Legal Pathways - Patricia Sully

After five years of building and supporting Legal Pathways, an exemplary program dedicated to increasing access to legal education, Patricia Sully, J.D., will be leaving UW Tacoma June 15th.  As the founding director, Patricia worked tirelessly to create a program that has had a profound impact on our campus and become one of our celebrated success stories. Working closely with the Community and the Faculty Advisory Boards, Patricia’s efforts have been nothing short of transformative:

• Prior to the launch of Legal Pathways, on average we had only 2-3 students per year applying to law school. We now have between 30-50 each year.
• One of our recent alumni was named editor-in-chief of the Washington Law Review, UW School of Law's flagship student law journal.
• One of our recent alumni was recently admitted to Yale Law School.
• We have students in law schools all around the country, including William & Mary Law School, University of Houston Law Center, Emory School of Law, University of Oregon School of Law, and the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.
• At the inception of Legal Pathways, the average LSAT score for a UW Tacoma student or alumnus was 139; it is now 152 and on par with the national average.
• We are currently admitting the fourth cohort of Legal Pathways Fellows and we have supported over 300 students with pre-law advising, LSAT prep, and personal statement review.

This foundational work has made access to legal education possible, responding to the desire of our communities for expanding the legal profession in the South Sound. We are grateful to Patricia Sully for her amazing work and the impressive achievements of Legal Pathways.

Personally, I have truly enjoyed working with her. She is thoughtful, collaborative, and highly student-centered. Above all, she brings humility and collegiality to every space she occupies. I will miss working with her, as I am sure will anyone who has had the pleasure of interacting with Patricia.

Please join me in thanking Patricia Sully for the legacy she is leaving behind and wishing her success in all her future endeavors.