The All Rise Utah Program held an opening banquet on Tuesday, February 15, 2024 at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. The event was well attended by almost 30 Utah judges from all levels of judiciary, including all five of the justices from the Utah Supreme Court, as well as dozens of law students from both Utah law schools. They were joined by practicing attorneys from supporting firms and organizations.
The event was a chance for students to hear from Chief Justice Durrant of the Utah Supreme Court, and then to network with judges and attorneys. Chief Justice Durrant reiterated the Utah State Courts’ commitment to rooting out bias among judges, and the great need to attract well qualified judges who reflect the increasingly diverse demographics of the State of Utah.
The All Rise Utah program is an ongoing collaborative effort directed by the Utah State Courts, to build a pipeline of students and attorneys who will one day seek judicial appointments in Utah. The program helps law students and attorneys begin to see themselves as future judges. It will also provide mentorship opportunities at both the law school and attorney level to help individuals prepare for and apply for judicial openings. All Rise Utah is led by Judge Diana Gibson of the Utah Third District Court, and Jon Puente, Director of the Utah State Court’s Office of Fairness and Accountability. Supporting organizations include: the Utah State Bar, Utah Minority Bar Association (UMBA), LGBT and Allied Lawyers of Utah (LALU), Women Lawyers of Utah (WLU), The Young Lawyers Division of the Utah State Bar (YLD), The Disability Law Center (DLC), and the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI).
We look forward to continuing to help plan and support events for both law students and attorneys for All Rise Utah. If you have questions or would like to be involved in the program please contact Jonathan Puente, the Director of the Utah State Court’s Office of Fairness and Accountability, .
A group of law students pose with Judge Sanchez of the Utah Third District Court.
