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On Saturday, March 8, 2025, UCLI hosted its first seminar for the 2025 Pre-Law Fellowship at the S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City. The UCLI Pre-Law Fellowship program was created to expand Utah’s legal field and help develop pathways for pre-law students in their pursuit of legal education. Fellows participate in engaging monthly seminars focused on providing law school information and advancing their legal careers. This year, we were pleased to host our first seminar in March, welcoming 14 amazing Fellows and introducing them to the program. In addition, Saturday’s seminar offered a valuable educational opportunity for pre-law students to learn more about law school admissions, LSAT preparation tips, and the resources available at the S.J. Quinney College of Law.

The seminar began with program coordinators Kaitlyn Pieper and Sabrina Ruiz offering an introduction to the program, highlighting significant responsibilities and program objectives. This was followed by an engaging get-to-know-you activity, where Fellows had the opportunity to connect, network, and get to know their cohort for the duration of the year. We enjoyed lunch together, generously sponsored by the law firm Ray Quinney & Nebeker. The seminar then featured an informative session from Brent Dunn, the founder and expert LSAT instructor at ACE Test Preparation. Brent provided the Fellows with an initial overview of the LSAT, sharing strategies for tackling reading comprehension questions, maximizing study time, and interpreting questions effectively. He also offered important insights on approaching the exam. 

After the Fellows received a tour of the S.J. Quinney College of Law, they participated in a S. J. Quiney law school preview panel with Jason Owen, Assistant Dean of Admission for S. J. Quinney, and Alannah Trombetta, a current law student at the school. Dean Owen and Alannah shared valuable insights on navigating the law school application process, what admissions representatives seek in applicants, and key information about the opportunities and resources available at S. J. Quinney. Dean Owen also reminded students of the importance of maintaining strong academic performance, emphasizing its consideration in the admissions process. 

This first seminar established a firm foundation for UCLI’s 2025 Pre-Law Fellowship by creating an enriching program that promoted educational growth and highlighted resources. We would like to thank the S. J. Quinney College of Law for generously providing the beautiful venue, as well as for their time and participation. We express gratitude to Ray Quinney & Nebeker for supporting the Fellows through their lunch sponsorship. A special thank you to Brent Dunn for his valuable presentation and LSAT mentoring, and to Dean Jason Owen and Allanah Trombetta for sharing their knowledge about law school. Finally, we are grateful for the program sponsors who made all of this possible: the Ligitation Section of the Utah State Bar, the Bastian Foundation, and the Utah Bar Foundation. This seminar was the beginning, and we look forward to seeing the 2025 Fellows grow further in the program!

Pre-Law Fellows at the First Fellowship Workshop for 2025

Sabrina Ruiz-Monroy, Associate Director, Welcomes the 2025 Pre-Law Fellows

Brent Dunn, Founder of Ace Test Prep, Reviews LSAT Materials with the Fellows

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion partnered with All Rise Utah to host a Spring Social for law students at the Salt Mine in Sandy. The event was also open to judicial officers participating in the 2025 Judicial Mentorship Program, as well as attorneys participating in the 2024-2025 Utah Law Student Mentoring (ULSM) program. We were pleased to see attendees from both of Utah’s law schools, as well as judges and attorneys from various practice areas. 

The Spring Social featured two incredible speakers, Jontrell Roquemore, MBA and Simón Cantarero, JD, as well as great networking opportunities for students. Jontrell has developed his own company teaching others how to sharpen thinking, enhance performance with confidence and clarity, and foster self awareness. In his presentation, he discussed the importance of mindfulness and how being in tune with mind and body can improve your profession and life. This discussion was very interactive and allowed for each attendee to identify their unique challenges and learn better mechanisms in addressing them. These are just a few of the topics Jontrell shared with attendees; ultimately he left us with the empowering message that self awareness and intentional practices can enhance change and personal and professional growth, and that all factors are within our control. Simón Cantarero, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Priority Dispatch Corp., shared with attendees his powerful story of navigating imposter syndrome and how to continue moving forward despite harboring feelings of inadequacy. Simón also fielded questions from law students about how to overcome the idea of not performing as well as you expected in law school, comparing yourself to others, and feeling incapable in your career after law school. It was incredible to hear from someone who has been through the challenges of law school and a legal career, and has found success personally and professionally.  

The goal of the Utah Law Student Mentoring (ULSM) program is to facilitate mentoring opportunities for law students in the state of Utah. Similarly, the All Rise Utah program is an ongoing collaborative effort directed by the Utah State Courts, to build a pathway 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 Jonathan 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 extend our special thanks to UMBA for the generous donation they provided for this networking event.

