East Bay Law School

SPRING SEMESTER

BEGINS:  JANUARY 11, 2010                                          ENDS: APRIL 30, 2010

SUMMER SESSION

BEGINS: JUNE 1, 2010                                                       ENDS: AUGUST 8, 2008

FALL SEMESTER ORIENTATION:      AUGUST 26, 2010                    

FALL SEMESTER

BEGINS: AUGUST 30, 2010                                              ENDS: DECEMBER 17, 2010

EAST BAY LAW SCHOOL is for you if:

You would like to get a law degree where the tuition for four years is still affordable.  Tuition is $495 per unit; $4,455 per semester.

1. You have either not taken or did take the Law Students Admission Test and scored below 160.
2. You feel comfortable around "older" (aged 26 to 70 years) rather than "younger" (aged 18 - 25 years) students. While everyone is welcome at East Bay Law School, most of our students are over 25.  The average age is about 43.
3. You are a member of an under-represented minority groups.  We accept serious students:  women, persons with disabilities, persons representing the ethnically diverse east bay community, etc.
4. You cannot attend classes during the day.  Our classes are held on three evenings a week, from 6 to 9 p.m.
5. You have transportation problems.  We are centrally located in close proximity to the bus, B.A.R.T. and perfectly suited to those who enjoy walking.  We are directly across from beautiful Lake Merritt.  Of course, parking is close by, if you choose to drive.
6. You think it is an advantage to have full time access to the law library at the University of California Law School at Berkeley (formerly Boalt )
7. You're ready for small classes and personalized instruction.
8. You want a steady support team, dedicated to helping you achieve your goal.
9. You're not intimidated by hard-driving, Ivy League educated practicing, successful lawyers.
10. You are willing to work long, hard hours to reach your goal.  Law school is a challenge!
11. You think it's your time.  To achieve it, you must first believe it!

Call (510) 835-7999) and speak with one of our counselors about your aspirations.  If you really want to go to law school, we want to encourage you to do so.  Lawyers are needed in the bay area.  The numbers of minorities practicing law in California are dwindling.  In this great State, with such a talented, well-educated public, we believe everyone who wants to be a lawyer should have the opportunity to attempt it.

If you think you qualify, (at least 2 years of college, at least a "C" in all your coursework, for starters) and you want to give the East Bay School legal training program a try, we welcome you.  We will do our best to help you succeed in reaching your goal of becoming a California attorney.  For every step you take, we take two.

Are we planning to become accredited?  Not this year.  Why?  Because if we do, we probably wouldn't be able to accept the very people we are created to serve - those who need or want an alternative approach to obtaining a law degree.  Accreditation may become a future goal.  At this time in our journey, however, our goal is to make an affordable legal education available to a broader spectrum of the community.

STATE BAR of CALIFORNIA SITE HAS USEFUL INFORMATION
The State Bar of California's website is filled with useful information, including information about unaccredited law schools.  You might want to log onto it.  http://www.calbar.ca.gov/

A good time was had by all of those who attended the champagne brunch hosted by the Brenda Harbin-Forte East Bay Law School Student Association.  President, Trecinna Lankford, assisted by vice president Linda Bentley and secretary Brenna Lau ensured every detail was perfectly executed, including the beautifully adorned tables and the handmade doll. The doll and the exquisite plaque delighted dean Doris Brown, who briefly addressed the crowd with a delighted and gracious thank you.

Guest speaker Brenda Harbin-Forte, Judge, presented a realistic picture of the absence of minority representation in California courts.  Most of California’s jurisdictions have under-or no representation, while the majority of lawyers’ court cases are minorities.

As close to Oakland as Fairfield and Marin County are, minority justices are non-existent.  Judge Harbin-Forte congratulated the East Bay Law School students and praised them for the effort they are making to diversity California’s courts.  About 5% of California’s 225,000 lawyers are African-American.

