Consider serving as a judge for the Southern Regional Black Law Students Association's Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions next week during its convention Jan. 30 through Feb. 3 in Nashville. Event organizers say they are in "dire need" of volunteers for the competitions and ask you to help with the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition and the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition. "Empowering our youth by educating them on the importance of civic engagement and assisting in their academic/career planning while encouraging diversity in the legal profession," is one of the goals of the group, says convention chair Charilyn M. Stanberry. For more information, contact her.
The law student members of the 2013 Diversity Leadership Institute met for their first session this past weekend as part of the TBA's Leadership Conference. The group joined legal leaders from across the state to learn about legislative issues impacting lawyers, opportunities to get involved in programs educating the public about the legal system and rule of law, and how to effectively deal with conflict. Class members also held separate sessions that featured a keynote address by Gregg Ramos with North, Pursell & Ramos in Nashville and a panel discussion with Laura Bishop Baker, Law Offices of John Day; Marshall County General Sessions Judge Lee Bussart Bowles; Ashonti Davis, Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada; Brian Frye, Legal Aid of East Tennessee; Matt Potempa, Law Office of Matt Potempa; and William Stover, Law Office of William Stover.
TBA President-Elect Cindy Wyrick with the Sevierville law firm of Ogle, Gass & Richardson, and former YLD president Tasha Blakney with the Knoxville law firm of Eldridge, Blakney & Trant, also addressed the group. The weekend’s program was produced YLD Diversity Committee Chair Ahsaki Baptist – an attorney with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs in Memphis. See photos of this year’s class members.
Members of the 2013 Diversity Leadership Institute met for their opening session Jan. 18-19 in Nashville.
They are (from left to right) Back Row: Cole Rogers, LaToyia Trotter, Anthony Adewumi and James Cobb. Middle Row: Jerry Ivery, Shana Berkeley, Jayniece Higgins, Kimberlee McTorry, Sonia Boss, Tracey Williams
and Brett Knight. Front Row: Yessle Yi, Aisha DeBerry, Estefania Chavez, Cindy Brown, Daniela Quintero,
Ashley Upkins and Mike Sandler.
The 2013 class of the TBA Diversity Leadership Institute was announced today. The six-month leadership and mentoring program for law school students is sponsored by the TBA's Young Lawyers Division. This year it is made up of 18 students who will gather for their first meeting Jan. 18 in Nashville in conjunction with the TBA Leadership Conference.
Class members are: Shana Berkeley, Brett Knight, Kimberlee McTorry, Daniela Quintero and Ashley Upkins from the Belmont College of Law; Aisha DeBerry from the Duncan School of Law; Sonia Boss, Cynthia Brown, Cole Rogers, Mike Sandler and Tracey Williams from the Nashville School of Law; Anthony Adewumi, James Cobb, Jayniece Higgins and Jerry Ivery from the University of Memphis School of Law; and Estefania Chavez, LaToyia Trotter and Yessle Yi from the University of Tennessee College of Law. The program is being chaired this year by Memphis attorney Ahsaki Baptist and Nashville lawyer Brian Winfrey.
