The Office of Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee (HCAO) announces the launch of its first annual Summer Legal Academy (SLA), a legal training and educational program designed to expose high school students to the path to becoming an attorney.
“I came up in a working-class family. We didn’t know any lawyers, I knew nothing about how to get to law school, and, frankly, if you would’ve told me I would be an attorney one day, I would not have believed you,” says Menefee. “There are high school students across Harris County who have similar stories. They’re simply not exposed to the process. This academy is about introducing students in our County to the path to law school, the practice of law, and successful attorneys and other professionals with law degrees. We want to empower kids to know that regardless of what side of town they’re from, or where they go to school, or the issues they face in their home life, they too can become an attorney one day. They have what it takes, and if we just give them the right information, we may plant an important seed for their future.”
The HCAO will select 20-25 students to participate in the inaugural Summer Legal Academy. Participating students will engage in sessions for two weeks and learn about the path to getting accepted to a law school, what to expect in law school classes, the different careers one can pursue with a law degree, and the various types of practices in which a lawyer can focus.
The HCAO will accept applications from March 3 to March 18, 2022. Any high school student designated as a sophomore, junior, or senior who lives in Harris County may apply.
For more details on Summer Legal Academy and the application process, visit cao.harriscountytx.gov/students.