IU School of Law - Indianapolis Presents Diversity Week, Oct. 5-8

Inlow Hall

The Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis is hosting a variety of events for students, as well as the public, as part of the school’s first-ever “Diversity Week,” Oct. 5-8, 2009.

“Diversity Week will be useful to open the eyes of students, faculty and staff at the law school about the many faces that comprise the legal profession,” said Professor María Pabón López, a co-chair of the law school’s Diversity Committee.

“The (Diversity) Committee had this idea to have a week during the fall semester when the law school community could share information and exchange ideas about the differences and similarities that we have all around us,” López said.

The four days of events will kick off today (Monday, Oct. 5, 2009) with a Cultural Celebration Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Conour Atrium at the law school, 530 W. New York St. The event, which is open to the public, will feature information on many countries and cultures as well as food, music and more from around the world. The International Law Society and the Master of Laws Association are teaming up to present this entertaining event.

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, Professor López has organized a panel discussion on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court. López will be joined by law school alumna Ruth Rivera, an attorney with Plews Shadley Racher and Braun, and law Professor Gerard Magliocca, who served as an intern in Justice Sotomayor’s office when she was a Federal District Court judge in New York. This event is co-sponsored by the IUPUI Latino Faculty Staff Council and will take place at 1 p.m. in Room 375 of the law school.

Tuesday evening, students, faculty and the public are invited to a Poetry Slam, entitled “The Beauty of Struggle,” where members of the law school community will present their original poetic compositions. A local coffee house, Mo’Joe’s, will provide free coffee for this social event. The Black Law Student Association (BLSA) is organizing this event.

BLSA will also be collecting school supply donations for Indy School on Wheels, an organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities to homeless school-aged children. If you wish to present a poem or make donations ,please contact BLSA at blsaiuls@iupui.edu .

Professionals from the Human Resources office on the IUPUI campus will present a training workshop on “Diversity and Entering the Profession” on Wednesday, Oct. 7. There will be two sessions open to law students, each limited to 50 participants per session. To sign up for either the noon or 5 p.m. session, law students should contact Dean Banker’s office at mbanker@iupui.edu .

Diversity Week culminates with a keynote lecture by former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby, currently a partner at Ice Miller, LLP. Selby, who was the first African American woman to serve on the Indiana Supreme Court, will speak on “Diversity in the Legal Profession” at 4:30 p.m. in the law school’s Wynne Courtroom. This lecture is open to the public and one hour of CLE credit is offered

For additional information, contact Tamara McMillian at tmcmilli@iupui.edu ; or visit the law school’s Upcoming Events at http://indylaw.indiana.edu/news/events.cfm.