This week, I want to spotlight a program that captures the heart of who we are and how we fulfill our mission: the Legal Career Opportunities Program (“LCOP”). Yesterday, we welcomed sixteen first-year students to the LCOP Class of 2025, making it the perfect time to celebrate this extraordinary legacy.

LCOP began in 1972 with a bold vision: to expand access to legal education for talented individuals who might otherwise be denied the opportunity to pursue a law degree. For 53 years, it has stayed true to that mission by identifying promise, providing early academic preparation, and building the skills and confidence that allow students to succeed.

Cleveland State University College of Law is descended from the merger of two evening law schools that served working students—people who had the talent and determination to become lawyers but wouldn’t otherwise have access to a legal education.

LCOP is one way we carry forward that commitment to access by expanding opportunity, believing in potential, and preparing students to become the lawyer-leaders our communities and profession need. We look beyond traditional metrics to identify students with the drive and potential to thrive in law school and beyond.

As we celebrate 53 years of this life-changing program, we invite you to help us ensure its future. One meaningful way to do that is by supporting the Aldrich Blackmon LCOP Scholarship, named in honor of one of LCOP’s visionary founders, Judge Ann Aldrich, and a member of the first class of LCOP students, Judge Patricia Blackmon.

Aldrich Blackmon LCOP Scholarship -- Donate Here

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we will continue to Learn Law. Live Justice.

Warmly,
Carolyn