Diversity and Inclusion Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law | Yeshiva University
Cardozo School of Law welcomes and embraces a diverse community of students, faculty and administrators. We believe that an inclusive environment—where a full range of perspectives and viewpoints are articulated and respected—is essential to our community. Justice would be a simple matter if all problems could be resolved by easy reference to principles of right and wrong. Often, there is depth and power to both sides of an argument. Understanding different perspectives becomes fundamental to preparing, analyzing and anticipating legal challenges. Diversity at Cardozo is multidimensional, going beyond simple metrics of gender, race and age. We believe diversity is defined by the ideas expressed in a community with a broad range of perspectives, life experiences and cultural backgrounds. An inclusive community enriches the experience of students intellectually and helps them become innovative problem solvers. We provide hands-on clinic work, active support of student groups, mentoring, networking, career guidance, scholarship initiatives and a robust schedule of events. By bringing a world of ideas together under one roof, we believe our multidimensional view of diversity supports a unity of purpose, seeking to define justice and make the world a better place. Join us.
Who We Are: The Cardozo Community Cardozo Law is a close-knit and vibrant community where students, faculty, alumni, and the administration collaborate on scholarly endeavors, public interest activities, and extracurricular events. The student body numbers approximately 1,000— with about 60 seeking LL.M. degrees and the rest pursuing J.D. degrees. As part of one of New York City’s preeminent research universities, Yeshiva University, Cardozo reflects the traditional Jewish ideals of valuing scholarship, law, and the pursuit of justice—within an inclusive and secular community.
Each year, new Cardozo students typically join us in New York City from more than 30 states, numerous countries, and approximately 130 undergraduate institutions. Around one-third join us directly from college. Those returning to school after a break bring experiences from a variety of professional and academic fields. Cardozo students have worked as teachers, financial analysts, engineers, software programmers, patent agents, paralegals, writers and editors, community organizers and artists. A number of students have held graduate degrees in areas such as business, divinity, drama, psychology, accounting, history, philosophy, chemistry, and political science. And other students have brought their experiences as parents and armed forces veterans. The Cardozo community reflects the wider world.
What We Offer: Academics, Activities, and Action Diversity at Cardozo is expressed in our classes, clinics, special events and hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom. Student journals, nationally ranked programs in intellectual property and dispute resolution and advocacy, and our internationally recognized clinics, such as the Innocence Project and the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic, support fundamental social justice and equal rights—taking issues of diversity into the public realm.
Student Affinity Groups The Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) organizes programs and events that enhance the academic, social and professional lives of its members while contributing to the wider Cardozo community. APALSA is especially proud of its mentor program, pairing upper-level students with first-year students to provide as much academic guidance and personal support as they request. APALSA also actively reaches out
to alumni to encourage more collaboration and mentoring between our students and working professionals. APALSA’s annual Lunar New Year celebration is a Cardozo community favorite. The Black Law Students Association (BLSA), affiliated with the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), provides support, encouragement, and advice to students who identify themselves as African American, Caribbean or African. BLSA membership is open to all Cardozo students and provides valuable programming to inform and enlighten its members and the Cardozo community at large. BLSA serves its members and local community through many programs, including: exam prep and outlining workshops, a mentoring program, networking programs with alumni and social programming. The Cardozo Women’s Law Initiative was founded to celebrate women’s achievements, address professional challenges, and facilitate continued progress by bringing legal practitioners and law students together to share in an ongoing conversation about gender issues in law school and the legal profession. The Cardozo Women’s Law Initiative aims to create an engaging community with educational
“The diversity at Cardozo is incredible, and one of my favorite parts about being a student here. OUTlaw has become a safe space for myself and so many other LGBTQI students, allowing us to have a platform to share our ideas with each other and an administration who wants to help make Cardozo a more inclusive place. Cardozo provides a number of networking opportunities, clinics, courses on race and sexual orientation, diversity scholarships and other programs aimed at helping diverse students succeed. It is an amazing thing to really feel like we are being heard by others, while at the same time being taught so much by our peers.” Lindsay Goldbrum ’17
“I’m always amazed by the myriad interests of my colleagues and professors here at Cardozo. I am especially motivated by my professors’ intellect and dedication. They inspire me to challenge myself each day.” Jiali (Keli) Huang ’17
