pursue their goals of obtaining a legal education with zeal, meticulousness and boldness. Featured workshop panelists and presenters will participate in numerous sessions including successful and community-minded law school administrative professionals, law professors, law students, and attorneys from all over the nation.
There will also be a Law School Recruitment Fair where future law students will have the opportunity to talk to law school representatives from law schools across the country who will attend specifically to recruit talented Black students and encourage them to apply to their programs. In the afternoon, participants will have the chance to take part in our original signature event - The Law School Admissions Help Advice Clinic™ where volunteer law students and attorneys will talk one-on-one with law school hopefuls about their personal admissions credentials and answer any individual questions they might have about getting into law school, choosing a law school, and preparing for the law school experience. This year, we are adding other new exciting features including an inspirational opening keynote speaker (we are honored to have Dean Dennis J. Shields), invitations to high school students interested in the legal profession to attend, and what I am especially proud of - focused outreach to the HBCU (historically black college and university) community. Furthermore, we want to offer conference participants the opportunity to fellowship and network with others with similar higher education and professional goals in order to create positive support systems with other achievement-oriented peers, as well as current law students and attorneys who can potentially become their mentors and help them in their quest to become lawyers. To facilitate this, outside of the many informational workshop sessions, we will host other social and networking activities to bring everyone together. During the evening of Friday, September 8, there will be a Networking Social Reception followed by an Official Conference Party after conference events. Then, on Saturday, September 9, we will conduct a National Association of Future Black Law Students (NAFBLS) Organizational Meeting and New Members' Orientation, followed by a Leadership Training Institute. All members of the organization will take a group photograph. We will also host an HBCU Pre-Law Consortium Meeting and Social especially for pre-law and career advisors at historically Black colleges. Following these programs, participants will be able to take part in an African American Dallas Sightseeing Tour or a group visit to the African American Museum (depending on the level of interest) followed by other social outings designed to help you "Discover Dallas!" and have a great time while there. Finally, the conference weekend will come to a close and be capped off with a special Sunday Brunch and NAFBLS Awards Reception honoring organizational leaders and community members who have gone above and beyond to assist African American pre-law and law students achieve their goals. Please submit nominations for persons you believe should be recognized. This conference is truly a “can’t miss” event and the only national conference in the nation designed specifically for the Black pre-law aspirant in mind. We want to share the empowering information future law students need so that they can prove all of the nay sayers wrong and go against the negative statistics that seem to tell us that the odds are against Black students being successful. If you are serious about law school, you must attend! We are truly looking forward to seeing all of our future Black lawyers, decision makers, leaders, contributors, community servants, and visionaries in Dallas in September! Expect to be inspired and empowered - and then ready to take on the challenge of law school with a spirit of excellence and a strategic and competitive mindset! Best and warmest regards, Evangeline Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq.
See the Special Conference Edition of Black Esquire(TM) Magazine for the 2006 Conference at www.blackesquire.com.
Comments/Testimonials from the 2005 Conference University of Houston, University Park, Houston, Texas "It was excellent, very professional, well organized, and well represented. . . . Above and beyond [my expectations]. . . . The confirmation of my faith and belief that I am going [in]to law. . . . I have no complaints - I enjoyed the entire conference." Prospective Law Student “I wanted to take a moment out of my day to say thank you for organizing the National Black Pre-Law Conference. . . .The event was well organized, informative and the students were prepared to ask the questions that they needed answers to. . . . . It was nice meeting such well prepared and driven pre-law students. . . . Again thank you so much and congratulations on such a successful event!” Law School Representative “It was a wonderful program, I hope more students can attend in future years. Great panels and topics covered.” Law School Representative “The professionalism and kindness I liked the most. . . It met and exceeded my expectations. . . . VERY GOOD!! WELL ORGANIZED!!!” Law School Representative “Fantastic. The aura was positive. . . . Everyone was professional. It was awesome. . . . All presenters were professional and knowledgeable. They seem to understand how to articulate what blacks need to know. They were straightforward. . . They gave great insight to real situations Black lawyers face. It allowed me to actually see myself in the field. . . . It far exceeded my expectations. All I can say is WOW!” Prospective Law Student “It was absolutely great! It really MOTIVATED us to pursue our law degree!” Prospective Law Student “I was very impressed with the program.” Law School Representative “Well organized and attended (by both students and law schools). . . . More comprehensive. . . .” Law School Representative “The coordination of this event was absolutely outstanding! I would be remiss if I did not take my hat off to you for all of the hard work that obviously went into the planning of this inaugural event. I met with some very positive, talented, articulate, and might I add, well-dressed students. Overall, I felt a very positive vibe just being in the presence of such outstanding people of color. . . . Hopefully momentum will grow and more and more students nationwide will take advantage of such an extraordinary opportunity.” Law School Representative “My overall impression was that I thought it was great.” Prospective Law Student |
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