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Ohio

Diversity Portal

Women In The Profession Section

Welcome to the Member Community for the Women in the Profession Section.  We are delighted to offer this interactive forum for legal professionals interested in furthering the professional and personal lives of women lawyers. Our goal for this Community is to provide a resource to help members communicate with each other and share resources.

Advisory Council on Diversity Initiatives

At the Ohio State Bar Association, we see diversity and inclusion as central to not only our organization but to the legal profession. We believe in the power of diverse and inclusive perspectives, and we are focused on creating an environment where everyone is treated equally, with dignity and respect. Our commitment is to support the legal community in its aspirational goal of bringing together people of diverse backgrounds, traditions and personal experiences. 

At the OSBA, we have taken the initiative to address diversity within our organization—and within the legal profession.  Our employees come from different backgrounds, countries, genders and sexual orientation.  We encourage others in the profession to follow suit.  By fostering an inclusive culture, we attract and retain people who will grow our own organization, while strengthening the legal profession overall. Led by our standing Advisory Council on Diversity Initiatives (ACDI), the OSBA also serves as a convener and educator, hosting implicit bias and other training, and offering resources to legal professionals who want to lead and make a difference. Our focus on diversity and inclusion continues to drive our commitment of fairness, equality and putting people first.  

Local Bar Associations

Arab American Bar Association of Ohio

We know that our strength lies not only in the words we stand by, but most importantly through the actions of our initiatives. Since 2010 Arab American attorneys have met regularly to network and socialize on an informal basis.  The experience proved that by working together we could overcome our challenges much more efficiently. We thus decided to launch The Arab American Bar Association of Ohio (AABAR-OHIO).

Asian American Bar Association of Ohio

AABA Ohio is a local affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. NAPABA represents over 40,000 Asian Pacific American attorneys nationwide through its local affiliates. Learn more about NAPABA here.

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Central Ohio

Formed in 2006, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Central Ohio (APABA-CO) is the sole Asian Bar association in Central Ohio, with more members joining every year. Through professional networking, social and family events, we keep our legal community connected to one another, as well as to the Central Ohio legal community at large. We strive to support the professional growth and advancement of our members; to promote the leadership, advocacy, and community involvement by and among our members; and give a voice and a presence to Asian Pacific American (APA) communities in Ohio.

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Southwest Ohio

The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Southwest Ohio seeks to:

  • Promote the advancement and professional development of Asian Pacific American (“APA”) attorneys in the Southwest Ohio region.
  • Support the diversity and inclusion of APA attorneys in the Southwest Ohio region.
  • Advance and support the APA community in the Southwest Ohio region.

Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati

BLAC is a bar association.  We work to ensure all lawyers and law students are given the opportunity to share equally in the benefits of the legal profession. The Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati (BLAC) is a nonprofit bar association. The BLAC is open to legal professionals and law students who want to build relationships, develop their careers and work towards the objectives of the organization.

Franklin County Women Lawyers

Women Lawyers of Franklin County is a bar association for women attorneys in Central Ohio. Established in 1942, WLFC has grown from a few members to over 250 today. Throughout this time, WLFC has continued to strive to address the professional needs and concerns of women lawyers in the Greater Columbus area. We advocate for the inclusion, equality and respect of all women in our profession and our community. Our culture is rooted in the honest exchange of ideas and dedicated to the professional advancement of women through leadership, educational programming, networking and community outreach. In alignment with our core values of inclusion, equality, and respect, we are committed to increasing the representation and promotion of racially diverse, LGBTQ+, disabled, and veteran women in our profession. Individually and collectively, we are our own best resource.

Greater Dayton Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Legal Roundtable

The Greater Dayton Area Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Legal Roundtable strives to strengthen Dayton's legal community by promoting efforts to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion. Meetings of the Legal Roundtable are open to all legal professionals and law students. The Legal Roundtable's initiatives include a mentoring program for diverse students, a summer diversity clerkship program and mock interview sessions for students. Meetings of the Greater Dayton Area Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Legal Roundtable are open to all legal professionals and law students. For more information or to be added to the Roundtable mailing list, please contact: [email protected].

John Mercer Langston Bar Association

Roughly 100 years after Mr. Langston’s death, in May 1998, an inspired coterie of ten African-American lawyers assembled to share the issues and problems affecting them, and to discuss how they could better serve each other and their community. With the National Council for Black Lawyers and the Robert B. Elliott Law Club then defunct, this collection of lawyers, inspired by Langston, formed the John Mercer Langston Bar Association, electing Patsy Thomas’ as its first president. The mission statement pleaded to “promote professional development, networking, mentoring, and community activism. Today, JMLBA membership has grown to 200 members and there are over 600 Black attorneys in Franklin and the surrounding counties.

Norman S. Minor Bar Association

Welcome to the home of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, the premier organization for Black attorneys and legal professionals in Northeast Ohio. For over 40 years, the NSMBA has been dedicated to the administration of justice, increasing diversity in the legal profession, and protecting our community. We invite you to join us as we continue our trailblazing legacy.

Ohio Women's Bar Association

The Ohio Women's Bar Association and Ohio Women's Bar Foundation's purpose is to promote the leadership, advancement and interests of women attorneys through professional education, networking and the exchange of ideas between our members, local bar associations, business and the community.

South Asian Bar Association of Ohio

SABA Ohio was founded to: Promote alliances between South Asian legal professionals in Ohio and throughout the nation; Advocate for the South Asian community; Support those who value diversity in the legal profession; Assist law students, and those assisted in the law, with developing contacts with practitioners; Provide information to members on careers and the legal market in Ohio; and Provide an avenue for professional and other community leaders to take an interest in matters of concern to South Asian attorneys.