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The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion in partnership with the Young Lawyer’s Division of the Utah State Bar is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the UCLI Bar Review Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to law students who are registered to take the July 2024 Utah State Bar Examination who have an exceptional record of service during their law school careers. Scholarship funds help students cover expenses of registering and studying for the bar exam. 

Congratulations to the nine recipients of the 2024 UCLI Bar Review Scholarship: Jordin Annett, Lauren Cormany, Kekai Gonsalves Cram, McKaela Dangerfield, Harriet Norcross Eppel, Jasmine Harouny, Breeze Parker, Anthony Tenney, and Jehicob Torres. Find out more below about these amazing scholarship winners.

 

Jordin Annett (pronouns she/her)

As an 8-year-old Jordin Annett was pulled out of the school system to be homeschooled but, due to the severe mental issues and illnesses of her parents, never really received an education. At the age of 18 Jordin googled, “how to apply to college” and applied to BYU as a last-ditch attempt to escape her abusive family situation. Miraculously she was accepted without a verified high-school diploma and later graduated from BYU via zoom during Covid-19 with a Bachelor of Science. In April 2024, at age 28, Jordin walked in a graduation ceremony for the first time in her life when she received her J.D. from J. Reuben Clark Law School. Jordin has spent much of her time at BYU working to make campus more welcoming. As an undergraduate she helped established BYUSA’s annual Mental Health Matters Program, as a law student has served as the student lead for Community Space (a working group that focuses on LGBTQI+ issues at the school), and as a founding board member for BYU’s NAACP chapter. Jordin is also one of the inaugural BYU Law Achievement Fellows Scholarship recipients and a Utah Minority Bar Association 2022 Pipeline Scholarship recipient. Personally, her hobbies include traveling to places she’s technically not supposed to be at, eating excessive amounts of cannoli, and participating in extreme sports. Jordin is extremely grateful to the Utah Center for Inclusion and the Young Lawyer’s Division of the Utah State Bar for their generosity in awarding her a 2024 UCLI Bar Review Scholarship.

 

Lauren Cormany

Lauren will graduate with a J.D. and a Certificate in Natural Resources & Environmental Law from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. She grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and received a B.A. in History & Political Science with a minor in International Agriculture from the University of Tennessee. Lauren is passionate about access to justice, especially for communities experiencing environmental and housing issues. During law school, she served as the Environmental Editor of the Utah Law Review, helped her team win Best Brief for Petitioner at Pace University’s National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, and completed several internships in government agencies and non-profit organizations. After graduation, she hopes to pay forward all the incredible mentorship she received during law school and continue her volunteer work with the U’s Pro Bono Initiative. 

 

Kekai Gonsalves Cram

Kekai (Kiki) Gonsalves Cram is a recent graduate of the J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University. She also received a B.A. in English Teaching with a minor in Spanish from BYU. At BYU Law, Kiki was involved with the Pacific Islander Law Student Association and BYU Women in Law. Her legal experiences range from working for a real estate solo practitioner in Hawai’i to working at a Salt Lake City immigration law firm. She loves writing, storytelling, and serving others.

McKaela Dangerfield

McKaela graduates from the S.J. Quinney College of Law with her Juris Doctorate and a certificate in Public Interest Law and Policy. McKaela is a native Utahn and earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Utah in Social Work and Political Science. During law school, McKaela served as the Student Director for the Pro Bono Initiative’s Family Law Site, the President of the Public Interest Law Organization, the Golden Rule Pro Bono Fellow, and was honored with the 2024 Outstanding Student Leader Award. McKaela is passionate about the welfare of children and families in her community and is determined to make legal services more accessible, functional, and empathetic to these populations.

 

Harriet Norcross Eppel

Harriet Norcross Eppel graduated from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. During her three years at BYU Law, she participated in the Women in Law, American Constitution Society, and other student groups. She served as a board member for the Environment, Energy, and Resources Society, as well as an officer for the Provo chapter of If When How. She enjoyed summer internships at Immigrant Legal Services in Salt Lake City and the Utah County Public Defender Association. She currently works in campus sexual assault investigations and conflict resolution, and looks forward to serving in her community as a licensed attorney. She is passionate about expanding legal access and assisting the underrepresented.

