Two students entering the University of Dayton School of Law this fall have earned full tuition, an annual $15,000 living expense stipend and a job following graduation through the University of Dayton School of Law's Flyer Legal Pathways Program.

Faruki PLL and CareSource selected University of Dayton student Arabella Loera and Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE), with support from the Dayton Legal Heritage Foundation, selected Washington University student Taylor Demus as the newest scholars for the program that recruits underrepresented and underserved students to law school. 

Both received their bachelor's degrees this May and will start law school in the fall.

Loera, graduated with a criminal justice studies degree, has interned with the Ohio Innocence Project. She topped more than 7,300 mock trial students with the only perfect 40 score at the 2023 American Mock Trial Association’s regional and national qualifying tournaments.

"We are thrilled to welcome Arabella to the Dayton legal community and have her join us. She exemplifies what we all hope to be as lawyers – professional, thoughtful, articulate and hard working," said Erin Rhinehart, co-managing partner of Faruki PLL.

Demus, graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychological and brain sciences, is an intern at the St. Louis Public Defender’s Office and has served as a volunteer advocate in the St. Louis Domestic Violence Court.

“Taylor has a strong commitment to social justice advocacy and great experience working on issues we care about,” said Heather Hall, interim executive director of ABLE. 

The UD School of Law announced the Flyer Legal Pathways Program, believed to be the first of its kind among U.S. law schools, in October 2021 with inaugural partners Thompson Hine and Taft Law, and selected the first two students — Jessica Gassett and Lizzy Dobbins — in June 2022.

Any firms interested in being a partner of the Flyer Legal Pathways Program can contact Katie Wright, visiting assistant professor of lawyering skills, at wrightk7@udayton.edu.

The School of Law was named one of the best law schools for African Americans in the winter 2020 issue of National Jurist’s preLaw magazine. A third of the school's 2022 entering class were students from underrepresented and underserved populations.

The school has been riding a recent wave of success, posting improvements in selectivity, median Law School Admission Test scores, GPAs of incoming students and job placement. The School of Law attracted more applicants and more academically accomplished students by offering flexibility with options like an online hybrid J.D. program and a Leadership Honors Program featuring full tuition scholarships, custom-designed leadership training, and mentoring by prominent judges and lawyers. 

To apply to the University of Dayton School of Law, visit https://udayton.edu/law/admissions/apply.php.

For more information on the program, email Katie Wright, visiting assistant professor of lawyering skills, at wrightk7@udayton.edu. For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.