ALTHOUGH THE FIRST BLACK AMERICAN GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL IN 1869, MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN BLACK ADMISSIONS TO LAW SCHOOL DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL 1969. HOWARD UNIVERSITY, IN WASHINGTON D.C., HAD A VIRTUAL MONOPOLY ON THE PRODUCTION OF BLACK LAWYERS: FROM 1871 TO 1972 HOWARD HAS GRADUATED 2,348 LAWYERS, MOST OF THEM BLACK. IN REACTION TO A 1934 LAW SUIT WHICH AFFIRMED THE RIGHT OF BLACK ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND LAW SCHOOL, A NUMBER OF A BLACK LAW SCHOOLS WERE HASTILY OPENED IN THE SOUTH, AND OUT-OF-STATE SCHOLARSHIPS WERE GRANTED TO SOUTHERN BLACK LAW STUDENTS. ALTHOUGH A SERIES OF LAW SUITS EVENTUALLY WON THE RIGHT FOR BLACK STUDENTS TO ATTEND PREDOMINATELY WHITE LAW SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH, IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE HISTORIC SUPREME COURT DECISION IN BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES BECAME POSSIBLE. BY THE LATE 1960'S, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS RESULTED IN MEANINGFUL GAINS FOR MINORITY GROUP MEMBERS BOTH IN EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. ADMISSION POLICIES CHANGED AND PLACED GREATER EMPHASIS ON POTENTIAL FOR PERFORMANCE THAN ON TEST SCORES OR GRADE POINT AVERAGES. ALTHOUGH PREFERENTIAL ADMISSION POLICIES HAVE COME UNDER LEGAL ATTACK, IT MAY BECOME A MOOT POINT AS THE GAP IN CREDENTIALS BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES NARROWS. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REMAINS A MAJOR ISSUE. WHILE A NUMBER OF LOAN PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE, THESE PROVIDE ONLY A PARTIAL ANSWER FOR STUDENTS ALREADY BURDENED WITH LOANS FROM THEIR INITIAL COLLEGE TRAINING. A NUMBER OF NONLOAN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THOSE DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL ON LEGAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, ARE AVAILABLE BUT MORE AID IS NECESSARY TO MEET EXISTING NEEDS. THE LAW STUDENTS CIVIL RIGHTS RESEARCH COUNCIL AND THE BLACK AMERICAN LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION ARE AIDING IN THE RECRUITMENT AND ORIENTATION OF AND ADVOCACY FOR BLACK LAW STUDNETS. WHILE NO DETAILED DATA ON ATTRITION FOR BLACK LAW STUDENTS IS AVAILABLE, THE RATE FOR BLACK STUDENTS IN GENERAL IS ABOUT 12 PERCENT COMPARED TO AN 8 TO 9 PERCENT FOR WHITES. BLACK LAW PROFESSORS TOTAL ABOUT 100, WITH HALF OF THESE ON THE FACULTIES OF PREDOMINANTLY BLACK LAW SCHOOLS. AFTER LAW SCHOOL, BLACKS TEND TO FAIL THE BAR EXAMINATION DISPROPORTIONATELY IS SOME STATES, WHILE PERFORMING EQUALLY WELL IN OTHERS. BLACK LAW GRADUATES APPEAR PRIMARILY TO FIND EMPLOYMENT IN LEGAL SERVICE OR COMMUNITY PRACTICE REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (JAP)