There are certain professions considered callings. Teachers and lawyers are among them.
Teachers view their profession not simply as a job to help students learn, but as a mission to instill the value of an education and to make a difference in a child’s life. Lawyers advocate for justice, uphold ethical standards, ensure the rights of individuals and organizations are defended, and champion for the rule of law.
At the intersection of these two callings is the California Legal Pathways Collaborative (CLPC), created to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession through 25 high school law academy programs across the state, serving more than 3,100 students annually. Founded by attorney Ruthe Catolico Ashley, CLPC has its origins with the State Bar of California, when Ashley created the first six original academies in 2010 after the California Department of Education offered six California Partnership Academy (CPA) grants to open the first law academies becoming the first profession to partner with the CPA model. Since then, the number of academies has exploded with her goal now to grow the current academy partnerships to 30 by 2030.
“We are the only law pathway program in California that the legal profession fully supports as a group effort,” explains Ashley. “Full time teachers have an incredible amount of responsibility. They don’t have the time, or necessarily the resources, to seek out lawyers and judges who can come into the classroom, provide curriculum, serve as mentors, classroom speakers, or provide internships and more. That’s where CLPC comes in. We bring the law to the schools.”
From the beginning, volunteers from the legal profession were eager to be involved. Through her longstanding connections, Ashley and CLPC have built relationships with judges, local bar associations, and decision makers. “We are able to put people together, from law school deans to bar executives to affinity bar leaders. That’s why we’ve had such successful outcomes with our army of volunteers.”
The stories the students share are compelling. More than half, and as many as 70 to 80% are considered “at-promise,” meaning they are socially or economically disadvantaged. Many have parents who are immigrants and most are the first in their families to consider attending college.
Guiding the students through the three-year academy process are their teachers – the dedicated people who spend five days a week in the classroom, beginning in a student’s sophomore year. While their backgrounds may be different, these academic instructors all seek something similar. They want to partner with working legal professionals to help high schoolers build knowledge, develop leadership skills, understand their rights, and create a pathway for those who hope to have a career in the legal community.
Cabrillo High School teacher and the school’s Academy of Law and Justice lead teacher, Scott Newman, was a practicing attorney for 10 years. “I am an idealist,” he says as he reflects on his decision to change directions. “I originally became a lawyer, because I wanted to help people. But I wasn’t satisfied.” Newman felt called to work with young people. He earned his teaching credential and quickly became involved in pathways initiatives.
“I love what I do,” Newman exclaims. “It’s an opportunity to educate students about their rights, how the judicial system works, and what it means to be a lawyer. It fits with my background as a former civil litigator.” He jokes that, “My goal is to show all of the opportunities available beyond Law and Order or Suits.”
A critical component of the CLPC law academies is to offer opportunities for students to interact with law and justice professionals. For example, at Cabrillo High School, located in Long Beach, academy participants are exposed to unique guest speaker series. Attorneys practicing in a variety of fields, from probate to entertainment to copyright law, mentor the high schoolers. Court reporters, paralegals, and law enforcement officers also offer their time and resources. “It’s important students understand all of the legal areas available to them,” says Newman. “It’s not just about being in a courtroom and doing criminal law. I also want them to understand that it’s not about arguing, it’s about persuading.”
Ashley says that one of the major factors why the academies are popular with students is because the teachers have a background in history or government, or in some cases like Newman, were practicing attorneys. “Our academy teachers are a natural fit in terms of transitioning to teach the law. It really takes somebody who loves teaching, understands the law and has great classroom skills to make the program work.” She adds, “Students know when their teachers are there for them.”
Another of the six original CLPC law academies is housed within Florin High School, situated in Sacramento county. It is essential to program director and educator, Carlos Garcia, that students connect with the legal profession to learn skills that may help lead them to a career. Garcia became the program coordinator at the academy’s inception in 2011.
