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Downey Brand's Diversity Program
Downey Brand's strategy for increasing diversity within our law firm focuses on a far-reaching approach that goes well beyond the confines of our individual business. The firm has made multi-year commitments of finances and time to achieving diversity not only in hiring, but in diversifying the broader pipeline of students that enter careers in law, business and public service. Downey Brand's diversity initiatives include the following four ground-breaking programs and show a commitment that goes beyond what other local firms are doing.
The Pacific Pathways Pipeline Project
Pacific McGeorge School of Law and Downey Brand are partners in McGeorge's initiative to create diversity in the legal ranks by encouraging young people to pursue careers in law. The program is designed to create a new approach to increasing the population of well prepared, diverse applicants. The goal has been for law schools to unite K-20 educators with legal professionals and encourage better preparation of minority and at risk students across the entire length of the educational pipeline.
Statistics show that only 10% of students currently admitted to the bar are minorities, despite the overall growth of minority populations. A fundamental part of the Pacific Pathways Pipeline Project integrates law-themed courses at a local charter high school, Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep. The school was created to offer students an enhanced educational experience including a four-year law curriculum exploring the foundations of our legal system, criminal law, constitutional law, and economics and civil law in addition to a college preparatory liberal arts curriculum. Working with McGeorge, students attending the school are given unique opportunities to participate in a Law Student Mentoring Program, and a Diversity Speaker Series. These and other activities provide students with academic enrichment, encouraging students—who might not otherwise—to pursue higher education and explore the legal profession. Downey Brand is a founding sponsor and the only law firm partner in the Pacific Pathways Pipeline.
King Hall Outreach Program/Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars Program at UC Davis School of Law
Downey Brand also partners with the other major law school in our region, UC Davis School of Law in their King Hall Outreach Program, a course of intensive law school preparation. Through KHOP, eligible college juniors and seniors receive two years of mentoring and pre-law advising, along with four weeks of preparation each summer. This program, similar to McGeorge's program, is designed to increase diversity in the law school pipeline. Statistics show the program is working. According to the law school, 240 students have been through KHOP attending over 24 different law schools and 13 different graduate schools. To qualify, applicants must come from low-income family or be first-generation college-goers and have a 3.0 GPA at the end of their sophomore year of college.
Sacramento County Bar Fellowship Program
Downey Brand was one of the founding members and was instrumental in forming the Sacramento County Bar Association's Summer Fellowship Program. Going strong after 20 years, the Fellowship Program places first year minority and disadvantaged law students in summer internships with Sacramento-area law firms to provide them with professional experience. Every summer since its inception, our law firm has hosted 1-2 first-year minority law students form either Pacific McGeorge or UC Davis School of Law. In 2000, the Unity Bar held its first annual Diversity Career forum and Downey Brand was one of six sponsors. In 2007, Downey Brand was an honoree at the Unity Bar Dinner where our firm was recognized for its participation in the Summer Law Fellows Program.
Cristo Rey High School
Cristo Rey High School is a Catholic, co-ed, college prep school that provides quality education for youth from diverse, low-income families. A major component is their work study program that offers positions to young people to learn professional skills. The students' work, in turn, helps to cover the cost of their education. Downey Brand is in its fifth year of employing four Cristo Rey students and making their participation in the school possible. In the spring of 2010, the first class of Cristo Rey students graduated from high school and included a Downey Brand student-worker alum.
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