Diversity in the Legal Profession Joint Committee
The Diversity in the Legal Profession (DILP) Committee of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations is comprised of dedicated attorneys, law students, and legal professionals from the Denver and Colorado legal communities, as well as representatives from the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Its mission is to break down the long-standing barriers that have prevented diverse attorneys from fully succeeding in the legal profession. DILP's goal is to cultivate diversity within the legal community and work with law schools, law students, practicing lawyers, and legal employers throughout Colorado to promote diversity at all levels. DILP sponsors awards for individuals and organizations that promote diversity (see list of past recipients below).
DILP also facilitates Dream Teams to engage young diverse students and encourage them to consider a career in law. Dream Teams are led by judges and include attorneys, legal professionals and students who do outreach at schools and community events.
DILP Chair: Traci Davis, Bieging Shapiro & Barber LLP.
CBA Staff Liaison: Andrea Mueller Arias
Annual Diversity Awards
The Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee of the CBA & DBA (DILP) created two annual awards in 2007:
- Diversity Trailblazer Individual of the Year Award honors a Colorado attorney who has made meaningful and significant efforts to advance diversity within his or her organization and/or the legal profession.
- Diversity Leadership Award recognizes a legal organization that is a leader in diversity and demonstrating a commitment to diversity within their organization through measurable results in recruiting, retaining and promoting diverse attorneys.
Diversity Trailblazer Award Recipients
(Left) 2011 Diversity Trailblazer Award Winner Kathleen Nalty, CLI, with Chief U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Daniel and former DILP Chair Meshach Rhoades; (right) 2011 Diversity Leadership Award Winner Gordon & Rees, represented by Franz Hardy, with Chief Judge Wiley Daniel and Rhoades.
2011: Kathleen Nalty, former Executive Director of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness
2010: Richard T. Baer, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Qwest Communications, and Michael C. Connelly, General Counsel of Xcel Energy, Inc.
2009: Chief Judge Wiley Daniel, U.S. District Court
2008: Dean Heizer, Heizer Paul LLP
2007: Judge Christine Arguello, U.S. District Court
Diversity Leadership Award Recipients
2011: Gordon & Rees LLC
2010: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP
2009: Denver City Attorney's Office
2008: Qwest Communications
2007: Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP
