A new program will allow Jackson State University students who want to pursue a law degree at the University of Mississippi to accelerate the process.
Representatives from both universities met in Jackson on Thursday to finalize the first-of-its-kind partnership in Mississippi, dubbing the initiative as the Pathway to Law School Program. It will allow undergraduate students at the HBCU to begin taking law school classes as early as their senior year, trimming two semesters off the required time to attain a law degree from Ole Miss.
“As the flagship university, we want to educate our Mississippi students at Ole Miss and hope they continue to give back to communities in Mississippi. It’s our commitment to provide access to the legal profession,” University of Mississippi School of Law Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Joshua Tucker said.
Tucker added that the Pathway to Law program will further open access to law degrees for Black students. Mississippi, which has the highest African American population of any state at 45.3 percent, has less than 10 percent Black representation in its law industry, according to a 2020 survey from the Mississippi Bar Association.
“It is our responsibility to provide educational opportunities like this so individuals underrepresented in the legal profession can one day become legal advocates and champions of justice,” Tucker continued.
The initiative was championed by Redd Thompson, wife of new Jackson State President Dr. Marcus Thompson and a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law.
“As a lawyer and proud alumna of the University of Mississippi School of Law, the partnership between Jackson State’s pre-law program and my alma mater holds a special place in my heart,” Redd said. “I am embracing this opportunity to help Jackson State students enter the legal field, which I am deeply passionate about, through the very institution that shaped my own career.”
In addition, the Pathway to Law School Program will consist of a lecture series that will bring University of Mississippi law professors to Jackson State to speak with aspiring attorneys while also waiving the application fee for Jackson State students applying to UM’s School of Law.
Jackson State students may begin applying for the new program this fall.
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