Academic Success Program

UDC David A. Clarke School of Law is committed to the academic success of each student, and believes that teaching the skills necessary to attain success in law school and lawyering is an integral part of the curriculum. Every student climbs the law school learning curve at a different speed. UDC Law seeks to aid each student in the transition first to law school and then to the practice of law through a comprehensive combination of courses and programs including:

• One-on-one consultations,
• The Jump Start Program in which students begin law school during the summer focusing on a single course while learning the skills to excel in law school,
• The 1L Lab in which first semester students are introduced to, and practice, the skills essential to success in the context of a doctrinal course,
• Designated courses in which students needing additional practice can sharpen their analytical reasoning skills,
• The Fresh Start Program in which students who underperform are provided an opportunity to start anew,
• The Legal and Bar Success Foundations course in which students focus on skills and substance to enhance their ability to pass the bar exam, and
• Alumni Supplemental Bar Preparation Workshops.

Click for: general information about the bar exam.

Program Faculty

Program Director
Professor Twinette Johnson
(202) 274-5501
twinette.johnson@udc.edu

Program Instructor
Prof. Shakisha Morgan
(202) 274-6051
shakisha.morgan@udc.edu

Program Instructor
Prof. Sarah Knapp
(202) 274-6789
sarah.knapp@udc.edu

Adjunct Professors

Prof. Khurrum Ali
khurrum.ali@udc.edu

Prof. Genet Amare
genet.amare@udc.edu

Prof. Mai Lan Isler
mailan.isler@udc.edu

Prof. Rahnesha Williams
rahnesha.williams@udc.edu

Prof. Cameron Woods
cameron.woods@udc.edu

Program Overview

Our programs seek to ensure that students who face barriers to the profession have an opportunity to be successful.

INITIATIVE	General Support	Early Identification & Intervention	Bar Preparation Support	Faculty Development in Teaching & Learning
GOAL	Entering students will understand and practice the core skills essential to success in law school.	Early identification of underperforming students so that intervention can assist them to identify the root cause(s) of underperformance and craft a plan for improvement.	As a cohort, graduates taking the bar in any state will have a first-time passage rate that exceeds that state’s first-time passage rate.	Faculty will adopt teaching and learning methodologies that are based on a scientific understanding of how learning works.
OBJECTIVES	Expressly introduce the core skills essential to law school success Provide low-stakes opportunities to practice core skills essential to law school success Establish a working relationship with students	Identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses Early identification of underperforming students to permit early intervention Promote reflective learning Encourage student success	Provide students with opportunities to develop and practice the tools and test-taking strategies essential to passing the bar the first time Provide alumni with concrete support while studying for the bar exam	Integrate academic success strategies throughout the program of legal education Promote inclusion of learning outcomes and multiple assessments Expand understanding on how learning works Encourage faculty reflection on teaching and learning
PROGRAMS	1L Lab Jump Start One-on-One Consultations	Orientation Diagnostic Early Identification and Outreach Fresh Start Mason Enhanced Program of Academic Success (MEPAS)	Road to the Bar Presentations One-on-One Consultations Legal & Bar Success Foundations MPRE Workshops Alumni Supplemental Bar Preparation Workshops	Faculty Development Sessions Adjunct Faculty Orientation One-on-One Consultations