QA &

WITH NASHARA PEART DUAL JD '18

Miller

Canfield, Associate JD Bridges Foundation, Executive Director

Nashara Peart '18 is dedicated to increasing access to legal education for Black students across Canada. She serves as the Executive Director of the JD Bridges Foundation, a foundation focused on increasing access for prospective Black law students. A graduate of the Canadian & American Dual JD Program, she is licensed to practice in both Michigan and Ontario. She currently works as an attorney in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group at Miller Canfield in Detroit.

"In a society where racial injustices and biases, and the way they permeate culture, societal structure, and longstanding institutions, are coming to the foreground, law schools have the power to inject our world with conscious, well-balanced, change makers who can make our communities the equitable and fair places they should be. Gone are the days when it is acceptable for law schools to be places only for the elite. There are few other places as well equipped as law schools to create the change that diverse communities—and society in general—needs."

How did you get involved with the JD Bridges Foundation?

I am so excited about the work that the JD Bridges Foundation is doing. I was approached by Kayla Smith Campbell, a great friend of mine and fellow University of Windsor alumna, about a vision she had to create a scholarship program that would provide funds to prospective Black law students. She and I had previously served on the board for the Black Law Students Association of Canada, sister organization to the National Black Law Students Association, so it was no secret that we were both passionate about increasing the number of Black students in Canadian law schools and advocating for a more diverse legal profession in general. When Kayla shared her vision with me and invited me to be Executive Director of the organization, I immediately agreed to partner with her because I instantly knew the kind of impact a scholarship program like this could make on students’ lives and educations.

How does the JD Bridges Foundation support students?

This year was our first scholarship cycle, and we were able to award 20 scholarships worth $2,500 each to students all across Canada. These students will not have to worry about the often-overwhelming cost of applying to law school and will be able to apply widely enough to increase their chances of acceptance. Not only that, but we’ve matched students with mentors who will support them through drafting personal statements and submitting law school applications. We’ve already built strategic partnerships with law firms and other organizations to support Black students long term. There’s no question that the legal profession continues to be one where diversity is lacking, but through the JD Bridges Foundation, we’re doing our part to change that reality so the profession looks more like the diverse populations we serve.

How would you describe the importance of access and inclusion for law schools?

Without question, representation matters. It’s not simply a cliché. I f law schools do not focus on access and inclusion, most of the communities that attorneys serve will remain underrepresented in the profession. That means that most individuals who come in contact with the law in any way will never be able to seek help from someone who understands their unique point of view or life experiences, much less someone who looks like them or shares the same cultural values. The societies we live in are not monolithic, and the attorneys who serve those communities shouldn’t be either. Increasing access and inclusion should be a key objective for all law schools. Anyone who is a part of a law school community and does not see that is hampering the progress of what could be one of society’s most powerful institutions.