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Seattle University School of Law

Lawyering in a Diverse World

Relevant, real-world workshops on issues of diversity to empower future lawyers for a just and humane world

Lawyering in a Diverse World is a series of workshops designed to create awareness and empower you with skills and tools on a variety of issues related to diversity and communication, and give you a competitive edge for effective lawyering in an increasingly diverse and complex world.

Whether your legal career takes you to a solo, large-firm or business practice, you serve as government or civil legal aid lawyer, or you use your legal education to teach or enhance civic leadership or a business career, you will be more successful and effective if you are skilled at working with diverse groups of clients, constituents, colleagues and communities.

The following series of workshops are open to all Seattle University School of Law students.  Some of the workshops are offered as Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars and are open to the public.

Lawyering in a Diverse World is a program co-coordinated by the Access to Justice Institute and the Office for Student Life.

For more information about the Lawyering in a Diverse World program, please contact:

Workshops/Events At a Glance

2012 Fall Schedule

SEPTEMBER THROUGH MARCH
Session Series:  Racial Justice Leadership Institute (RJLI)

September 30, October 19, November 30, January 18, & March 1 and 15
RJLI is a professional development opportunity that is offered to SU law students, faculty, staff and alumni.  Consistent with our mission to educate lawyers to be leaders for a just and humane world, RJLI is designed to foster leadership skills for working in all areas of the profession in ways that resist systems of privilege and oppression.  Apply by September 12. Click here for details on how to apply.

SEPTEMBER

Workshop:  Working Effectively with Interpreters
Friday, September 21 - 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 328 with Martha Cohen, Manager of King County Superior Court's Office of Interpreter Services
Come to this interactive workshop to gain critical hands-on skills which will allow you to effectively work with interpreters in the course of assisting limited English proficient clients.

Panel Event:  Why Understanding How to Work with Diverse Communities Matters
Tuesday, September 25 - 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in Room C-5
Learn from a distinguished panel about how important it is to build skills on working with diverse communities, regardless of where your career may take you.  The panelists will give advice about what skills you should build now to make you more employable and a more effective lawyer.   The panel includes Judge Mary Yu, Joanna Plichta Boisen ('06) from Foster Pepper, Sarah Lysons ('09) from Perkins Coie, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Lally and solo practitioner Dan Fiorito ('03).

OCTOBER
CLE:  Five Essential Tools of Social Justice Lawyering with Bill Kennedy of Legal Services of Northern California
Wednesday, October 10 - 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Room C-5 immediately followed by PILF's Evening with Equal Justice Community networking event
Join us for an engaging session on learning about the five essential tools of social justice lawyering which include: 1) understanding cognitive science as a legal tool; 2) understanding structural racialization; 3) mapping and graphic presentation of data; 4) cognitive framing in advocacy; and 5) community lawyering.  You will learn how new developments in cognitive science have begun to change the practice of law and what you need to know to keep ahead of the curve.  Click here to RSVP.

 

NOVEMBER
 Workshop:  Disability Rights: Ethics and Practical Skills with Disability Rights WA (DRW)
Saturday, November 3 - 10:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Room C-5 - Lunch provided
Come to this interactive workshop where you will learn about the protection and advocacy system established by the federal government, get an overview of the different types of disabilities, and gain an understanding of the importance of using people first language and the disability culture.  The training also will provide some tips on interviewing individuals with disabilities so as to obtain accurate information from a person with a disability.  You will also learn about how to apply the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) to providing services to people with disabilities with a specific focus on RPC 1.14 and 1.6.  Click here to RSVP.

2013 Spring Schedule

JANUARY
Workshop: Cross-Cultural Lawyering - Saturday, January 26 - 10:00 to 1:00 p.m.

FEBRUARY

Table Talk: Political Correctness: How We Talk in Different Settings
Wednesday, February 6, 6-7:30 p.m., Dean's Conference Room
Students will engage in facilitated dialogue regarding issues of race, gender, sexuality, and religion and the impact of those issues on interactions with friends, co-workers, and classmates. Please join us for a discussion over dinner. Limited seating available. Please RSVP by emailing Georgia Woodruff at woodrufg@seattleu.edu. Table Talk is an informal, facilitated conversation among students.   The small group conversations are on issues of diversity and are facilitated by trained individuals provided by Seattle University's Office of Multicultural Affairs.  Tables Talks are organized by the SBA Diversity Representative.

Workshop: Working with Clients with Mental Health Issues

Thursday, February 28, 4-5:30 p.m., Room C5, Sullivan Hall. Click here to RSVP.

Join us for an interactive training, geared to give you practical tools for working with clients with mental health issues.  We are pleased to welcome the following speakers: Dwayne Stone, licensed mental health counselor with Community Psychiatric Clinic, will provide an overview of common mental health diagnoses. Merf Ehman, staff attorney with Columbia Legal Services, will facilitate a workshop on interviewing clients with mental health issues. Naomi Strand and Anne Dederer, Disabled Homeless Advocacy Project attorneys from Seattle Community Law Center, will give practice tips on advocating on behalf of clients with mental health issues in the context of Social Security Law and Drug Court. Deborah Perluss, Director of Advocacy and General Counsel of Northwest Justice Project, will share about WA General Rule 33 which sets out a uniform accommodation request procedure in WA courts for people with disabilities.

Celebration of Diversity Reception

Thursday, February 28 5:30 p.m., 2nd Floor Gallery, Sullivan Hall with Keynote Speaker Aurora Martin of Columbia Legal Services. Click here to RSVP by February 27.

Join our law school community for a reception to celebrate diversity and engage in a talk about how diversity and equal justice intersect with Aurora Martin, Executive Director of Columbia Legal Services. We invite you to learn more about the School of Law's commitment to educating the Northwest's most diverse law student body to be leaders for a more just and humane world at this reception, which caps our annual Diversity Week, a student-organized series of workshops and events focused on learning about and advancing diversity.

MARCH

Workshop:  How to Work with Limited English Proficient Clients - Date TBD