Pre-Law Advisors Training
Isleta Resort + Casino • February 5th - 6th, 2019 • Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico RegistrationAgendaOn-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.
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.- 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
- Meals
- Expenses that are incident to lodging (i.e., in-room movies, room service, etc.)
- Rental car
Pre-Law Advisors Conference
Draft AgendaMonday, February 4th
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