The Directory
Pipeline Programs & Initiatives
Search, filter, and browse every program by section or audience. Select any entry to view full details, source, and how to get involved.
Table of Contents
The complete directory
Every program at a glance, organized by section. Select any entry to view its full details.
Part I
National Youth & Pipeline Programs
The pipeline begins long before law school. This part gathers the National Bar Association's earliest interventions - summer institutes, mock trial competitions, oratorical contests, and civic-education partnerships that put young people in front of judges, advocates, and courtrooms for the first time. Each program is a door held open.
- 01NBA Crump Law CampNational Bar Association / National Bar Institute
- 02Evett L. Simmons Mock Trial CompetitionNational Bar Association
- 03Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy CompetitionNational Bar Association / National Bar Institute; local affiliates and regions
- 04Annual Linnes Finney, Jr. NBA Youth DayNational Bar Association
- 05Youth Symposia and Seminars / Lifting as We ClimbNational Bar Association
- 06Law Academy: Constitution DayNational Bar Association
Part II
National Bar Institute Programs
The National Bar Institute is the charitable arm of the National Bar Association. Its fellowships, named scholarships, and bar-passage supports meet law students and new lawyers at the pressure points where too many careers stall - tuition, exam preparation, and the first years of practice.
- 07National Bar Institute Law Student Fellowship ProgramNational Bar Institute
- 08NBI Law Scholars ProgramNational Bar Institute
- 09NBI Affiliates Scholarship ProgramNational Bar Institute
- 10Bar Passage Success ProgramNational Bar Institute
- 11NBI Support for the Council on Legal Education OpportunityNational Bar Institute / Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO)
- 12NBI Support for NBLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court CompetitionNational Bar Institute / National Black Law Students Association
- 13NBI Youth Golf ClinicNational Bar Institute
- 14National Bar Institute Grants to Sections, Divisions, and PartnersNational Bar Institute
Part III
Sections, Divisions & National Initiatives
The NBA is organized into sections and divisions that carry the work forward inside their own practice areas and communities. The programs in this part are the conferences, scholarship funds, mentorship pairings, and advancement initiatives those bodies run year after year.
- 15Corporate Law Section Gateway to Success ConferenceNBA Corporate Law Section
- 16Gateway to Success Conference Scholarship AwardNBA Corporate Law Section / Gateway to Success Conference
- 17Commercial Law Section / NBI Scholarship and Outreach PartnershipNBA Commercial Law Section / National Bar Institute
- 18Commercial Law Section Diversity Empowerment Scholarship AwardNBA Commercial Law Section
- 19NBA Associate Advancement Academy for ExcellenceNBA; Minority Partners in Majority Firms Division; Young Lawyers Division; Commercial Law Section; Corporate Law Section
- 20NBA Diversity Task Force InitiativesNational Bar Association Diversity Task Force
- 21The Bridge Builders Esquire National Mentorship ProgramThe Bridge Builders Esquire
- 22NBA Judicial Council Law Student Scholarships and Internship StipendsNational Bar Association Judicial Council
- 23NBA Women Lawyers Division We Empower Mentor ProgramNational Bar Association Women Lawyers Division
Part IV
Regional & Affiliate Programs
National mission, local hands. Regional bodies and affiliate bar associations translate the NBA's work into the cities and states where students actually live. Scholarships, moot courts, and mentorship programs listed here are led by chapters and affiliate associations across the country.
- 24Local and Regional MLK Drum Major for Justice CompetitionsNBA regions and affiliate chapters
- 25Garden State Bar Association / ABLW-NJ MLK Drum Major for Justice Advocacy CompetitionGarden State Bar Association; Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey; NBA Region III
- 26Charles Houston Bar Association / Region IX MLK Drum Major CompetitionCharles Houston Bar Association; NBA Region IX
- 27California Association of Black Lawyers Scholarship and Pipeline ProgrammingCalifornia Association of Black Lawyers
- 28Garden State Bar Association Scholarships, Mentorship, and Pipeline ProgramsGarden State Bar Association
- 29Inclusive Excellence Law Student Summit: MLK Justice & Leadership Boot CampGarden State Bar Association; New Jersey State Bar Association; Rutgers Law MSP
- 30Cook County Bar Association Pre-Law Legal Seminar TourCook County Bar Association
- 31Cook County Bar Association Foundation Law Student ScholarshipsCook County Bar Association Foundation
- 32Gate City Bar Association Scholarships and Student SupportGate City Bar Association
- 33Gate City Bar Association Judicial Fellowship InstituteGate City Bar Association
- 34Houston Lawyers Association Scholarships and Student-Facing ProgrammingHouston Lawyers Association
- 35Charles Houston Bar Association ScholarshipsCharles Houston Bar Association
- 36Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Scholarship, Mentorship, and Bar Prep EffortsBlack Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
- 37Loren Miller Bar Association Scholarship Dinner / ScholarshipsLoren Miller Bar Association
- 38Las Vegas Chapter NBA Mentoring Program and ScholarshipsLas Vegas Chapter, National Bar Association
- 39D. Augustus Straker Bar Association Student and Community SupportD. Augustus Straker Bar Association
- 40Wolverine Bar Association Diversity Mock Trial / Student EngagementWolverine Bar Association
- 41Washington Bar Association Scholarships and Youth Pipeline ProgramsWashington Bar Association; Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation
- 42Barristers' Association of Philadelphia Scholarships and Youth ProgrammingThe Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, Inc.
