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Giving Back: Attorneys Practicing Gratitude, Inclusion and Civic Duty in the Workplace


Just in time for Thanksgiving, the YLS D&I Committee is shining a spotlight on eight attorneys and law students in the community whose practice in the workplace and beyond includes the practice of gratitude, inclusion and civic duty. Read more about these members below.

You can contribute to a future CBA YLS blog, too. Know a diverse attorney making an impact on our local legal community? Heard about a great new diversity and inclusion initiative at a local firm? Or have your finger on the pulse of something else equally noteworthy?

The YLS D&I Committee is looking for attorneys in our region who are making an impact in the diversity and inclusion sector of our profession to spotlight on the CBA Blog! We’re looking for folks who are committed to serving the community by devoting themselves to making a difference in that same community.

 

Name: Chelsea Chalk
From: Syracuse, Indiana
Position: Fourth Year Litigation Associate at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring to the legal field?
Diversity is essential; without diverse thought, diverse ideas, diverse experiences—nothing can move forward, diversity is what allows the legal field to grow and evolve. We cannot adequately represent a wide variety of clients if the people representing them don’t share their experiences or cannot understand where they’re coming from.

2) What changes would you like to see in the legal community in regard to D&I?
Before law school, I taught at a small junior college in northern Indiana. Our student body was very unique; over 90% of our students had an estimated financial contribution of 0% (based on FAFSA data). The school was situated in a small rural town, but recruited students from northeast Indiana and Chicago for many of the sports programs. Between the student-athletes and the local students, our population was diverse both in race and background, but most shared the common experience of growing up in poverty. Teaching my students and hearing their stories made it even more clear why representation matters in all professions.

That is why I firmly believe it is important to have a wider variety of socioeconomic backgrounds represented in the legal field. I would love to see more initiatives to break the barriers people from rural as well as urban poverty face in education. The challenges these communities face are different, and without growing up and seeing those challenges first-hand it is harder to fully represent and advocate for their needs. Representation from impoverished communities regardless of where they may be, needs to be seen throughout the legal field.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?

Dinsmore

  • Adopt-A-Class 
  • Cincinnati Women’s Initiative Group 
  • Access to Education Tutor
  • Pro Bono work, representing clients in expungements and domestic violence cases

External

  • CBA YLS Mock Trial Co-Chair
  • FBA Mentorship Program
  • Volunteers with FBA - at Tender Mercies
  • Volunteers with Matthew 25 Ministries 
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
Why wouldn't you! From childhood, my parents instilled in me that it is my duty to help others in any way I’m able. It is our responsibility to give back as good human beings.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
I am really grateful for the opportunities that my job provides me to give back to the community in a variety of ways. Through the flexibility of time and financial resources, I am able to provide legal services to areas I am truly passionate about.

 

 

Name: Eric Cook
From: Cincinnati, OH
Job title: Assistant General Counsel at Mercy Health

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity is very important to me. It should be important to the community and legal profession as well. Diversity is of the upmost importance to the legal profession because the law controls everything. Though you may not know it, you do not do a single thing during the day that the law does not impact. Contrary to what lawyers may be taught, the law is subjective, meaning it is only going to be as good as the people that create them. Therefore, we need a diverse group of people to be at the table and make decisions about the laws that are created.

2) What challenges would you like to see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
The biggest challenge is realizing that the changes that need to be made in diversity and inclusion need to go beyond what we do as legal professionals. We need to be focusing in on and investing into black and minority owned businesses in order to help communities.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?
  • M.O.R.E Advisor (implemented by CPS; provides mentors in training)
  • Vice President of the Black Lawyers’ Association
  • Board of Trustees, CBA
  • BLAC-CBA Roundtable Committee 
  • Vice Chair, Hamilton County Democratic Party
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
Because it is the right thing to do. I tend to feel like one of the gifts God gave me is being a relationship person and being really good at building relationships and seeing different points of view. I am able to bring these gifts and unique perspectives to the committees and organizations I am involved in that they may not have had.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
I am very purpose and goal-driven. I tend to write out goals and objectives of what I want to accomplish. I have found myself just being grateful that the job experiences, opportunities and education I have received thus far in my career continues to compound over time. These things have helped to mold me, and I am so grateful.

 

Name: Joe Lehnert
From: Cincinnati, OH
Job Title: Partner at KMK Law

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
As legal professionals, we hold ourselves to a certain standard of professional conduct. We are given power and privilege in our profession, and therefore, we must reflect the interests of our community and the clients we serve, which are diverse. Not only do we have an obligation professionally to promote diversity and inclusion, being a diverse individual, I feel that it is personally important to me to further diversity and inclusion initiatives not only throughout my job but also in the community.