“Of the group that started in 2010, I’m the only academy coordinator still teaching, so I have been fortunate to be here for all the growth” he notes. “It is definitely a calling. I’ve watched the academies expand from six to twenty-five. I’ve witnessed the attorneys in our mentor program, who were early in their careers when they first began volunteering, take on new roles. I’ve even provided recommendations for some who have gone on to become judges.”
Garcia shares the remarkable story about having Sacramento County Public Defender, Joe Cress, on the Florin High School’s CLPC team. Cress was one of the original Florin mentors in 2010 and later was assigned to represent the Golden State Killer in 2018. “Over the years students have spent time with Mr. Cress in our classrooms. Then they watched him on TV and read about him in the newspaper. He’s been a great model of professionalism to our students and has continued as a mentor volunteer even now as a superior court judge.”
The Florin High School educator underscores the fact that the CLPC law academies give students a place to belong and a level of identity and connectiveness that they would not necessarily have otherwise in the community.
“These students don’t want to become lawyers, because they have a parent who is a lawyer, or a cousin, or know someone who is an attorney. They don’t have that experience. The academies offer kids a solid footing and a place to start. Many of them can point to a moment when they knew they wanted to pursue an undergraduate education and a future as a lawyer. It all makes a difference to them.”
The academies are described by Garcia as a wholistic experience. He confesses, “It’s a lot of work for sure. You’re not just with the students for one class or one semester. You are with them for three years. It’s an investment in their future you don’t see in a standard program. But it’s well worth it. This is so much more than just teaching about the law. It’s following these students along in their evolution. It begins in their sophomore year, but we are preparing them for their college career and life.”
Many students stay in contact with their CLPC teachers. They are assisted in securing internships and jobs. Some ask for letters of recommendation or college references, and many want general life advice. “It goes beyond the high school experience,” Garcia says.
“You get to know the students as people,” Newman shares. “You see their potential, even if they don’t see it. Students may begin the program unsure about going to college. I watch their growth through the program, and almost all of them decide to continue with their undergraduate education. It’s rewarding to think you had a small piece in it.”
Both men believe engagement is key. “If you do engaging things, students will be engaged. I tell them about the benefits of education and why it is important,” says Newman who admits, “When I first started teaching I thought it might get boring. But every class is so different. Every conversation goes a different way. It’s fascinating.”
Garcia agrees, citing the many valuable experiences the students have in addition to classroom learning, including participation in a regional mock trial program with other high schools, attending CLPC Legislative Day at the state capitol, participating in multi-school Law Day symposiums, and working as interns or employees at law firms. Some students have had the chance to spend time in forensics labs and court rooms, as well.
The two academy teachers say the supportive network around them is imperative in achieving positive and ongoing results. “We do the work in the classroom, but it wouldn’t work without the speakers, field trips, and our advisory board,” Newman explains. Garcia adds, “Ruthe is incredible. She’s been at this for more than 15 years, and she continues to want program expansion across California.”
A major goal for the CLPC law academy program is to create representation for those who are underrepresented. “The legal profession should look like the community it serves,” says Ashley. Newman points out that lots of people want to help, but they don’t know how to become involved. The academies offer direct connections for judges, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and others in the legal profession to volunteer.
Today, many of the teachers serving in the 25 academies see multi-generational participation from the same families. Younger children watched the accomplishments of their older brothers and sisters, and they are now following in their footsteps. Several academy graduates have attended law school and are now practicing attorneys in both the government and private sector.
“I tell my students that I go home happy every night,” Newman shares. “I am grateful about what I do each day.”
“Our teachers know what it takes to build and sustain a program,” Ashley comments. “If you’ve ever taught in high school, you know it’s a difficult job.” Ashley herself taught high school for a year and says it was the toughest job she ever had. She believes every teacher and attorney involved with the 25 CLPC law academies truly care about the students and want the best for the students. All are working to have a legal profession that represents the people that it serves.
To learn more about CLPC and its law academies and how to volunteer, please visit: https://calawyersfoundation.org/our-work/youth-initiatives/