Dear Friends:

Next year, the New York City Bar Association will be turning a young 150 years old! Our official birthdate is February 1, 1870. While the Office for Diversity & Inclusion was founded in 2004, the work of equity, inclusion and diversity is a lot older. Recently, during a meeting with women partners from our signatory law firms, I shared a letter dated December 14, 1905 in which a member of the City Bar made a request for membership on behalf of a woman. In the letter, the member passionately shared, “The old prejudice against women is fast dying out and will ultimately be entirely extinct.” While there is still more work to be done, we have come a long way!

This time of year is when many of us make our charitable donations and start planning resolutions for the new year. Remember, we have the opportunity to make a difference now ! On this Giving Tuesday, think about how your donation can help those who over 120 years later are still fighting for a seat at the table. Earlier this year, we unveiled our #PowerthePipeline campaign to support high school students who participate in our Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (“TMSLIP”). TMLSIP is our signature pipeline program for high school students and has been in existence since 1993. This program places diverse NYC public high school students with legal employers for the summer. Prior to their placement, students engage in workshops that cover resume rewriting, office etiquette and networking. All of this work takes your support!

Your donation will enable us to increase our impact for the profession, whether it’s through the seasoned Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program, approaching 27 years of programming next year, the groundbreaking 1L Diversity Fellowship celebrating its 30 th year in 2020, or the award-winning Associate Leadership Institute!

I leave you with this quote from a 2019 Thurgood Marshall Alum:

“I observed many depositions and learned how to get information through strategic questioning. And, finally, I have worked on a primer that taught me legal writing as a high school student. All of these assignments have taught me so much about law and confirmed my ambition to go to law school.”

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year!

Sincerely,
Deborah Martin Owens
Executive Director
Office for Diversity & Inclusion
New York City Bar Association

45 New York City public high school students were accepted, mentored, and placed in paid legal summer internships at various law firms, corporations, and government entities.

400+ current college students and graduates were provided with resources to excel in their journey to law school. This one-day comprehensive conference included LSAT prep classes by leading providers, panels with admissions representatives and law students from regional law schools, and a networking and admissions fair. 

45 college students spent six-weeks learning resume/cover letter writing, interviewing skills, presentation skills, office etiquette, legal writing, and career development/mentorship.

32 law students from NYC law schools summered at law firms, corporate legal departments and government agencies.
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is a part of the City Bar Fund , the 501(c)(3) arm of the New York City Bar Association. Our EIN is 13-6003018. All contributions to the City Bar Fund are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. A copy of our most recently filed financial report and information on other charitable organizations is available from the NY Attorney General's Charities Registry ( www.charitiesnys.com ) or (212) 416-8686. The report is also available upon request by contacting the Fund at 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036.