- 43Metropolitan Black Bar Association Pipeline ScholarshipsMetropolitan Black Bar Association; Friends of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, Inc.
- 44John M. Langston Bar Association Scholarship FundJohn M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles
- 45NBA Women Lawyers Division Philadelphia Chapter ScholarshipsNational Bar Association Women Lawyers Division, Philadelphia Chapter
- 46Gate City Bar Association Summer Law CampGate City Bar Association
- 47Magnolia Bar Association ScholarshipsMagnolia Bar Association; Magnolia Bar Foundation
- 48J.L. Turner Legal Association Scholarships and Pre-Law EnrichmentJ.L. Turner Legal Association; J.L. Turner Legal Association Foundation
- 49Louis A. Martinet Legal Society ScholarshipsLouis A. Martinet Legal Society, Greater New Orleans Chapter
- 50Mound City Bar Foundation ScholarshipsMound City Bar Association; Mound City Bar Foundation
- 51GABWA Foundation Scholarships and Sister2Sister MentoringGeorgia Association of Black Women Attorneys; GABWA Foundation, Inc.
- 52Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter Scholarship ProgramVirgil Hawkins Florida Chapter, National Bar Association
- 53Norman S. Minor Bar Association Scholarship FundNorman S. Minor Bar Association
- 54Jackson County Bar Association Scholarships and Youth Oratorical ContestJackson County Bar Association; JCBA Foundation
- 55Ben F. Jones Chapter "What I See, I Can Be" Community DayBen F. Jones Chapter, National Bar Association; Bluff City Medical Society
- 56Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation ScholarshipsEarl B. Gilliam Bar Association; Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation
- 57Old Dominion Bar Association Foundation Scholarships and Fellows ProgramOld Dominion Bar Association; Old Dominion Bar Association Foundation
Part V
Strategic Partner Organizations
These organizations sit outside the NBA structure but move in the same direction. Each has a documented relationship with the NBA or the National Bar Institute and contributes distinctive pipeline-to-profession work - advocacy, research, scholarships, and student engagement - that this directory would be incomplete without.
- 58National Black Law Students Association Partnership / Student EngagementNational Black Law Students Association
- 59Council on Legal Education OpportunityCLEO / National Bar Institute support
- 60National Association of the Bench and BarNational Association of the Bench and Bar / National Bar Institute support
- 61NABBS Foundation Dorothy Atkinson Legal Education ScholarshipNational Association of Bench and Bar Spouses (NABBS) Foundation
61 programs shown
NBA Crump Law Camp
National Bar Association / National Bar Institute
Educational youth pipeline program introducing students to the American judicial system, legal careers, legal reasoning, advocacy, and pathways into the profession.
Evett L. Simmons Mock Trial Competition
National Bar Association
Mock trial competition in which Law Camp students participate, with finalists historically connected to NBA convention programming.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition
National Bar Association / National Bar Institute; local affiliates and regions
Advocacy competition allowing students to demonstrate written and oral advocacy around justice-related themes. Local and regional competitions are often administered through affiliates and regional directors.
Annual Linnes Finney, Jr. NBA Youth Day
National Bar Association
Day-long Annual Convention program exposing students to legal careers, law school admissions, courtroom skills, and legal profession pathways.
Youth Symposia and Seminars / Lifting as We Climb
National Bar Association
Youth-focused educational programming addressing topics such as turning 18, bullying, teen dating violence, civic education, and school-to-prison pipeline issues.
Law Academy: Constitution Day
National Bar Association
Program involving volunteer attorneys speaking with students about the Constitution and civic rights/responsibilities.
