Feb. 7, 2018 — The University of Houston Law Center ranked 19th among the best law schools for Hispanics in a diversity survey conducted by preLaw magazine.
The survey considered three factors: the percentage of students and faculty, based on data provided to the American Bar Association, and the services available for minority students. At the Law Center, 20.6 percent of the student population is Hispanic and 15.3 percent of the faulty.
"I am honored that the Law Center has been recognized for its commitment to diversity," said Dean Leonard M. Baynes. "We have several initiatives to enable our Hispanic students to enhance the benefits of their diversity. They can participate in moot court competitions in Latin America that take place in Spanish and they can take courses to improve their ability to speak professional Spanish in the legal context."
"The University of Houston Law Center actively seeks underrepresented minority students and encourages them to apply," said Assistant Dean for Admissions Pilar Mensah. "Historically, people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds have been underrepresented in law school and the legal profession. This underrepresentation doesn't reflect our society as a whole or the vibrant and ever-expanding city of Houston. Racial and ethnic diversity is vital to the study of law and enriches not only the classroom, but the entire law school, as well as the legal profession.
"Once attending the University of Houston Law Center, a student will discover a culture that not only celebrates diversity, but provides a support system to enable success," she added.
While support services for individual schools were not detailed in the magazine's Winter 2018 edition, Law Center programs and services include faculty, student and alumni mentoring, tutoring, diversity-focused recruitment events, individualized academic and employment counseling, and support for diverse student organizations. The Law Center also sponsors a number of pre-law initiatives, including a Pathways to Law Program, Discover Law Days, and an award-winning Pre-Law Pipeline Program for undergraduates considering a career in law.
"While diversity among students interested in pursuing a law career is increasing, the need for greater diversity in the profession still remains," said Kristen Guiseppi, manager of the Pre-Law Pipeline Program. "It is important to the University of Houston Law Center to face that challenge by meeting the needs of all our students, including those that have been historically underrepresented in the legal profession."
Read preLaw magazine diversity article here.
