Looking to the Future
Hon . Erithe Smith , C . D . California Paul E . Harner Co-Chairs , Diversity , Equity and Inclusion Committee
Your Standing Committee on Diversity , Equity and Inclusion ( the DEI Committee or Committee ) remains hard at work , and we are honored and thrilled to have enthusiastic support from all corners of the College . In this regard , at the Board of Directors meeting held during our March gathering in Washington , D . C ., we were delighted to learn that several of the College ’ s committees have incorporated DEI-focused elements into their work including , among other things , preserving the oral histories of diverse members of bankruptcy and insolvency community , sponsoring inclusive educational programs , developing DEI-friendly policy positions , and reaching out to the broader bankruptcy and insolvency community .
As we have reported previously , the DEI Committee itself has focused on three principal tasks : first , improving the College ’ s internal workings to further diversity and inclusion in our general Fellowship ; second , reaching out to our industry colleagues outside the College to communicate our DEI mission and goals , as well as to provide meaningful related education opportunities ; and third , exploring tangible
ways to contribute to the profession by supporting potential future restructuring and insolvency professionals from diverse backgrounds , as well as diverse individuals already in the early stages of their careers . Our efforts to achieve the third objective already have borne substantial fruit ; and in this issue of College Columns , we highlight two of the Committee ’ s “ pipeline ” and “ mentoring ” initiatives .
Just the Beginning Summer Judicial Internship Stipends
In late 2021 , the College ’ s DEI Commission ( the predecessor of the standing Committee ) set a goal to further its mission by identifying a “ pipeline ” program or programs that , with financial and other support from the College , promoted the interest of diverse law students or young professionals in careers in bankruptcy , insolvency and restructuring . Then , in early 2022 , the Committee recommended , and the College ’ s Board of Directors approved , a partnership between the College and Just the Beginning – a Pipeline Organization ( JTB ), a non-profit organization that , among other things , provides highly qualified law students from socioeconomic , ethnic , and cultural backgrounds underrepresented in the legal profession with summer judicial internships around the country . 1
In 2022 , the College provided stipends ranging from $ 1,000 - $ 3,000 to six JTB law students who interned with bankruptcy judges , for a total of $ 16,000 in funding . The recipients were :
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