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Diversity in the Legal Profession

USC Gould School of Law • March 10, 2009
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Students organize daylong symposium

—By Maria Iacobo

Students at the USC Gould School of Law have organized a symposium to evaluate how diversity is viewed and employed in many areas of the legal profession. The day-long event is hosted by the Southern California Review of Law & Social Justice and the Diversity Affairs Committee.

“We’re known as the most diverse law school in the country and we want to make good on that status,” said Tina Sohaili ’10. “It’s not fair to use [this distinction] to get students in the door and then not pay attention to it once they’re here.”

Sohaili, Cherise Latortue ’10, Joo Eun Kim ’09 and Zev Shechtman ’09 were key organizers of the symposium—the first of its kind at the law school.

“This is an opportunity for USC Law to showcase this issue,” says Shechtman.

Three sessions are planned in addition to a luncheon with an address by Dean Robert K. Rasmussen. Each session reflects an opportunity to analyze the state of diversity in the profession: its value in admissions, its role and relevance in the 1L classroom and the state of diversity in the profession. The latter topic will consist of a panel of six professionals, including a federal judge and attorneys from law firms, USC Law Career Services, and the local office of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The event will be held at the law school and Town and Gown on Wednesday, March 11 beginning at 11 a.m. USC Law alumni have been invited to attend and the event is open to all members of the USC community. Guests may R.S.V.P. to [email protected] or call (213) 740-3841.

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