CHALLENGES FACED BY FIRST-GENERATION LAW STUDENTS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS
AUTHOR – SHENBAGA DEVI C, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW, TNDALU
BEST CITATION – SHENBAGA DEVI C, CHALLENGES FACED BY FIRST-GENERATION LAW STUDENTS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS, ILE MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL, 4 (2) OF 2025, PG. 519-528, APIS – 3920-0007 | ISSN – 2583-7230.
ABSTRACT
This study examines the multi-faceted issues faced by first-generation law students and how these issues impact both academic success, mental health and career development. In a cross-sectional survey research study utilizing an undergraduate Google Form among law students and the learning experiences of first-generation students, this study compared the first-generation and non-first-generation contexts and found differences related to academic success, social engagement, financial stability, institutional support and career readiness. This study found that an over-representation of first-generation students faced intersecting academic, financial, and psychosocial barriers to success, which include aspects of isolation, lack of mentorship, unsatisfactory institutional career-related support and financial anxiety impacting career outcomes. All of these factors contribute to reduced academic engagement, lack of access to internships, and diminished overall career self-efficacy. While some first-generation law students exhibited resiliency and higher motivation to succeed, it is evident that their experiences reflect a higher impact of systemic inequities in legal education. This report highlights the urgency to improve institutional reform to foster social, economic, and career readiness supports that promote achievement, including (1) formal mentoring programs, (2) economic supports, (3) intentional career related support, and (4) curricular diversity practices to reduce the opportunity merit gap. Promoting opportunities towards such equity will not only foster achievement for first-generation lawyer but foster a more socially inclusive, equitable and responsible legal profession.
Keywords:First-Generation Law Students; Legal Education; Academic Challenges; Socio-Economic Barriers; Cultural Capital; Mentorship; Institutional Support; Financial Constraints; Career Readiness; Psycho-Social Wellbeing; Equity in Higher Education; Social Mobility; Access to Justice; Legal Profession; Educational Inequality; Student Resilience; Career Counseling; Inclusivity in Legal Education; Systemic Inequities; Law School Experience.