I am a retired attorney and have known LEAP’s founder and director, Cindy Lopez, for over 30 years, primarily through our mutual careers at the California Attorney General’s Office.
Although I was aware of Cindy’s leadership experience in another nonprofit organization, including her many years of dedicated service as a mentor, it was not until her retirement event that I saw the impact she had made in the lives of many young women who spoke at the event. When I found out that Cindy was going to start LEAP after she retired, I wanted to learn more about its goals and program activities. Having gone through law school, I was familiar with the challenges, both intellectually and financially, that law students face. A key factor in that experience is confidence—confidence that you can complete law school and that you can be successful in your legal career. The LEAP fellowship gives students a variety of opportunities to build that confidence and to enhance their chances of being accepted to, and successful in, law school through LEAP’s admissions counseling, mentoring, core lawyering skills program, and job shadowing program. Moreover, LEAP enhances access to law school for those who are underrepresented in the legal field. This is critical because the legal field should reflect the diversity of our communities. I wanted to be a part of LEAP’s success through my financial support. I first became a one-time donor and now I am a monthly donor to LEAP. I look forward to hearing about LEAP’s success in preparing students for a challenging and rewarding legal career.
