Category: General Announcements

Interested in becoming a Social Justice Fellow?

Social Justice Fellows—Application

We welcome you to apply to be a Social Justice Fellow at the University of Akron School of Law. This program is intended to engage law students interested in addressing systemic and institutional sources of inequality and injustice. All students are eligible to apply. This is a change from previous years. We will be accepting five students entering law school in 2021 and filling open positions in the 2L and 3L+ classes.  

The Goals of the Program are:

  • Building Community among like-minded students
  • Mentoring and guidance from faculty and from other Fellows
  • Exposure to community organizations and leaders involved in working for social change.

Fellows will commit to as many as three hours per week devoted to related activities. During their time as fellows, students may engage in the following activities:

  • Meet regularly.
  • Help to research, plan and execute programs and initiatives.
    • Work with community partners.
    • Lead student discussion forums.
  • Complete a Social Justice Project before graduation.
  • Annual interview with the Director regarding professional goals and pathways.

To apply, please complete the online application. 

Applications must be completed by midnight on Sunday, August 29th, 2021. 

Finalist interviews will be conducted the week of August 30th, 2021.

We expect that Fellows will be announced by September 3rd, 2021.

 Questions? Contact Professor Brant Lee, Director of Diversity and Social Justice Initiatives, at btlee@uakron.edu.

Student Organization Travel Policies

Below are the policies set by the University for Student Organization Travel. Note that these policies also apply to local events that don’t involve overnight stays. 

Students interested in traveling will be expected to abide by current CDC and University of Akron Covid-19 policies. 

Only requests submitted 30-business days or more in advance will be reviewed and considered for approval. Student organizations are strongly encouraged to submit requests as far in advance as possible. 

Student organizations and their members wishing to travel to an in-person event that does not have a virtual alternative, will need to do the following: One Day Travel with Two or Less Overnight Experiences

  1. Submit a travel request to the appropriate department authorized to approve your student organization travel (Clubs Sports, SOuRCe, School of Law).
  2. Complete the corresponding Emergency Contact and Travel Waiver documents.
  3. Each individual intending to travel will upload their Covid-19 vaccine record to  Med-Proctor following these instructions.

a. If a Covid-19 vaccine record has not been uploaded to Med-Proctor, the student(s) will need to either, submit proof of vaccine status to Med-Proctor two weeks before planned departure date, or schedule a Covid-19 test no earlier than 72-hours prior to planned departure, and submit a negative test result to the appropriate department that approves travel requests in order to be authorized.

  1. Students are responsible for understanding the requirements set by the host of the event since these will likely reflect any current health orders in that respective state or city.
  2. Receive Campus Advisor approval for travel plans.

Travel with Three or more Overnight Experiences

  1. All the above
  2. Provide a written plan to the appropriate office indicating plans for an unexpected sickness, or a Covid-19 positive test result while traveling. This plan should also include identifying a location where a Covid-19 test can be completed while traveling, and the link to plans and/or requirements set by the host of the event since these will likely reflect any current health orders in that respective state or city.

 UA generally will not pay for quarantine periods required by the city/state/municipality. The traveler may be responsible for any additional travel costs outside of the approved travel.  

The above policies are subject to change based on recommendations from the University of Akron planning committees related to Covid-19.Updated 8.17.21

Ohio Bar Admissions Workshop and Ohio Bar Application Process

Below is important information for those who plan to take the Ohio Bar Exam:

  • Bar Admissions Workshop – Tuesday, September 14, 2021

We will hold an Ohio Bar Admissions Workshop on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in The Brennan Courtroom (L180). Our speaker will be Tiffany Kline, Assistant Director of Bar Admissions for the Supreme Court of Ohio. Those in their second calendar year of law school, and two-year international students who are in their first year at Akron Law should plan to attend.

  • Ohio Bar Admissions Process and Important Dates

The Ohio Bar Admissions process involves two steps. Step one is the submission of the Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission to the Practice of Law. Step Two is the Application to take the bar exam on a particular date.

  • Deadline for Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission to the Practice of Law (Character and Fitness Application):

If you are in your second calendar year of law school, or are a two-year international student in your first year of law school, the deadline to submit a timely Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission to the Practice of Law (what the Bar Admissions Office commonly calls the Character and Fitness Application) is November 15, 2021. Information on this application can be found here: Application to Resister as a Candidate.

We will have your Certificate of Dean and a fingerprint card available for you to pick up in late September or early October. We will notify you when those are available to be picked up.

  • Application to Apply for the February 2022 or July 2022 Bar Exam:

If you plan to take the February 2022 Bar Exam, the deadline to submit a timely application is November 1, 2021. If you plan to take the July 2022 Bar Exam, the deadline to submit a timely application is April 1, 2022. Information on the application can be found here:  Application to take the Bar Exam.

For those taking the February 2022 Bar Exam, we will mail your Law School Character Certificate to the address that you have on file with the University of Akron. We expect to send those out the first week of October. We will send your Final Law School Certificate, including the Substance Abuse Certification (if we have a record showing that you’ve fulfilled that requirement), directly to the Bar Admissions Office after your degree is conferred in January 2022.

For those taking the July 2022 Bar Exam, we will provide further information as to how we will make your Law School Character Certificate available to you; however, we will send your Final Law School Certificate, including the Substance Abuse Certification (if we have a record showing that you’ve fulfilled that requirement), directly to the Bar Admissions Office after your degree is conferred in May 2022.

Please consult the Ohio Office of Bar Admissions website for additional information and a list of all deadlines: Ohio Office of Bar Admissions

  • MPRE:

Information about the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam, can be found here: MPRE

  • Other Jurisdictions:

      If you plan to take the bar exam in another jurisdiction, please consult the bar admissions website for that jurisdiction and forward me any forms that you need to have completed.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Charles W. Oldfield | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Director of Legal Writing
The University of Akron School of Law
C. Blake McDowell Law Center
Akron, OH  44325-2901
T: 330.972.6750
E: cwo@uakron.edu
W: uakron.edu/law