National Bar Institute Law Student Fellowship Program
National Bar Institute
Fellowship program for academically promising 2Ls committed to social justice and underserved communities, with financial awards historically ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
NBI Law Scholars Program
National Bar Institute
Program providing scholarship support and academic resources for rising 2Ls with strong academic performance and leadership potential.
NBI Affiliates Scholarship Program
National Bar Institute
Program providing financial assistance and professional development support designed to reduce educational barriers and promote academic and professional advancement.
Bar Passage Success Program
National Bar Institute
Structured bar exam preparation and accountability support designed to help law graduates succeed on the bar exam.
NBI Support for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity
National Bar Institute / Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO)
National Bar Institute support for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO), which prepares students from underrepresented backgrounds for law school admission and success.
NBI Support for NBLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition
National Bar Institute / National Black Law Students Association
NBI has provided financial support to NBLSA's Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, a major advocacy pipeline program for Black law students.
NBI Youth Golf Clinic
National Bar Institute
Youth clinic connected to the NBI golf tournament, giving young people exposure to lawyers and judges in a supportive setting.
National Bar Institute Grants to Sections, Divisions, and Partners
National Bar Institute
The National Bar Institute makes grants supporting programs, sections, and divisions across the Association. Recent grantees include the National Association of Bench and Bar Spouses, the NBA Veterans Affairs & Military Law Section, the NBA Women's Law Division, the NBA History Committee, and the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc.
Corporate Law Section Gateway to Success Conference
NBA Corporate Law Section
Conference providing substantive legal knowledge, career-building strategies, authentic connections, and direct pipeline access into corporate practice.
Gateway to Success Conference Scholarship Award
NBA Corporate Law Section / Gateway to Success Conference
Scholarship connected to the Gateway to Success Conference and intended to strengthen the pipeline of diverse law students and future lawyers.
Commercial Law Section / NBI Scholarship and Outreach Partnership
NBA Commercial Law Section / National Bar Institute
NBI describes partnership with the NBA Commercial Law Section on community outreach initiatives and scholarship awards for students attending or planning to attend law school.
Commercial Law Section Diversity Empowerment Scholarship Award
NBA Commercial Law Section
Scholarship for diverse law students connected to strengthening the diversity pipeline in commercial law.
NBA Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence
NBA; Minority Partners in Majority Firms Division; Young Lawyers Division; Commercial Law Section; Corporate Law Section
Career advancement program for early-career Black associates, including education, mentoring, networking, pro bono, and community service components.
NBA Diversity Task Force Initiatives
National Bar Association Diversity Task Force
NBA youth programs page describes efforts including a Law Student Rep pilot at law schools, Bridge the Gap Seminar for newly admitted attorneys, and planning around a collegiate mock trial competition.
The Bridge Builders Esquire National Mentorship Program
The Bridge Builders Esquire
A national mentorship program connecting pre-law students with lawyers and law students for guidance, networking, and professional development. The program has been formally supported by the NBA Young Lawyers Division and the Law Student Division, and returns in 2026.
NBA Judicial Council Law Student Scholarships and Internship Stipends
National Bar Association Judicial Council
The Judicial Council awards Law Student Scholarships of up to $5,000 toward law school tuition and Bar Review Preparation Scholarships of up to $2,500 toward bar examination review courses. Its Law Student Internship Stipend provides up to $1,000 to support summer internships in the chambers of federal, state, and municipal judges.
NBA Women Lawyers Division We Empower Mentor Program
National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division
A national mentoring program pairing members of the NBA Women Lawyers Division with African American women law students at HBCU law schools, designed to bridge the gap between law students and practicing attorneys. The inaugural program was held in 2021 with participation from six HBCU law schools.
Local and Regional MLK Drum Major for Justice Competitions
NBA regions and affiliate chapters
Local and regional versions of the NBA MLK Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition administered by participating affiliates and regional directors.
Garden State Bar Association / ABLW-NJ MLK Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition
Garden State Bar Association; Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey; NBA Region III
Regional/local advocacy competition connected to the NBA's MLK Drum Major for Justice program.
Charles Houston Bar Association / Region IX MLK Drum Major Competition
Charles Houston Bar Association; NBA Region IX
Charles Hamilton Houston Bar Association and Region IX invites high school students to participate in the NBA's MLK Drum Major competition.
California Association of Black Lawyers Scholarship and Pipeline Programming
California Association of Black Lawyers
Statewide affiliate's pipeline and scholarship programming reportedly reaches students before law school and supports Black law students.
Garden State Bar Association Scholarships, Mentorship, and Pipeline Programs
Garden State Bar Association
This bar association sponsors scholarships, mentorship, advocacy, education, and pipeline programs uplifting aspiring attorneys.
