Our Prison to Law Pipeline is putting the keys to the law in the hands of those most impacted by it by ensuring that incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people have access to paralegal and juris doctorate degrees.
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14
Incarcerated Paralegal Scholars
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Formerly Incarcerated Paralegal Scholar
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Incarcerated Juris Doctorate Scholars
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LSAT Exams Administered in Prisons
Putting the keys to the law in the hands of those most impacted by it.
The Prison to Law Pipeline exists to ensure that incarcerated and formerly incarcerated scholars have access to legal education because nobody warrants access to the law more than those who have been impacted by the legal system and racialized legal outcomes.
Our Pipeline partners with accredited paralegal and law schools, private law firms, the Law School Admissions Counsel (LSAC), community organizations and the Department of Corrections to offer legal education and externships that lead directly to employment and positions of power in the legal discipline.
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Capturing the impact of incarcerated law students.
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“All Square & their partners’ investment in me through the Prison to Law Pipeline program is a powerful replanting process rooting me in community and allowing me a pathway to be accountable to my purpose, passion, and obligation to reduce harm, contribute to healing, and be an asset to society.”
— Jeffery Y., Juris Doctorate Pipeline Scholar
We are partnering with Mitchell Hamline Law School and the Minnesota Department of Corrections to offer ABA-accredited juris doctorate degrees to incarcerated scholars in Minnesota prisons. This program marks the first time in American history that scholars have attended law school from prison.
We plan to welcome cohorts of formerly incarcerated juris doctorate scholars in 2024.
We are partnering with North Hennepin Community College and the Minnesota Department of Corrections to offer paralegal degrees to scholars in Minnesota prisons. This program marks the first time in American history that scholars have received ABA-approved paralegal degrees while in prison.
We piloted a cohort of formerly incarcerated paralegal scholars in January of 2023.
Like all other paralegal and law students, it is important for scholars to get experience and learn the law outside of the classroom. Both paralegal and juris doctorate students participate in internships with our Legal Revolution Law Firm. There, they gain tangible legal experience working on cases for clients in our community.
As Pipeline scholars complete their studies, we provide mental health support and peer support, pro bono civil legal services and externships through our law firm, and peer and professional mentorship opportunities. The academic institutions we partner with also provide tailored student services.
“The law is what I broke, and it broke me back. So much breaking leaves too many shards of inhumanity scattered across our communities. The Prison to Law Pipeline is a way to reclaim the wreckage by allowing me to gain the knowledge of law and to take it back to the community as a mending practice.”
— Brian B., Prospective JD Scholar
“I am pursuing an education in law because I never felt safe or protected around police. I believe the legal system that is supposed to institute and ensure justice, equality, protection, and safety is far too often being weaponized against poor and marginalized groups of people, and far too many people feel powerless or comfortable with the casualties of corruption and abuse in the legal system.”
— Lennell M., Paralegal Pipeline Graduate
Get Involved
We’re always looking for institutional partners, employment/internship partners, mentors, community resources to provide to our scholars, and others in the legal profession to get involved in this first-of-its-kind program. If you’re interested, please email us at plpinfo@thelegalrevolution.org