and networking experiences tailored to women, and to actively cultivate an environment within Cardozo that’s committed to promoting greater awareness about the role and status of women in the profession. The Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) runs social and educational events throughout the year. JLSA also serves as a liaison to school administrators on issues impacting Jewish students. All events are open to the entire school community and membership is not limited to Jewish students. The Korean American Law Students Association (KALSA) was established to support students with a specialized interest in Korean and Korean American culture. KALSA programs serve their members and extend to the wider Korean community, including the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY), to provide networking opportunities for students. KALSA’s fall festival celebrating the Korean holiday Chuseok is enjoyed by the Cardozo community. The Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) offers mentorship programs for members and establishes ties with the Latinx legal community, providing students with information about internships, job fairs, firm receptions, and networking opportunities. LALSA hosts a Thanksgiving potluck dinner for the law school. Its “Fiesta” event, held each spring, features a live salsa band, capoeira dancing, and Latin American and Caribbean food. The Minority Law Student Alliance (MLSA) is the umbrella organization for Cardozo’s affinity groups. The sole purpose of MLSA is to bring together the affinity groups to find the intersections of identity, to provide social and academic support, and to
advocate for underrepresented communities at Cardozo Law and beyond. MLSA co-sponsors cultural and political events with the affinity groups, hosts regular town halls to discuss issues related to diversity and inclusion, and organizes regular meetings with administrators. The Muslim Student Association (MSA) aims to promote the professional needs and goals of Muslim law students, influence the legal community to promote meaningful change to meet the needs of the Muslim community, and promote a greater understanding of Muslims and Islam on campus. This organization is open to all Cardozo Law students. OUTlaw is Cardozo’s pioneer student group for
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex students and their allies. OUTlaw organizes meetings, educational panels, and social activities to advance LGBTQI rights and issues. One of the group’s prominent events is an annual reception in which the E. Nathaniel Gates Award, established in honor of a beloved Cardozo professor, is presented to notable Cardozo LGBTQI alumni. Past recipients include a Tony Award winner, two lawyers at the forefront of LGBTQI immigration rights, and Robert Balsam ’82, Geoffrey Bowers ’82 and Daniel Felber ’82, whose story was chronicled in the movie Philadelphia. The South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) serves Cardozo’s South Asian student body through mentoring programs for first-year students, career panels and alumni receptions. SALSA also provides various cultural activities for the wider Cardozo community. SALSA’s highlight of the academic year is the annual Diwali/Eid Festival, celebrating the Hindu holiday of Diwali and the Muslim holiday of Eid with fellow students, staff, and faculty.
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
Dean’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion The Dean’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion (DCDI) was a forum and working group that was created to assist the dean in proactively and creatively meeting the diversity-related challenges affecting Cardozo Law and the legal profession. The DCDI was made up of Cardozo students, faculty, administration and alumni. Much of the work of the DCDI was accomplished through its committees on Academic Success, Admissions, Careers and Community Engagement. • The purpose of the Committee on Academic Success was to address issues that might undermine the academic performance of students of diverse backgrounds and/or underrepresented populations and to develop initiatives to promote the academic success of those students. • The purpose of the Committee on Admissions was to expand the pool of J.D. and LL.M. applicants from diverse backgrounds and/or underrepresented populations and to increase the number of admitted students of diverse backgrounds who matriculate. • The purpose of the Committee on Careers was to focus on how the market can increase post-graduate opportunities for employment of law graduates from diverse backgrounds and/or who come from underrepresented populations and to propose new or revised initiatives related to increasing diversity in the legal profession. • The purpose of the Committee on Community Engagement was to propose programming designed to promote discourse, both within the law school community and between members of the Cardozo community and the public, on issues related to diversity and inclusion and to enhance the cultural competence of members of the Cardozo community.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion The mission of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) is three-fold: 1. To ensure that all Cardozo graduates have the cultural competency to be effective attorneys and leaders 2. To cultivate and sustain an inclusive campus culture where students, faculty, administrators and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and valued, and 3. To provide support and guidance to students who are underrepresented based upon race, color, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or medical condition, age, creed, religion, socioeconomic status, ancestry, nationality, citizen or immigrant status, marital or civil union status, familial or parental status, veteran status and the intersectionalities thereof. In accordance with its mission, the ODI: conducts research to routinely assess the campus climate and develop initiatives to strengthen Cardozo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; provides resources and programming designed to educate the Cardozo community on topics relevant to diversity and inclusion; offers academic, professional and personal support to underrepresented and first generation law students as they navigate the challenges presented by law school and the legal profession; partners with Cardozo’s alumni and student affinity groups as well as local and state bar associations and organizations to facilitate community engagement; and collaborates with all other Cardozo offices to ensure that Cardozo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in every facet of the Cardozo experience from admission to graduation and beyond.