We look forward to continuing to help plan and support events for both law students and attorneys through ULSM and All Rise Utah. If you have questions or would like to be involved in either program please contact .

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) likes to dream big for Utah’s legal community and students, but would not be able to actually implement programming without the vision and time of amazing attorney volunteers and leaders, or without the generous donations of foundations. 

UCLI is grateful to receive – for the seventh consecutive year – a significant grant award from the Florence J. Gillmor Foundation. The Gillmor Foundation aims to support many worthy initiatives within Utah, including the promotion of education and the pursuit of justice. UCLI and the Gillmor Foundation share a common vision for a state where students are supported in their educational pursuits and able to follow their vocations of choice, and UCLI is honored to be one of the recipients of their grant awards in 2025. We are also delighted to announce that the funds received from the Gillmor Foundation included a 1:1 matching grant for both the Michael Foundation grant award and for the individual donations and silent auction contributions at the UCLI Fundraiser Luncheon: A Seat at the Table on March 27, 2025. 

 Like the Gillmor Foundation, UCLI is dedicated to improving educational outcomes for Utahns of all backgrounds. Thanks to this generous grant, UCLI will be able to continue its PLEDGE Program (Promoting Legal Education to Diverse Groups Everywhere). In 2025, these funds will allow us to work with students aspiring to be attorneys at every level – K-12, undergraduate, and those within law school – to provide crucial resources that will allow them to meet their goals. We are grateful to continue these vital efforts and are indebted to the donors who allow UCLI’s work to continue. Thank you, Gillmor Foundation, for the many ways you make Utah a more vibrant and inclusive community, and for your kind support of the UCLI mission.

We are excited to introduce Lindsay DeGraw as the 2025 Utah Legal Inclusion Fellow! Lindsay is a first-year law student at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Now in its fourth year, this incredible partnership between Intermountain Health, Kirton McConkie, and the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) continues to create opportunities for aspiring legal professionals.

The Fellowship this year offers one law student a coveted position in Kirton McConkie’s summer associate program. Fellows also gain invaluable exposure by working closely with Intermountain’s in-house legal team, providing a firsthand look at how law and healthcare overlap. This program is a vital part of UCLI’s mission to empower law students in Utah by creating meaningful professional connections and fostering a more inclusive legal community.

We were thrilled by the caliber of applicants this year and are honored to select Lindsay as the 2025 Inclusion Fellow. Her impressive achievements and dedication stood out among a competitive pool of candidates.

Learn more about Lindsay and her journey below:

Lindsay, a Kansas native, has loved living in Utah since moving here in 2019 to attend Brigham Young University. She earned her degree in English from BYU, where she developed a deep love for people’s stories and the power they have to create change. She fosters a passion for disability inclusion, which stems from personal experiences and has been further shaped by her recent involvement with the disability community. As an undergraduate, Lindsay wrote a social impact research brief about family caregivers in one class and completed a project on disability representation in literature in another. Outside of class, she volunteered with BYU’s Adaptive Show Choir, an activity she enjoys to this day. Now a 1L at BYU Law, Lindsay is committed to advocating for people with disabilities and using her legal education to make a meaningful impact. No matter where her legal career takes her, Lindsay hopes to use her skills to serve others and promote inclusion.

Lindsay DeGraw, 2025 Legal Inclusion Fellow

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion is proud to announce the legal employers that participated in and completed all requirements for the 2024 Certification Program. Through the Certification Program, legal employers statewide participate in a program that gives them resources to create their office culture effectively and deliberately. The program provides a four-requirement certification process for legal employers that allows them to set goals regarding their workplace strategies and practices, support causes in the broader community that help improve the legal recruitment pool, and evaluate their current performance through an annual survey. Additionally, the program provides training on relevant topics for legal employers for CLE credit. In all, we offer this program in order to commit to the mission of greater access and opportunity in the Utah legal field. 

Last year, 66 legal employers participated in the program, including four new employers who joined: Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Armstrong Teasdale, Nelson Jones, and Stowell Crayk (Ogden). Out of the 66 participating legal employers, 22 completed the four requirements for certification. Many other employers completed some but not all of the goals. As an organization, we are grateful for the dedication and commitment expressed by all the legal employers who participate in the program.

