HARRISBURG (Feb. 22, 2008) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) and the Law School Admission Council are sponsoring the inaugural Pennsylvania Minority Pre-Law Conference for Pittsburgh public school students on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the David L. Lawrence Conference Center, Pittsburgh.

The council chose February for its conference in recognition of National Minority Law Student Recruitment Month.

�This program will expose minority high school students to the many opportunities within the legal profession," said Kezia O. L. Taylor, chair of the PBA Minority Law Day Program Sub-committee, which helped plan the event.

"We are making strides to diversify Pittsburgh�s legal community, but more can be done. I believe a program like this, which works to engage students when they are young, will ultimately increase the numbers of homegrown, legal professionals who are available for hire by Pittsburgh firms."

Taylor grew up in Penn Hills neighborhood, studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and returned to Pittsburgh to build her career.

"While studying at Howard, I was fortunate to be surrounded by a diverse legal community. I don�t see that same diversity in Pittsburgh's legal community. This conference is a step towards changing that," said Ms. Taylor.

The conference will feature a keynote address by Judge Dwayne Woodruff, Fifth Judicial District, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, and sessions about undergraduate admissions, law school admissions, law schools and the legal profession. Students will have the opportunity to interact with lawyers, college and law school representatives and law students.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.