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AGENDA/PROGRAM
SCHEDULE -
NEW
& IMPROVED FORMAT!
FINAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (As of October 1, 2008) -
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORD DOCUMENT
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FRIDAY
OCTOBER
10, 2008 |
CONFERENCE
DAY ONE |
| 7:30 A.M.
- 8:30 A.M. |
Complimentary Welcome Breakfast - Continental
Breakfast/Fellowship |
| 7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. |
FREE REGISTRATION/Check-In for Registration Materials |
| 7:45 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. |
PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION
For Pre-Law Students Only: How to Maximize Your Conference Experience/Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Success – Tips from Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq., Founder & Chairperson, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair |
| 8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. |
Get inspired and ready to be empowered!
Invocation/Opening Prayer
Welcome – Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq., Founder & Chair, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair
Remarks - Bert Jennings, Esq., President, Houston Lawyers Association (HLA) - The African American Bar Association of Houston (Houston, Texas)
Remarks – Daryl K. Washington, Esq., Deputy Chief of Staff, National Bar Association (Dallas, Texas)
Featured Keynote Speaker: Rodney G. Moore, Esq., President, National Bar Association (Atlanta, Georgia)
Remarks – Wintta Woldemariam, National Chairperson, National Black Law Students Association (Austin, Texas)
Featured Keynote Speaker: Shawn D. Stuckey, J.D., Associate, Zelle Hoffman (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Presentations |
9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
(NOON) |
LAW SCHOOL RECRUITMENT FAIR
UNIVERSITY HILTON - UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON (directly across the street)
Meet law school representatives from law schools all over the nation!
PRIZE DRAWINGS!
PLEASE NOTE: You will receive your meal ticket for your free lunch upon leaving the fair. |
| 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. |
LUNCH
Pre-Law Attendees: Pick Up Lunch in the Mediterranean Room (Underground - University Center) First-Come First Served.
Law School Representatives, Panelists, and Staff: Pick Up Lunch in the Bayou City Room (2nd Floor - University Center)
Friday Luncheon
Sponsored by Andrews Kurth LLP
If you choose, other meal options are available in and around the University Center including Wendy's fast food restaurant, Subway, Chick Fil A, Chili's, and Eric's - a restaurant across the street at the University of Houston Hilton. |
| 12:30 P.M. - 1:50 P.M. |
SESSION #1
FOCUS: THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS
Law School Admissions Professionals Panel: What Every Law School Applicant Needs to Know About the Law School Admissions Process
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD
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| 1:50 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. |
Break
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| 2:00 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. |
SESSION #2
FOCUS: THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST (LSAT)
Addressing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) Achievement Gap: Keys to Excellent Preparation for Earning the Competitive Scores That Law Schools Want
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 3:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. |
PRE-LAW RESOURCES FAIR
|
| 3:15 P.M. - 3:25 P.M. |
Break
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| 3:25 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. |
SESSION #3
FOCUS: THE PERSONAL STATEMENT AND THE DIVERSITY STATEMENT
The Law School Personal Statement and Diversity Statement: What They Are, Their Role in the Admissions Process, and How to Write Effective Statements That Really Stand Out
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 4:45 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. |
Break |
| 5:00 P.M. - 6:15 P.M. |
SESSION #4
FOCUS: FINANCING A LEGAL EDUCATION
How to Pay for Law School: Insider Information on Loans, Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (and Tips on Money Management)
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 6:15 P.M. - 7:15 P.M. |
REFRESHMENT BREAK (light refreshments provided)
NETWORKING POWER HOUR
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| 7:15 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. |
SESSION #5
FOCUS: LAW SCHOOL SELECTION
The Truth about Law School Rankings, and How to Choose the Law School That is Best for YOU
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD
CONCURRENT SESSION #5
FOCUS: LAW SCHOOL CHOICE/CAREER SUCCESS
Blazing Your Own Trail: Creating Opportunity from Every Tier in the Spectrum
Sponsored by Baker Botts LLP |
| 7:15 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. |
Law School Admissions & Preparation Advice Help Clinic(TM)
Bring personal statements, resumes, addenda, etc. for this hands-on session; You may also bring any questions or concerns you have regarding getting into law school, the law school experience, and legal careers.
(E-mail us at info@blackprelawconference.com, and place "LSAP Advice Help Clinic" in the subject line.) |
| 8:30 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. |
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING SOCIAL/MENTORSHIP MIXER
FEATURED KEYNOTE ADDRESS - Jolanda "Jo" Jones, Esq.
Lawyer, City Council Member, Businesswoman, Athlete, Former "Survivor: Palau " Contestant (Houston, Texas)
Topic: The Importance of Networking and Mentorship for Future Success
Refreshments served -
Theme: Nacho Bar and Margaritas
Sponsored by Lawyerly Love
Gospel/Inspirational Music |
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SATURDAY
OCTOBER
11, 2008 |
CONFERENCE
DAY TWO |
| 7:30 A.M.
