Attorneys across the state of Utah want to help build Utah’s students dreams–– including those of being a lawyer. The busy life of an attorney can make it difficult, however, to prepare effectively for a student presentation.
In order to make it easier on attorneys to feel prepared to present to these students, UCLI has begun building out a curriculum for attorneys visiting different elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and even universities across the state. This curriculum will include PowerPoint presentations, printable handouts, demographic-specific videos, and law-related activities.
At UCLI, we aim to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Utah’s legal profession. This week, three Utah-based law students–– Sarah Martinez, Ryan Williams, and Jackie Rosen–– published a status report of current trends, and we are thrilled to share “Looking In and Leading Out.” It is illuminating, important, introspective, and extremely well-done. Take a look!
UCLI’s Associate Director, Ling Ritter, has officially begun preparing for her legal career. Accepted into Stanford Law School as a Knight-Hennessy fellow–– one of the most competitive fellowships in the country–– she is taking a few months to be with family before she enrolls this fall semester. “Quote about UCLI”
As Ling steps into this new phase, she will be replaced by former Education Program Director, Kacey Sorenson. Kacey joined UCLI’s team in 2020 as an intern and transitioned into the Program Director position at the beginning of 2021. During her time as Program Director, Sorenson focused her efforts on building and rolling out UCLI’s pilot of the Utah Law Student Mentoring Program. She is looking forward to this new position, saying that “The team and work at UCLI is unmatched, and I am so excited to work closely with our beneficiaries and continue in this new capacity.”
UCLI is excited to also announce a brand-new staff position and member. After a competitive, 3-round application process with 16 other applicants–– the most that UCLI has ever seen–– Layla Shaaban has accepted a position as UCLI’s Administrative Coordinator. Formerly a UCLI intern, Layla says she is “”.
For future opportunities to work with UCLI, subscribe to our newsletter and keep an eye on our “Careers” page.
As a nonprofit “best practice,” one of our goals at the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion is to begin standardizing and making available all of our program materials. In contrast to for-profit industries, this is considered a “best practice” because our focus is an issue, not a product. Thus, in theory, if our answer to a problem works and we can circulate and make available our solution as thoroughly as possible, we won’t need to exist anymore. Again, in contrast to for-profit industries, the goal of nonprofits is to not need to exist anymore. As it stands, however, we are actively engaged in addressing the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Utah legal profession.
One of our programs includes our intern program. In an effort to standardize and make available our materials, we have created and distributed a program manual. These efforts were led by Lead Intern Isa Buoscio (pictured below). In 2021, we have brought on more interns than ever before, and they have quickly become the heart and soul of our organization. This year’s interns include Isa Buoscio, Layla Shaaban, Lizzie Jarrett, Jacob Buchanan, Lauren Nelson, Aranza Castillo, Bryn Linderman, Taylor Percival, Collin Mitchell, Ivan Brea, and Caity McKee. All in various stages of their undergraduate careers and representing a diversity of backgrounds and identities, we are so grateful for each of their contributions. They consistently demonstrate leadership, thoughtfulness, and passion as they carry out their assigned projects.
We aim to provide an internship experience that introduces them as much to the nonprofit world as it does to the world of law, that connects them with like-minded individuals who understand the urgency of our mission, and that lays a foundation–– albeit unusual–– of insight into the current realities and future possibilities of Utah’s legal profession.
Interested in joining the UCLI team as an intern? Send a resume and cover letter to for the chance to join us in Fall 2021.
Pictured: 2021 UCLI Interns (Winter and Summer)
Lizzie Jarrett, Aranza Castillo, Layla Shaaban, Lauren Nelson, Caity McKee, Taylor Percival, Ivan Brea, Collin Mitchell, Bryn Linderman, Isa Buoscio. Not pictured: Jacob Buchanan
As a nonprofit “best practice,” one of our goals at the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion is to begin standardizing and making available all of our program materials. In contrast to for-profit industries, this is considered a “best practice” because our focus is an issue, not a product. Thus, in theory, if our answer to a problem works and we can circulate and make available our solution as thoroughly as possible, we won’t need to exist anymore. Again, in contrast to for-profit industries, the goal of nonprofits is to not need to exist anymore. As it stands, however, we are actively engaged in addressing the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Utah legal profession.
