The College and DEI continued from page 22
this program has recognized exceptional diverse lawyers ( in practice for 2-10 years ) whose practice is at least 50 % in the insolvency area . There are currently three sitting bankruptcy judges who are former Blackshear Fellows . The College , through the DEI Committee , partnered with NCBJ to provide funding for three Blackshear Fellows to attend the 2022 NCBJ conference in Orlando . These recipients were publicly designated as “ American College of Bankruptcy Presidential Blackshear Fellows .”
Diversity , Equity and Inclusion Excellence Award
Earlier this Fall , the Executive Committee approved the unanimous recommendations of the DEI Committee to name its previously established annual award the “ Diversity , Equity and Inclusion Excellence Award ” and to grant the inaugural award to DEI Select Commission Co-Chairs Judge Laurel Isicoff and Judge Jeffery Hopkins . Judges Isicoff and Hopkins were presented with the award at the All Fellows Luncheon on October 19 , 2022 , in conjunction with the College ’ s annual Fall meetings . We join the entire membership of the College in thanking them for all that they and their fellow commissioners achieved and heartily congratulate them on the occasion of their receipt of this very special honor .
As we hope you will agree , your DEI Committee has been very busy and has already made significant progress . There is so much more to be done but we are confident that in time we can achieve all of the College ’ s DEI objectives , however complex and difficult the challenges may be , with the continued input and support of the Fellows .
Whither from here ? Upward ! And as always , if you have any comments , suggestions or concerns regarding the DEI Committee or its ongoing work , feel free to contact one or both of us at erithe _ smith @ cacb . uscourts . gov and pharner @ sheppardmullin . com .
23