Moving Pittsburgh's Legal Community Forward, Together

UPCOMING EVENTS

Leadership, employees, and law students of our member organizations are invited to join the PLDIC for our annual members meeting.

Yusuf Zakir, Chief Talent and Inclusion Officer at Davis Wright Tremaine and PLDIC Executive Director Ena Lebel will have a fireside chat to discuss the critical importance of continuing to advance and advocate for DEI work in the current climate.

Member organizations will also hear remarks from Board Chair Eric Cottle, learn about the PLDIC’s progress and plans for the future, and hear updates about new initiatives and ways to get more involved in our efforts. The fourth annual PLDIC Volunteer of the Year award will also be presented. Cocktails and appetizers will be provided.

As a legal employer, is your organization up to date about recent changes with law school recruiting that may impact your hiring strategies? Join the PLDIC for an informative webinar about what has changed with law school recruiting, how historically marginalized students are being affected even more than in the past, and why legal employers need to stay informed so that they can hire the best talent. This moderated Q&A will feature Kellie Ware, Assistant Dean for Professional Development at Pitt Law and Maria Comas, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Alumni Relations at Duquesne Kline Law, who will answer questions about what you need to know regarding this important topic. There also will be time at the end of the event for audience questions.

PLDIC Disabled Lawyers/Law Students Monthly Drop-In Sessions

Monthly on the Last Friday of Every Month from 12-1 p.m. Beginning September 26

In 2025, the PLDIC Community Building Committee targeted its Brave Space/Self-Care Series for attorneys and law students with disabilities and their allies. Based on participant feedback from these sessions, we are starting a monthly zoom drop in series for this community. It will be no pressure; just a safe space to convene, and you can attend as many or as little of them as you would like. Participants do not need to be part of a PLDIC member organization or to have attended a previous session to attend for any length of time. The drop-in sessions will take place on the last Friday of the month from 12-1 p.m. and will start on September 26 and continue through May 29. All meetings will take place via Zoom. No agenda; just time for community and conversation.

This CLE (offering 90-minutes of Ethics credit) will offer attendees the opportunity to explore concepts of wellness, mental health, burnout, and stress, while reflecting on their own well-being. Participants will identify strategies to reduce vulnerability to the negative impacts of stress, learn effective stress-management techniques, and discover both local and national resources to support and strengthen their wellness. The program will also include experiential stress-management activities, opportunities for self-reflection, and a direct discussion of the ways society and race influence Black wellness. This event is co-sponsored by the PLDIC’s Young Professionals Advisory Board; the Pitt Law Black Alumni Steering Committee; the ACBA’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee; and the ACBA’s Health & Wellness Committee. The speaker is Matthew Clista, MS, LPC, NCC.

Events for Law Students

Power of Networking Panel on October 21 at 12 p.m., Pitt Law

The PLDIC regularly visits local law schools to speak with students and share advice about networking, interviews, mentoring, and more. The PLDIC will participate in a Power of Networking Panel aimed for law students on Tuesday, October 21 at noon. Lunch will be served, and registration is required for this event. Please contact Kellie Ware to register or to learn more.

Law students, come visit the PLDIC at Duquesne Kline School of Law’s next “Table Talk Tuesday” on Tuesday, October 28 at noon. This is a walk-in event; registration not required.

2025 PLDIC Members Holiday Party

Thursday, December 11 from 6-8 p.m., Ace Axe Throwing

Mark your calendar for the 2025 PLDIC Members Holiday Party on Thursday, December 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Ace Axe Throwing in Homestead. More details coming soon!

PLDIC Names Three New YPAB Members

Please join the PLDIC in congratulating the three newly appointed members of the Young Professionals Advisory Board (YPAB): Gaurav Gupte, Fox Rothschild; Alison Gutierrez, Fox Rothschild; and Francesca Iovino, Babst Calland. The YPAB members are attorneys who have practiced for 10 or less years and are employed by a member organization. YPAB Members will serve a three-year term and will hold board meetings on an at least quarterly basis. The main responsibilities of the YPAB are to provide advice and suggestions to PLDIC committees and working groups on issues of particular interest to new attorneys to help inform the development of programming and resources.