 

Jasmine Harouny

Jasmine is a 3L at the University of Utah and will be sitting for the bar this summer. She grew up in Utah and is a first-generation college graduate on both sides of the family.  She earned her undergraduate degrees in Broadcast Journalism and German from BYU. During law school at the U, Jasmine has loved her experiential learning opportunities within the community the most—whether that be working with the Youth VOA Resource Center, volunteering at the Pro Bono Clinic, or ​helping judge high school mock trial competitions. Jasmine was the 2023 National Moot Court Competition Regional “Best Oral Advocate” and hopes to one day focus on appellate work to participate in meaningful discussions about how the law affects the community. After graduation, Jasmine will work as an associate with Babcock, Scott & Babcock, PC. 

 

Breeze Parker

Breeze Kauakokoipohaiapunināmoku Waipā Parker was born and raised in her humble hometown of Kalihi, O’ahu. As a first-generation Native Hawaiian law student, Breeze’s experiences growing up in an underprivileged community have garnered her passion for immigration, civil rights, and Native rights law. Breeze has worked as a law clerk for Perretta Law Office, which specializes in immigration law, a CJA (Criminal Justice Act) mentee for the Utah Federal Defender’s office, and a Federal Indian law research assistant for BYU Law’s Associate Dean Michelin Steele. When she’s not working or in school, Breeze enjoys spending time with family, surfing, dancing hula, and playing volleyball. Breeze is excited as she will be working in Washington D.C. as a part of the DOJʻs Honors Program at the Board of Immigration Appeals.

 

Anthony Tenney

Anthony frequently moved as a child before attending high school in St. Marys, Ohio. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in History and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Ohio State University. In high school, Anthony began working at neighbors’ farms and the local McDonald’s. He continued working in the service industry throughout school and after graduation, when he lost his job due to the COVID lockdown. That’s when he decided to come to Utah and study law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law. Anthony knew that he wanted to become an employment and labor lawyer because of his experiences in the service industry and family history in unions. Anthony plans to help build strong communities with solid jobs through organizing and advocating for workers’ rights.

 

Jehicob Torres

Jehicob Torres is an expected graduate of the J. Reuben Clark law school. Prior to law school, Jehicob completed a bachelor’s degree in political science at Utah Valley University. During his time at law school, Jehicob was a member of the trial advocacy team and moot court team. His team won first place at a national moot court competition hosted by the Hispanic National Bar Association. He was also the president of the Latino/a Law Student Association. He externed for Justice Paige Peterson of the Utah Supreme Court. He has also volunteered at the BYU Community Legal Clinic to help families with immigration needs such as applying for  U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, and asylum. After taking the bar, he will go clerk for Judge Alberto Rivas in New Jersey. 

On Saturday April 13th, UCLI held the second Pre-Law Fellowship Workshop at the SJ Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City. This session was crafted to provide Fellows with an understanding of the components of a law school application, the admission process, and the typical daily experiences of a law student. Additionally, Fellows had the opportunity to tour the premises and engage in a panel discussion. 

At the beginning of the session, Fellows embarked on a brief tour of the premises to acquaint themselves with the school’s offerings. Following the tour, Paula Gluzman, with Spivey Consulting, took the floor to discuss the intricacies of the law school application process. Throughout her presentation, Fellows got insights into the CAS report, recommendation letters, and how to submit applications on LSAC. Following this segment, UCLI interns Urah Goh and Christina Rodriguez facilitated a panel discussion featuring Isabel Moreno, the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at SJ Quinney College of Law; Dean Reyes Aguilar, the Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid; along with law students Bree Spaulding and Nate Bramhall. Post-discussion, Fellows had the opportunity to ask questions to the panelists. 

After the panel, a brief “get-to-know-you” session was conducted for those who couldn’t attend the initial Pre-Law Fellowship workshop. Following this activity, Fellows enjoyed lunch and had the chance to network with the panel members for the remainder of the workshop. 

We would like to thank the SJ Quinney College of Law for providing the venue for the workshop and for attending. Thank you to Paula Gluzman for her presentation on the law school application and the panel members. We also extend our gratitude to our sponsors Kirton McConkie, University of Utah Office of General Counsel, LSAC DEI Pipeline, Utah Bar Foundation, and Family Law Executive Committee Bar Section for their invaluable contributions to this program.

