Law, Leadership Institute helps local students attain legal careers
The Law and Leadership Institute (LLI) works with bright and talented high school students to close the educational opportunity gap. The nonprofit prepares and educates young people who hope to get a career in the legal profession by creating a supportive community of like-minded peers, giving students a vision of what is possible in their future, and developing skills to make that vision a reality.
LLI started with only 40 students – from the cities of Cleveland and Columbus – as a summer initiative of the Supreme Court of Ohio in 2008. A year later, the program included the law schools in Akron, Cincinnati, Toledo and Dayton to help provide legally based educational opportunities and leadership training to over 100 high school students across Ohio.
Many of the students LLI works with have never met an attorney, let alone an attorney who comes from a similar background. Now, lawyers, who are graduates of LLI and have the same goals and ambitions, can show current students what is possible.
Through resilience and watching students graduating from their respective programs, to going to college and gaining satisfying careers, LLI hopes to continue to expose students to the many opportunities available to them so that even if they don't enter the legal profession, it's because they chose a different career path and not because they weren't aware of the opportunity.
Akron Community Foundation has helped LLI reach more students in Akron by providing financial support and connecting them with contacts in Akron Public Schools and community organizations.
To help fulfill LLI's mission, members of the community can help spread the word about the program to 8th-grade students in Akron Public Schools, in addition to serving as mentors. Donors may sponsor various aspects of the program such as lunches, student stipends, field trips, etc. To learn more about ways to help, visit lawandleadership.org.