Diversity Resources

Seattle University School of Law educates lawyers who distinguish themselves through their outstanding legal skills and their dedication to law in the service of justice. Our students are, and will remain, distinctive and diverse. We admit students whose life experiences and talents demonstrate the ability, intellect, and character to complete our program successfully. Seattle University Law School boasts the Northwest's most diverse student body. We actively seek diversity in our community, welcoming qualified persons of different races, ethnicities, religions, ages, disabilities, genders, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds and points of view. To that end, the Office of Admission has compiled the following resources that speak to the diversity of Seattle University, the state of Washington and the legal profession in general. We hope you find these links useful.

School of Law Organizations & Institutes

Access to Justice Institute

The mission of the Institute is to inspire all law students towards a lifelong commitment to equal justice. In serving as a focal point of social justice.

Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association (APILSA)

APILSA provides emotional and practical support in the form of a network of students, faculty members and professionals in the field.

Black Law Student Association (BLSA)

A chapter of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), BLSA was created and designed to articulate and promote the professional needs and goals of Black law students.

Center for Global Justice

The Center fosters multidisciplinary research, education, and advocacy about critical international legal issues, including human rights, conflict resolution, governance, development, security, and the environment.

Center for Indian Law & Policy

The primary objective of the Institute is to directly impact and reduce the fractionalization of Indian lands through education and the provision of estate planning services to tribal members and communities.

Korematsu Center

The Center's mission is to advance justice and equality through a unified vision that combines research, advocacy, and education.

Latina/Latino Law Student Organization (LLSA)

LLSA was created to support Latina/o law students, create a sense of community among them and the greater Latina/o legal community and encourage other students to express an interest in Latina/o and other minority issues.

International Law Society

The purpose of the International Law Society is to foster an understanding of public and private international law among the members of the law school and university communities.

Men's Law Caucus

The Men's Law Caucus believes men can and should work to positively contribute to society in an effort to better themselves and those around them.

Middle Eastern Law Student Association

MELSA provides Middle Eastern law students, and students interested in the Middle East, an opportunity to connect with each other and with the Middle Eastern legal community in Washington.

Native American Law Student Association (NALSA)

NALSA seeks to advance the study of Indian Law; to encourage scholarship, social activity, and the association of students for their mutual advancement by research and practice; to promote closer affiliations between Native American students and other students; and to further a higher standard of ethics, culture, and civic welfare of the law school community.

OutLaws

OutLaws was organized to provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender law students and their friends.

Russian-American Legal Society

RALS represents the interests of the Russian speaking members of the community; providing information about the culture and traditions; serving as a liaison between students and employers; orienting students to the legal issues between the U.S. and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); and building academic relationships between Seattle University and law schools in the CIS.

Seattle Journal for Social Justice (SJSJ)

The Seattle Journal for Social Justice is a peer-reviewed, student-edited, interdisciplinary journal that publishes writings that reflect theoretical, literary and hands-on approaches toward achieving social justice

South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA)

SALSA encourages South Asian involvement, as well as awareness of South Asian culture and issues. The goal of the organization is to provide a forum for addressing those issues, while concentrating on their legal aspects and solutions.

Women’s Law Caucus

The Women's Law Caucus is dedicated to the support and development of women as active and successful members of the legal community.

The following organizations at Seattle University do not currently have Web sites:

Korean Law Student Association

Washington State Organizations

Asian Bar Association of Washington

The Asian Bar Association of Washington (ABAW) is the professional association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students that strives to be a network for its members in Washington State.

The Cardozo Society

Seattle Cardozo Society is an honor society for Jewish attorneys that sponsors programs that integrate legal and Jewish concerns to demonstrate the unique contributions the legal profession can make to improve the Jewish community.

King County Washington Women Lawyers

King County Washington Women Lawyers (KCWWL) is devoted to the interests of women attorneys and judges in Washington State.

Korean American Bar Association of Washington

The objectives of KABA are to foster the exchange of ideas and information among and between KABA members and other members of the legal profession.

Latina/o Bar Association of Washington

The purpose of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington is to represent the concerns and goals of Latino attorneys and Latino people of the State of Washington.

Loren Miller Bar Association

The LMBA is an affiliate member of the National Bar Association whose purpose is the advancement of the social and economic well-being of its largely African-American membership.

