Advisors, Reviewers & Ceremonial Volunteers Hub
Everything you need to serve scholars one-on-one, review law school application materials remotely, and help prepare and encourage the next generation of attorneys at The National HBCU Pre-Law Summit.
Who this hub serves
Your Service Role
Deliver 15-minute individualized advisement sessions covering law school selection, timelines, LSAT planning, financing, and application strategy.
- 15 minutes per scholar appointment
- Advising Pavilion table assignment
- Close every session with two to three next steps
Provide constructive written feedback on résumés, personal statements, optional essays, and addenda submitted in advance through the secure reviewer portal.
- Feedback, never ghostwriting or rewriting
- Coded comments plus a written feedback summary
- Up to three documents per participant
Serve as the presiding attorney who pins scholars during the Pre-Law Pinning Ceremony, a formal rite of passage into the profession.
- Processional and assigned pinning station
- Two to four scholars pinned per attorney
- Mandatory ceremony rehearsal attendance
Pre-Law Advisement Clinic
Two Distinct Clinic Services
The Pre-Law Advisement Clinic offers two distinct services. Participants may use either or both, subject to availability. Review the full guidelines for the service you are assigned to before the Summit.
Scholars ask an advisor their most important questions about applying to, financing, choosing, or preparing for law school — 15 focused minutes of school-neutral, individualized guidance ending in concrete next steps.
- Purpose, topics, and participant preparation
- Recommended 15-minute appointment structure
- Advisor responsibilities and service limits
Scholars submit a résumé and eligible law school essays or addenda for constructive written feedback on content, clarity, organization, and presentation — feedback only, never ghostwriting.
- Eligible materials, submission limits, and file prep
- Reviewer priority order, essay and résumé codes
- Addendum standards, feedback summary, document handling
Service assignments
Assignments & Rosters
Assignments are emailed from the Summit Service Desk no later than ten days before the Summit and are also posted to your reviewer portal profile.
Your assignment confirms your role, block times, table or stage number, scholar count, and the name of your on-site lead.
Need to swap or release a block? Notify the Service Desk at least 72 hours in advance so a scholar's session is never left unstaffed.
Step by step
Service Procedures
Non-negotiable
Confidentiality Guidance
Scholar materials are private
Résumés, statements, transcripts, LSAT scores, and session notes are shared with you for the sole purpose of your assigned service.
No redistribution
Do not forward, print, screenshot, post, or store scholar documents outside the reviewer portal. Delete local copies after submission.
No identifiable public commentary
You may celebrate your service publicly; never quote or describe an identifiable scholar's materials or circumstances.
Conflicts must be disclosed
If you recognize a scholar or are involved in an admissions decision affecting them, notify the Service Desk and recuse yourself.
Signed acknowledgment required
Every advisor, reviewer, and pinning attorney submits the Confidentiality & Conflict Acknowledgment before receiving assignments.
Mandatory escalation
Disclosures involving safety, harassment, or academic misconduct go to the Service Desk lead the same day.
Standards of service
Student-Interaction Expectations
- Address every scholar with professional courtesy — use their name and preferred pronouns as listed on their card.
- Advise on strategy and process; never guarantee admission, scholarships, or outcomes at any institution.
- Disclose any affiliation with an admissions office before advising a scholar applying to your institution.
- Keep feedback candid but constructive — name the fix, not just the flaw.
- No solicitation, recruiting for outside programs, or exchange of personal contact information during assigned service hours.
- Photography with scholars is welcome only with their verbal consent.
On arrival
Check-In Details
Where
Service Desk, Grand Foyer (right of registration). Look for the navy and silver Summit banner.
When
Friday from 8:00 AM; re-check-in Saturday from 8:30 AM. Report at least 30 minutes before your first block.
Bring
Photo ID, signed confidentiality acknowledgment, and your assignment email. Badges are not mailed in advance.
Remote reviewers: your check-in is digital — confirm receipt of your assignment in the reviewer portal within 48 hours so documents can be released to you.
Travel note: Unfortunately, the Summit does not have the resources to cover flight or hotel accommodations for our pre-law advisor or ceremonial pinning attorney volunteers. All travel and lodging arrangements and costs are the responsibility of each volunteer.
