It’s one thing to go outside the typical roster of top law schools to find the next generation of legal talent, but some are going a step further. Several law firms and legal organizations are looking to bring in more attorneys and staff of color into the profession by recruiting before law school—appealing to students as young as undergraduates or even high schoolers.

Either through individual programs—such as ones run by Sidley Austin and IP firm Brooks Kushman—or through collectives such as California Law Pathways or the Sacramento Legal Employers Diversity Collective, the legal industry is looking to expand its pipeline of attorneys and staff of color by getting in on the ground floor with promising students.