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Texas Inaugural Cohort · Fall 2026

You shouldn’t walk in to law school unprepared.

The TBB Fellowship Program is a sponsored, fully free, regionally focused pre-law career preparation program equipping incoming law students with the career strategy, professional brand, and academic toolkit they need to walk through the doors of law school ready to compete for positions at elite law firms.

Apply to the Cohort Learn About the Program

The BigLaw recruitingtimeline has changed.

Major law firms are now extending 1L summer associate offers during the first semester of law school. If you don’t walk in prepared, you’re already behind.

01

The window is gone

Historically, you had the fall semester to get your bearings before worrying about recruiting. That window no longer exists. Firms are identifying 1L candidates before most students have received a single grade — or taken a single exam.

02

The playing field isn’t level

T-14 students have built-in BigLaw infrastructure: alumni networks, firm relationships, and career offices with decades of recruiting experience. Students at strong regional schools are talented — but they don’t have the same access. The TBB Fellowship Program closes that gap.

03

Career strategy can’t wait

Resume, LinkedIn, target firm list, networking strategy, interview prep — these are not things you figure out after you start classes. They are things you need before orientation week. We prepare you before any of that begins.

04

You deserve a mentor who knows the system

The TBB Fellowship Program is built by someone who has sat on every side of this table — as a BigLaw associate, as a law school career director, and as a firmwide recruiter at an Am Law 50 firm. This is the mentorship most people don’t get access to.

What to expect

Eight weeks of live virtual sessions covering everything you need before 1L begins — for both career and academic strategy.

Video Call

Format

Weekly live virtual sessions + asynchronous coursework

Calendar

Duration

8 weeks, June – August 2026

clock

Session Length

60 minutes per session

group

Cohort Size

Maximum 30 Fellows

expenditure

Cost

Free — fully sponsor-funded

launch

Cohort

Texas Inaugural Cohort

Two tracks. One complete preparation.

Every session runs two parallel tracks so you build both the career strategy and the academic foundation at the same time.

Week 0

Cohort Kickoff & Orientation

Week 1

The BigLaw Landscape: Firms, Practice Groups & Culture

Week 2

Personal Branding: Resume, Cover Letter & Writing Samples

Week 3

LinkedIn Optimization & Professional Presence

Week 4

Target Firm Research & List Building

Week 5

Networking Tools, Outreach Strategy & Informational Interviews

Week 6

Interview Preparation & The BigLaw Interview Experience

Week 7

1L Application Timeline & Offer Strategy

Closing Session

Sponsor Firm Panel: A Day in the Life of a BigLaw Associate

Week 0

Introduction to 1L Courses & What to Expect

Week 1

Law School Academic Culture: The Socratic Method & Class Participation

Week 2

Reading for Law School: How to Brief a Case

Week 3

1L Course Deep Dive: Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure & Property

Week 4

Outlining & Exam Preparation Strategy

Week 5

Practice Exam Techniques & the IRAC Method

Week 6

Time Management, Stress & Mental Wellness in Law School

Week 7

Study Groups, Legal Research & Writing Foundations

Closing Session

AMA: Your Burning Law School Questions, Answered

Who should apply

  • Admitted to a T-25 or qualifying regional law school for Fall 2026
  • Interested in pursuing a BigLaw career in Texas
  • Available for the full 8-week virtual program
  • Have not yet started law school coursework
  • Open to all eligible applicants — first-generation law students receive preference

Qualifying Regional Schools

T-25 law schools are eligible nationwide. The following regional institutions are also eligible for the Texas Inaugural Cohort:

  • University of Texas School of Law
  • University of Houston Law Center
  • SMU Dedman School of Law
  • Texas A&M School of Law
  • Baylor Law School
  • South Texas College of Law
  • TSU — Thurgood Marshall School of Law
  • Tulane University Law School
  • Loyola University New Orleans
  • LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center
  • University of Oklahoma College of Law
  • University of Tulsa College of Law

Additional qualifying institutions may be added prior to the application opening.

Built by someone who has seen every side of this.

BigLaw Associate

Vinson & Elkins LLP

6+ years as an associate at a global Am Law 100 firm headquartered in Houston, TX.

Director of Career Development

University of Houston Law Center

10+ years counseling law students and managing firm recruiting programs.

Firmwide Diversity Recruiting Manager

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Nearly 3 years evaluating candidates and managing recruiting at an Am Law 50 firm with 2,200+ attorneys.

“I’m not telling you what should be. I’m telling you what is — and then I’m giving you a roadmap to navigate it.”

The TBB Fellowship Program exists because most law students don’t have access to someone who has lived all three sides of this system. They get career advice from people who have never worked in BigLaw. They get recruiting tips from people who have never actually evaluated a candidate. They get academic guidance from people who have never coached a law student through a recruiting cycle while trying to keep their GPA up at the same time.

I have. And I built this program so that the next generation of BigLaw attorneys — especially those who don’t have a network of partners to call — gets the same advantage that T-14 students have always had: someone in their corner who knows exactly how this works.

Kourtney James
Founder, The BigLaw Blueprint

Questions about the Fellowship

Yes. The TBB Fellowship Program is completely free to all participants. The program is funded entirely through law firm sponsorship. There is no application fee and no cost to participate.

No minimum GPA or LSAT score is required. You must be admitted to a qualifying law school for Fall 2026. Applications are evaluated holistically, with an emphasis on your interest in BigLaw and your commitment to the program.

Yes. The program is open to students at any T-25 law school who intend to pursue a BigLaw career in Texas. The regional school list focuses on Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma institutions, but T-25 students from anywhere in the country are eligible.

A first-generation law student is someone whose parents do not have a J.D. degree. First-generation students are given preference in the selection process, but the program is open to all eligible applicants regardless of background.

Absolutely not. Fellows are encouraged — but never required — to consider sponsoring firms during the application season. The program exists to prepare you to succeed, not to funnel you toward any particular employer.

All live sessions are recorded and available for asynchronous access. We ask that Fellows commit to attending the program in full, but we understand that schedules are complex. Reach out to us before applying if you have scheduling concerns.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. You can expect to hear from us within two weeks of submission. Selected applicants will be invited for a brief introductory call before offers are extended.

Email us at info@thebiglawblueprint.com before applying. We are happy to answer your questions and help you determine whether the program is the right fit for you.

Apply to the TBB Fellowship Program

The Texas Inaugural Cohort is accepting applications now. Spots are limited to 30 Fellows. Rolling decisions — apply early.

Final application deadline: May 2026. Rolling decisions begin immediately.

After you apply: Selected applicants will be contacted for a brief introductory call before offers are extended.

Questions? Email us at info@thebiglawblueprint.com before submitting your application.

No law school GPA required. You must be admitted to a qualifying school for Fall 2026. Applications are evaluated holistically.

To apply, send the following materials to: info@thebiglawblueprint.com

1) Resume
2) LinkedIn Profile
3) Law School (Admitted or Attending)
4) Brief statement (500 words max) telling us about your goals and what you hope to gain from the TBB Fellowship Program
5) Are you a first-generation law student (Yes or No)?