One of UCLI’s main goals is to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Utah’s legal profession and UCLI understands the importance of networking when it comes to that goal being met. Networking not only helps build relationships, it also helps build confidence and helps an individual gain new perspectives, resources and opportunities. Unfortunately, individuals who come from underrepresented communities lack the relationships, confidence, resources and opportunities in a professional environment. That is why UCLI heavily emphasizes the importance of networking, to increase the diversity of the individuals that are networking and helping ones from underrepresented communities have the same access to opportunities, relationships, confidence and resources as everyone else.

On Friday, April 5 2024, UCLI hosted a speed networking event for the Utah Law Student Mentoring (ULSM) program, at the Edison House in Downtown Salt Lake City, where law students from the two law schools in Utah, S.J. Quinney School of Law and J. Reuben Law School, as well as attorneys from a variety of different fields, got to meet and interact with each other for an evening. Not only did law students and attorneys share similar interests, different ideas and contacts. There was also food and drinks served and gift cards earned over a game of bingo. 

The ULSM program looks forward to hosting more networking and skill building events to help expand resources, connections and opportunities within underrepresented individuals and helping everyone have the same opportunities that are beneficial to building one’s career in the legal field.

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 sixth consecutive year – a 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 2024. 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: Mentorship Matters on March 21, 2024. 

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 2024, 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.

On March  21st, 2024, the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion held its Third Annual Fundraiser Luncheon: Mentorship Matters at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek. We were grateful to be joined by nearly 250 guests, representing numerous law firms across the state, as well as Utah’s courts, and other organizations. We were also grateful to be accompanied by Ray Quinney & Nebeker and Parsons Behle & Latimer as our Impact Sponsors, as well as our incredible guest speakers. 

The event began with co-chair board member Fran Wikstrom, welcoming all attendees and introducing this year’s fundraiser theme “Mentorship Matters”, the importance of mentorship, and the work UCLI is continuing to do in supporting mentorship. Fran then segued into introducing the first Impact Sponsor, Nichole Briceno representing Ray Quinney & Nebeker as well as the second Impact Sponsor, Christina Jepson representing Parsons Behle & Latimer. After short words from the Impact Sponsors, sixth grade teacher Mr. John Arthur was introduced onto the stage. There was an epic chest bump and a standing ovation before he was even through with his speech. After Mr. Arthur’s inspiring words about mentoring the students in his classroom and UCLI’s Meadowlark Mentoring Program, attendees were then introduced to Utah State Bar President Erik Christiansen, who spoke about why one should choose to donate to support UCLI and how all donations would be met 1:1 by a matching grant from the Florence J. Gillmor Foundation. After Erik Christiansen, Noami Botchway, a current BYU Law Student and recipient of the Utah Legal Inclusion Fellowship (sponsored by UCLI, Intermountain Health and Kirton McConkie), took over the stage with her wisdom and experiences with mentorship. Following Naomi’s words, attendees were presented on a video filmed and edited by current UCLI Interns Aileen Vargas, Urah Goh, and Christina Rodriguez. This outreach video is titled “Voices of the Rising Generation”. The short video captured different individuals on their perspective on mentorship. The video can be found here. 

After the video, keynote speaker Dr. Christy Glass was introduced. Dr. Glass is a professor of sociology at Utah State University. She offered profound perspectives on mentorship and its significance, emphasizing her key message: unlocking mentorship’s transformative power benefits both others and ourselves. You may view her inspiring and practically helpful presentation here. 

The Luncheon also featured a silent auction with 25 different items. Items including Utah Jazz 360 club tickets, Snowbird lift passes, tickets to the Leonardo, and other exciting items. We are very grateful for everyone that contributed to the silent auction. 

Thank you to all who attended the 2024 UCLI Fundraiser Luncheon and for your generous donations and support. The individual donations and silent auction bids – when matched by the Florence J. Gillmor Foundation – will total $26,000. All of these funds will go towards advancing UCLI’s mission, providing mentorship and resources to students as they make it and to and through law school and beyond. We are grateful to have another successful event and to have guests be able to attend and support UCLI’s mission. Without each individual, organization, and law firm, UCLI would not be where it is today. 

