Lawyer like a Kardashian

When Esq. Apprentice founder Rachel Farias-Johnson heard that Kim Kardashian was planning to become a lawyer through a legal apprenticeship, she saw an opportunity for her organization, Esq. Apprentice, one of  J.M. Kaplan’s Innovation Prize grantees. She tapped Silverbee to help. Esq. Apprentice helps low-income people become lawyers through legal apprenticeships like Kardashian’s. Legal apprenticeships provide a legitimate but little-known avenue for single mothers, people working two jobs and others who can’t afford law school to become attorneys. We helped Farias-Johnson write and place a timely Op Ed in the Sacramento Bee, where it opened doors for Farias -Johnson reach a new class of apprentices, and meet with legislators and executives to advocate for apprenticeships in California. In the opinion piece, Farias-Johnson explains how legal apprenticeships have the power to dramatically reshape our justice system by making sure there are more lawyers and judges who come from communities that are most impacted by the justice system. Through legal apprenticeships, people can become lawyers by working with an experienced attorney. Apprentices must pass the same rigorous exams as law school students, but they can work while studying and avoid the debt of high tuition law schools–a frequent barrier to people who wish to become attorneys. “It’s just a beginning, but I envision the apprentice system creating thousands of new lawyers and judges: DACA recipients who help refugees near the border; children and siblings of inmates helping members of the prison population; and survivors of the foster care system advocating for children and facilitating adoptions,” said Farias-Johnson. With visibility for her new nonprofit, Farias-Johnson plans to expand her classes and attract more public and private support for legal apprenticeships.