Inaugural Diversity Day

On February 24th, the University of Tulsa College of Law Student Bar Association (SBA) hosted its inaugural Diversity Day. This student-organized event was hosted with the support of the Tulsa County Bar Association and the Northern/Eastern Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

TU Law’s Diversity Day was based on the vision of Matthew Blewitt, a former SBA President and a December 2022 graduate of the College of Law. The event aimed to create a pipeline for historically excluded groups, from undergraduate students to young attorneys, to enter the legal field.

Sections of the day were coorganized with the TU Law Admissions office, which included two panels for undergraduate students. The first panel consisted of current diverse TU Law students who shared their experiences navigating the admissions process, the classroom, and other aspects of law school. This panel gave prospective students a window into the day-to-day life of current law students.

SBA also hosted a welcome luncheon where the Dean of Students, April Fox, eloquently spoke about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, and added important personal anecdotes about her experiences as a differently-abled attorney. This luncheon also provided the first of many opportunities for law students to network with attending attorneys.

Breakout events followed the luncheon. First, an Admissions panel featuring diverse practicing attorneys was conducted for the prospective law students. This panel provided a way for attending prospective students to see themselves in the practice of law. The second breakout event was a panel for current law students, which also featured diverse attorneys and spoke to many of the same issues. Finally, a CLE organized by the Tulsa County Bar Association was provided free of charge to attending attorneys. This CLE, titled The Ethics of Inclusion: Developing the Words, Actions, and Achievements to Change Yourself and Your Practice, was graciously conducted by Tom Vincent II, shareholder at GableGotwals.

Next, the Diversity Taskforce organized a career fair that had over 25 employers in attendance. Attending employers represented private firms, fortune 500 companies, government employers, and non-profit organizations. One of the best-attended events by students, many attendees reported receiving at least one offer in the weeks since the event!

A short networking hour followed the successful career fair, which then transitioned to the Diversity Dinner and Awards Reception. Keynote speaker Cassia Carr, the Deputy Mayor of Tulsa, presented an entertaining and impactful speech about her background and the importance of inclusion, particularly for large organizations that serve a variety of demographics.

The awards portion of the dinner honored changemakers and inclusion champions. Crowe & Dunlevy received the Excellence in Inclusion Firm Award based on their Diversity Scholars program and willingness to help the students coordinate diversity day.

Damario Solomon-Simmons won the outstanding attorney advocate award for serving as relentless advocates on behalf of marginalized communities.

TU Law student Brendan Rolland received the Student Trailblazer award for his fierce commitment to uplifting the Native American Community.

Lastly, Pierre Robertson received the Outstanding Young Attorney award for his never-ending volunteer work and continued encouragement of TU Law students.

A particularly special memorial award was given to the family of Dwain Midget, whose spirit and dedication to uplifting the Tulsa community inspired TU Law students so much that an annual award will be given at all future Diversity Days in his honor.

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