Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This page is designed as a resource for Bar members to highlight DEI efforts within the Association and to share relevant information about diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
 

RIBA CLE Programs

To view upcoming CLE programs offering DEI credits, please click here.  To visit our library of DEI related on-demand CLE programs, please click here.

Reminder: As of July 1, all attorneys must earn at least 1.0 DEI credit as part of their annual MCLE requirement. For questions about CLE requirements, please contact the Rhode Island MCLE, the accrediting authority for CLE in Rhode Island.

Get Involved! 
House of Delegates
Involvement in the activities of our Bar Association is a richly rewarding experience. One way to become familiar with Bar Association activities is by serving as a member of the House of Delegates. For those interested in becoming a member of the Bar’s Executive Committee and an eventual Bar officer, House of Delegates’ membership is a necessary first step. To learn more about Rhode Island Bar Association governance, please click here. Letters of interest are due annually at end of February. For more information on how to submit your letter of interest please click here. 

RIBA Committees
Robust and involved Bar Committees are the backbone of our organization. Service on a Rhode Island Bar Association Committee is one of the most important functions members may fulfill. Diverse membership and active participation in committees enables us to fulfill the Bar’s mission to improve the administration of justice and to promote professionalism within the practice. We especially encourage members to consider joining our DEI Committee, which meets regularly to discuss DEI-related matters of interest to the membership, make recommendations that foster a sense of equity and inclusion among members, and propose DEI-related CLE and Annual Meeting programming, networking events with affinity legal organizations, and resources for the membership. Please click here to view the entire list of Bar committees and sign up for a committee today!

Public Service Programs 
The Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service can be a significant business generator for your practice for just a few dollars a month, whether you are a longstanding member of the Bar or recently admitted. Don’t hesitate any longer to find out how you can profit from an LRS membership while expanding the public’s access to legal representation. With thousands of referrals made in 2021, don’t miss out on increasing your client base (would add) and visibility in the community in 2022. Please contact Ana Dominguez, adominguez@ribar.com for further details or call 401-421-7799. We are also in need of Spanish-speaking and other diverse language-speaking volunteers for our pro bono programs as well as our Lawyer Referral Service.

Taking a pro bono case through the Bar's Volunteer Lawyer Program not only supports those within our community who are most in need, but it also supports DEI efforts. Taking pro bono cases, and encouraging your employees to take pro bono cases, supports your practice's commitment to inclusion and strengthens the bridge toward equality through access to justice for all. Please contact Volunteer Lawyer Program Coordinator John Ellis today at 401-421-7758 or jellis@ribar.com to find out how you can help.

Greater diversity within the membership of all of our public service programs benefits members of the public whom we serve. If you have questions about any of our public service programs, please contact Public Services Director Susan A. Fontaine at 401-421-7799 or sfontaine@ribar.com.

Connect with Other Legal Communities
Looking to expand your professional network or find support tailored to your background or interests? Visit our Affinity and Local Bar Associations page to explore a range of legal organizations serving Rhode Island attorneys. These associations offer opportunities for connection, collaboration, and professional development across a variety of communities and regions.

Rhode Island Bar Journal Articles & Features

Focus on the Future Interviews
Focus on the Future is a spotlight series where members of the Rhode Island Bar Journal Editorial Board interview attorneys who are newer to the Rhode Island Bar.

• Jessie M. Reniere, Esq.
• Koye Idowu, Esq.
• Justin S. Smith, Esq.
• Samantha Armstrong, Esq.
• Emily Heisler, Esq.
• Monsurat Ottun, Esq.
• Kaylin Pelletier-Koenig, Esq.
• Zachary Lyons, Esq.
• Michaela Bland, Esq.
• Crystal D. Peralta, Esq.
• Kylie Lovett, Esq.

RI Women Lawyers Interviews
This series was inspired by Roger Williams University School of Law’s annual Women in Robes event, and was created in alliance with their exciting new project The First Women, which recognizes and honors the first women of the Rhode Island bar.

• Lynette J. Labinger, Esq.
• Barbara Margolis, Esq.
• Hon. Mary M. Lisi
• Lise Iwon, Esq.
• Victoria M. Almeida, Esq.
• Lise J. Gescheidt, Esq.
• Susan Leach DeBlasio, Esq.
• Hon. Netti C. Vogel
• Hon. Linda Rekas Sloan
• Elizabeth McDonough Noonan, Esq.
• Hon. Melissa R. DuBose
• Barbara Hurst, Esq.

DEI Related Articles

Transgender Student Rights Under Title IX – The Still Evolving and Shifting Landscape
Steven M. Richard, Esq. and Caitlyn Horbert, Esq.

Tech-Facilitated Sexual Abuse During COVID-19
Lindsay Lieberman, Esq.

Book Review – How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
Samuel D. Zurier, Esq

Navigating Title IX and Campus Sexual Misconduct Defense – Advocacy’s Wild West
John R. Grasso, Esq.

Movie Review – On the Basis of Sex
Jenna Giguere, Esq.

Learning From Millennials in the Legal Workspace
Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Esq. and Suzanne Harrington-Steppen, Esq.

DEI Resources

Articles

Racial Fairness Panel Outlines Mission, Near-Term Goals
Barry Bridges

Pushing the Bar - 5 Women Who Blazed Trails Through R.I.'S Legal System
Katie Mulvaney

The Amazing Dorothy Crockett
Michael M. Bowden

Trailblazing Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson Reflects on Her Career
Edward Fitzpatrick