New Program Aims to Meet State’s Growing Legal Needs

OMAHA – A new partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and the University of Nebraska College of Law aims to encourage more students in underrepresented communities to pursue a legal education.

The Underserved Law Opportunities Program (ULOP) is currently seeking qualified UNO freshmen, sophomores and juniors to participate in the program. To be considered eligible, students should be first-generation college students or bilingual, and must have a record of community service.

Participating students will be accepted into the College of Law upon graduation if they maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA throughout their undergraduate coursework and achieve a minimum score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).

“Our state will benefit from this program just as much as our students,” said UNO Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado. “Our hope is that these students will go on to practice law in underserved communities, meeting a pressing need of the greater Omaha metropolitan area and Nebraska as a whole.”

All ULOP students will be paired with a peer mentor and intern with a nonprofit organization that provides legal services. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend special College of Law programming, and meet one-on-one with College of Law representatives.

“The idea came from a conversation with a graduate of both our universities, who is currently practicing law in Omaha,” said College of Law Interim Dean Richard Moberly. “There is no question that Nebraska has a need for bilingual attorneys and attorneys who will practice law in the public interest. This is an important step toward meeting that need.”

Admission interviews will begin this spring. Students interested in participating in the program should email Benjamin-Alvarado at jalvarado@unomaha.edu.