If you answered yes to all three of those questions, then join the PLDIC, the ACBA, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and Duquesne University School of Law for our inaugural 2L/3L Mentoring Program!

This innovative program will bring law students and legal practitioners together in cohort-style mentoring with opportunities for networking at Pittsburgh area cultural events. Please sign up to be a mentor by June 10. The program will kick-off in late August. If you have questions or want to learn more before committing, please reach out to Ena Lebel.

Are you a diverse law student? Consider joining the 2L/3L Mentoring Program. Sign up and let us know what you want in a mentoring program.

The PLDIC is thrilled to announce the launch of a Legal Career Exploration Program in partnership with The Pittsburgh Promise. More info on the program and application can be found below. The program is open to juniors and seniors in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The Coalition created the Susan Yohe PLDIC Scholarship to honor Susan Yohe’s lifetime of service to championing and furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Pittsburgh legal community. Tiffeny Ayoola, a 2021 graduate of Pennsylvania State University, is the recipient for Duquesne University School of Law. The University of Pittsburgh School of Law awarded the scholarship to Dominique Rodriguez, a University of New Mexico graduate.

When informed of her selection Ms. Ayoola stated, “I am thrilled and grateful to receive this award. As a first-generation student this scholarship will help to ease the financial burden of attending law school. The support of the PLDIC, Duquesne Law, and Duquesne Light will also help me to reach my career goal of improving diversity in the legal profession.”

Ms. Rodriguez was also appreciative of the award, “I am beyond grateful and excited to be the recipient for the Susan Yohe PLDIC Scholarship. While this scholarship has lessened my financial burden to focus on law school, it has also motivated me to continue my engagement with DEI in the legal profession. As an underrepresented minority, this scholarship is a reminder of the ways that I can help serve and represent my communities in the legal profession.”

The PLDIC and The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) are excited to offer two annual scholarship opportunities for PLDIC member employees: one $12,000 scholarship for the Executive Leadership Academy and one $6,000 scholarship for the Emerging Leaders Program. We encourage all employees of PLDIC member organizations to apply!

This month, learn more about the first TALI opportunity: the Emerging Leaders Program.

July 15, 2022

PLDIC TALI Scholarship recipients 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 employees TALI tuition. Interested PLDIC applicants should indicate their interest in the scholarship on the TALI application. Recipients will be notified after being accepted into a TALI program.

Thanks to everyone who attended our recent free CLE program, Deep Retention: Inclusion vs. Tokenism. Nearly three dozen people representing nine PLDIC member organizations attended the training, which received positive feedback from many attendees. Thanks to Asta Kill, Esq. of the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation for leading this informative program. Additionally, thank you to member Babst Calland for hosting the event. Many Babst employees were able to take advantage of this opportunity - and not just lawyers, either - representatives from other departments such as HR and Marketing took part. If you would like to host a future PLDIC event at your organization and make it easier for your employees to attend a DEI event, please let us know!

The Coalition is set to launch our next series of programming, the Law Firm Roundtable Collaboration Program, a series of facilitator-led, cohort-based roundtable discussions on Recruitment and Retention with PLDIC member organizations. We look forward to having these organizations learn and develop DEI strategies and solutions from collaborating with each other.

Participants: groups have been set and first meetings will begin soon! If you haven't heard from your facilitator about your meeting, please contact Ena Lebel.

The PLDIC will celebrate Pride Month at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Pride Night on June 25. Look for more details in the coming weeks!

PublicSource is launching a newsletter focused on gender and identity. It will include "moving personal stories, information, and community."

Miss our Q&A on with Ruchika Tulshyan from earlier this spring? Now, you can listen to her on Brené Brown's "Dare to Lead" podcast. The PLDIC still has copies available of Ruchika's book, Inclusion on Purpose, for any interested members. Please reach out if you would like a copy!

The forum will feature a dynamic array of keynote programs and community-led sessions that aim to develop social equity consciousness and systems thinking approaches. Programs will address the intersections of social identities and cultivate models for advancing social justice.

Since its inception in 1988, Lavender Law^® has served as a ‘family reunion’ for LGBTQ+ and ally legal professionals to both look back at our shared history and to look forward to the future of the legal profession. The Lavender Law^® Conference & Career Fair is the largest LGBTQ+ legal conference in the country with approximately 1700 attendees attending annually.