Institutional Resources
Student Organizations
There are a variety of diversity-related student organization at Gonzaga Law that many students are involved with, including the Multicultural Law Caucus, the Women’s Law Caucus, the Gonzaga Hispanic Law Caucus, the Outlaws GSA, the Asian Pacific Islander Law Caucus, the Native American Law Students Association, and many others.
These organization educate others within the community about different cultures, address legal issues that affect minority groups, and communicate with prospective applicants about Gonzaga and our mission.
Mentoring
The Gonzaga Law School Alumni Mentor Program pairs 1L students with a local alumnus, offering the opportunity for students to gain insight about the legal profession, the realities of practicing law, and the difficulties and satisfaction of a legal career. The mentor will also serve as a source of guidance and support regarding the Gonzaga Law School experience.
Many of the Washington State Minority Bar Associations partner with the states three law schools to provide mentoring opportunities for law students. A list of program can be found at WSBA.org
Campus Community
As a part of a larger University Community the law school partners with the Gonzaga Office for Intercultural Relations (OIR) to assist in sustaining a welcoming and supportive campus learning environment through a variety of collaborative activities and programs.
Local Resources
Gonzaga Law School partners with the Spokane County Bar Association Diversity Section to promote diversity in the local legal community, provide opportunities for students to engage with the local bar association, and support the Carl Maxey Scholarship Foundation which provides annual scholarships to students committed to furthering issues of diversity within Spokane’s legal community. More information can be found on the Diversity Section’s website.
Additional Resources
American Bar Association – Diversity Initiatives
The goal of the Office of Diversity Initiatives is to increase minority participation in the legal profession.
Gonzaga University School of Law joins with the ABA to encourage members of racial/ethnic minority groups to consider law as a career and to provide increased opportunities for minorities already in the profession.
The American Bar Association Law Student Section provides information and resources including scholarship and employment opportunities:
Washington State Bar Association – Commitment to Diversity
“To promote diversity, equality and cultural understanding throughout the legal community …”
A WSBA Guiding Principle adopted by the Board of Governors on September 21, 2007.
The Washington State Bar Association continues to reaffirm its commitment to increase and institutionalize diversity in the legal profession. This commitment has been made possible through significant efforts by WSBA leadership in partnership with the various Minority Bar Associations, the WSBA Committee for Diversity and the Board of Governors Diversity Committee and other stakeholders in the legal community and community at large.
As one of three law schools in the State of Washington Gonzaga works closely with the WSBA and all of the state-wide Minority Bar Associations to fulfill the commitments articulated in this Guiding Principle.
The WSBA website contains information regarding a variety of available resources for law students including mentorship programs, professional development opportunities, and educational programs.
For more information, please visit the WSBA website
Minorities Interested in Legal Education (MILE)
The Minorities Interested in Legal Education (MILE) project is an effort to address the underrepresentation of minorities in the legal profession by providing minority students with reliable information about preparation for law school.
Primarily designed for college freshmen and sophomores, MILE offers information that can help enhance your academic preparation for law school.
Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexual, Transgendered People in Law (LGBT)
The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) is an IRS Code 501(c)(6) national professional association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) legal organizations. Established in 1988 and an affiliate of the American Bar Association since 1992, NLGLA is the national voice for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, and intersex persons in the legal profession.
Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO)
The Council on Legal Education Opportunity is committed to encouraging and preparing minority and low-income students to attend law school.
CLEO offers summer institutes for freshmen and sophomores as well as a preparatory institute for prospective law students the summer before they are scheduled to begin law school.
Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)
The Hispanic National Bar Association is an incorporated, non-profit, national association representing the interest of over 25,000 Hispanic American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The primary objectives of the HNBA are to:
- increase professional opportunities for Hispanics in the legal profession
- address issues of concern to the national Hispanic community
Legal education and civil rights have been fundamental concerns of the HNBA from the beginning.
Judicial appointments and political representation are also priorities of the HNBA.
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students, providing a national network for its members and affiliates. NAPABA advocates for the legal needs and interests of the APA community and represents over 40,000 attorneys and 47 local APA bar associations, with practice settings ranging from solo practices to large firms, corporations, legal services organizations, non-profit organizations, law schools, and governmental agencies.
National Association of Women Lawyers
Founded in 1899, long before most local and national bar associations admitted women, the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) serves as an educational forum and an active voice for the concerns of women in the legal profession. NAWL is about solutions, both for workplace issues facing women lawyers and for societal problems confronting women in our nation and worldwide. NAWL, through its members and committees, functions as the voice of women in the law, providing a collective voice in the bar, courts, Congress, and workplaces to make women’s concerns heard.
National Bar Association
The National Bar Association (NBA) is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of predominately African-American lawyers and judges. It has 84 affiliate chapters throughout the United States and affiliations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Africa, and the Caribbean. It represents a professional network of over 20,000 lawyers, judges, educators and law students.
National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA)
The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), founded in 1968, is a national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of black law students and effectuate change in the legal community.
National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations
The National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations(NCWBA) is an organization of women’s bar associations, for women’s bar associations, representing approximately 35,000 women lawyers. It provides a national forum for exchanging ideas and information vital to organizational growth and success in today’s profession.
National Native American Bar Association
The National Native American Bar Association (NNABA) serves as the national association for Native American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. Founded in 1973 as the American Indian Lawyers Association, NNABA works to promote issues important to the Native American community and works to improve professional opportunities for Native American lawyers. NNABA strives to be a leader on social, cultural, political and legal issues affecting American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. NNABA encourages all attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students who share an interest in our mission to join NNABA as a regular, associate, or special member.
North American South Asian Law Student Association
Established in 1997, the North American South Asian Law Student Association (NASALSA) has been promoting education, leadership, and community service amongst South Asian law students, as well as expanding the general legal community’s understanding and appreciation of South Asian political, legal, and social issues. As an umbrella organization, NASALSA supports groups aimed at South Asian law students across the United States and Canada in hopes of providing those interested in South Asia and the South Asian experience a space to gather together, create support networks, and form communities that will last a lifetime.
North American South Asian Bar Association
The North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA) provides a vital link between South Asian lawyers and the South Asian community across North America. As a bar association, NASABA affords North American South Asian lawyers a recognized forum for professional growth and advancement. By promoting the South Asian bar and focusing on the legal needs of the South Asian community, NASABA is the fastest growing organization of South Asian lawyers in the world. We are convinced that a strong South Asian bar in North America is essential to protecting the rights and liberties of South Asians across this continent. As the South Asian business community in North America continues to prosper, NASABA provides them with a directory of qualified legal professionals that not only have the sophistication to provide creative business solutions, but also understand their motivations and goals.