Held at the Merritt Hotel Restaurant, the view is spectacular, the amazing food and the opportunity to spend a leisurely morning and early afternoon with well wishers, was the perfect way to while away the time.  Several East Bay Law School students joined the fun, including Uche Uhemu, Geneva Jones, Farae Strickland, Dean Kiel, Mary Savoie-Stevens, Bettye Shepherd and friends of the Danny Glover I.N.S.P.I.R.E. Group, Louis Duverney, Esq, Clarence and Ollie Payne, and others. 

This was the first of several events that the Brenda Harbin-Forte East Bay Law Students have hosted since being organized in 2008.  They plan to operate a tenant/landlord clinic later this year.  The organization is open to all interested law students.  Contact Trecinna Lankford, (510) 835-7999 to get additional information or join.

The question is:  Are we planning to get accredited?  The answer is:  “Not this year.”  The question is: “Why not?”  The answer is because East Bay Law School was organized to “fill a need”.  We found a need.  We’re fulfilling it.  The need is for there to be a choice available to prospective lawyers who are not inclined to attend larger, more expensive schools.  East Bay Law School is an excellent choice as it is.  You don’t have to be wealthy or a “straight A” student.  You may qualify to get a law degree in 4 years at East Bay Law School.

Many people want to go to law school, but do not pursue it.  The reasons for postponing it vary.  Some potentially good lawyers think they are “too old” to go to law school.  The average age of our students is 45.  Some think they can’t afford it.  The annual tuition is very affordable. Others think it won’t fit their work schedule.  All classes are held in the evening, from 6 to 9 p.m. Some have once in a while obligations that prevent them from being available every week for 15 weeks. We are a “fixed facility, in residence” law school.  What that means for students is that students must be present at least 80% of the time to remain in good standing.  Another reason:  low grade point average. 

We started East Bay Law School for many reasons. With great pride, we fill a need.  Our goal is to provide the opportunity for a wider spectrum of the community to obtain a legal education, at an affordable cost.  We do a fantastic job.  For those who recognize, and want the opportunity, we are the pathway to their dream come true.  .  We’ll give you a chance to attend law school, even if you have a “C” average in your undergraduate work.  We talk with you even work with you if you have only had time to earn an AA degree.  Although our tuition per unit is still very affordable, we might be able to work out a “payment plan”.  We’ll invest our best in you.

All of our classes are taught by, well respected practicing attorneys.  Your cheering team includes sitting and retired judges, practicing lawyers, the best law library access, an excellent location, a community to cheer your success, and one-to-one tutoring.

The East Bay Law School philosophy is founded on the belief that there are many excellent prospective lawyers in the east bay community who never took the plunge.  They have the potential, the interest and the intellect to be performing well as a lawyer in the community.  Many already have a cause to which they could lend their legal knowledge. Some just never got around to applying to law school.

Some of our prospective students tried to get admitted to American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools, in the Bay Area as well as throughout the country.  They didn’t get accepted, or if they did get accepted, they didn’t accept the offer.  Some couldn’t afford the tuition.  Others, all well qualified to meet the challenge, couldn’t attend day classes. Some turned 35, 40, 50 then 60 years, still with the yearning.  They assume they are “too old” to go to law school. The list of reasons why well qualified prospective lawyers didn’t attend one the 69 law schools in California before now is known only to them.  None of it matters now. What matters now is that East Bay Law School has provided the resources you need to get your law degree.  You grade point average is OK if it’s at least a “C”; you’re the perfect age – whatever it is.  You don’t need a lot of money.

It is not your past education that will qualify you to practice law in California, but your ability to pass the General Bar Examination.  At East Bay Law School we painstakingly provide the education, the guidance, the support, and the extra tutoring to assist you.  We teach you how to read, analyze and answer a complicated set of facts and arrive at a reasoned conclusion based on the facts and the law.  We teach you test-taking skills to improve the likelihood of your passing the First Year Law Students’ Examination. We teach you how to succeed as a lawyer by surrounding you with successful lawyers and success models.

