Jan. 24, 2024 — James M. Stanton, former state district judge and founder of the Stanton LLP law firm, has demonstrated his commitment to aspiring law students with a donation to the University of Houston Law Center’s Pre-Law Pipeline Programs. The race-neutral program is designed to increase the representation of law students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college attendees, and underrepresented communities.
“I am delighted that Judge Stanton, a Baylor Law graduate and a fellow first-generation college student, has found the UHLC Pre-Law Pipeline Programs worthy of his philanthropy. It demonstrates our shared vision of helping college students achieve their dreams of going to law school no matter their background, educational affiliation, geography, or circumstance. I am very proud that we have been able to share this vision with different constituencies throughout Texas,” said UH Law Center Dean Leonard M. Baynes.
Stanton emphasized the importance of philanthropy, “There is no greater gift than to assist others as they invest in themselves. The success of Dean Baynes’ data-driven and award-winning Pipeline Program speakers for itself: it increases the representation of law students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college attendees, and underrepresented communities.”
Participants in the Pre-Law Pipeline Programs see an improvement in Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores, with a median score increase ranging from 6 to 14 points. Over the past 8 years, 140 scholars have been accepted to law school and awarded over $11 million in scholarship funds. The program's reach extends across 100 undergraduate institutions.
“It means a great deal to have the generous support of Judge Stanton; he is positively impacting the lives of individuals the Pre-Law Pipeline Programs aim to reach,” said Mariesha Keys,
Director of Pre-Law Pipeline Programs.
Stanton’s donation will help cover the preparation costs for the LSAT, the entrance exam required for admission to law school.
For more information on the Pre-Law Pipeline Programs, visit www.law.uh.edu/pipeline