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion would like to congratulate the following firms for completing the 2024 UCLI Certification Program:

2024 UCLI Certified Organizations: 

Ballard Spahr

Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar

Greenberg Traurig

Holland & Hart

Intermountain Health

Keller Preece

Kirton McConkie

Kunzler Bean & Adamson

Lowenstein Sandler

Maschoff Brennan

Michael Best & Friedrich

Parr Brown Gee & Loveless

Parsons Behle & Latimer

Ray Quinney & Nebeker

SF Firm

Snell & Wilmer

Stowell Crayk (Ogden)

Strong & Hanni

TraskBritt

University of Utah Office of General Counsel

Utah Association for Justice

Workman Nydegger

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) has a lot of dreams and is committed to making them a reality, but would simply be unable to do it without the support of amazing volunteers, gifted professionals, and generous donors and foundations. 

UCLI is grateful to receive – for the fourth consecutive year – a grant award from the Herbert I. and Elsa B. Michael Foundation. The Michael Foundation aims to support the promotion of education, the advancement of health and scientific achievements, and the prevention of cruelty to children. They are especially interested in giving to programs that encourage secondary and higher education. UCLI and the Michael Foundation share a common vision for a state where students are supported in their educational pursuits and able to follow their vocations of choice, and UCLI was honored to be one of the recipients of their grant awards in the 2024 cycle. 

 Like the Michael Foundation, UCLI is dedicated to facilitating educational advancement for Utahns of all backgrounds. Thanks to this grant, UCLI will be able to continue its PLEDGE Program (Promoting Legal Education to Diverse Groups Everywhere). In 2025, these funds will allow us to work with K-12, undergraduate, and law students – providing mentoring opportunities and financial aid in the form of fellowships and scholarships to students at various stages of their journey to and through law school. We are happy to continue these important efforts and indebted to the donors who make it all possible. Thank you, Michael Foundation, for the contributions you make to Utah’s educational landscape and for your generous support of the UCLI mission.

On Saturday, December 7th, UCLI hosted the final Pre-Law Fellowship Workshop of the year at the Kirton McConkie offices in Salt Lake City. It was a bittersweet occasion as we bid farewell to the incredible Pre-Law Fellows who have enriched the program over the past year. This special day provided an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of this bright and promising cohort.

The workshop began with a recap of the past year, including a lighthearted survey where fellows voted on “most likely” titles (such as “Most Likely to Become a Supreme Court Justice”) for their peers. A slideshow of photos and videos from the year highlighted the lessons learned and milestones achieved. We were honored to have Professor Lucy Williams, an Associate Professor of Law at BYU, lead the fellows in a mock law class. Professor Williams, whose research focuses on the intersection of constitutional law and American political thought, guided an engaging discussion on the Fourth Amendment and the definition of a search. This immersive experience offered the fellows a glimpse into the rigors and rewards of law school. The day’s events continued with an inspiring keynote address by Abby Dizon-Maughan, a member of the UCLI Fiduciary Board and shareholder and member of the Litigation Practice Team at Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Salt Lake City office. Abby spoke about overcoming imposter syndrome and the importance of believing in oneself. Her insights, combined with her personal and family stories, left the fellows inspired and confident in their ability to make a meaningful impact on the legal profession. The workshop concluded with a graduation ceremony, during which each fellow was recognized for their dedication to the program and presented with a certificate of achievement.

Reflecting on her experience, fellow Iradukunda Esperance shared: “I’m extremely grateful to have been selected for such a phenomenal fellowship. Words cannot express my gratitude. I have learned so much, not only about law school but also about the unique perspective I can bring to the legal field. This fellowship has solidified that I do belong in law!” Fellow Victoria Roberts remarked: “I have absolutely loved my time in the UCLI Fellowship, and I think it has prepared me for law school better than I could have ever managed on my own. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I’m confident that future participants will feel the same.”

UCLI is privileged to have piloted this program and to have worked alongside such exceptional fellows. We wish each of them the best as they continue their legal journeys. We also express gratitude to the partners and sponsors who made this program possible:

Thank you to our incredible sponsors who are making this program possible:

Kirton McConkie, Champion Sponsor

LSAC DEI Pipeline*

Utah Bar Foundation

University of Utah Office of General Counsel, Supporting Sponsor

Family Law Executive Committee Bar Section of the Utah State Bar

Applications for the 2025 UCLI Pre-Law Fellowship cohort are now open and will remain available until December 31, 2024. This transformative program provides participants with LSAT prep materials, one-on-one attorney mentorship, personalized law school application assistance, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity—apply today! 