 

Thank you to our Impact Sponsors

Ray Quinney & Nebeker 

Parsons Behle & Latimer

 

Thank you to our Scholarship Sponsors

Kunzler Bean & Adamson

Rocky Mountain Advisory

Keller Preece

 

Thank you to our Table Sponsors

Strong & Hanni

TraskBritt

Foley & Lardner

Kirton McConkie

Snell & Wilmer

Greenberg Traurig

And Justice For All

Holland & Hart

Workman Nydegger

Young Lawyers Division

Spencer Fane

Parr Brown

UMBA

Lowenstein Sandler

 

Thank you to our Silent Auction Donors

Brighton Ski Resort

Chef Arturo Thompson

Clark Executive Detailing

Natural History Museum of Utah

Snowbird

The Leonardo

Utah Jazz

Utah Olympic Park

Cactus and Tropical

Hale Center Theatre

Healing Mountain Massage

Kings English Bookshop

Centerpointe Legacy Theatre

Downtown Alliance

Kelly Fletcher Jewelry

Tuacahn

Utah Symphony/Utah Opera

Caffe Molise

Ballet West

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 third 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 2023 cycle. We are also delighted to announce that the funds received from the Michael Foundation are subject to a 1:1 matching grant, generously provided by the Florence J. Gillmor Foundation – so the impact of this gift will be doubled.

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 2024, 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.

The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) joins other organizations in Utah and nationally to celebrate the life and career of Judge Raymond Sonji Uno. Judge Uno passed away at the age of 93 on March 8, 2024 at the Veterans Administration hospital in Salt Lake City. Judge Uno was a celebrated attorney and judge. He was also a strong community and civil rights advocate. 

Judge Uno was born in the backseat of a taxi cab in Ogden, UT in 1930, and was named after the taxi driver. His family moved to California in 1938. They lived there until the outbreak of World War II when they were incarcerated in Japanese internment camps, first in California and then in Wyoming. His father passed away from heart problems at the age of 48 while in the Wyoming camp. This time had a profound effect on the trajectory of Judge Uno’s life. In an interview later in his life he explained, “My father was an American citizen, he was a veteran of World War I, active in the American Legion — to me, a very loyal American. That was something I really didn’t understand until I went to college and started taking classes in constitutional law. and going through law school and going through all the different kinds of cases that something like this could happen in America to Americans and that is something I have been working on so it wouldn’t happen to anybody else.” 

After World War II the Uno family chose to move back to Ogden. Judge Uno volunteered to join the Army and served in the 441 Counterintelligence Corps in Tokyo during the Korean War. After being honorably discharged he went to the University of Utah to receive his Bachelors and JD. After graduation he worked for a time in juvenile court before joining the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, where he was the first minority ever hired. He then served for a time in the Utah Attorney General’s Office before being appointed to the Salt Lake bench in 1976. In 1983 Judge Uno ran for a State judicial position, and won. This was one of the last judicial elections held in Utah before they switched to the current appointment system. Judge Uno worked his way up to the Utah 3rd District Court. He was the first minority judge in the State of Utah. He served on the bench for 25 years.

Judge Uno was instrumental in the creation and leadership of organizations in Utah and nationally. He was one of the founders of the Utah Minority Bar Association (UMBA), and served as the group’s first president. He was also active in the Asian Chamber of Commerce and the Utah Citizens Committee for Civil Rights. He also served for a time as the president of the National Japanese American Citizens League.

Judge Uno was a passionate advocate for his clients and for the people he knew he was training to carry on his legacy. When his son asked him why he still worked so hard in his retirement years, Judge Uno replied, “Because if they didn’t need my help they wouldn’t ask. If they ask, I need to help.”

UCLI is grateful for Judge Uno and his contemporaries who took the hard path to make our work possible today. Thank you Judge Uno for your life of service and dedication. Your legacy is truly one which will inspire current and future generations of Utahns to reach their full potential while striving to improve the lives of others in our homes and communities. 

The Uno family will be holding a celebration of life for Judge Uno on Saturday, April 20 starting at 9:30 am at the University of Utah Eccles Alumni House, 155 S. Central Campus Drive, Salt Lake City.