Inclusive Excellence Law Student Summit: MLK Justice & Leadership Boot Camp
Garden State Bar Association; New Jersey State Bar Association; Rutgers Law MSP
Law student summit operated through partnership involving GSBA, NJSBA, and Rutgers Law School Minority Student Program.
Cook County Bar Association Pre-Law Legal Seminar Tour
Cook County Bar Association
Program introducing community college students to the legal profession and pathways into law school, with participation by law students, attorneys, and judges.
Cook County Bar Association Foundation Law Student Scholarships
Cook County Bar Association Foundation
Foundation scholarship support for law students connected to the Cook County Bar Association ecosystem.
Gate City Bar Association Scholarships and Student Support
Gate City Bar Association
Affiliate materials reference law student scholarships, a bridge award from the Judicial Section, and summer internship stipend support.
Gate City Bar Association Judicial Fellowship Institute
Gate City Bar Association
Public materials reference Gate City Bar Association's Judicial Fellowship Institute providing judicial exposure and professional development.
Houston Lawyers Association Scholarships and Student-Facing Programming
Houston Lawyers Association
The Houston Lawyers Association is an NBA affiliate offering law student scholarships and student-facing legal panels.
Charles Houston Bar Association Scholarships
Charles Houston Bar Association
The Charles Houston Bar Association provides scholarships and student support.
Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Scholarship, Mentorship, and Bar Prep Efforts
Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Association provides scholarships, bar prep support, and mentorship.
Loren Miller Bar Association Scholarship Dinner / Scholarships
Loren Miller Bar Association
Bar association provides student scholarship support.
Las Vegas Chapter NBA Mentoring Program and Scholarships
Las Vegas Chapter, National Bar Association
Bar association provides mentoring to college students entering law school and scholarships to law students.
D. Augustus Straker Bar Association Student and Community Support
D. Augustus Straker Bar Association
This bar association provides law student support and diversity mock trial-related programming within the Michigan legal community.
Wolverine Bar Association Diversity Mock Trial / Student Engagement
Wolverine Bar Association
Association provides mock trial activities for middle and high school students. Also, provides engagement between law students, attorneys, and judges.
Washington Bar Association Scholarships and Youth Pipeline Programs
Washington Bar Association; Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation
The Washington Bar Association conducts a range of pipeline programs for local youth. Its Educational Foundation awards two scholarships annually to students attending local law schools: the Charles Hamilton Houston Scholarship and the Judge Eugene Hamilton Scholarship.
Barristers' Association of Philadelphia Scholarships and Youth Programming
The Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, Inc.
An NBA affiliate that awards scholarships annually to minority law students at local law schools, recognizing leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to community service, and sponsors activities promoting youth awareness of careers in the legal profession. Scholarships are presented at the association's Annual Awards and Scholarship Gala.
Metropolitan Black Bar Association Pipeline Scholarships
Metropolitan Black Bar Association; Friends of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, Inc.
Through its charitable arm, Friends of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the association awards scholarships to prospective and current law students from the New York City area as part of its Pipeline and MBBAGives initiatives. Awards include the Honorable George Bundy Smith Scholarship Fund and a scholarship covering LSAT preparation costs.
John M. Langston Bar Association Scholarship Fund
John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles
California's oldest African American bar association supports Black law students through scholarships and mentorship. Awards are made through a competitive process including a written essay, academic review, and interview, and are presented at the association's Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala.
NBA Women Lawyers Division Philadelphia Chapter Scholarships
National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division, Philadelphia Chapter
The Philadelphia chapter of the NBA Women Lawyers Division offers the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Tuition Scholarship and the Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander Book Fund to support African American women law students attending local law schools, recognizing academic excellence and community service.
Gate City Bar Association Summer Law Camp
Gate City Bar Association
An annual summer law camp for high school students run by Georgia's oldest African American bar association, part of a wider program of student support that also includes a Summer Associate Program and career workshops for law students.
Magnolia Bar Association Scholarships
Magnolia Bar Association; Magnolia Bar Foundation
Mississippi's Black bar association awards the Jack Young, Sr. and Carsie Hall Scholarship, named for two of its co-founders, to a second- or third-year student at Mississippi College School of Law or the University of Mississippi School of Law. The Leonard McClellan Scholarship supports a graduating high school senior who has shown a strong interest in the science of jurisprudence.
J.L. Turner Legal Association Scholarships and Pre-Law Enrichment
J.L. Turner Legal Association; J.L. Turner Legal Association Foundation
The Black bar association of Dallas awards merit- and need-based scholarships to minority law students through its Foundation, funded by an Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala, and provides attorney mentors for law students. The Foundation also funds pre-law educational enrichment, including a day-long series of panels on law school and the legal profession for high school students with tours of the Dallas county courts.
