ABA Honors UC Davis School of Law

 for Diversity Efforts

The American Bar Association today honored UC Davis School of Law for its successful efforts in “pipeline diversity,” that is, bringing students from underrepresented communities into the pipeline that leads to law school and the practice of the law. The award was given at the ABA’s midyear meeting in San Diego.

The 2016 Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Award for Excellence in Pipeline Diversity recognizes the King Hall Outreach Program, or KHOP, which helps first-generation college students and economically disadvantaged students prepare for the law school admissions process.

The American Bar Association Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline selected KHOP for this year’s pipeline diversity award. KHOP “is an example of pipeline programming that optimizes the kind of efforts that the pipeline council hopes to continue to encourage and foster,” Kenneth G. Standard, council chair, said in a news release announcing the award.

A gratified Dean Kevin R. Johnson said: “We as a country need lawyers from all walks of life, and to achieve that goal, we need programs like KHOP to help provide access to legal education for underrepresented communities.

“I would like to thank the many UC Davis School of Law faculty, alumni, students and staff who have contributed to KHOP’s success.”

The national award follows the California State Bar’s presentation of its Education Pipeline Award to KHOP in 2014.

KHOP, established in 2001, provides mentoring and prelaw advising during the school year, and runs summer sessions on writing, analytical and logical reasoning skills and study techniques to help prepare students for the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT. The program also counsels prospective law school students on career paths.

To date, 240 students have successfully completed the two-year program, and 100 students have completed at least one year. Among KHOP program alumni, 99 percent have graduated from four-year institutions and 41 percent are enrolled or have graduated from law programs.