Running late, lost on campus, or facing an emergency? Call or text the Day-Of Service Line. It is staffed from 7:30 AM until the close of the ceremony on both Summit days.
Text or call: (919) 555-1234 · printed on your badge and posted at the Service Desk.
Outside Summit days, email service@hbcuprelawsummit.org.
One-on-one pre-law advising: business casual or business professional — blazer with slacks or skirt, professional dress, or a suit. Comfortable shoes recommended. No denim, athletic wear, shorts or open-toe sandals.
Aspiring Lawyers Pinning Ceremony: business professional for pinning attorneys — a dark suit or professional dress with closed-toe shoes. No hats or sunglasses on the platform.
Remote reviewers: no dress code — the service is written and asynchronous. Business casual for any virtual briefing.
Campus logistics
Venue, Parking & Getting Around
NCCU Student Center
500 Nelson Street
Durham, NC 27707
The Summit takes place in the NCCU Student Center (Building #6 on the official campus map). For Uber, Lyft, taxi or GPS, enter NCCU Student Center, 500 Nelson Street, Durham, NC 27707. If your rideshare app does not recognize the Student Center, use Nelson Street and Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707. Please do not use only the general NCCU campus address — it may take you to a different part of campus.
Get directionsNCCU’s official interactive map (myEOL) lets you search buildings, parking decks and dining by name. Save it before you travel in case campus Wi-Fi is spotty. Once on campus, follow Summit signage and volunteer directions to the Student Center.
PDF map of the NCCU campus — save it before you travel in case Wi-Fi is spotty.
- Main lobby and welcome desk on the ground floor.
- A two-story atrium with an open staircase to the upper level.
- Ground-floor dining with on-campus food options and seating.
- Upper-level lounge space — a good spot to meet between sessions.
- Volunteer Check-In and the Registration Center are on the Second Floor.
Wi-Fi: information on accessing Wi-Fi will be available at Registration.
- For Uber, Lyft, taxi or GPS, enter “NCCU Student Center, 500 Nelson Street, Durham, NC 27707.”
- If your rideshare app does not recognize the Student Center, use “Nelson Street and Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707.”
- Do not use only the general NCCU campus address — it may route you to a different area of campus.
- Download or save the official NCCU campus map before you arrive.
- Once on campus, follow Summit signage and volunteer directions to the Student Center.
Plan to park in the Latham Parking Deck. Allow extra time to enter the deck, find a space and walk to your destination — especially during large campus events. Follow all posted campus signs and any directions from NCCU Police, Parking Services personnel or event staff.
Latham Parking Deck — 705 East Lawson Street, Durham, NC 27707
NCCU’s largest parking facility and the primary spot for campus visitors and events. Enter from East Lawson Street or Lincoln Street; it’s a short walk to the Student Center, the Albert L. Turner School of Law, the bookstore and McDougald-McLendon Arena.
Permit, ParkMobile or event authorization required. Every vehicle on NCCU property needs a valid NCCU permit, an active ParkMobile session or approved event-parking authorization. Without event-specific instructions, buy a daily visitor permit through the NCCU Parking Portal and enter your vehicle and license-plate information accurately.
Other campus lots and street parking: additional visitor spaces may be available in smaller lots and along metered streets near campus. Read posted signs carefully — permit-only blocks and restricted areas are enforced.
Accessible parking: designated accessible spaces are available in the Latham Parking Deck with a valid state-issued placard or license plate, first-come, first-served.
Parking rules are enforced campus-wide:
- Do not park in spaces marked Reserved unless the appropriate authorization is displayed.
- Do not park in restricted areas or fire lanes.
- Do not park in accessible spaces without a valid accessible parking placard or license plate.
- Parking regulations remain in effect throughout campus.
- Improperly parked vehicles may be ticketed, immobilized or towed.
Parking questions: NCCU Police – Parking Services, 919-530-5023.
Complimentary shuttle. A complimentary shuttle — paid for and reserved by the Summit for our attendees — runs between the designated parking lot and the NCCU Student Center on Friday and Saturday. The shuttle runs throughout the day on those days, so you can leave your car in the designated lot and ride over.
Operating days: Friday, September 25, 2026 and Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Pickup times & stops: detailed pickup times and stop locations will be added here as soon as they are finalized. More detailed information coming soon.
