Eight papers on models for minority access to the legal profession cover outstanding programs which facilitate access to and success in higher education, concentrating on recruitment, retention, and bar passage. Susan Brown's introduction presents statistics on yearly minority enrollment in legal studies through 1981 and discusses policy perspectives. Brown's discussion of the New Mexico Supreme Court's 1980 Melendez v. Burciaga hearing on New Mexico's bar examination covers issues, proposals, and revisions instituted in the examination. Brown's third paper notes relevance for the legal profession of the simulated Medical College Admissions Test, developed to identify deficiencies in knowledge and skills so these may be remedied before students enter professional school. Angel Lopez describes the history and accomplishments of the Oregon State Bar's affirmative action program since 1973. The Professional Development Program at the University of California, Berkeley, is discuseed by Hector Vasquez as a model for law school retention programs. Celestino Fernandez summarizes information obtained through a questionnaire to all 171 American Bar Association-approved United States law schools. Hector Vasquez discusses the implications of several recent legal decisions for law school admissions criteria. Finally, Claire Levay and Marlene Copeland list 66 possible sources of financial aid for minority law students. (MH)