Organized by a coalition of Fowler School of Law student organization leaders, on February 12, 2015, Chapman University’s Fowler School Law hosted nearly one dozen presidents from Orange County’s affiliate bar associations to discuss the status of diversity in the legal community. A packed room of over 75 students, attorneys, and members of the community networked with the panelists prior to the evening’s presentation.

Panelists included Ashleigh Aitken, President of the Orange County Bar Association; Carolyn Carlisle, President of the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association; Imad Elias, Past President of the Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California; Sheila-Marie Finkelstein, Board Member of the Orange County Jewish Bar Association; Christine Gonong, President-Elect of the Philippine American Bar Association; Baraa Kahf, President of the Muslim Bar Association of Southern California; Patricia Lee-Gulley, Past President of the Orange County Asian American Bar Association; Rafael Nendel-Flores, President of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association; Janet Park, President of the Orange County Korean American Bar Association; Jeff Van Hoosear, President of the Orange County Lavender Bar Association; and, Nhan Vu, President of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Southern California.

“This event is the beginning of many more projects where Fowler School of Law’s diverse student leaders will work with Orange County’s legal leadership, “said Hugo Salazar, 3L, president of the Minority Law Students Association. “We will continue to work together to increase the diversity of law students and attorneys.”

With support of the Fowler School of Law’s Alumni Association and Career Services Office, the event offered a networking reception and MCLE credit for attorneys. Dean Tom Campbell commenced the panel by welcoming the panelists and expressing his eagerness to discuss this important subject. Fowler School of Law School Professor Bobby Dexter served as the panel’s moderator.

“We were very excited to organize an event on such an important topic, which drew so much support from the community and bar associations,” said April Cristal, 2L, president of the Asian Pacific American Students Association.

The event was organized by April Cristal, Hugo Salazar, and the presidents of the Fowler School of Law’s National Lawyers Guild Chapter, Korean American Student Association, Muslim Law Students Association, Vietnamese American Law Students Association, and Women Lawyers Student Association.
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