You can eat without leaving the building. Vendor lineups and hours vary by day, so check posted hours when you arrive.
- Chick-fil-A — chicken sandwiches, nuggets, waffle fries.
- Panda Express — Chinese-American rice and noodle bowls.
- Auntie Anne’s & Cinnabon — pretzels, cinnamon rolls and sweet snacks between sessions.
- Provisions On Demand (P.O.D.) — grab-and-go market: sandwiches, salads, snacks and cold drinks.
Elsewhere on campus
- W.G. Pearson Hall — Pearson Dining Hall (all-you-care-to-eat), Central Market and Subway.
- James E. Shepard Memorial Library — Starbucks: coffee, espresso and pastries.
- Alston Avenue Apartments — Ten:Forty Wings Co. and a Provisions On Demand market.
- Mary M. Townes Science Building — Amplified Coffee Co., a quick coffee stop.
- NCCU School of Law — The Albert Coffee Cafe, operated by NCCU Hospitality.
Hours vary by day and some locations keep reduced weekend hours. Check live locations, hours and full menus on the NCCU Dining Hub before you plan a meal break.
- The Student Center, Advising Area and ballroom stage are wheelchair accessible; step-free stage access is available for pinning attorneys on request.
- Seated advising tables, large-print rosters and quiet advising space can be arranged — note the need on your confirmation form or at check-in.
- ASL interpretation and CART captioning are arranged for scholars in advance. If a scholar arrives with an interpreter, direct all conversation to the scholar.
- Tell the Service Desk which languages you can advise in; multilingual advisors are matched with scholars who request them.
- Never ask a scholar to translate for another participant, and do not comment on accent, dialect or writing “sounding non-native” — feedback addresses clarity and structure only.
- Accommodation requests you receive during a session are routed to Summit staff, not resolved at the table.
Travel
Lodging & Hotel Block
The Summit does not cover travel or lodging for volunteers, but a discounted room block is held for Summit participants and volunteers. Book directly and mention The National HBCU Pre-Law Summit.
Summit room block
Discounted Summit rate at the host hotel in downtown Durham. Reserve by the cut-off date posted with the block — rooms and the rate are released after it passes.
Book by the block cut-off date
Near campus
Several hotels sit within 10 minutes of NCCU along Highway 147 and in downtown Durham. Confirm shuttle availability directly with the property; the Summit does not run a shuttle.
5–10 minutes from the Student Center
Arriving by air
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is roughly 25 minutes from campus. Rideshare and rental cars are the practical options; there is no Summit airport transfer.
RDU · about 25 minutes
Reminder: flights, hotel rooms, ground transportation and meals outside the volunteer hospitality area are the responsibility of each volunteer. Email the Service Desk for the current room-block link and cut-off date.
Run of days
Service Schedule
Ceremonial service
Pinning Instructions
- 1Attend the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m.; remain near the front after the 7:48 p.m. group photograph if you are also an honoree.
- 2At 7:50 p.m. the emcee explains the ceremony and introduces and recognizes the nine ceremonial pinning attorneys.
- 3At 7:55 p.m. students stand together holding their pins and recite the Aspiring Lawyer Success Pledge in unison.
- 4At 8:00 p.m. take your designated pinning station at the front of the room; your name and title are displayed on a station sign.
- 5Each student hands you their pin — affix it, formally pin and congratulate the student, then send them along the designated exit route.
- 6Keep the line moving: line coordinators redirect students as needed. Posed photographs happen after the formal program, which ends by 8:30 p.m.
Business professional: dark suit or professional dress, closed-toe shoes.
Bar pins and honor cords are welcome.
Avoid firm-branded lapel items during the ceremony.
Do not adjust the order of scholars or add remarks from the stage.
Do not use a phone on the platform; official photography is provided.
Do not depart before the recessional concludes.
Share your service
Promotional Flyers
Every advisor, reviewer and pinning attorney has a personalized flyer. Download yours on the flyers page, then tag @HBCUPreLawSummit and use #HBCUPreLawSummit.
Go to Promotional FlyersSummit Service Desk
Questions about your assignment, portal access, rehearsal, or check-in? Reach the Service Desk team — we respond within one business day.