Jay Vyas ’17
“The Cardozo community actively seeks diverse solutions within their work and everyday life. Continually learning from each other in this manner makes us successful advocates.”
The Office of Career Services Cardozo’s Office of Career Services (OCS) provides a dedicated OCS Coordinator of Diversity Initiatives who works in conjunction with Cardozo’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to develop resources and programming, in addition to providing advice to students and alumni regarding placement. OCS also provides resources targeting students and alumni of diverse backgrounds, including the OCS Inclusion Initiatives Guide and provides information about, and access to, a broad range of initiatives, including career fairs, fellowships, internships and scholarships. OCS encourages students and alumni to become members of, and to be active in, bar associations, including affinity and specialty bar associations
and actively engage with Cardozo’s Black Asian Latino Law Students Association (BALLSA) Alumni Group to develop, maintain and strengthen relationships among alumni of diverse backgrounds. OCS also hosts prominent diverse practitioners to speak on career paths. CLEO Membership Cardozo is a longstanding member of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) and has received numerous awards for our continuing commitment to diversifying the legal profession. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education through the Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program, CLEO is dedicated to expanding opportunities to minority, low-income and disadvantaged groups.
DIVERSITY EVENTS
Discover Cardozo Discover Cardozo is an open house event tailored to prospective students of color and LGBTQI students. The objective of Discover Cardozo is to demystify the law school admission process and to underscore Cardozo as a law school that seeks to enroll students who have varied backgrounds and interests. Discover Cardozo participants observe a law school class, tour the facility and hear from various Cardozo community members. In small groups, they meet with current students to discuss expectations and academic success strategies. The participants also have an opportunity to interact with the Minority Law Student Alliance (MLSA) and each of its member-organizations. In addition, participants hear from diverse members of the Cardozo faculty and administration on how to have a successful first year, and the importance of defining your professional goals and aspirations. Youth Law Day In conjunction with Cardozo’s Office of Career Services and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Admissions participates in Youth Law Day. This program is hosted with the New York State Bar, Department of Education and Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The event addresses early outreach, awareness and preparation aimed
“Cardozo has shown a strong commitment towards increasing diversity within the legal profession and has recognized that developing an environment where students are able to have a diversity in ideas and cultures leads to the production of the best legal advocates.”
at racially and ethnically diverse students who are in high school or their first two years of college. Cardozo was named a top 10 finalist for the 2015 LSAC Diversity Matters Award in honor of its commitment to diversity. Cardozo Horizons: Orientation Program for Incoming Students Historically a student-driven initiative, and now a Cardozo tradition, Horizons is designed to provide incoming students of color and members of the LGBTQI community insight on navigating the law school landscape. Held during our extensive orientation program, Horizon offers incoming students a foretaste of classes and faculty expectations. Components of the program have included a mock class taught by a Cardozo faculty member and debriefing sessions with current students and alumni. Dean’s Reception on Diversity and Inclusion At the start of the fall semester, the Office of the Dean and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion co-sponsor an annual evening reception for students, faculty, administration and staff. The Dean’s Reception features a keynote speaker who addresses the Cardozo community on the importance of diversity within the legal profession.
