Lawyers making a
difference in the diversity pipeline
By David J. Pasternak
President, the State Bar of California
We rarely hear about the good
things lawyers are voluntarily doing for the legal profession. A project that
all California lawyers and judges should be proud of includes the 1,200 lawyers
and judges actively involved in the diversity pipeline project now called the
California LAW (Leadership-Access-Workforce) Pathway.
It began in 2010, when the State
Bar partnered with the California Department of Education to build its first
six law academies in public high schools across California. High school academies
were created by the California Legislature in 1986 as California Partnership
Academies, requiring schools to partner with specific industries to provide
classroom and career technical education. The goal was for students to enter
their selected academy in 10th grade and to be college and career ready upon
graduation. The legislation requires that 50 percent of the students in any
classroom be considered “at risk” which, in reality, produces highly diverse
classrooms.
This was a perfect model for
the State Bar to invest time and energy in to meet the goal of producing a profession
that reflects the population that we serve. Today, our lawyers and judges
support 16 high schools. They serve on advisory councils, volunteer as mentors
and classroom speakers, create internships, provide numerous opportunities for
field trips and perform other law-related activities. Many of our law academy
teachers are former or retired lawyers. Every single day, these lawyers and
judges support the students along the education pipeline and career pathway –
and change students' lives.
The second step of this
pipeline was launched on Law Day 2014, when the presidents and deans of 24
California community colleges and six undergraduate and law school institutions
signed a Memorandum of Understanding to incorporate a law pathway from community
college to law school – a 2+2+3 pipeline into careers in the legal profession.
Community colleges are one of the most diverse educational institutions of
higher learning, and studies have found that almost 50 percent of California
Partnership Academy graduating students attended community college. The six
undergraduate and law schools are: University of California Davis, University
of California Irvine, Santa Clara University, University of San Francisco, University
of Southern California and Loyola Marymount. The leadership of these higher
education institutions truly embodies their commitment to the profession.
Pulling everything together
is the new nonprofit organization, California LAW. This is the support system
that will ensure coordination, collaboration, connection and communication
throughout the entire pipeline (ninth grade to law school). Visit its website
at www.californialawinc.com.
Why is the State Bar so proud
of this pipeline? Pipeline dreamers and leaders have come from the State Bar. In
2006, then-Executive Director Judy Johnson created the special assistant for diversity
role filled by Patricia Lee and asked her to staff State Bar President James O.
Heiting’s Diversity Pipeline Task Force. President Heiting appointed Ruthe Ashley, a member of the board, to chair the project.
The State Bar’s Council on Access & Fairness (COAF) was born. Next, the law academies were created.
Thuy Thi Nguyen, who chaired the COAF College and Law School Committee, dreamed
and brought the pipeline program into reality, which led to the California LAW
Pathway.
“We were the first profession
to approach the California Department of Education with an offer of
partnership,” Ashley said.
This is a great project, one
that provides opportunities for members of the bar and judiciary to educate
students about the justice system and careers in the legal profession. It is
also one that ultimately impacts students’ lives and the future of our legal
profession in California. Yes, we can be very proud. And perhaps more lawyers
and judges will become active participants by signing up on the CaliforniaLAW website.