 

Sources:

Salt Lake Tribune: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/03/11/utah-judge-raymond-uno-whose-life/

The Rafu Shimpo: https://rafu.com/2024/03/raymond-s-uno-93-civil-rights-leader-utahs-first-minority-judge/

 

On Saturday March 9, 2024, UCLI held the first Pre-Law Fellowship Workshop at the Kirton McConkie offices in Salt Lake City. The 2024 UCLI & Kirton McConkie Pre-Law Fellowship is designed to diversify the field of law in Utah by providing Fellows with access to a paid LSAT course, mentorship, individual consultations with a law school application consultant, and reimbursements for expenses related to the LSAT and applying to law school. Fellows will participate in an enriching monthly workshop that focuses on law school and their future legal careers.  We were delighted to host our cohort of 10 highly accomplished Fellows at our Saturday workshop, where they were introduced to the program and able to meet some key individuals who helped make this Fellowship possible. 

After Fellowship program coordinators Kaitlyn Pieper and Jon Wayas gave an overview of the Fellowship and discussed UCLI’s mission of equity and inclusion, Kirton McConkie’s administrative coordinator Ken Olson gave a short presentation on the firm and their contributions to Utah’s legal profession. At Kirton McConkie, nearly half of all hired attorneys speak a second language and represent a wide range of clients. The Fellows’ monthly workshops are at a different venue each time, either at a Utah law firm or law school, exposing them to a variety of legal professionals and environments. If your firm would like to host these Fellows in 2024, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Following a get-to-know-you activity, we had the pleasure of hearing from leading LSAT instructor at Ace Test Preparation, Brent Dunn, who gave the Fellows an overview of the LSAT and included practical tips and tricks for approaching the exam. Lastly, Fellows got to have lunch with several of Kirton McConkie’s lawyers who gave helpful insights to law school and the life of an attorney. UCLI is elated to watch the Fellows flourish in their future endeavors through the Pre-Law Fellowship. 

We would like to thank Ken Olson and Kirton McConkie marketing director Brooke Wright for providing the venue, for attending the workshop, and for all of their contributions to this Fellowship. Thank you to Brent Dunn for presenting and offering his expertise on the LSAT. We also extend our gratitude to our sponsors Kirton McConkie, University of Utah Office of General Counsel, LSAC DEI Pipeline, Utah Bar Foundation, and Family Law Executive Committee Bar Section for their invaluable contributions to this program. 

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, . 

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 UCLI & Kirton McConkie Pre-Law Fellowship is launching this March. The first cohort will include ten students or recent graduates from Utah who are seriously interested in the study of law. The Fellowship includes an enrichment series of ten seminars on topics related to law school, the legal field, and law school application; access to a designated attorney mentor and law student mentor; a fully paid LSAT course; and reimbursement of any related expenses, such as law school applications, LSAT test fees, and travel to attend the seminars. The first seminar of the enrichment series will be held in March 2024; they will then be held on a monthly basis through December 2024. 

The ultimate intent of the Pre-Law Fellowship is to increase the number of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in Utah’s legal profession. The Fellowship is designed to provide a pathway for people to practice law in the state of Utah. It is aimed at facilitating opportunities for undergraduate students or recent college graduates who seriously plan to pursue legal education and who have a long-term goal of practicing law in the state of Utah. Pre-Law Fellows are expected to participate in the monthly seminars in-person or remotely, participate in the free LSAT preparation course offered through the Fellowship, apply to law school by the end of 2025, take the LSAT examination at least once by December 2024, and participate in intake and exit surveys. 

We warmly welcome the ten participants in the first ever cohort of this program! You may read more about each Fellow and their impressive accomplishments below.

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

 

Camden Alexander

Camden Alexander will graduate from the University of Utah in the Class of 2024 with two Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Criminology. She has experience in environmental research, journalism and social activism, and hopes to utilize her skills as an effective lawyer. She plans to attend a law school in the Northeast, but will return to the roots she has established here in Salt Lake City. Upon graduating from law school, Camden intends to serve as a public defender before eventually becoming a prosecutor for the state of Utah.

