Pathway to Law alum: Eldred D. Lesansee

Eldred D. Lesansee
Pueblo tribes of Jemez and Zuni from New Mexico
Pathway to Law participant ’19
Pre-Law Summer Institute ’22
JD candidate ’25, Columbia Law School

What was your experience with the Pathway to Law Workshop?
I really enjoyed my experience with the Pathway to Law Workshop. Today, I continue to keep in touch with the Pathways staff as well as my classmates in the program. This launched my Native American law community, and I am forever grateful.

What information did you find most important in the Workshop (i.e. LSAT prep, personal statement building, etc) and why?
For me, I really appreciated the one-on-one support in building my personal statement. After receiving feedback from law school admissions representatives and numerous drafts, I was able to fine-tune my personal statement that celebrated my cultural heritage and effectively communicated my aspirations in law school. After the Workshop, I was still able to reach out for support.

Would you recommend students interested in law to attend the Workshop?
Yes, most definitely! As the first in my family to attend law school, the Workshop taught me so much when it comes to applying, financing, attending, and graduating law school. I cannot stress more how much support this program offers prospective law students. I also met so many of my current Native classmates in the program.

Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Follow and incorporate your passions in your study of the law. Your passions can be your guiding star when law school and the legal profession may seem like an endless amount of tasks that you need to complete in such a short period of time. Also, please take advantage of all essay opportunities on the application, making each one a chapter in a book that is your law school application. Last, share your love and pride for your Tribal nations. There are not enough Native American law students, and we deserve to take up space and elevate our voices for our home communities.