The nation’s largest trial court Tuesday announced a diversity and inclusion collaboration with legal aid and bar associations to help less experienced attorneys in Los Angeles gain litigation and courtroom experience.
“Very soon, the new and next generation of lawyers in Los Angeles County will have some of the best and brightest legal mentors and courtroom experiences available to them,” said California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. “The new Diversity Inclusion Working Group … will provide outreach and opportunities for professional success in the law. I commend all of the judges and lawyers who made this possible, and for striving to make the justice system even more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.”
Deborah Chang, current president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Consumer Attorneys of California, stressed the importance of the collaboration.
“Diversity in our courtrooms is essential to the success of our legal profession,” she said. “Our jurors in Los Angeles deserve to see and hear from lawyers who are as diverse as they are — and we can lead the country by inspiring future generations of lawyers who represent every facet of our society — and to more fairly include women, people of color, and all others who reflect underrepresented groups to find their places at counsel tables in our courtrooms.”
Attorneys who wish to learn about and explore pro bono opportunities to gain courtroom experience while volunteering to help litigants who cannot afford representation in their civil cases can sign up for a Sept. 14 program at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Those interested can register at: surveymonkey.com/r/ProBonoLitigationForum.
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