School of Law News
Alumnus speaks at Diversity in Law Banquet
Five KU law students receive diversity clerkships
Magazine recognizes KU law for increased diversity
Alumnus speaks at Diversity in Law Banquet
The Hispanic American Law Students Association hosted the 12th annual Diversity in Law Banquet on March 3.
The banquet raises funds for the Minority Scholarship Fund and provides an opportunity for students and faculty to celebrate the contribution of culturally diverse individuals to the legal profession. Students from the Asian American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Hispanic Law Students Association and Native American Law Students Association all cooperate in supporting the banquet and each group takes a turn hosting the event.
Robert Correales, l'91, assistant professor of law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law, presented the keynote address at the event.
Five KU law students receive diversity clerkships
The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Summer Diversity Clerkship Pilot Program recently awarded summer clerkships to five students at the KU School of Law.
The program is an effort to provide employment opportunities to diverse first-year law students at KU, the University of Missouri, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Washburn University.
Participating firms recently made full-time, paid summer job offers to nine students, five of them KU law students: Verdrana Balta, b'06, Polsinelli Shalton Welte & Suelthaus PC; Trinia Arellana, Van Osdol, Magruder, Erickson & Redmond PC; Daniel Morris, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LP; Jomana Qaddour, c'06, Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP; and Helen White, Shughart Thomson & Kilroy PC.
Qaddour said she appreciates the firms' commitment to opportunities for high-achieving law students from a variety of backgrounds.
"As one of the few Arab-Americans in the area studying law, it is nice to know that these firms are looking for students with my experience and background," Qaddour said. "I hope to contribute to my work environment in a way that reflects the essence of the Middle East: honesty, hard work and a constant passion to learn."
One representative of each participating firm gathered in February to determine how to apply selection criteria and review applications. They received more than 30 applications and interviewed 19 first-year law students in late February.
Magazine recognizes KU law for increased diversity
National Jurist magazine ranked the KU School of Law second in rate of increase in student diversity in its March issue.
KU law recorded a 201 percent increase in enrollment of minority students between the years 2000 and 2005. At law schools nationwide, minority enrollment has declined by 5 percent or greater at 57 percent of schools, while it has increased by 5 percent or more at 85 U.S. law schools.
Gail Agrawal, dean of the law school, said this achievement is a reflection of the school's long-standing commitment to an improvement in the institution's diversity.
"From its Free State origins, KU law was founded on principles of inclusiveness; a commitment to diversity is in the very bricks and mortar of this place," she said.
"Under the leadership of former dean Professor Steve McAllister, we began an active and comprehensive effort to increase the diversity of our student body. We continue to build on that foundation to improve the number and the percentage of students of color in our classes and the diversity of our faculty and staff. While much remains to be done before our reality fully matches our values and aspirations in this regard, we are proud of our accomplishments and grateful for the recognition of the National Jurist."
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