American Indian Law Center's Pre-Law Summer Institute Honored

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Pre-Law Summer Institute Program

Native Brief: ALBUQUERQUE - The Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaskan Natives today announced that it will be recognized by the American Bar Association Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Education Pipeline for exemplary leadership in pipeline programming.

The Pre-Law Summer Institute is a program of the American Indian Law Center, Inc., that has been attended by many of the nation's preeminent Native attorneys, judges, law school professors and deans, and tribal chairs since its inception in 1967.

The American Bar Association 2012 Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Award for Excellence in Pipeline Diversity recognized the Pre-Law Summer Institute for their exemplary leadership in pipeline work. The ABA Council on Racial and Ethnic Diversity commended the Pre-Law Summer Institute for its "outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to diversifying" the law profession. The ABA will formally honor the Pre-Law Summer Institute at the ABA Midyear Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 3, 2012.

Helen Padilla-Isleta Pueblo

"The Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska Natives is especially honored to receive this year's award from the American Bar Association," said Helen B. Padilla, Director of the American Indian Law Center and Pre-Law Summer Institute alumna.

"Our mission to build, promote, and honor self-sustaining American Indian and Alaska Native communities through education and leadership is the foundation of our efforts - and we are grateful to be recipients of this prestigious award."

The Pre-Law Summer Institute is an intensive two-month program that prepares American Indian and Alaska Native individuals for the rigors of law schools nationwide, and helps those students establish a network with other Natives who will be graduating from law schools and entering the legal profession at the same time they will.

posted December 14, 2011 7:10 am est