| This study applies the conceptual framework of Positive Deviance, the theoretical framework of critical race theory, and the lens of marronage to understand the problem of low Black student enrollment at one American Bar Association accredited law school. The purpose of this study was to understand what current Black law students perceive to be the challenges to pursuing a legal education, as interpreted through a lens of marronage. The study also sought to understand the resources, skills and strategies Black law students utilize to overcome these challenges through the lens of marronage. This qualitative case study was informed by critical race methodology to allow 10 self-identifying Black students at a top-tier school to tell their stories through interviews. Findings indicate that Black students' perceptions of challenges to pursuing a legal education are congruent with those identified in the literature and relate to the Law School Admission Test, the educational pipeline, law school culture, and the culture of the legal field. The findings were interpreted through the four pillars of the lens of marronage: movement, distance, property and purpose. Black law students' perceptions of challenges to pursuing a legal education, and the skills, strategies, and resources used to mitigate these challenges through a lens of marronage provided useful implications for research and practice at all levels of the educational pipeline. |
