Moving Pittsburgh's Legal Community Forward, Together

UPCOMING EVENTS

Following the election results, we encourage all PLDIC members to join us in conversation two weeks from today at our annual meeting, where a distinguished and varied panel will weigh in on the national, state, and local implications of the election on DEI in the legal industry.

2024 PLDIC Annual Members Meeting November 20 from 5-7 p.m. at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Colleagues and law students of our 67 member organizations are invited to join the PLDIC for its most important member gathering of the year on November 20 from 5-7 p.m. at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. This year, we are pleased to present a panel discussion on the national, state, and local implications of the 2024 elections on DEI in the legal industry. The panel will feature a national perspective from Lisa Kirby, President of Inclusive Talent Systems at Diversity Lab; a state perspective from Maraleen Shields, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness; and a local perspective from Felicity Williams, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Pittsburgh. Member organizations will also hear remarks from Board Chair Eric Cottle, learn about the PLDIC’s 2024 accomplishments and 2025 goals and objectives from Executive Director Ena Lebel, vote on Board business, and hear updates from our three committees and the Young Professional Advisory Board. The third annual “PLDIC Volunteer of the Year” award will also be presented. Cocktails and appetizers will be provided.

Registration is open for the third annual PLDIC Members Holiday Party on Thursday, December 12 from 6-8 p.m. at the Mattress Factory. Guests will have free access to peruse the entire art museum while enjoying cocktails, appetizers, music, a photobooth, and networking with fellow colleagues and students from our 67 member organizations! New this year, each attendee will receive one raffle ticket to be entered to win a grand prize (to be announced) at the end of the evening! As a bonus, if you bring a colleague who hasn’t attended a PLDIC event before OR a non-PLDIC member interested in learning more,* you will receive an extra raffle ticket to increase your chances of winning. Please register by December 6. *Please indicate that you a bringing someone by selecting “2” tickets at registration. In order for winners to accept their raffle prize, they must be present at the event when the winner is announced.

The PLDIC is excited to host this speed networking style event for the second year in a row. This event is designed to provide 1L law students who identify as diverse with an opportunity to meet with our member organizations who have available 2025 summer law clerk or internship positions for first year law students.

Last year, this event was a hit with students and employers alike - many 1L students received positions following the event!

“Thanks to this event, I was able to secure a law clerk position. I was fortunate to meet attorneys from different firms, and without this opportunity, I would not be where I am today. Finding ways to network and put yourself out there as a law school student can be overwhelming, but this event made the whole process less intimidating.” - Eva Morgan, Duquesne Kline 2L 

“PLDIC’s Speed Networking Event exposed our recruiting team to a host of terrific candidates who may have otherwise been unaware of our program. We were thrilled to be paired with an excellent law student who we met at the event and who did great work for us this summer.” - Samantha Mitchum, UPMC

If you are a diverse 1L law student who is interested in working in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2025, please register by January 10 and upload your resume with your registration. We will provide your resume to registered PLDIC member organizations in advance of the event. Please note: While we cannot guarantee an employment match, we are asking only PLDIC member organizations who are actively hiring for summer internships to participate in this event. Our goal is to have every registered member organization meet with at least five students. Please plan to arrive at the event by 5:30 p.m.

If you are a PLDIC Member and you can hire a 1L student for a 2025 summer law clerk or internship position and would like to diversify the pool of talent you are considering, please register by January 10 and plan to arrive at the event by 5:30 p.m. The PLDIC will provide you with resumes from all the registered law students in advance of the event.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Ena Lebel.

As the largest family-owned general contractor in the region, PJ Dick-Trumbull-The Lindy Group strives to create a diverse, safe, welcoming and inclusive work environment in which all teams can excel. We are focused on diversifying our workforce through partnerships with the local trades and vocational schools, as well as recruiting from colleges and universities outside of our region. To engage more minority- and women- owned businesses in the bidding process, we proactively seek and educate those entities on upcoming projects and create scope packages that match their skillset.

“Joining the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition will provide us more opportunities to collaborate with regional organizations as we continue to foster a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion across the region’s construction industry.” 

– Jake Ploeger, Co-CEO

Duolingo is the leading mobile learning platform globally. Its flagship app has organically become the world’s most popular way to learn languages and the top-grossing app in the Education category on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. With technology at the core of everything it does, Duolingo has consistently invested to provide learners with a fun, engaging, and effective learning experience while remaining committed to its mission to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available.

