submitted by Ling Ritter, UCLI Assistant Director
May of this year marked the launch of the first-ever Utah Bar Review Diversity and Inclusion Scholarships for recent law school graduates, a collaborative effort of the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI), the Young Lawyers Division of the Utah State Bar (YLD) and the law firm of Holland & Hart which provided seed funding for an inaugural scholarship recipient and hosted the kick-off reception.
The scholarship is aimed at expanding opportunity for aspiring attorneys with diverse backgrounds by awarding financial assistance for costs associated with the Utah State Bar Exam. Accordingly, scholarship recipients must demonstrate financial need as well as a strong history of serving Utah’s diverse communities and a passion for bringing about an equitable and inclusive future for Utah’s legal profession and institutions.
The effort to establish the Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship was led by Holland & Hart associate Chelsea Davis. Drawing upon her prior experience as a law student from a diverse background and upon research showing clear disparities in bar passage rates, Davis was motivated to create the scholarship as a step in the right direction toward closing the opportunity gap facing diverse law students.
“This scholarship has received astounding support from the legal community, and it shows how much and how quickly we can make a difference toward promoting diversity when we all work together toward a common goal.” — Chelsea Davis, Holland & Hart
Law students Athelia Graham (BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School ’19), Jonathan McClurg (BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School ’19), and Carlos Quijada (University of Utah SJ Quinney College of Law ’19) comprise the inaugural class of Utah Bar Review Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship recipients. From assisting immigrants and asylum-seekers and advocating for underrepresented minorities, to representing the interests of veterans and members of tribal nations, the commitment to Utah’s diverse and marginalized populations that these recipients demonstrate is extensive and inspiring.
What’s more, these incredible scholarship winners recently met an important milestone this past October, when all three recipients passed the bar exam and were admitted to practice in the state of Utah. We cannot wait to see what awaits for these emerging leaders making change in our community.
UCLI sends our congratulations and well wishes to the Utah Bar Review Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship recipients and extends our sincere gratitude to those organizations and individuals who have worked to bring this opportunity to fruition. For more information about our scholarship programs, contact Cheryl Mori at .
Pictured: Carlos Quijada (left), Legal Honors Attorney at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Jonathan McClurg (middle), Assistant Staff Judge Advocate at United States Air Force; Athelia Graham (right), Galbraith Fellow at the Rocky Mountain Innocence Center
This featured image and additional information about the scholarship were provided to UCLI by Chelsea Davis, Associate Attorney at Holland & Hart. This article includes details from the scholarship recipient’s biographies and the Holland & Hart press release about the scholarship, which can be read HERE.
Help us sustain and grow programs like this! Donate at utahcli.org/donate.