One of our programs includes the Utah Law Student Mentoring Program. In an effort to standardize and make available our program materials, we have created and distributed a program manual. Law student mentees meet monthly with their assigned attorney mentors and work through the goals they set together at the beginning of their mentorship. By consulting with each other and the program manual, all three can work together to work through some of the more challenging questions that students from historically underrepresented backgrounds face as they consider a career in law.
We hope you enjoy flipping through our mentoring program manual! If you have questions or suggestions, please contact us at .
On March 4, 2021, UCLI rolled out its pilot of the Utah Law Student Mentoring Program (ULSMP) for diverse law students with a kickoff Zoom event (recording found here). The main purpose of this program is to empower historically underrepresented students to thrive in the legal profession by connecting them with current attorneys as mentors. It is designed to build a sense of belonging in Utah’s legal community, to expose mentees to a wide range of career opportunities, and to help in developing the necessary professional skills to succeed in law school and beyond.
Based on “best practices” of student mentoring programs, we assign two attorney mentors to each law student. Mentor groups meet monthly in whichever format works best for them, creating a personalized plan from the program manual. Groups rotate every six months so as to expand our law students’ networks. The next “round” will begin at the beginning of the school year.
Thus far, our attorney volunteers have made themselves available and approachable, undergoing research-informed training and preparing themselves to the best of their ability. These efforts have paid off: as one of our enrolled law students wrote, “I have tried getting mentors with no real luck […] My mentors seem like they are very dedicated to their roles as mentors, and they seem like people I would normally be friends with. They’ve made it clear that no conversation is off the table. I love this. And I’m so grateful! I’m often envious of my classmates that have parents or other family members who are lawyers that can help them figure out this strange world […] I just wanted you to know how incredibly valuable this is to those of us who are embarking on this journey somewhat blindly.“
Moreover, 50 attorney mentors enrolled from 16 different firms and organizations, including Anderson & Karrenberg; Dorsey & Whitney; Fabian VanCott; Holland & Hart; Maschoff Brennan; McConkie Hales & Gunn; and Strong & Hanni. Also included are the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, the Utah Attorney General’s Office, and the Juab County Attorney. We already have 16 additional attorneys from 12 firms and organizations–– including Pluralsight, Encircle, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office–– on queue for the second round.
We are looking forward to continuing to expand our program – we hope with your help!
In this week’s Wednesday Webinar, we discussed the importance of avoiding burnout while staying actively engaged. We had the opportunity to speak to Amber Stargell and Sadé Turner. Amber Stargell is an associate at Christensen and Jensen. Sadé is a shareholder at Strong and Hanni Law firm.
Both Amber and Sadé are not initially from Utah. Some of the factors they took into consideration for coming to Utah was that S.J Quinney College of Law was a good law school, safe, and the financial support.
Amber originally transferred from a law school in Texas. During her 1L, she did an internship in Utah with her current law firm. Amber decided to transfer to the University of Utah and stay here because of the legal community. In Texas, she mentioned how the legal community is significant, and she doesn’t have the opportunity to interact with the entire bar. It can also be intimidating and can be easy to overlook your own needs and wants. Amber stayed because the bar in Utah is small, and you can interact with various people in the legal community. Both speakers also talked about different ways that they built their network. Sadé participated in a court activity while in law school. This court activity allowed her to meet judges and attorneys and speak to them about cases that were assigned while making connections. For Amber, since she had interned with her current law firm, the lawyers there supported her and were willing to invite her to specific events.
In this episode, Amber and Sadé give specific practices to maintain a healthy work-life balance. They talk about how important it is to learn how to say no. Sadé mentioned that she always wanted to say yes to everything. However, you are technically saying no to everything because you will not be able to be present and contribute in the way you want to. To solve this, she decided to say yes to tasks she was passionate about. Amber adds that you can determine what is worth your time once you understand your focus and passion. They also provide examples of how to say no while still building on your network and perhaps elevating others.
Pictured: Sadé Turner, Esq. and Amber Stargell, Esq.
Zachary Scott is currently a 2L at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. He was born and raised in Salt Lake City and attended Westminster College, where he double majored in Finance and Business Management. After graduating from Westminster College, he received a Master of Finance at the University of Utah. Excited to continue his education, Zach decided to attend law school.
