CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2021 — The American Bar Association Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline will present its 2021 Alexander Award for excellence in pipeline diversity to the Columbus, Ohio-based Law and Leadership Institute, Inc. The award will be presented during the Diversity Center Awards Presentation on Friday, Feb. 19 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. during the ABA Virtual Midyear Meeting.
The award recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated exemplary leadership and success in educational pipeline work. It is named after the life and legacy of two legal trailblazers — Raymond Pace Alexander and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander. Raymond was the first Black graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and first Black judge on the Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia. His wife, Sadie, was the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in the United States and the first woman to receive a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
“The Law and Leadership Institute (LLI) was selected because of the scope of its work at multiple education levels, the fact that the institute has the support of every Ohio law school, and that it is a statewide program that spans each of Ohio’s six most underserved communities,” said Selina Thomas, director of the Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline.
The Law and Leadership Institute was established in 2008 as a statewide initiative in collaboration with the legal community to inspire and prepare students from underserved communities for post-secondary and professional success through a comprehensive four-year academic program in law, leadership, analytical thinking, problem solving, writing skills and professionalism. LLI not only works to diversify the pipeline into the legal profession, it equips talented high school students in underserved areas to achieve academic and professional success often not experienced by their peers who were not afforded the same academic opportunities. Through the inspiration of attorneys and judges, the support of law student instructors, and learning about the American legal system, students are prepared to be leaders in their communities, regardless of the profession they ultimately choose.
The mission of the ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline (Pipeline Council) is to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the educational pipeline to the legal profession.
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