 

Tala Alnasser

Tala is an Arab-Muslim student at BYU from Jordan and Palestine. She is a Public Relations and French double major and is minoring in sociology. Tala is deeply committed to bridge building and fostering belonging in her community. She has moved more than six different times, and speaks Arabic, English, and French fluently. In her free time, she reads, writes, hosts cook nights and plays chess. She has played for Jordan’s Olympic Chess Team and plays with chess hustlers every time she travels. Tala is a huge advocate for interfaith and cross cultural experiences and deeply believes in the power of proximity as a medium for social progress.

 

Aranza Castillo

Aranza Castillo is a proud first generation immigrant from Mexico. She graduated from the University of Utah in Business Management in 2021. As she navigated the higher education system she started learning about the different systems of oppression and noticed how they manifested in our communities. Through her personal experiences of seeing how systematic barriers have impacted underrepresented communities, it helped develop her passion for social justice. Aranza has always looked for roles that allow her to empower, educate, and support her community. While in school she was involved in various programs aimed at supporting first generation students. Aranza is excited and grateful to be part of the fellowship, and to be able to get closer to her goal of becoming an attorney.

 

Iradukunda Esperance

Iradukunda Esperance is a remarkable fourth-year student at the University of Utah, where she is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Gender Studies. Originally from Kigoma, Tanzania, Iradukunda migrated to the United States at a young age and has since been dedicated to her academic pursuits.

With a deep passion for the legal field, Iradukunda is committed to exploring the intersections of law, politics, and gender. Her diverse background and experiences have fueled her desire to advocate for justice and equality in society. She hopes to make a meaningful impact in the legal profession in the future.

 

Sophie Gordon

Sophie Kay Gordon is a Utah native and recent graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature, and minors in Global Women’s Studies and Asian Studies. Passionate about LGBTQ+ visibility and progress, Sophie served as a Committee Chair with BYU USGA, planning activities and leading efforts to advocate for queer students. Since graduating, Sophie has worked as a legal assistant in the litigation section at Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar. In her free time, Sophie enjoys writing, collecting western-inspired trinkets, putting together a good outfit, and traveling with family and friends. Sophie looks forward to being involved with UCLI and applying to law school this fall.

 

Fagasoaia-Iliganoa Leituala

Fagasoaia-Iliganoa Leituala, or Noa for short, is currently in his fourth year of pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at Brigham Young University. Having lived everywhere from Tonga to Utah to Texas, he has had the opportunity to meet and work with people of all backgrounds and beliefs. Noa plans to be the first attorney in his family and one of the first Polynesian patent attorneys in the nation. Whenever he is not learning about mechatronics or calculus, he loves spending time with his family, finding a fun new restaurant with his wife, or volunteering at youth football camps.

 

Audrey Pozernick

Audrey Pozernick is a Philosophy and Honors Political Science major at the University of Utah. Audrey is a One Refugee scholar alumni and cares about advancing racial justice and access. She aims to attend law school to explore her interests in healthcare policy, law, and ethics.

 

Victoria Roberts

Victoria is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Utah Valley University, she has also been trying to gain practical legal experience through working as a paralegal for the past two years. As a first generation college student, she has had to navigate completing her education while balancing real-world work. In addition to her studies and paralegal role, she volunteers time as a translator for immigration attorneys. Through this work, she has been able to support immigrants and develop language skills. She also works as a research assistant with the Center for Constitutional Studies at UVU. As a political science major, she is deeply interested in policy, law, and social change. She has high hopes to apply her education and experiences to a career in law after graduation. She is a proud first generation college student and looks forward to all the opportunities ahead as she completes her degree. She is extremely grateful for this opportunity and looks forward to taking full advantage of this fellowship.

 

Ruby Vejar

As a first Generation student Senator at Weber State University, Ruby has reached many lives through art and service. Ruby is involved in almost any club you can think of because she likes to stay busy. She works at Center for Community Engaged Learning, serves as a college mentor, became a USHEAN board member specializing in accessibility and poverty issues, is an Newman Fellow for Utah and was asked to serve on the UServeUtah college Council. Additionally, she is a 7 for 17 award winner and has had the honor of being a panelist in many symposiums around Utah.

 

Bubba Walker

Bubba Walker is studying Experience Design and Non-Profit Management at Brigham Young University. He is a member of the BYU Men’s Lacrosse team and enjoys volunteering with local, youth lacrosse programs. Bubba looks forward to attending law school in Fall 2025.

 

*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.