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Diversity Committee Recognizing the benefits to the legal profession and the community as a whole offered by the full participation of people of diverse backgrounds in the profession, the organized bar and the judicial system, the primary purposes of the Diversity Committee are: - to encourage and motivate Association members, other practitioners and the public to acknowledge, understand and celebrate the myriad of differences among members of the bar and persons in the community, arising from race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, physical appearance and other individual qualities and characteristics;
- to promote the acceptance and increase the numbers of Association members belonging to populations traditionally categorized as "minorities" and raise their levels of participation, involvement and leadership in the Association;
- to facilitate and expand opportunities for law-related employment with private firms of all sizes and in all practice areas, corporate and institutional entities, governmental agencies, courts and other law-related employers; and
- through education, example and outreach, proactively overcome the subtle and overt vestiges of unfairness and the active and passive barriers, prejudices, insensitivity, and other impediments to full and fair enjoyment by all of the legal profession, the organized bar and the judicial system.
The foregoing purposes are pursued with the realization that, despite the efforts of the Committee and others, significant progress in overcoming decades of hostility and indifference to the advancement of diverse populations will take time, but that the mere passage of time alone will not advance the above purposes without deliberate and sustained action. 2009 Diversity Committee Chairperson: Clarence Allen Angela Eveler Barbara Sardella Carl Anderson Craig Sharnetzka Judge Blackwell Judge Kennedy Judge Uhler Sandra Thompson Shaleeta Washington Susan Emmons Suzanne Smith Tom Shorb YORK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 2008 Year End Report DIVERSITY COMMITTEE Chairperson: Carl E. Anderson Committee Members: Alex Chiaruttini, Barbara Sardella, Bill Gierasch, Bob Chuk, Chuck Patterson, Cindy Van Laeys, Clarence Allen, Craig Sharnetzka, Deborah Hargett-Robinson, Angie Eveler, Jeff Lobach, The Honorable John Kennedy, Lawrence Young, Sandra Thompson, Sara Austin, Shaleeta Washington, Suzanne Griest and Thomas Shorb. I. 2008 Committee Goals: Expand participation of York law firms and legal departments in the CAMP 1L Program. Continue to support and encourage greater participation by members of the York County Bar Association in membership and the activities of the Diversity Committee. Expand participation in the Street Law, Junior Achievement and Y Achievers programs. Continue to support fundraising efforts and the establishment of an endowment for the Diversity Pipeline Scholarship. Enhance the utility of the Diversity Committee web page as a source of information concerning employment opportunities for minority lawyers, CLE and highlighting the significant activities and achievements of the minority bar members in the York community. Actively participate in the Association/Foundation special project underway by the Grants Task Force of the Bar Foundation and its consultant, Lisa Levine, relating to the themes of “Respect for the Law” and “Diversity”. Build alliances with other community organizations involved in diversity initiatives. II. Project Status Report: One York based law firm (Barley Snyder LLC) participated in the CAMP 1L program. The Street Law Program at York High, which involves bar association members as mentors for kids interested in the legal profession and as coaches for the York High mock trial program, currently is in need of a teacher/coordinator. Committee members participated as volunteer instructors in the Junior Achievement Program. Committee members volunteered to serve as presenters/facilitators during a multiple week “Y Achievers” program at York College. The Committee was the recipient of funding from the Association/Foundation Grants Task Force to fund a networking event targeting minority professionals in the York area on a date yet to be determined before year end and, funding to support other diversity initiatives including support for the Diversity Pipeline Scholarship. Members of the Committee volunteered to provide assistance to the York County Community Against Racism. Met with a local law firm to discuss possible summer internship for recipient of the Diversity Pipeline Scholarship. III. Recommendations for 2009: Continue existing initiatives and, most importantly, work to expand the participation of members of the Bar Association on the Diversity Committee. Encourage development of future committee leadership. Develop a coordinated plan for activities to promote diversity within the Bar Association and in support of other diversity oriented community organizations. Continue to work to establish a “Diversity Pipeline Internship” within the York legal community. Work to expand law firm participation in the York College Community Opportunity Scholarship Program. This program identifies minority students in the York area while they are in high school, provides them with opportunities to take college classes, offers special training on organizational skills, pays the cost of tuition and other college expenses, and operates an internship program for summer work. A summer intern was placed with Barley Snyder through this program in 2008. |
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