NCBE President Judith A. Gundersen, NCBE’s Board of Trustees, and NCBE Diversity Issues Committee Chair Bryan R. Williams met at NCBE headquarters with CLEO Director of Prelaw Program Operations Bernetta Hayes and CLEO Board of Directors member Malcolm L. Morris to formalize their collaboration. Front row: Suzanne K. Richards, Bernetta Hayes, Michele A. Gavagni, Malcolm L. Morris, Judith A. Gundersen, Hon. Phyllis D. Thompson, Bryan R. Williams, Hon. Rebecca White Berch (Ret.) Back row: Timothy Y. Wong, Patrick R. Dixon, Augustin Rivera Jr., Darin B. Scheer, Hulett H. Askew, John J. McAlary, Anthony R. Simon, Hon. Cynthia L. Martin
On October 26, 2018, NCBE and the Council on Legal Education Opportunity Inc. (CLEO) announced a new collaboration in support of their shared goal of increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. NCBE provided funding to bolster CLEO’s programs that help individuals from traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and disadvantaged communities achieve success in law school and prepare to take and pass the bar exam. For over 50 years, CLEO has successfully contributed to increasing the number of lawyers from diverse backgrounds in all sectors of law.
As stated by NCBE president Judith A. Gundersen, “Diversification of the legal profession is a top priority for legal education and admissions stakeholders at all levels. We are proud to partner with CLEO and support programs with a strong track record of helping prepare underrepresented groups for law school and bar exam success.”
Cassandra Sneed Ogden, the Chief Executive Officer of CLEO, stated, “Diversity and inclusion have been the cornerstone of CLEO’s mission since 1968. We are extremely excited about the opportunity to collaborate with NCBE to expand the services we provide our students, especially those preparing for the bar examination. NCBE has a wealth of online information and study aids available to help students be successful in their final quest to join the legal profession. However, some students need a personal touch to coach them over the finish line. With NCBE’s generous financial support, CLEO will be able to assist scores of 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls across the country to methodically prepare to conquer the bar exam.”
