The office of Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee is now accepting applications for the 2023 Summer Legal Academy (SLA), a two-week educational readiness program for high school students to learn more about what it takes to become an attorney. The inaugural program launched in the summer of 2022, yielding more than 250 applications. The 2022 class of 21 students came from 21 different high schools in six local school districts (including HISD, Alief ISD, Klein ISD, and more).

During the program students will:

• learn about what it takes to succeed in college, on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and in law school;
• participate in mock lectures given by current professors at local law schools;
• hear from multiple panels of attorneys in a variety of practice areas (including corporate law, criminal law, family law, etc.); and
• tour local law schools and courthouses.

"SLA is a safe space for young adults around Houston to come together and grasp a deeper understanding of the law field. Prior to my time at SLA I had never met an Attorney, but SLA allowed me to network with and receive actual lectures from real professionals. The knowledge I gained at SLA and the friendships I created are ones I will keep with me forever," said Carmen Cruz, a senior at Milby High School who was part of the 2022 SLA cohort.

“I started the Summer Legal Academy last year to empower kids from all backgrounds, regardless of where they go to school or the issues they face in their own life, to know how to navigate the process of becoming a successful attorney. Every young person deserves to know that the options ahead of them are endless and that they have what it takes to create a bright future for themselves,” said Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. “Growing up, I had never met a lawyer and I had no idea how to get into law school. It’s incredibly meaningful to me to be able to connect Harris County high school students to a diverse group of attorneys, judges, and even staff from local law schools and allow them to ask questions and dream big about their own future.”

For more details on Summer Legal Academy and the application process, visit cao.harriscountytx.gov/students. Any high school student in Harris County entering grades 10 through 12 may apply. The deadline for students to apply is March 24. Applicants are expected to submit a recommendation letter, a writing sample, and a short essay. The program will be held Monday-Friday during a two-week period in July.

Questions about the program or requests for additional details can be sent to Communications@harriscountytx.gov.