Law Related Organizations
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Roundtable
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Legal Roundtable Virtual Meeting – May 4, 2021 The May 4 virtual meeting of the Dayton Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Legal Roundtable was a robust session (see agenda below). Please send suggestions for future topics, guest speakers, and initiatives that further our mission. Simply stated, our mission is to enhance diversity within the Dayton area legal community. Working together, the legal community will come to more closely reflect the composition of the greater Dayton community. For more information, please contact Wray Blattner, Wray.Blattner@ThompsonHine.com, or Jamar King, Jamar.King@ThompsonHine.com. Meeting Agenda • •
Introduction (U.S. District Court Judge Michael Newman and Wray Blattner) Update on Primary Roundtable Initiatives • Mock interview program and diversity clerkship program (Jamar King); mentoring program (Zion Savory)
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Other 2019 – 2020 Activities and Discussions (Wray Blattner) • Roundtable meeting hosts: Thompson Hine, Coolidge Wall, Wilmer Hale, and University of Dayton School of Law (UDSL); monthly virtual meetings of the ad hoc planning committee • Forging a strong relationship with UDSL • Black Law Student Association’s “Get Real” sessions • Dayton Bar Association’s Diversity Day • Discussions with Dayton Foundation (e.g., funding assistance; MVRPC’s Institute for Livable & Equitable Communities) • Mansfield Rule
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University of Dayton School of Law (Dean Andrew Strauss and Professor Julie Zink) • Flyer Legal Promise
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Dayton Bar Association (CEO Jennifer Otchy)
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“Cashless Bail” (Honorable Steven K. Dankof, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court)
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Future Legal Roundtable Actions (Shannon Martin) • Adoption of a diversity “pledge” and/or a local “Mansfield Rule” • Assist diverse attorneys – fifth-year and up • Partnerships between predominantly diverse firms and non-diverse firms • Best practices for recruiting diverse law students and lateral hire candidates • Development and implementation of a formal firm/office diversity program
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What Can My Firm/Office Do? (Julius Carter) • Serve as a mentor; engage a diverse UDSL extern; hire a summer clerk through the diversity clerkship program • Participate in the next mock interview session • Support funding of the diversity clerkship program or other diversity initiatives • Host a Legal Roundtable event • Participate in Legal Roundtable meetings – give input and suggestions, lead a discussion, bring in a speaker. Make our Legal Roundtable a more effective vehicle for change.
SUMMER 2021 |
DAYTON Bar Briefs
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