The Appellate Project addresses a critical gap in our justice system: the lack of representation in appellate advocacy and on the bench. Appellate courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court—don’t conduct trials or hear new evidence. Instead, they review lower court decisions to determine how the law should be interpreted and applied. In doing so, they shape the legal standards that govern voting rights, healthcare, immigration, tribal sovereignty, criminal justice, and more—often setting precedent that affects millions.

Yet the attorneys and judges who decide these cases often do not reflect the communities most impacted by their rulings. When those perspectives are missing, the law risks becoming disconnected from the people it is meant to serve.

TAP is working to change that by creating more inclusive pathways into appellate law. Our work is grounded in the belief that appellate excellence transcends traditional credentials and insider networks. Through mentorship, clerkship preparation, legal writing support, and professional development, TAP equips talented students from underrepresented backgrounds with the tools, networks, and confidence to thrive in a field that has long excluded them.

By expanding access and building a growing community of mentors, advocates, and alumni, TAP is helping to reshape who gets to interpret and define the law. When all communities are reflected in the judges and advocates who shape appellate rulings, it leads to more informed decisions, stronger legal reasoning, and a justice system that better reflects the realities of the people it serves.

My experiences growing up made me appreciate the importance of representation in the legal field and led me to law school. But I was years into my career before I first realized appellate work existed as an area of legal practice. I was struck by the fact that my law school never informed me about this career path, especially because I immediately enjoyed appellate cases and the enormous impact they have on issues I cared about. I was also dumbfounded by the complete lack of diversity, particularly racial diversity, amongst appellate lawyers and judges. Appellate rulings often disproportionately impact communities of color, and I saw over and over how this lack of representation has a very real impact on the laws our highest courts shape. I founded TAP because I believe our highest courts are strongest when they reflect our communities.

Our biggest challenge right now is the “colorblind” climate in which we are operating. Our students do not have the privilege of pretending the world is colorblind. The post-affirmative action landscape and anti-”DEI” landscape has created even more barriers for our students as they try to enter the elite, insular space of appellate practice. These obstacles include litigation against organizations supporting race-conscious efforts, creating a chilling effect for anyone advocating for a more representative and equitable system.

My parents instilled the foundational values that inform my work, including the importance of civic engagement and giving back.

Stacey Abrams has written powerfully about how once you identify the truth of what drives your work, you realize there are many creative ways you can achieve the change you wish to see. That guidance gave me a framework for understanding the thru-line that has driven my own work and pushed me to think beyond being a civil rights litigator, ultimately sparking the idea for TAP.

Our students truly drive our work. Simply having someone believe in your potential can change everything, and we see the impact of that every day. As one of our students recently shared, “One of my mentors encouraged me to run for my law review, something I never would have considered, and I ended up being elected Editor in Chief! I will also be arguing a motion for class certification for my clinic matter (not something I would have felt able to do without the coaching of my mentors). The impact of these opportunities on my future career is unquantifiable.”