PLDIC Sends Member to TALI Leadership Conference

On September 17, the PLDIC had the opportunity to send one of our member organization employees, Doreen Mitchell of Neighborhood Legal Services, to The Advanced Leadership Institute's Unlocking Leadership Excellence Workshop! We had a chance to talk to Doreen about her experience at the Workshop:

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for being selected to attend the fantastic Frontline Worker workshop. Thank you to the organizers for their effort and skill in putting this valuable workshop together. I found that the workshop was not only fun (thanks to Calvin Stovell) and engaging but also offered skilled presenters, excellent materials, and valuable content. The segment on "Assigned vs. Emergent Leadership" was especially insightful. My key takeaway was the importance of understanding others personality types and leadership styles. Dr. Deeawn Roundtree’s presentation on "Leading from Within: The Power of DISC," was very impactful to me as well as Evan Frazier’s "Formula for Success."

Applications Open for the PLDIC's Two TALI Scholarships!

Apply by October 15

Members: did you know that the PLDIC offers two annual scholarships to The Advanced Leadership Institute's leadership programs?

Recipients of a PLDIC TALI Scholarship must be admitted to either TALI program and be employed by a PLDIC member organization. Preference shall be given to individuals from PLDIC member organizations who are unable to financially sponsor their employee’s TALI tuition. Applicants will be informed after being accepted into the TALI program.

Tailored to address the challenges faced by Black leaders and their allies, The National Executive Leadership Academy is ideal for executives or mid-level managers, located regionally or nationally, who have higher-level career aspirations.

Candidates for the Emerging Leaders Program may include both strong individual contributors with supervisory aspirations and those in managerial positions who are growing in the leadership phase of their career. 

Looking for a new job in the Pittsburgh legal community? Don't forget to sign up for job alerts so you get notified when the type of job that you're looking for in the Pittsburgh legal community becomes available.

Legal – Corporate Counsel, Litigation

Pittsburgh Water

Administrative Coordinator

University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Professional Development Office

Paralegal Associate

UPMC

Interested in submitting new jobs to the PLDIC Job Board on behalf of your organization? PLDIC member organizations can submit a request to become a job board manager.

Groundbreaking report offers new insight on DEI efforts

Don't forget that you also can view event recordings, resources, and more on our Member Dashboard. All member organization employees can access this library of resources by entering your email (if you don't have an account, just hit the "Request Access" button at the bottom of the page).

Erin McCluan of McCluan Law, PLLC served as facilitator and continued the discussion about what it means to be a lawyer with a disability in part three of the four-part series. The goal of the series is not only to benefit individual lawyers, but also to provide these lawyers and law students with a sense of community and improve retention rates in the Pittsburgh legal profession.

Susan Yohe Scholar Meet & Greet

September 3

Over 20 people attended the 2025 Susan Yohe Scholar Meet & Greet on September 3 at Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote to welcome the newest SY PLDIC scholars (Nada Abdalla, University of Pittsburgh School of Law; and Keanna Yoder, Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University) to the Pittsburgh legal community! PLDIC staff, Board members, YPAB members, leadership from Pitt Law, Duquesne Kline, and our hosts Dickie McCamey were in attendance to honor the scholars present. Additionally, thank you to PLDIC member Duquesne Light Company for their continued sponsorship of this scholarship.

The Legal Career Pathways Program working group launched a 12-week PLDIC Law and Legal Careers Interest Club with support from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western PA. The program boasts nine student participants ranging from grades 9-12 from eight different high schools and is led by a panel of attorneys including Devon Ferris, DeMarr Moulton, Ryan Naumann, and Anthony Williams, Kellie Ware, and Judge Nicola Henry-Taylor. Stay tuned for more updates from this program throughout the fall.

Keeping It R.E.A.L.: Elevating Leaders Through Resilience, Excellence, Agility, and Leadership

Hosted by The Advanced Leadership Institute

October 1-2

Pittsburgh, PA

Virtual Break Into Practice: 1L Career Summit

9:30-5:15 p.m.