2) What challenges do you see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
The biggest challenge I think, that we are trying to not only address at KMK but also our whole industry, is that the work of diversity is the work for everyone. The work of diversity should be something everyone buys into; this work should be adopted adopt in our everyday processes and procedures. Diversity stuff should not just be for diverse people. For example, in regards to hiring diverse candidates, we do not want the advocacy and push to be solely from diverse attorneys—everyone needs to be a part of this. Instilling the work of diversity in everyone’s work is something that not only I am striving for, but also I see the legal community working towards as well.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?
Internal Activities at KMK: 
  • Co-Chair of D&I Committee – rolled out a firmwide Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan in 2021 
  • Yearly Law Student Diversity Case Competition (in partnership with UC law)
External Activities 
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) 2017 
  • Pathfinder Planning Committee for LCLD 2019 Alumni Conference 
  • Greater Cincinnati Minority Counsel Program (GCMCP) 
  • Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA 
  • Tri-State Education and Technology Foundation, Board of Trustees 
  • Oyler High School, A.P. Hampton Mentoring Program 
  • DePaul Cristo Rey High School, Rising Professionals Group
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
I have been the beneficiary of other people giving up their time and support. I see myself in a lot of the people that are impacted in the work we do. I am a first generation lawyer which means I had to rely a lot upon people looking out for me and giving me advice on how to navigate the path to being an attorney. I learned early on that the connections you make are so important. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people that do not have these necessary connections, so I hope I can be a connection for people that may not have them in order to get opportunities to be in these spaces. I know firsthand the importance of making connections and meeting the right people and how much this can change the trajectory of your life and I want to be able to be that sponsor, that connection that does that.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
Gratitude is my why. I am so grateful for where I am at. The first opportunity I got to get my foot in the door opened so many other doors and opportunities for me. I am absolutely privileged to have gotten where I have gotten and I try to show my gratitude by providing my services in order to give back to others.

 

 

Name: Olivia Oney
From: Northern Kentucky
Job Title: First Year Litigation Associate at DBL Law

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity is of the upmost importance to me. It is critical that diversity and inclusion are brought to the forefront and so people can have a clearer understanding of why there are so few African American, and other minority attorneys in the legal field, and in leadership roles in particular. Not only does this lack of people of color as attorneys stem from a long time ago due to systemic racism/prejudices, but also a lot of people of color do not have parents or close family members in the legal field, so they do not necessarily know where to begin or have the tools to do so. I can only hope to see more minorities involved in our field and hold more leadership positions.

Unfortunately, people are often treated differently because of who they are/what they look like, sometimes this happens unknowingly, and this needs to be more recognized in order prevent it from happening, especially in the legal field. These implicit biases are often times unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that prevent people of color from initially having the same opportunities as non-minorities. This is something that not only needs to be pointed out but addressed when it happens.

Diversity is so important from the standpoint of varying opinions and perspectives as well. Without having people who come from different backgrounds and have different life experiences, law firms and legal organizations would not be able to reach their full ability to advocate for society as a whole, as opposed to just one group of society.

2) What changes would you like to see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
An overall increase in recruiting and hiring minorities in the legal field. I believe this will help to encourage a stronger and more confident attitude toward the legal profession and how the justice system works as a whole. People generally lack confidence in the justice system, and potentially seeing more people who look like them participating in the legal field could help facilitate this much needed confidence.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)? 
Greater Cincinnati Minority Counsel Program (GCMCP) – the goal of this organization is to increase the amount of work and involvement that minorities have in legal transactions and deals in the greater Cincinnati Area.

4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
I want to not only be part of the change, but actually see the change implemented. It is crucial that people who do not know or do not have that opportunity to know any attorneys or the path needed to become an attorney know where to find resources and guidance on how to get involved. I am happy that I am able to share my experience and story with individuals who are just getting their start, and I would love to see more outreach to the younger generation. It is exciting for me to think I can make an impact on young people’s lives. If I can do it, I think anyone can do it! Moreover, when it comes to minorities who have reached that goal and have entered into the legal field, it is just equally important for those individuals to continue in that trajectory by getting the support and tools needed to help attain leadership positions.

 

Name: Elisha Ononye
From: Texas, but was born in Nigeria
Position: Currently a 3L at the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity is important. Even as a minority, I enjoy meeting other people from different cultures and experiences and getting to learn all about these cultures. Diversity broadens our view of life—when we meet others we are different from, we are opened up to new ideas, new things and this is how we grow as a society, as people. When we are able to learn and appreciate about other cultures and people, we are able to see a different lens that maybe was not open to us before.

Diversity adds a lot of value to the legal community. It helps to see more minorities in law school so we do not feel like we are alone in it; this presence helps minorities feel more comfortable when there are people who they can relate with on a different level.

