September’s organization for ALG’s Year of Giving, Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP), was selected by Associate, Maya Nevels. DAPP is a non-profit that addresses the “continued and systematic decline of women of color lawyers in law firms and across other coveted positions in the legal profession.”
Read Maya’s message below regarding her personal connection to this amazing organization:
When asked to select an organization to donate to for ALG’s Year of Giving plan, I did not hesitate to select Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program. As an alumna of the program, I have experienced first-hand the time, dedication, and care the founders, board of directors, and volunteers pour into their scholars. DAPP continues to grow and expand their reach every year and I hope this donation helps them continue to do so.
Students who work in firms following their 1L year are more likely to obtain summer associate positions their 2L year and secure offers of employment following law school. As such, DAPP’s primary goal is “to infuse the pipeline to the profession with talented, highly qualified women of color who are hired, retained and promoted at large law firms across the nation.”
The statistics regarding women of color in the legal field are bleak. According to the 2018 Minority Corporate Counsel Association and Vault Law Firm Diversity Survey, women of color account for 14% of associates but only 5% of non-equity partners, and a mere 3% of equity partners. These statistics do not accurately represent the demographics of the U.S., and they definitely do not stand as a measure of the talent that exists in diverse communities. They are a representation of the growth that our field still needs to do.
DAPP helps to combat these statistics by providing professional and academic mentorship. DAPP scholars attend weekly sessions that consist of everything from legal writing and drilling black letter law to resume drafting and interview skills. DAPP also provides assistance to students who need professional headshots or do not own a suit.
I owe a great deal of my success thus far to the skills and professionalism that I learned from DAPP. I have been blessed to work at a firm that values every part of my identity and always seeks to learn where it can improve. My wish is that every woman of color who dreams of being a lawyer will have the same opportunity and I hope this donation can help make that wish come true.
If you would like to support DAPP, you may make a donation online by clicking on the donate button on the left side of their website at https://dapprogram.org/contact/.