Louis A. Martinet Legal Society Scholarships
Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Greater New Orleans Chapter
The Greater New Orleans chapter awards an annual scholarship to a law student based on scholastic achievement and need, alongside a bar preparation scholarship. Awards are presented at the chapter's annual Scholarship Gala, and its annual mixer connects law students with members of the judiciary and the legal community.
Mound City Bar Foundation Scholarships
Mound City Bar Association; Mound City Bar Foundation
The oldest Black bar association west of the Mississippi awards scholarships to law students through its charitable arm, the Mound City Bar Foundation, including the Scovel Richardson Scholarship program. The Foundation is committed to supporting minority pre-law students through financial assistance.
GABWA Foundation Scholarships and Sister2Sister Mentoring
Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys; GABWA Foundation, Inc.
The GABWA Foundation provides scholarships to Black women attending Georgia law schools so that the pipeline of Black women entering the profession remains strong; since 2002 it has awarded more than $650,000 to African American women law students. Candidates are second- or third-year female law students enrolled in Georgia. The Foundation also runs the Sister2Sister Mentoring Program, funded through GABWA's annual Glitter Gala and Auction.
Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter Scholarship Program
Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter, National Bar Association
The statewide organization for Black attorneys in Florida, founded in 1955 and serving as the umbrella for sixteen local affiliate chapters, awards scholarships annually to law students across the state and has assisted dozens of students with bar examination preparation. Applicants are judged on a written application and essay; graduating students sitting the July Florida Bar Examination are encouraged to apply.
Norman S. Minor Bar Association Scholarship Fund
Norman S. Minor Bar Association
Cleveland's Black bar association raises scholarship funds to support students entering the legal profession through its annual Trailblazer Gala, which also recognizes attorneys who have made significant contributions to the profession through the Ronald B. Adrine Trailblazer Award.
Jackson County Bar Association Scholarships and Youth Oratorical Contest
Jackson County Bar Association; JCBA Foundation
The Black bar association of the Kansas City metropolitan area awards scholarships each year to minority law students who are from the Kansas City metro or attending law school there, including the Judge Kit Carson Roque, Jr. Scholarship for second- and third-year students. Funds are raised through the Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet. The association also invites high school juniors and seniors to compete in an annual essay and oratorical contest.
Ben F. Jones Chapter "What I See, I Can Be" Community Day
Ben F. Jones Chapter, National Bar Association; Bluff City Medical Society
An annual community day presented by the Memphis chapter of the National Bar Association together with the Bluff City Medical Society, centered on youth empowerment and exposing young people to Black professionals in law and medicine.
Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation Scholarships
Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association; Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation
The Foundation representing San Diego County's African American legal community provides scholarships and mentoring to law students. Awards include the Kathy Payne Scholarship for academic excellence, the Earl B. Gilliam Scholarship for commitment to community and public service, and the Judicial Scholarship for financial need, named for the chapter's judicial founders. General scholarships also assist graduates with bar preparation. Awards are presented at the annual Scholarships and Awards Gala.
Old Dominion Bar Association Foundation Scholarships and Fellows Program
Old Dominion Bar Association; Old Dominion Bar Association Foundation
The Foundation of Virginia's historically Black bar association, founded in 1942, fundraises for and sponsors legal education programs, scholarships, and fellowships designed to advance the civic engagement and educational advancement of African Americans and other people of color in the legal profession or aspiring to it. Recent activity includes a Fellows Program and a law day campaign.
National Black Law Students Association Partnership / Student Engagement
National Black Law Students Association
The NBI supports NBLSA's Frederick Douglass Moot Court program. It is a strategic partner with the NBA for both student engagement and pipeline-to-profession work.
Council on Legal Education Opportunity
CLEO / National Bar Institute support
NBI states support for CLEO's mission to inspire, motivate, and prepare students from underrepresented communities to succeed in law school and beyond.
National Association of the Bench and Bar
National Association of the Bench and Bar / National Bar Institute support
The National Bar Institute supports this organization.
NABBS Foundation Dorothy Atkinson Legal Education Scholarship
National Association of Bench and Bar Spouses (NABBS) Foundation
NABBS is composed of the spouses and surviving spouses of members of the National Bar Association and of other bars across the United States and its territories. Its Foundation, the organization's philanthropic arm, has awarded the Dorothy Atkinson Legal Education Scholarship since 1969 to support the legal education of high-achieving underrepresented law students.