Pathways to the profession

Emory Law held its second MLK Weekend with Emory Law event. Building on last year's success, this year's event was an opportunity for invited prospective students from some of the country’s top universities to learn more about Emory Law and be immersed in Atlanta culture.

Emory Law held its second MLK Weekend with Emory Law event. Building on last year's success, this year's event was an opportunity for invited prospective students from some of the country’s top universities to learn more about Emory Law and be immersed in Atlanta culture.

The event remains rooted in intentional action toward diversifying the overall legal profession. ABA (American Bar Association) data reports, "Nearly all people of color are underrepresented in the legal profession compared with their presence in the US population." In fact, as of 2020, around 5% of attorneys are Black. Law schools across the country are seeing low numbers of Black male applicants. The Admissions team doubled their number of prospective student attendees and increased the range of represented universities to include schools such as Princeton, American, Howard, University of Central Florida and Indiana University. Prospective students hailed from many prestigious undergraduate institutions including Stanford, Princeton, Duke, and Emory.

This year's group consisted of 32 applicants for the program and 27 attendees (18 male and 9 female students), up from 15 from last year.

Selection and outreach were fixed on expanding the reach regionally and deeply engaging the prospective students to increase bonding. comfort, and true immersion in Emory culture. Office of Admission representatives visited LSAC ( Law School Admissions Council) forums and schools in Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Connecticut, Iowa, Washington, DC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, inviting the most credentialed applicants to the event. Some of the institutions they visited are some of the best feeder schools for students in general and for high-performing African American students. This year the program experienced growth, adding a keynote speaker to the programming (Pia Flanagan 96L, head of mass markets at Mass Mutual).

The event was invite-only, and each prospective students received personalized invitations outlining their weekend, including a notification that all their travel and lodging would be covered by Emory Law. The Admission team doubled their number of prospective student attendees and increased the range of represented universities to include schools such as Princeton, American, Howard, University of Central Florida and Indiana University and included engagement between Dean Bobinski, incoming Dean Freer, and prospective students.

Programming this year mirrored last year's, including a welcome reception at Smith Gambrell; a breakfast, tour of the law school, mock class, and panel discussions. Students engaged with alumni, members from both the Advancement and Alumni Engagement and Office of Admission reams, faculty, sea ff, and administrators. Ka'myia Gunn 24L, Jordan Smith 26L, Jamie Sipp 24L, Benjamin Brown 26L, Jerome Miller 24L, and Sheridan Hill 25L shared their unique experiences with the prospective students.

Tristin Carmichael EdD joined Emory Law as senior director of admission, financial aid, & partnerships in August of 2023. He came to Emory Law from Goizueta Business School and was elated co learn of the MLK Weekend event. He worked closely with the Admission ream co produce the enhanced event.

Carmichael said, "Being a qualitative researcher who loves reading and hearing stories from marginalized communities, I felt it was a professional and personal responsibility to give access and space to others who often would not have an opportunity. So yes, the second year of this event was personally illuminative. As such, for the MLK event, it was pivotal to double the number of registrants and participants to continue our dedication to having a diverse student population."

In a full-circle moment, Benjamin Brown 26L, who attended the inaugural MLK Weekend at Emory Law event in 2023 as a prospective student, participated in this year's event as a first-year student. Brown spoke on the student panel on behalf of the Black Law Students Association. He said, "My journey from a prospective student to a proud member of the Emory Law community is a testament to the power of this event. le not only influenced my decision to attend Emory Law bur also affirmed my belief in the importance of a legal education that values diversity, inclusivity, and excellence. The MLK Weekend event was a turning point in my academic and professional journey. It showed me that Emory is more than just a law school; it is a place where you can thrive, contribute, and embark on a path to become not just a lawyer, but a leader. I am excited for the future students who attend this event and join us in this journey at Emory Law."