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June
24, 2009
NBA
NEWS BRIEF
National Bar Association, 1225 11th Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001
NBA CRUMP LAW CAMP PROVIDES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DIVERSIFY THE LEGAL PROFESSION
WASHINGTON, DC (June 23, 2009) -The National Bar Association
will host its 9th annual Crump Law Camp (Law Camp) in Washington,
DC, July 12-25, 2009. Since its inception in July 2001, the
two-week residential camp has graduated 261 youth participants
from more than 40 states. The Law Camp, which is designed
to provide high school students with an enjoyable and comprehensive
introduction to the challenges of a legal education, attracts
students throughout the United States from diverse backgrounds.
Each year, the Law Camp receives more than 200 applications
from youth between the ages of 14 and 17 who are entering
the 9th, 10th or 11th grades.
Since
only 20 percent of the nation's lawyers are people of color,
the goal of the Law Camp is to encourage young students of
color to attend college and law school. The NBA's partnership
with Howard University School of Law reflects the school's
mission of cultivating lawyers who will positively impact
communities across the nation and the legal profession. According
to the NBA's Executive Director John Crump, for whom the camp
is named, "If America is to become a true melting pot, the
legal system must lead the way. This can be done only when
diverse groups of people bring their cultural, ethnic, and
social backgrounds into the equation. Therefore, although
the camp has an open enrollment policy and is available to
all students, its emphasis is on empowering students of color."
Participants
are housed on the campus of Howard University and attend law
school classes at Howard University School of Law. The curriculum
includes guest lectures, field trips and a mock trial competition.
The highlight of the academic component is the Evett L. Simmons
Mock Trial Competition which is held during the final week
of the camp. All 32 campers participate in the competition
with the "Final Four" competing at the NBA's Annual Convention,
which will be held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel
in San Diego, California.
The
camp's faculty and staff are comprised of members of the Howard
University School of Law community, National Bar Association,
guest lecturers, law students, and college graduates. The
Law Camp's director, Ruby J. Sherrod, a graduate of Howard
University School of Law and a practicing attorney, refers
to the campers as "young advocates" and she sees the program
as "a great opportunity to influence young people to get serious
about school and to set goals toward completing college."
In addition to private donations, the Law Camp has received
major support from The Ford Motor Company Fund, Wal-Mart,
Nike, and Microsoft. In 2003, the Law Camp received the American
Bar Association's Partnership Award for exemplary efforts
of a bar association to increase diversity in the legal profession.
Founded
in 1925, the National Bar Association is the nation's oldest
and largest national network of minority attorneys and judges.
It represents approximately 44,000 lawyers, judges, law professors
and law students and has over 80 affiliate chapters throughout
the United States and around the world. The organization seeks
to advance the science of jurisprudence, preserve the independence
of the judiciary and to uphold the honor and integrity of
the legal profession. For additional information about the
National Bar Association, visit www.nationalbar.org.
Contact:
Ruby Sherrod, Executive Director, NBA Crump Law Camp, (301)
249-8355, NBACrumplawcamp@gmail.com
Erika C. Owens, Communications Coordinator, National Bar Association,
(202) 842-3900, eowens@nationalbar.org
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