On January 22 as part of its Destination Law School Program, the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) hosted a panel presentation for diverse undergraduate students from UC Santa Cruz. The students are part of a student organization called Legal Education Association for Diversity (LEAD). LEAD educates and empowers underrepresented students from diverse backgrounds by preparing them with the resources necessary to enter law school. LEAD’s Outreach and Publicity Chair, Shaunita Hampton personally reached out to JDC and requested a panel presentation for LEAD students.

The purpose of the presentation was to expose the students to the personal, academic and professional experiences of diverse attorneys who practice in varying legal fields. Panelists also provided practical tips related to the law school application process; creative ways to finance law school; and how to balance a healthy social life with the rigors of law school and post graduate legal work.

Panelists included Lidia Lopez, 1L, UC Hastings College of the Law and 2013 Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship Recipient; Doan Nguyen, Staff Attorney, JDC’s Community Organization Representation Project and 2004 Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship Recipient; Vid Prabhakaran, Davis Wright Tremaine; Kimberly Williams, Assistant District Attorney, Office of the San Francisco District Attorney and Lilia Rose, Senior Corporate Counsel, NetApp.

This month, Destination Law School will be hosting diversity panels at Bay Area colleges, including Mills College, City College of San Francisco, Berkeley City College, and Laney College.

If you are interested in participating in future diversity panel presentations please contact Nicole Britton-Snyder, Diversity Pipeline Programs Manager at nbrittonsnyder@sfbar.org.