- 8:30 A.M. |
Complimentary Welcome Back Breakfast - Continental
Breakfast/Fellowship |
| 7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. |
FREE REGISTRATION/Check-In at Registration Center for Registration Materials/Nametags |
| 7:30 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. |
Icebreaker/Networking Activity |
| 8:00 A.M. Sharp - 9:00 A.M. |
Welcome - Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq., Founder and Chair, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair
Remarks – Eric M. Mathis, Esq., Chair, National Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (NBA-YLD) (Detroit, Michigan)
Remarks – Sonya Bishop, Esq., Vice Chair, Racial Diversity in the Profession Committee, State Bar of Texas (Houston, Texas)
Remarks – Sharonda Boyce, Chair, College Student Division, National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) (Atlanta, Georgia)
Featured Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Arthur L. Burnett, Sr., Senior Judge, Executive Director of the National African American Drug Policy Coalition, Inc. (Washington, DC)
Remarks - E. Steve Bolden, Esq., Chair, African American Lawyers Section, State Bar of Texas (Houston, Texas)
Special Presentation: Ami M. Sanchez, Esq., Associate Counsel, National Campaign for Fair Elections, Voting Rights Project, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Washington, DC)
Election Protection Efforts: A Call to Action
Presentations |
| 11:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. |
PRE-LAW RESOURCES FAIR - Meet representatives from companies and programs designed to help you succeed in getting into law school and succeeding while there! |
| 9:00 A.M. - 10:35 A.M. |
SESSION #6
FOCUS: INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE METHOD AND THE SOCRATIC METHOD
MOCK LAW SCHOOL CLASS
All registrants will be assigned to a "section" and a particular law professor and course.
All registrants are expected to read and prepare for class. Any class participant can be cold called on to respond to the professor's questions. All conference attendees are urged to participate in this invaluable session and to prepare just as if they were an actual law student.
All cases, materials, and assignments are posted on the "Workshop & Panel Discussion" page of this website.
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD
OR
CONCURRENT SESSION #6
FOCUS: FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY – EARLY PREPARATION FOR LAW SCHOOL AND LEGAL CAREER EXPLORATION
What You Can Do Now to Prepare to Become a Highly Competitive Law School Candidate: Strategies and Advice for Success in College, Law School, and Beyond
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 10:35 A.M. -10:45 A.M. |
Break |
10:45 A.M. -
12:15 P.M. |
SESSION #7
FOCUS: THE LAW SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
How to Become an All-Around Successful Law Student: The Realities of Life as a Law Student and How to Make the Most of the Entire Law School Experience
QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD
OR
CONCURRENT SESSION #7
FOCUS: RACE & GENDER ISSUES (DOUBLE PANEL)
The Double Minority: The Additional Challenges of Being Both Black and a Woman in the Legal Profession
AND
Black Men in the Legal Profession: Getting More of Us on the Other Side of the Law
QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD |
12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M.
12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M.
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Pick Up Lunch
Theme: Pizza
Sponsored by Hope's Promise Publishing and Civic Frame
If you choose, other meal options are available in the University Center including Wendy's fast food restaurant and Eric's - a restaurant across the street at the University of Houston Hilton.
LUNCH ROUND TABLES
Eat lunch and converse with current law students, law school reps, and law school graduates/lawyers (all registered attendees will be assigned to specific rooms). |
| 1:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. |
SESSION #8
FOCUS: DIVERSITY ISSUES
Life as a Black Law Student: Coping with the Additional Burdens of Racism and Prejudice, and Making Positive Contributions in the Law School Environment and Legal Work Setting
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 3:00 P.M. - 3:10 P.M. |
Break |
| 3:10 P.M. - 4:30 P.M. |
SESSION #9
FOCUS: THE BAR EXAM
African Americans and the Bar Exam: Understanding Exactly What It Takes to Pass this High-Stakes Exam and Earn Your License to Practice Law
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD
OR
CONCURRENT SESSION #9
FOCUS: THE JOB SEARCH
What You Need to Know to Gain Employment and Advance in the Legal Profession That You Will Not Learn Anywhere Else
Sponsored by Faegre Benson LLP
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 4:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. |
REFRESHMENT BREAK (Light refreshments provided)
NETWORKING POWER HALF-HOUR |
| 5:00 P.M. - 6:30 P.M. |
SESSION #11
FOCUS: CAREERS (OPPORTUNITIES)
African American Lawyers: Diverse Career Paths and Options
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD
OR
CONCURRENT SESSION #11
FOCUS: CAREERS (LAW PRACTICE/ENTREPRENEURSHIP)
African Americans Who Started Their Own Law Practices: The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Legal Entrepreneur
QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD |
| 5:00 P.M. - 9:45 P.M. |
LSAT Informational Session/Practice Diagnostic Test
Presented by Princeton Review |
| 6:30 P.M. - 6:45 P.M. |
Refreshment Break |
| 6:45 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. |
Special Closing Session
Welcome - April Yvonne Garrett, Advisory Board Member, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair
Remarks - Crystal Ford, President, Black Law Students Association, University of Houston Law Center (Houston, Texas)
Featured Keynote Speech: David A. Green, Esq., Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, North Carolina Central University School of Law (Durham, North Carolina)
Remarks - Keith Lamar, President, Black Law Students Association, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas)
Featured Keynote Speech: Vernellia R. Randall, Esq., Professor of Law, University of Dayton School of Law (Dayton, Ohio)
2008 Legacy Builder Awards – Presentations
Recognition Ceremony
Awards and Recognition of Conference Speakers, Panelists, Moderators, Volunteers, and Law Schools
Acknowledgement of Sponsors
Closing Prayer |
| 8:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. |
Complete Conference Evaluations and Return
May return up until 10:00 P.M. Please return for consideration for prize drawings at farewell reception. |
| 8:30 P.M . - 12:00 A.M. (MIDNIGHT) |
Future Lawyers Farewell Networking Reception
Theme: Chicken & "Champagne"
Sponsored by Lawyerly Love
Speed Networking Activities
Old School/Rhythm & Blues/Soul
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| SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008 |
SPECIAL LSAT SESSION |
| 9:00 A.M. - 1:45 P.M. |
LSAT Informational Session/Practice Diagnostic Test
Presented by Princeton Review |
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