The Delta Initiative
The University of Arkansas School of Law has prioritized the Delta as a region of focus. A Delta advisory committee was established in 2021, which identified areas that have the greatest need within the region:
- access to justice
- severe lack of legal professionals per capita, and
- the need to recruit students earlier in their educational careers (high school vs. junior/senior year of college)
Goals Of The Delta Initiative
Visibility | Engagement | Community Service
Outreach to communities
Bring our current School of Law students to smaller rural areas that need legal professionals in an effort to make an immediate impact on the access to justice issues.
Pipelines to provide resources and information
Expose high school students to the idea of law school by providing legal curriculum that engages the students and evokes questions and discussion.
Inform students about University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas School of Law enrollment and scholarship opportunities.
Pathways to help students
Expose our law students to the Delta communities, alumni and legal professionals in the area so they can learn about opportunities for post-grad employment and the benefits and impact of practicing in the region.
Our Plan
Current law school students, faculty, and staff will travel to high schools in the Delta to deliver curriculum crafted around the Constitution and its impact on current laws and policy. This will be a two-day trip with the students being in the high schools for the first day and performing a community service project on the second day.
The University of Arkansas School of Law will host a criminal record sealing clinic in Forrest City to commemorate Constitution Day. This free event will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the East Arkansas Community College, 1700 Newcastle Road, Forrest City, AR. Law students will assist attorney volunteers in interviewing clients and preparing the legal documents for clients to seal their cases on their own. First Judicial District Court Judges and the circuit and district court clerks are expected to be in attendance to verify eligibility and seal records the same day.
Activities scheduled for September 12-14, 2024.
Forrest City
Schedule of Events - Forrest City
- Thursday Evening
- Travel Teams arrive
- Friday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- Constitution Day Programming at Forrest City High School
- Friday 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
- Meet the Judges/St. Francis County Courthouse Tour
- Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- The University of Arkansas School of Law will host a criminal record sealing clinic in Forrest City to commemorate Constitution Day. This free event will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the East Arkansas Community College, 1700 Newcastle Road, Forrest City, AR. Law students will assist attorney volunteers in interviewing clients and preparing the legal documents for clients to seal their cases on their own. First Judicial District Court Judges and the circuit and district court clerks are expected to be in attendance to verify eligibility and seal records the same day.