CLEO Diversity and Inclusion Spotlight

The CLEO D.A.I.S. (Diversity And Inclusion Spotlight) is a virtual “platform” designed to showcase and highlight diverse attorneys and critical inclusion initiatives from our valued partner organizations.

To learn more about a particular partner, we encourage you to visit their website via the logo links below. To become a CLEO partner, please send an email to Lallen@cleoinc.org.

Bryant Caldwell

Associate, Business Litigation Practice Group, Columbia

South Carolina (University of South Carolina School of Law)

“True diversity and inclusion elevates any organization because people are comfortable sharing different points of view. This sharing of information prevents the legal profession from succumbing to the fact that humans prefer the comfort of a shared opinion over the responsibility of seeking a variety of original thoughts. The more the legal profession stays within the boundaries of “this is the way we’ve always done it”, the harder it is to come up with new innovative ideas. This is why any legal organization with an inclusive environment will always have a leg up.”

Sunita Bali

Partner
San Francisco, Ca

USC Gould School of Law

“Diversity and inclusion are critical to the future of the legal profession. Embracing diversity allows us to draw from varied perspectives, which is critical to providing excellent service to our clients. Also, fostering a legal profession that is inclusive of all will ensure that we attract the best and the brightest to not only join our profession, but have sustained and successful careers.”

Pamela Rothenberg

Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP – Commercial Real Estate
Washington DC

Northwestern University School of Law

“Diversity, equity and inclusion is critically important, and nowhere is that more true than in the legal profession. The law impacts every citizen, and attorneys need to be more representative of our society at large and all citizens in our communities. That is why I am so honored and proud to be supporting CLEO in every possible way, especially to serve on the CLEO Board of Directors. For more than 50 years, CLEO has worked tirelessly to make the our profession more diverse, equitable and inclusive by opening the doors to legal education to all that desire to attend law school. Thousands of students—and the practice of law—have benefitted from CLEO’s outstanding work!”

Monique E. Liburd

Trademark Counsel – Intellectual Property
San Francisco, CA

University of California, Berkeley

“It’s critically important for attorneys and members of the legal profession to be as diverse as the customers of the client organizations they serve. Whatever position you hold within the ecosystem (seasoned attorney, junior attorney, law student, etc…), it’s imperative to dedicate energy to increasing meaningful opportunities for the development and advancement of diverse attorneys and law students while encouraging others to do the same.”

Alicia A. Bond-Lewis

Partner
Cincinnati, OH

University of Denver Sturm College of Law

“It is important for diversity and inclusion to be embraced within the legal field because both provide for a rich variety of approaches and experiences. When such initiatives are successfully implemented, attorneys are more engaged and happy, which in turn leads to an increase in innovative and creative problem-solving.”

Johner T. “J.T.” Wilson

Partner
Chicago, IL

DePaul University College of Law

“Creating an inclusive culture of diversity affords members of the legal community a unique opportunity for existential growth. Through the lens of diversity, we can analyze an action, issue, and/or object from various perspectives. Equipped with the periscopic view this process provides, diverse teams are better positioned to strategically create, identify, and implement creative solutions to assist clients in executing their initiatives and realizing their desired goals. Embracing diversity encourages the philosophy that we have more in common than we have in distinction, and that we can do more together than we can apart.”

The Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO) is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization founded in 1968 to expand opportunities for underrepresented students to attend law school.

2800 Eisenhower Ave. Ste 220-41
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (240) 582-8600
Email: cleo@cleoinc.org

CLEO Diversity and Inclusion Spotlight

The CLEO D.A.I.S. (Diversity And Inclusion Spotlight) is a virtual “platform” designed to showcase and highlight diverse attorneys and critical inclusion initiatives from our valued partner organizations.

Bryant Caldwell

Associate, Business Litigation Practice Group, Columbia

South Carolina (University of South Carolina School of Law)