Our highest courts should reflect our communities.

That’s why our mission is to empower law students of color to thrive in the appellate field.

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Appellate courts decide what our laws mean and how they apply to all of us.

Appellate attorneys and judges make decisions that affect all aspects of our personal lives: our ability to vote, how we are policed, our religious freedom, the quality of our education, our workplaces, healthcare, immigration protections, and much more.

Appellate rulings impact diverse communities, and often disproportionately impact communities of color.

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Yet people of color remain greatly underrepresented as both appellate attorneys and judges.

It can be difficult to feel like you belong in a field where few, if any, people look like you. While over 30 percent of law students identify as people of color, very few end up in appellate practice. Too often, these students lack the information, resources, and confidence they need to pursue appellate opportunities.

We are here to change that.

We believe that people of color not only belong, but that their diverse lived experiences enrich and strengthen the appellate system for all of us. Through mentorship, resources, and opportunities, our programming opens doors for the next generation of appellate lawyers and judges.

While our programming is designed to empower law students of color to thrive in the appellate field, participation is open to all currently enrolled law students regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and national origin.

  • As a first-generation law student, TAP has served as an invaluable resource for me. I am especially appreciative of the academic and professional opportunities that TAP has provided. Specifically, I’ve had access to phenomenal mentors, attended workshops to improve my legal writing, and have spoken with sitting state and federal judges to learn what they look for in a successful law clerk.

    Alex Bailey
    University of Illinois College of Law, Class of 2023

  • The Appellate Project provided me with a safe space to learn from various appellate attorneys and provided me with a wonderful community across the country. Participating in the program allowed me to better understand the world of appellate advocacy and it reaffirmed my commitment to seeking justice through the legal profession.

    Christina Cruz
    University of Connecticut School of Law, Class of 2024

  • My year with The Appellate Project was fantastic and just what I needed after 1L. My mentors have been such a great resource for me as I prepare clerkship applications and for life after graduation. Additionally, my interactions with the TAP community were always a breath of fresh air during tough times — and seeing students like me striving to make an impact was very uplifting.

    Javon Davis
    Boston College Law School, Class of 2023

  • Participating in TAP’s Mentorship Program has made me a more prepared, more thoughtful law student, with a clearer sense of the goals I’m heading towards. I will always value the relationships and friendships I've formed as a participant in TAP's Mentorship Program.

    Ayesha Durrani
    Yale Law School, Class of 2024

  • I've at last come to appreciate networking! Meeting people through the Mentorship Program has felt less like building a network to leverage for personal gain, and more like discovering a pattern that already exists out there — to find my own place within it.

    Henry W. Leung
    UC Berkeley School of Law, Class of 2021

  • Beyond the helpful and substantive advice, speaking with successful attorneys of color is also personally meaningful because their relatable backgrounds prove that the career I aspire to is attainable.

    Carlos C. Martinez
    Harvard Law School, Class of 2023

  • I joined the Mentorship Program because I recognized early on that though I may only be one of the less than two percent of Latina lawyers in the U.S., I could also be part of a community working to change these statistics.

    Anahi Mendoza
    Columbia Law School, Class of 2022

  • Participating in TAP made me realize the significance of networking and mentorship. So many attorneys are willing to mentor law students and young attorneys, but you have to be willing to reach out and form connections.

    Nicolás Rodríguez
    Columbia Law School, Class of 2023

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Community

We are building a community committed to ensuring our highest courts reflect the diverse lived experiences of all our communities.

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Training

We develop innovative and hands-on appellate training opportunities led by renowned appellate practitioners.

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Access

We create opportunities for law students of color to access appellate networks, mentors, clerkship support, and employers.

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Awareness

We strive to bring more awareness about the importance of a diverse appellate system for all of us.