Northwest Indian Bar Association

The Northwest Indian Bar Association (NIBA) is a nonprofit organization of Indian attorneys and judges in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, which aspires to improve the legal and political landscape for the Pacific Northwest Indian community.

Washington Women Lawyers

The purpose of Washington Women Lawyers is to further the full integration of women in the legal profession, to promote equal rights and opportunities for women and to prevent discrimination against them.

Q-Law: The GLBT Bar Association of Washington

QLaw: The GLBT Bar Association of Washington is an association of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) legal professionals and their friends.

Filipino Lawyers of Washington

The purpose of FLOW is to foster the exchange of ideas and information among and between FLOW members and other members of the legal profession.

Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington

MELAW seeks to advance the goals of its members, provide a legal voice for the Middle Eastern community in Washington,  and offer resources as well as networking and mentorship opportunities for its members and the public.

Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle

MAMAS is an organization dedicated to empowering attorney mothers and facilitating their success in the legal profession.

Pierce County Minority Bar Association

The purpose of the PCMBA is to facilitate professional development and relationships among the various minority attorneys and legal professionals who reside or practice in Pierce County (Tacoma).

South Asian Bar Association of Washington

SABA is an organization of South Asian legal professionals in the Northwest dedicated to providing access to legal resources and support for issues relevant to the South Asian community.

Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington

VABAW strives for legal excellence by facilitating and cultivating both professional and personal relationships among its members, the community and the judiciary. 

The following Washington state organizations do not currently have Web sites but please find their contact information below:

Hate Free Zone Washington

Policy Director: Shankar R. Narayan
1227 S Weller St, Ste 200
Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 723.2203 x208
E-mail: shankar@hatefreezone.org

Washington Attorneys with Disabilities Association

Stuart Pixley, Co-Chair
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
425-707-0163

Noel Nightingale, Co-Chair
Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education
915 Second Avenue, Room 3310
Seattle, WA  98174-1099
206-607-1632

National Organizations

American Bar Association Center for Racial & Ethnic Diversity

The ABA Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity is the catalyst for creating leadership and economic opportunities for racially and ethnically diverse lawyers within the ABA and the legal profession.

American Bar Association – Diversity Initiatives

The goals of the Office of Diversity Initiatives are to increase minority participation in the legal profession by encouraging members of racial/ethnic minority groups to consider law as a career and to provide increased opportunities for minorities already in the profession.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)

This premier scholarship opportunity is afforded to Latino students who have a history of performing public service-oriented activities in their communities and who plan to continue contributing in the future.

DiscoverLaw.org

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is dedicated to the idea that the legal profession must reflect the expanding diversity of our society. That’s why LSAC developed the DiscoverLaw.org campaign – to encourage racially and ethnically diverse students to discover career opportunities in law and choose a path in undergraduate school to help them succeed.

Hispanic National Bar Association

The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is an incorporated, nonprofit, national association representing the interests of more than 25,000 Hispanic American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF)

The Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF) is a nonprofit, volunteer-managed organization established to help meet the financial needs of Korean-American students seeking higher education.

Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund

The MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program each year awards scholarships ranging from $3,000-$7,000 to deserving individuals entering their first, second or third years of law school with a demonstrated involvement in and commitment to serve the Latino community through the legal profession.

NAACP Legal Defense Fund Scholarships

Although LDF's primary purpose is to provide legal assistance to poor African Americans, its work over the years has brought greater justice to all Americans.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors and law students that advocates for the legal needs and interests of the APA community and represents the interests of more than 40,000 attorneys and 47 local APA bar associations.

National Bar Association

An organization of African American attorneys that exists to advance the science of jurisprudence, uphold the honor of the legal profession, promote social intercourse among the members of the bar, and protect the civil and political rights of all citizens of the several states of the United States.

National Black Law Students' Association

BALSA's purpose is to effect change in the legal system. The association endeavors to sensitize the law and legal profession to the ever-increasing needs of the Black community and offers scholarships for black law students.

Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

Founded in 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund

Using the power of the law together with advocacy and education, PRLDEF creates opportunities for all Latinos to succeed in school and work, fulfill their dreams, and sustain their families and communities.

United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

Our mission is to enhance the quality of education by providing financial assistance to deserving students, raising operating funds for member colleges and universities, and increasing access to technology for students and faculty at historically black colleges and universities.