Pre-Law Advisors Training

Isleta Resort + Casino • February 5th - 6th, 2019 • Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico RegistrationAgenda

On-line registration is closed. Limited on-site registration will be available at the conference. Reimbursements may no longer be available. The hotel room block is no longer available.

Please direct questions to AILCinfo@law.unm.edu

About the Conference

The Pathways to the Legal Profession Conference aims to increase the number of competitive Native law school applicants nationwide. Recent scholarship by the American Bar Association and others establishes that Native Americans are disproportionately underrepresented in the legal profession. We encourage advisors, educators, and school administrators to attend this training to help identify, advise, and support the next generation of indigenous attorneys.

Advisors

We invite advisors with an array of titles and responsibilities to attend the conference.  This includes community members such as teachers and youth mentors, as well as those who specifically advise American Indian students interested in applying to law school.

At the Conference

Conference presentations will identify the most common challenges Native students face on their journey to law school. Workshop participants will participate in mock reviews of applications, engage with Native attorneys and Native law students, and gain access to a national professional network of pre-law advisors to American Indian prospective law school applicants. Attendees will also learn new strategies that enhance the effectiveness of communication with pre-law students.

Benefits

  • Keynote session featuring prominent Indian Law professor, Matthew L.M. Fletcher, outlining the need for Native Attorneys
  • Panel discussions on identifying Native students for law school and the nuts and bolts of the law school application
  • Question and answer sessions with Native attorneys and Native law students
  • Workshop sessions on applying to law school, covering topics such as advising applicants on their personal statements, resumes, and supplemental statements (including diversity statements and other addenda); financing law school; LSAT Overview; and law school selection
  • Free resource binder

Partners

This program is supported by the participation and contributions of the American Indian Law Center, Inc.; the Native American Pipeline to Law Initiative; Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law; University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; Michigan State University College of Law; and the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Find Your Course Materials

Information Regarding Travel Reimbursements

Up to 30 lodging and travel reimbursements (up to $800) are available for Tribal Education Departments (TEDs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). At least one representative (perhaps more depending on funding) from each TED and TCU is eligible. Other attendees might also qualify for a reimbursement and should direct questions to ailcinfo@law.unm.edu or call (505) 277-5462. Reimbursement forms will be available at the conference registration table.
Travel expenses that are generally eligible for reimbursement
  • Economy airfare or mileage (whichever is less expensive)
  • Lodging at the host hotel at the discount/conference room block rate
  • Airport parking and mileage to and from the closest departure airport; or taxi, uber, or lyft to and from the closest departure airport (whichever is less expensive)
  • Note: Isleta Resort and Casino (the host hotel) has a courtesy shuttle for transportation to and from the Albuquerque Sunport.
  • Checked bag fee
Travel expenses that are not eligible for reimbursement
  • Meals
  • Expenses that are incident to lodging (i.e., in-room movies, room service, etc.)
  • Rental car

Pre-Law Advisors Conference

Draft Agenda
Monday, February 4th
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Registration and Hotel Check-in
Tuesday, February 5th

8:00am – 8:30am

Registration and Breakfast

8:30am – 8:45am

Welcome and Invocation

Honorable Max Zuni, Governor, Pueblo of Isleta

Helen B. Padilla, Esq., Director, American Indian Law Center, Inc.

8:45am – 9:45am

The Need for Native Lawyers

Matthew Fletcher, Professor of Law & Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center, Michigan State University College of Law

9:45am – 11:00am

Identifying Native Students for Law School

Kristin Theis-Alvarez, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, University of California Berkeley School of Law

Neoshia Roemer, Indigenous Law & Policy Center Fellow Michigan State University College of Law

11:00am – 11:15am

Break

11:15am – 12:00pm

Nuts and Bolts of the Law School Application Process

David Pallozzi, Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, University of New Mexico School of Law

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Lunch with Native Attorneys and Law Students

Discussion Leaders:

Neoshia Roemer, Indigenous Law & Policy Center Fellow Michigan State University College of Law

Rodina Cave Parnall, PLSI Director American Indian Law Center

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Advising on Personal Statements and Resume Writing

Kristin Theis-Alvarez, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, University of California, Berkeley

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Advising on Supplemental Statement Writing (Diversity Statements and other Addenda)

Jeremy Aliason, Attorney and Alumnus of Lewis & Clark Law School

3:00pm – 3:15pm

Break

3:15pm – 3:45pm

The Pre-Law Summer Institute

Rodina Cave Parnall, PLSI Director, American Indian Law Center, Inc.

Jordan Oglesby, 2L, University of New Mexico School of Law

3:45pm – 5:00pm

Financing a Law School Education

Joseph Lindsay, Assistant Director of Admissions, University of California, Berkeley School of Law

Melvin Monette, President and Chief Executive Officer of Indigenous Education, Inc., Home of the Cobell Scholarship

Josh Lucio, Program Associate for Scholarships and Program, American Indian Gradate Center

5:30pm – 6:45pm

Reception 

Dinner is on your own

Wednesday, February 6th

8:00am – 8:30am

Breakfast

8:30am – 9:30am

Law School Admissions Test Overview and Law School Admission Council Resources

Isabelle Ramos, LSAC Diversity Initiatives

9:30am – 11:00am

Mock Law School Application File Review

Kate Rosier, Executive Director of the Indian Legal Program, Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

11:00am – 11:15am

Break

11:15am – 12:15pm

Advising Students on Law School Selection

Jeremy Aliason, Attorney and Alumnus of Lewis & Clark Law School

12:15pm – 1:00pm

Wrap up/Resources/Q&A/Evaluations

Rodina Cave Parnall, PLSI Director, American Indian Law Center

1:00pm

Grab and Go Lunch