Diversity also sets an example for the future of people of color. No one in my family was a lawyer—law was never something I considered because I did not know it was a path for me. The more people of color that attend law school, the more we can normalize the legal field as being a path for minority students.

2) What changes would you like to see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
I would like to see not only more minority professors teaching in law school, but also more people from different backgrounds and cultures in law schools. The law/legal field cannot change if the right people are not in it! We need more people of color in this field for this exact reason—if we have more minorities in legal positions, they may be more progression. Different backgrounds, experiences and a diversity of ideas is key to progress in the legal field and the law in general.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)? 
  • BLSA - Vice President 
  • Children's Law Center Clinic - helps to do work for juveniles who have gotten in trouble with the law
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
The why for me is multi-layered. A lot of money, time and effort was put into bringing myself and my family over to the United States. I know what it is like to not have things so my upbringing keeps me very grounded. I have a drive, an obligation of sorts to succeed and move forward—a lot of family and friends are counting on me and are looking up to me to succeed. My way comes not only from within but the people that surround me as I have had so many people helped to have get me to this point.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
Gratitude definitely does and will intersect with what I want to do. Although I am not entirely sure what the future holds for me, I do know that I do not think I will ever turn down a friend or family member who comes to me for legal advice. Gratitude was given to me; selflessness was passed down to me and I want to pass this on throughout my legal career. Regardless of what I end up doing, I will end up helping people, whether through my job or relationships with people because if I can help you, I will help you because I am grateful to be where I am.

 

Name: Stephanie Scott
From: Cincinnati, OH
Position: Assistant General Counsel for Cincinnati Public Schools

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity and inclusion is important to me. Being a Black woman, I cannot just ignore diversity and inclusion because it impacts me in every facet of life. How diversity is viewed in a company, at a firm, in life almost always has a direct impact on me, so I have not only a personal incentive to furthering or championing diversity and inclusion but also a global/community standpoint as well it is necessary. A diverse community, one of different thoughts and ideas, enhances every environment in a positive way.

2) What challenges do you see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
It’s well known that minority representation in the legal community is scarce. The legal field is still a predominantly white, male dominated field. As a woman of color, there are constant challenges and biases that we encounter, not only in the legal field, but life in general.

I have been encouraged recent initiatives and focus in the legal field in this but one thing that I feel still needs to be improved is the retention of minority attorneys. That minority attorneys feel a sense of true authentic belonging within the various legal environments.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?
Legal
  • CBA Diversity Committee
  • CBA Women's Lawyer Section, Program Chair 
  • BLAC Member, served on various committees (i.e. Banquet Committee) 
  • Cincinnati Public Schools DEI Committee

Community 

  • Found Village Board Member, Vice Chair 
  • Regional Youth Leadership Steering Committee 
  • Northern Kentucky Chamber Board Member 
  • Campbell County YMCA 
  • Church Board Member, Fellowship Church of God
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
I worked in non-profit sector for close to 20 years prior to law school. When deciding to become an attorney continuing to help the community was always in the framework for me. Becoming an attorney as enabled to add my legal knowledge to make greater impact. I really dedicated to being a community-oriented person—community impact and youth development are things that have always been at the forefront for me. Focus on intersectionality I feel is critical - how race, class, gender, and other individual characteristics “intersect” with one another and overlap. Again, as a Black woman with my own unique background, I recognize I can bring my perspective that aids into looking at problems and even more so solutions through different lenses. More recently, my why led to an opportunity to play a lead role CPS’s adoption of an Anti-Racism Policy. This policy was one of the first of its kind in the state to be passed (in December 2020) and aims to eliminate all forms of racism from CPS. I was so honored to be a part of this important and necessary work.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
I am very grateful and fortunate to be in the role I am now—the environment I am in affords me the opportunity for my purpose, passion and profession to intersect. I am also grateful because in this role, I am exposed to a lot of different challenges in society that intersect with our school system. A scripture passage that sums up how I feel about gratitude and the position I am in is this: "to whom much is given much is required". Giving back to the community through my profession is the least I can do, and I am extra grateful that is in the capacity of a role I enjoy and able to thrive and more grateful that it helps other thrive even more.

 

Name: Janelle Thompson
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Position: Currently a 3L at the University of Cincinnati College of Law

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity is of great value to me. I actually was born and grew up in a diverse area; however, I moved and went to high school in a predominately white area. The difference between the two environments highlighted how important diversity was for me. This same mindset, same background, same bubble impacts the way you look at the world. Different backgrounds, experiences and ideas are so beneficial not only to individuals but society as a whole as diversity brings a different perspective in the way we as a society looks at things.

