Diversity Resources

The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Diversity Initiatives, Kimathi Gordon-Somers, collaborates with the Fordham Law community to develop and implement programs that enhance Fordham Law School's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Dean Gordon-Somers also fosters Law School outreach aimed at expanding the diversity of the legal profession in general and the Fordham Law community in particular.

The Fordham Law faculty’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee works with the administration on programs that create a welcoming and diverse intellectual environment at the School and that recruit and support minority and underrepresented students.

2020-2021 Members

Faculty
Kimani Paul-Emile, chair
Elizabeth Cooper
Martin Flaherty (fall)
Chi Adanna Mgbako
Russell Pearce

Administrators
Kathyrn Espiritu, director of J.D. admissions
Kimathi Gordon-Somers, assistant dean of student affairs and diversity
Elisa Douglas, senior director of alumni relations and public programming

The Law School's Office of Alumni Relations organizes networking and social events, as well as mentoring programs, that connect alumni and students. These include programs hosted by the Fordham Law Alumni Association in New York City and its worldwide chapters, as well as a number of affinity groups organized by practice areas plus the Women's Networking groups in New York City and Washington, D.C., and the Alumni of Color Affinity Group.

The Career Planning Center offers a number of programs to support all of Fordham Law's J.D. students, including:

• CPC Job Bank (Symplicity login required), which is searchable by position type. The job bank has two types of position, law firm scholarships and fellowships, that may be of particular interest to diverse students.
• CPC Recruitment Programs, which take place on campus.

In addition, the CPC markets to J.D. students a series of job fairs nationwide, many of which are diversity job fairs held across the country. These job fairs generally include both private and public sector employers looking to hire students for summer and permanent positions and are for J.D. students who have completed at least one full year of law school, although some fairs are open to first-year day and second-year evening J.D. students.

The CPC manages Fordham Law's participation in the New York City Bar Association Diversity Fellowship Program. It coordinates with an internal selection committee of administrators and faculty to identify and select candidates to promote to the City Bar for consideration. The fellowship is open to first-year day and second-year evening J.D. students. Those selected as fellows through the program are given the opportunity to work in law firms, corporate legal departments, and select government agencies during the summer.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs upholds the University’s mission to honor and revere the dignity and uniqueness of each person and offers a number of multicultural programs and services.

Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association

Arab American Bar Association

Asian American Bar Association of New York

Association of Black Women Attorneys

Black Bar Association of Bronx County

Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association

Dominican Bar Association

Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York

Hispanic National Bar Association (New York, Region II)

Iranian American Bar Association (New York Chapter)

Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York

Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County

LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York

Long Island Hispanic Bar Association

Metropolitan Black Bar Association

Muslim Bar Association of New York 

New York Women's Bar Association

Nigerian Lawyers Association, Inc.

The Puerto Rican Bar Association

South Asian Bar Association of New York

Westchester Black Bar Association

Women's Bar Association of the State of New York