CLEO Announces CLEO EDGE Award Diversity Nominees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2018
Contact: Bernetta J. Hayes, Director
Prelaw Programs Operations
bhayes@cleoinc.org – 240.582.8600 x203
CLEO Announces CLEO EDGE Award Diversity Nominees
Diversity Reception Second of Series for CLEO 50th Anniversary Celebrations
Largo, MD – May 22, 2018 – The Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO) will recognize more than 180 nominees for the CLEO EDGE Award for Diversity on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, at Google Downtown in San Francisco, CA. These individuals, law schools, and legal organizations have made a significant impact on diversity in legal education, the profession, and/or society. The DIVERSITY RECEPTION is the second in a series of CLEO’s 50thanniversary year-long activities. For a complete list of nominations, please visithttps://cleoinc.org/50/50-for-50/diversity
Focused on the theme, “The CLEO EDGE: 50 Years of Championing Education, Diversity, and Greater Equality in the Legal Profession,” the EDUCATION RECEPTION was held last month in Houston and an additional reception centering on contributions to GREATER EQUALITY will be held in New York in September at the New York Athletic Club. A gala in Washington, DC, November 15, 2018, will round out the historic celebrations where 50 finalists in each of the three categories will be honored. Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., the lawyer, business executive, and civil rights leader will receive the inaugural CLEO EDGE Heritage Award for his outstanding leadership and commitment to Education, Diversity, and Greater Equality for more than 50 years. Bakari T. Sellers, an attorney, former Representative of South Carolina’s 90th district in the South Carolina state legislature, and CNN analyst, will be the emcee for the event.
“CLEO’s mission for the past half century has been to diversify the legal profession,” said Cassandra Sneed Ogden, the Chief Executive Officer of CLEO. “Diversity and inclusion are essential components of today’s legal profession if we are to more adequately serve our community. To give recognition to those who have labored to make diversity and inclusion a reality in our lifetime underscores our theme during this important part of CLEO’s 50-year milestone celebration.”
About the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc.
CLEO, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to diversifying the legal profession by expanding legal education opportunities for persons from traditionally under-represented racial and ethnic groups, low-income, and disadvantaged communities. Founded in 1968, when the number of lawyers of color was less than one percent, CLEO has produced more than 10,000 individuals who have excelled in every area of the legal profession and include judges, corporate attorneys, law school deans and professors, practitioners, politicians, and more. 2018 is CLEO’s golden anniversary. More information about CLEO’s 50th Anniversary, the DIVERSITY RECEPTION, or how to RSVP can be found at https://cleoinc.org/50/.