Some of his favorite experiences in law school have come in forming relationships with his professors and classmates. While law school can be rigorous, Zach appreciates the camaraderie he has experienced in working with students who think differently to achieve a similar goal. These relationships have been especially important because law school presents challenging experiences. However, Zach acknowledges that the challenging experiences are part of the learning process, which motivates him to continue his education.
Outside of academics, Zach is involved with UCLI in multiple ways. He volunteers for the Meadowlark Mentorship Program and is also part of the Tracking Progress Committee, which developed a survey tracking diversity in Utah’s legal field. Zach decided to get involved with UCLI because he realizes the power of having people in your corner to show that it is possible to pursue a legal education. Additionally, he wants to play his part in promoting diversity and inclusion in his community, and hopefully increase leadership opportunities for minority students within the legal field.
Outside of UCLI, Zach is part of the Famtorship Program at the University of Utah, where he works with first-generation and minority students interested in attending graduate school. He is also part of the Graduate School Diversity Council, where he works in promoting student rights. In addition to all these amazing pursuits, Zach is working part-time, assisting the in-house counsel at PowerSchool, where he works on data privacy and other issues.
After obtaining his law degree, Zach hopes to work in corporate law. This past summer he worked at Dorsey & Whitney where he dealt with financial matters. This, paired with his background experiences in finance and business, has increased his interest in this field of the law.
Overall, Zach has found his law school experience rewarding. When asked if he had any advice for students interested in attending law school, he mentioned that students should not be discouraged by its rigor. He believes it is important to be excited to pursue something difficult yet rewarding. He mentioned how it is important to treat the experience as an investment for your future, and to just go for it!
submitted by Melinda Bowen, UCLI Executive Director
Welcome to the 2020 edition of Mosaic!
I had the good fortune to become UCLI Executive Director in August, and I am incredibly grateful for the chance to be part of this organization, and for the chance to open this annual newsletter. 2020 has been a memorable year, to say the least. Unprecedented circumstances have created unprecedented challenges. Individually and collectively, we’ve faced a global pandemic, the related economic downturn, along with extreme weather events, an awakening surrounding racial justice, and much more. At the same time, difficult times have shown people’s humanity and fortitude. Constant change has prompted creativity and innovation. And uncertainty has revealed our ability to adapt and progress.
For the UCLI team, the events of this year have highlighted a message that is central to our mission: We all need each other. Keeping this mantra in mind, UCLI has moved forward in developing its key programs, with the hope of creating and cultivating community, even if we must do so in new ways.
Despite the whirlwind of 2020, fifty-three legal employers joined us for this inaugural year of the UCLI Certification Program. Attorneys and leadership at these firms and organizations came together and joined UCLI in assessing their own environments and considering ideas that can build better workplaces for all attorneys throughout the state. UCLI also launched its pipeline program titled Promoting Legal Education to Diverse Groups Everywhere (PLEDGE), which aims to serve students around the state through educational outreach, mentoring, and financial assistance. Working closely with teachers, students, attorneys, and other community partners, UCLI is laying the groundwork necessary to make our profession more accessible, representative, and inclusive. In addition, UCLI volunteers have rallied behind community causes in particular need right now, bringing skills and resources to serve the state and its most vulnerable populations. In short, although COVID-19 has taken a lot from many of us, it has not eliminated our ability to connect and serve.
On behalf of the UCLI team, thank you for the support you show for each other and for UCLI’s mission. UCLI hopes to create a climate where everyone can create a home in Utah’s legal profession. We all need each other in this effort, and we each have a role to play in improving our profession. I am fortunate to have a front-row seat as I watch so many of you embracing opportunities to connect and serve. Thank you for using your time, talent, and other resources to advance the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I look forward to working with all of you and witnessing ongoing progress as we continue to take care of one another. I wish each of you the best this holiday season and into the new year
Thanks to Erni Hernandez Armstrong’s team at the Freestyle Marketing Group, UCLI released its first-ever video yesterday morning. We are grateful for the generous donors who made this production possible, and are looking forward to continuing to work with Erni’s team. We will be focusing our next efforts on creating videos for targeted groups of students who are historically underrepresented in the legal profession, including women, Latino/Latina and Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations. We will be working closely with and interviewing attorneys from these various backgrounds to circulate their stories to those to whom the videos will be most personal. As our programs expand and as Covid subsides in our area, we are excited to be meeting with more students from these backgrounds and to show them that being a lawyer is a real possibility.