“As an international company based in Pittsburgh but with learners all over the world, we believe it is important to have a diverse team where everyone feels included and connected. We look forward to working with the PLDIC to increase the diversity and inclusivity of the legal profession in Pittsburgh.”

– Mark Zheng, Lead Corporate Counsel

Jesse Exilus Named as TALI Emerging Leaders Program Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to our first 2024-2025 PLDIC TALI scholar: Jesse Exilus, Deputy Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh. Jesse received a $8,000 scholarship from the PLDIC to attend The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)’s Emerging Leaders Program. The Emerging Leaders Program is designed to reach high-potential Black professionals seeking to advance their careers as strong individual contributors and early managers. The program begins this month and runs through April 2025. Congratulations, Jesse! 

More than 360 law firms gained Diversity Lab's Mansfield Certification for 2023-24 for pushing for leadership diversity, up 13% from the 320 firms that were certified the previous year. PLDIC member firms that have been at the Mansfield Certification program since its inception in 2017 include Troutman Pepper and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

More than 40 participants joined PLDIC’s Corporate Roundtable on October 18 for a free virtual CLE, “Remote Work/Return to Work and DEI Implications.” The webinar included a presentation from Professor Mark Ma of Pitt Business about current research and data on this topic; and a panel discussion moderated by Cassie Yeager from Ansys and featuring PLDIC Board member Don Bluedorn, Babst Calland; Janet Lee, Ansys; and Kevin Carter, Alcoa. The event offered 1.5 hours in PA CLE Credit sponsored by PLDIC member Babst Calland. Member employees can view the full webinar and resources from this event on our Member Dashboard.

On Thursday, October 3, volunteers from six different PLDIC member organizations participated in a networking panel with the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University's Pre-Law Society (approximately 25 students attended). Thanks to the following individuals who donated their time to speak with the next generation of lawyers: Melissa Evans, Neighborhood Legal Services; Sarra Terry, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote; Shanicka Kennedy, FedEx; Sidnee McDonald, MPA, Esq., Cozen O'Connor; Rebeca Himena Miller, Leech Tishman; and Mackenzie Moyer, Babst Calland. The PLDIC also participated in the October 22 "Table Talk" series.

On October 9, Edgar Snyder & Associates attorney Gina Zumpella joined PLDIC Executive Director Ena Lebel at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law's resource table series. Many Pitt Law students stopped by to learn more about the PLDIC and our mission.

The PLDIC proudly continues its partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, inspiring local youth to consider pursuing a legal career as part of our Legal Career Pathways Program. In October, we spent time at both the BCG Lawrenceville location on October 10, and BCG Shadyside on October 16, engaging students through interactive exercises, career captures, and fun fact patterns. We wouldn't be able to continue offering these important sessions without our dedicated volunteers including Devon Ferris, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote; Sarra Terry, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote; and DeMarr Moulton., U.S. Attorney’s Office. Next up in November, the PLDIC will return to the Shadyside and Lawrenceville BGC clubhouses and to the Casa San Jose. If you'd like to learn more or may be interested in volunteering, please email Ena.

Have you checked out the new PLDIC member dashboard yet? This member only section of our website is packed with resources from our programs, events, and more. Watch a short video explaining the new and improved PLDIC Member Dashboard, including what’s new and how to use the updated features. Don't forget to let us know what you think!

How to Build a Diverse Democracy

November 12 from 12-1 p.m., Virtual

The Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging will host this webinar featuring Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, the nation’s premier interfaith organization, and David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, to explore one of the deepest questions that institutions face in the years ahead: How can we study, work, and live together in a pluralistic society when our deepest values frequently clash?.

Pitt Law Professional Lending Closet Fund/Garment Raiser

November 14 from 5-7 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh Barco Law Building Patio Rooftop

The University of Pittsburgh School of Law will host a fundraising event benefiting the William Theisen (JD ‘19) Memorial Professional Lending Closet at Pitt Law. Bring your donations of business professional clothing to the event or donate online.

Diversity Recruitment Reception

November 18 from 6-8:30 p.m., United Steelworks Building

The Pittsburgh Office of Attorney General will host this opportunity to connect and socialize with peers at the OAG and similar fields. The Attorney General will be in attendance, along with other OAG administrative staff, agents. Please RSVP by November 14 to diversity@attorneygeneral.gov (including names and email addresses).