“Diversity is extremely important, particularly in the law school setting because it is absolutely necessary that lawmakers and judges come from diverse backgrounds to mirror the populations they are affecting with their decisions. As an immigrant, diversity will always be important to me, and Cardozo’s clinical commitment to serving underrepresented communities was crucial in my decision to attend Cardozo. My decision was made the moment I knew Cardozo had one of the leading immigration clinics in the nation.” Ana Gabriela Urizar ’17
Gow W. Mosby, Jr. ’18
DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS
Cardozo’s administrative offices regularly inform students about outside scholarship opportunities supporting diversity in law schools as soon as they become available. The Office of Student Finance keeps students up-to-date on opportunities via email notifications, its dedicated web portal and bulletin boards. In addition, students are supported as they use the variety of online search engines available. Throughout the scholarship application process, the Office of Student Finance partners with students with the goal of achieving a higher probability of success. Cardozo’s Office of Career Services also compiles and publicizes information about scholarship, internship and fellowship initiatives, including specific hiring criteria, required application materials and deadlines. OCS actively supports students throughout the application process with various services, including mock interviews and resume reviews. Cardozo Scholarships Second-year Cardozo students are invited to apply to the Black, Asian, Latino Law Students Association (BALLSA) Alumni Scholarship. This scholarship is need-based and is awarded to a second year student who has overcome hardship and who has distinguished themselves by making a positive impact on and contribution to one or more of the following Cardozo student groups: Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, the Black Law Students Association, the Latin American Law Students Association, Minority Law Student Alliance, and/or the South Asian Law Students Association.
Third-year and LL.M. students are invited to apply to the LGBTQI Fund Scholarship for Outstanding Student Work on LGBTQI Rights. This scholarship is awarded to a third-year or LL.M. student who, during their time at Cardozo, has done exemplary work related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex rights in a clinic, a credited externship or through a non-credited work or pro bono experience.
“I felt welcomed into the Cardozo community from my first day here. The students, the faculty and the staff have always been friendly and supportive. Being here felt like being home. I not only met new people, I have made friends from every part of the world. Cardozo represents the spirit of New York.” Bijal Trivedi, LL.M. ’16
BAR ASSOCIATION / RELATED ORGANIZATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) Law School Scholarship Program
American Association for Justice (AAJ) Mike Eidson Scholarship
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Law Foundation Scholarships
American Intellectual Property Lawyers Education Fund (AIPLEF) Sidney B. Williams Intellectual Property Law Scholarship
National Council of Jewish Women (New York Section) Jackson-Stricks Scholarship Program
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Karen D. Carsel Memorial Scholarship Asian American Law Fund of New York Community Service Scholarships Association of Black Women Attorneys, Inc. Scholarship Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, Inc. Bernadine JohnsonMarshall & Martha Belle Williams Scholarship
NYC Bar C. Bainbridge Smith Scholarship Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Support Award Point Foundation Scholarships Pride Foundation Scholarship Program Puerto Rican Bar Association Scholarship Queens County Women’s Bar Association Faith O’Neal Scholarship Program
Corporate Counsel Women of Color “My Life As a Lawyer” Scholarship Program
Richard D. Hailey AAJ Law Student Scholarship Program
Dominican Bar Association Law Student Scholarship Program
Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship Program
Don H. Liu Scholars Program DRI—The Voice of the Defense Bar Law Student Diversity Scholarship Program The Honorable Joel K. Asarch Elder Law & Special Needs Section Scholarship Program
LAW FIRM SCHOLARSHIPS Robert Strauss Diversity Scholarship Program (Akin Gump)
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) Law Student Scholarship Award
Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship Program
The Mark T. Banner Scholarship for Law Students
Paul D. White Scholarship Program (BakerHostetler)
Metropolitan Black Bar Association Scholarship Program
Blank Rome 1L Diversity Scholarship Program
Arnold & Porter Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program
Charles H. Walker Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program (Bricker & Eckler)
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Diversity Scholarship Program Cole Schotz Diversity Scholarship Program Davis Wright Tremaine 1L Diversity Scholarship Program Finnegan Diversity Scholarship Harter Secrest & Emery Diversity Scholarship Program Haynes & Boone 1L Diversity Scholars Program
Travis Wong 2L
Latham Diversity Scholars Program McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship Program Richard Mintz Summer Associate Diversity Scholarship (Mintz Levin) Paul Hastings Diversity Scholarship Program Silver Scholars Program (Proskauer Rose) Deborah J. Broyles Diverse Scholars Program (Reed Smith) Roscoe Trimmier, Jr. Diversity Scholarship (Ropes & Gray) Sidley Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program
Travis Wong ’18
Skadden 1L Scholars Program Vedder Price Diversity Scholarship Winston & Strawn Diversity Scholarship Program
Cardozo Invites You to Join Our Community For more information, email lawinfo@yu.edu.
www.cardozo.yu.edu
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BENJAMIN N. CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW