Presentation: Becoming a Trust & Estate Lawyer

Resources 

• J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association - An association committed to legal excellence, community service, and the advancement of African American minorities in the legal profession. Their membership consists primarily of African American attorneys who live and/or work in Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland.
• Summer Scholars Pipeline Program of the Montgomery County, MD Bar Foundation for second year law students.
• Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals an organization committed to enhancing diversity in our profession as well as closing the racial wealth gap. (Panelist Kalimah White is on the board of this organization.)   
• The ACTEC Foundation Law Student Writing Competition  
• American Bar Association (ABA) Student Membership
• ABA Law Student Writing Competition
• ABA Fellows Program 
• ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section
• ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline
         ​​Pipeline directory
• Virtual National CLE Conference
• African American Attorney Network
• Washington, DC Estate Planning Council
• Sample Diversity Scorecard - A Word document that can be used by firms/organizations to measure and monitor diversity efforts.
• The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) connects and empowers the legal profession through ongoing support and advocacy. They help members at every stage of their careers and serve the entire legal profession across Maryland and beyond. The MSBA offers free memberships to law students. Join the MSBA for free and then join the Estate and Trust Section (also free to law students) and register to attend E&T Study Group programs (free to Section members). The E&T Study Group has monthly lunchtime programs that may be of interest to students.
  • MSBA Section of Estate and Trust, chaired by ACTEC Fellow Anne W. Coventry, shares a regular newsletter. Anne recommends reading the article (beginning on p.6) written by Portia and Robin Wood, of Wood Legal Group, about "The Role of Estate Planning and the Legal Profession in Closing the Racial Wealth Gap." 

Additional Information from ACTEC

Planning for a Diverse and Equitable Future is a monthly video series created by The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee. ACTEC considers the historical, continuing, and devastating impact of institutionalized racism against people of color in our society to be a humanitarian, rather than a political issue.

This series strives to educate by discussing issues surrounding racism and offer recommendations to combat inequality. This month's presentation, "Wills, Slavery and Probate: The Legacy of Lucy Sutton," honors Black History Month with a documentary-style story from ACTEC Fellow Terrence M. Franklin. He shares his journey of discovery: how his fourth great grandmother Lucy Sutton and her eight children and six grandchildren were freed from slavery through a Last Will and Testament.

More Resources for Students

• Learn about an inspiring program supported by The ACTEC Foundation that promotes estate planning in communities needing it most - The Commons Law Center. 
• Resources for Trust and Estate Law Students
• More information about The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• ACTEC Fellow Directory