*This project received funding from the Law School Admission Council, Inc. (LSAC).  The opinions and conclusions contained in this document are the opinions and conclusions of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of LSAC.

Attorney Abby Dizon-Maughan speaks to the UCLI Pre-Law Fellows

The Pre-Law Fellows listen attentively to a mock class presented by Professor Lucy Williams

Pre-Law fellow Noa Leituala

Pre-Law Fellow Victoria Roberts

Pre-Law Fellow Audrey Pozernick

UCLI attorney volunteers, staff, interns and fellows pose for a graduation photo

For the past few months, I had the incredible opportunity to live in Washington, D.C.—the buzzing epicenter of policy, politics, and, let’s face it, many acronyms. My time in D.C. was nothing short of extraordinary, offering me a front-row seat to the ways of the legislative process and how it impacts people like you and me. From deciphering dense political jargon to understanding how lobbyists champion their causes, every day was a masterclass in communication, policymaking, and the occasional art of patience. One highlight? I have been learning to navigate policies on education and foreign aid while distilling complex information into clear, accessible insights for a wide range of audiences.

My time in D.C. provided for a seamless transition into my new role as Associate Director of the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI). Being in the nation’s capital, I was fortunate to encounter a diverse range of individuals and perspectives—whether it was crossing paths with Senator-elect John Curtis, passing Senators Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders, and Joni Ernst in the halls, or even spotting Elon Musk. A particularly memorable moment was speaking with a U.S. Circuit Judge for the D.C. Court of Appeals. Throughout this time, I made it a priority to share UCLI’s mission with the leaders of our nation, helping to put our impactful Utah nonprofit on the map. This opportunity has been the perfect bridge between my academic journey and the exciting work I’m now leading at UCLI, where I’m eager to apply the insights gained in D.C. to our ongoing initiatives in Utah.

A particularly inspiring aspect of my time in D.C. was witnessing the shared commitment among the people I encountered. Many began their journeys as lawyers, driven by a desire to serve their communities, and later transitioned into impactful roles in business, public service, or government. That kind of passion and determination is truly energizing. The ideas and insights I’ve gathered during this experience have sparked new ways to enhance UCLI’s initiatives, from fellowships and scholarships to law student programming and K-12 outreach. My goal is to channel this knowledge into meaningful progress for our efforts here in Utah.

This adventure has reaffirmed how much UCLI is already accomplishing and how much more we can do. I see our participants—whether fellows, students, or scholars—taking what they’ve learned and spreading UCLI’s mission far and wide. I hope they continue to dream big and make waves, just as this experience inspired me. And who knows? Maybe one day, someone will be walking the halls of Congress, passing them by, saying, “Hey, I know that person—they’re changing the world!

UCLI Associate Director Sabrina Ruiz-Monroy and Senator Mitt Romney

UCLI Associate Director Sabrina Ruiz-Monroy with Senator-elect John Curtis

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) is unable to accomplish its aims without the community volunteering their time and expertise and without incredible donors and foundations who support our work financially.

For the third year running, UCLI is privileged to receive a grant award from the B.W. Bastian Foundation. The B.W. Bastian Foundation strives to build community and understanding by supporting local and national institutions, specifically supporting the arts and educational outreach. They place a strong commitment on programs and organizations that benefit, encourage, and preserve the rights of individuals and promote equality for the LGBTQ+ community. The B.W. Bastian Foundation supports organizations who wholeheartedly embrace the principle of equality. UCLI and the B.W. Bastian Foundation share a common vision for a legal profession that is more inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals, and UCLI is honored to be one of the recipients of their grant awards in 2024.

Like the B. W. Bastian Foundation, UCLI is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the rights, equality, and fair treatment of the members of the LGBTQ+ community. Thanks to this grant, UCLI will be able to continue its LGBTQ+ outreach initiative with the PLEDGE Program (Promoting Legal Education to Diverse Groups Everywhere). In 2023, these funds allowed us to continue to support networking events for LGBTQ+ students at Utah’s law schools, provide CLE offerings to attorneys on the topics of LGBTQ+ inclusion, and create a handbook that allows for better community engagement. In 2024, this grant award will facilitate the continuation of networking events for LGBTQ+ law students, allow us to provide additional CLE offerings to attorneys on relevant topics, as well as offer direct student support for an LGBTQ+ student in the 2025 Pre-Law Fellowship program. 

We are excited to continue this important work and are grateful for the donors who make it possible. Thank you, B.W. Bastian Foundation, for the meaningful contributions you make in the community and for your generous support of UCLI’s mission.