The State Bar of California makes it possible for all of you who are qualified to attend a California law school to get a legal education that qualifies you to practice here. No one can guarantee that you will pass the qualifying examinations, as that factor depends on your own effort.  Every law school in California that provides the training that qualifies you to take the First Year Law Students Examination and the General Bar Examinations operates with the approval of the State Bar of California (“State Bar”), using guidelines established by them.  No one is discriminated against based on the school they attended.  There is only one Bar Examination in California. Every practicing lawyer took it; every prospective lawyer must pass it.

The State Bar is the designated organization that sets the criteria, grants the permission to operate a law school, provides the oversight for all of the 69 law schools located throughout California, and administers all examinations.  All law school in California operate according to the State Bar’s established guidelines, and operate as either a fixed facility, as does East Bay Law School, or provide distance learning, as do six law schools in California.

Each of the 69 law schools, regardless of the category, must operate under one of the designated categories: accredited, unaccredited, approved, registered, correspondence, or distance learning.  Whatever the category selected, all California law schools that provide a legal education which qualifies graduates to take any examinations administered by the State Bar must adhere to their established rules.  That oversight includes ABA accredited, State Bar accredited, fixed facility, correspondence, unaccredited and registered law schools.

1. You would like to get a law degree where the tuition for four years is affordable.
2. You feel comfortable around “older” (aged 26 to 70 years) rather than “younger” (aged 18 – 25 years) students. While everyone is welcome at East Bay Law School, most of our students are over 25.  The average age is about 43.
3. You are a member of an under-represented minority groups.  We accept women, persons with disabilities, persons 
    representing the ethnically diverse east bay communi   
4. You cannot attend classes during the day.  Our classes are held on three evenings a week.
5. You have transportation problems.  We are centrally located in close proximity to the bus, B.A.R.T. and perfectly 
   suited to those who enjoy walking.  We are directly across from beautiful Lake Merritt.  Of course, parking is close by, if you choose to drive.
6. You think it is an advantage to have full time access to the law library at the University of California Law School at 
   Berkeley (formerly Boalt ).
7. You like small classes and personalized instruction.
8. You want a steady support team, dedicated to helping you achieve your goal.
9. You want a first-class education from practicing, successful lawyers.
10. You want it enough to be a good student, work hard, and keep your goal in view.
11. You think it’s your time.  To achieve it, you must first believe it!

Call (510) 835-7999) and speak with one of our counselors.  If you really want to go to law school, we want to encourage you to do so.  Lawyers are needed in the bay area.  The numbers for minorities practicing law in California are dwindling.  In this great State, with such a talented, well-educated public, we believe everyone who wants to be a lawyer should have the opportunity to attempt it.  

If you think you qualify, and you want to give the East Bay School legal training program a try, we welcome you.  We will do our best to help you succeed in reaching your goal of becoming a California attorney.  For every step you take, we take two.

STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA SITE HAS USEFUL INFORMATION

Houston worked for a time in his father’s law firm and then he joined the faculty of Howard University School of Law.  He participated in many important cases dealing with civil rights issues and worked extensively for public interest causes.  In 1935 Houston became the first full-time special counsel for the NAACP; before Maryland’s highest court he argued for admittance of African Americans to the University of Maryland and also argued before the Supreme Court for minority access to equal legal education

THE JUDGE BRENDA HARBIN-FORTE LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

HAS BIG PLANS FOR 2009

The Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte Law Students’ Association President, Trecinna Lankford, has announced their plans for 2009. The word is “exciting”!  For starters, they have incorporated and are their own organization,  Sometime around May 2009 they will announce the opening of the Tenant/Landlord Clinic, under the directions of Attorney Louis Duverney.  Other officers include Brenna Lau, Linda Bentley, and Steve Dong.

 

                  
Professors Beverly Baker-Kelly and Professor Emerson take a break before getting back to Baby Bar Preparation course.