2) What changes would you like to see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
I think the legal community, specifically in Cincinnati, needs to work on being more open minded. My introduction to Cincinnati was through law school, so as I am getting to know this legal field what is considered professional, the standard (i.e. hairstyles, piercings, tattoos) seem to be still conversation pieces in 2021, which is somewhat crazy to me.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?
  • BLSA President for the UC Chapter
  • Part of BLSA Mentoring Program with Hughes High School 
  • Jones Center for Race, Gender and Social Justice—Social Justice Fellow 
  • AME Church, active member 
  • SBA - secretary last year
  • Law Review, blog editor
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
I believe everyone was born with a purpose. I was blessed to have the academic and social potential to serve my community through the legal field. I want to take the knowledge I learn in law school and take it back to the communities that do not have the access. I am so passionate about the legal field—it impacts every area of our lives, so I need and see myself making a change in this field for the better.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
Gratitude plays a big part about what I am trying to get in the legal field. I am going to be the first lawyer in my immediate family. I feel blessed to be able to learn the things I am learning and be in the spaces I am able to be in and I do not take this opportunity for granted. I have an obligation to speak up and be as great as possible in the spaces I encounter in the legal field because a lot of people that look like me are not afforded this opportunity.

 

Name: Glenda Wright
From: Owensboro, Kentucky
Position: Currently a 3L at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law

1) How important is diversity to you, and what value does it bring?
Diversity is huge for me personally. My upbringing and who I am as a person has played a huge role in why and how I think the way I do and knowing that diversity is necessary in all spaces. Having diversity in the legal field is key—when people come from different walks of life and have different experiences, the field gets people that have a range of ideas, thought processes and outlooks. When you only have one walk of life, it is hard to take a look at a problem, a scenario, at a client with a full lens. That is why it is so important to have diversity.

2) What changes would you like to see in the legal community in regards to D&I?
Law school is lacking not only diversity in skin color but also diversity in socioeconomic status. There is really no programming to deal with deficits that you cannot make up for, especially when you come from a non-privileged background. I think law schools need to implement optional informational sessions for students where they can learn more about the real struggles you will have to face and deal with while attending law school. In addition, sessions centered on how to cope with the stress that accompanies law school, how to succeed in a space that you do not necessarily feel like you belong in, and how the academic grading structure is very different than what most students are used to in undergrad. Additionally, I think law schools need to implement educational pre-programs and mentorship programs with people of similar experiences to help even the playing field for diverse law students.

In the legal field, I feel like introduction programs and sessions for things like networking, etiquette and mentorship with people of different experiences and backgrounds is key for diverse attorneys to succeed and level the playing field for minorities.

3) What activities/organizations are you involved in (in the Greater Cincinnati Community/at your law school)?
  • Senior editor, Northern Kentucky Law Review
  • Honors Program at Chase 
  • Lead Barbri Representative 
  • President of Phi Alpha Delta
  • Vice President of FBA 
  • Pro Bono with Pro Seniors 
  • Constitutional Law Litigation Clinic 
  • Children Justice Act Task Force 
  • I run my own consulting firm that focuses on the child welfare system (i.e., a business that consults on child welfare issues; bettering the child welfare system). I currently have a few ongoing contracts with community partners working in this area/field.
4) What is your "why" (why do you give back?)
My why is two-fold. I was in and out of foster care from infant to 21. Through this experience, I was able to realize firsthand how much the whole child welfare system was messed up. I was angry at how I felt like I was set up for failure and later down the road how all youth who come from the system in one way or another were also set up for failure. Through that anger I learned to channel it in a healthy way which is how I started my journey of advocating for children in foster care in Kentucky. I did this until I went to law school. These experiences showed me that diverse, impoverished people are truly overlooked and I knew I needed to speak up and be an advocate on behalf of people who may not feel like they can speak up, or whenever they do their voices may be overlooked or ignored. Personally when I see an injustice, I need to be able to say I tried X/Y/Z to help whoever needs the help.

5) How does gratitude intersect with your legal practice?
One of the reasons I came to law school is because I grew up in the legal system. I saw firsthand what a difference it made to have a zealous advocate and also how much power lawyers/judges had over my life. I wanted to understand how the laws really impact me and this in turn transferred to me loving the law. I gained a lot of gratitude as a result of my upbringing and where I come from and where I am at now. Law school is and has provided me with a lot of the information I was seeking before coming to law school.

It has also provided me with a foundation of where I can share my knowledge and education with people of similar experiences which helps them navigate a system that is often times hard to navigate and, in some instances, stacked up against them. I am not sure what I want to do when I exit law school but what I do know is that I am grateful for the skills that I have learned, and I am excited to implement them when I graduate and pass the bar. I know I will use my education to give back, no matter where I ultimately land, whether that is in my career or in a pro bono capacity. When you have the skills, you have to make sure to not let them go unused especially skills of such power (i.e. legal skills).
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