News Archives

We are pleased to announce that the National Bar Institute (NBI) has been honored with the prestigious CLEO Leadership Excellence Award by the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO). This recognition reflects a genuine appreciation for the NBI’s outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication to advancing CLEO’s mission.

On October 11, 2023, our Board Member and Treasurer, Frank Seales, represented the NBI in accepting this award. The ceremony marked a momentous occasion where the NBI’s influence in promoting diversity and inclusion within legal education was celebrated. We, at the NBI, humbly accept this meaningful gesture and extend our deepest gratitude to CLEO for acknowledging our continuous support and remarkable commitment to their mission.

We also want to express our gratitude to Mr. Leigh Allen for his visit to Frank’s office, emphasizing the significance of this occasion.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO) for bestowing upon the National Bar Institute this prestigious honor.

Black women attorneys in this country shared a collective victory when Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed and sworn-in to the Supreme Court of the United States. Her triumph showed us that the highest levels of our beloved legal profession were accessible to Black women. However for many, the level of success achieved by Justice Jackson and others seems out of reach.

The National Bar Association (NBA) and Kanarys Inc. partnered to evaluate the state of Black women attorneys on matters of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Members of the NBA Women Lawyers Division (WLD) were the source of the data, which showed that while a majority of us feel empowered, respected and supported in our workplaces, there are many that experience, or witnessed someone experience, discrimination or bias. Incidents of discrimination and bias are amplified when they occur at the intersection of being Black and being a woman.

Prior to the close of 2022, the NBI launched a new scholarship program designed for greater outreach to the National Bar Association’s (NBA) Regions and Affiliate bar associations.  All NBA Affiliates were solicited to nominate a second-year law student to their Regional Director for consideration to receive a scholarship and admission to the NBI Bar Passage Success Program.  Each Region had the opportunity to review the nominations submitted by participating Affiliates and select two students.  For the inaugural run of the program, Regions 7, 9 and 10 participated and sent their selections to the NBI.

The NBI designed the program so that 24 students from the Regions would be able to participate in two bar preparation courses occurring during the summer and mid-winter.  Twelve (12) of the 24 nominated students will also receive a $5,000 scholarship.  In addition to the Regional selections, seven (7) select law schools were invited to nominate a student to participate in the NBI Bar Passage Success Program.  The NBI is funding the program and has contracted with JD Advising (www.jdadvising.com) to administer the NBI Bar Passage Success Program. JD Advising is well-known for its bar prep course and one-on-one tutoring.  Key features of the programs are as follows:

Phase 1 (conducted virtually June 24-25, 2023)

1. Overview of the bar exam
2. Preparation for the bar exam (including classes to take)
3. Law school essays vs. bar exam essays
4. How to approach bar exam essays
5. Highly tested areas of law on the bar exam
6. An introduction to the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) and Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
7. Office Hours for individual student inquiries and assistance

Phase 2 (scheduled for January 28, February 4, and February 11, 2024)

1. Day 1 – Bar Exam Overview, Essay Advice and MPT (Part 1) including lectures by JD Advising on how to take the Bar exam, general ground rules, review of sample essay question and model answer.
2. Day 2 – Essay review and practice questions with model answers and MPT (Part 2).  Take home essay questions and review/feedback by JD Advising.
3. Day 3 – MBE strategy, practice, and review.

By participating in the NBI Bar Passage Success Program, students will benefit from learning study techniques which will enhance their potential for success in passing the bar.

On June 14, 2023, she was inducted into the 98 year old Washington Bar Association Hall of Fame. Bestowed to mark a distinguished legal career, which includes service as the 77th President of the National Bar Association, induction into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame, and recipient of the National Bar Association’s highest honor, the C. Frances Stradford Award, Heman Marion Sweatt Award, and Sankofa Award.

On your promotion to Assistant General Counsel at General Motors and is now a Senior Executive. Stephanie Jones is responsible for intellectual property-related matters regarding General Motor’s autonomous vehicles, connectivity/infotainment, propulsion, research and development and data loss prevention. She negotiates strategic high-stakes IP agreements.

Congratulations to Daryl D. Parks, Board Member of the National Bar Institute. He will receive the Champion for Diversity Award from the Tallahassee Bar Association. This award honors the Tallahassee Bar Association member who has taken purposeful action and made long-term contributions demonstrating positive outcomes in achieving diversity, inclusion, and equity in the legal profession.

Congratulations Dean Alfreda Robinson for being appointed by the Department of Transportation, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, to serve on the Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee of the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

Dean Robinson is the former President and Chair of the Standing Committee on Judicial Selection, National Bar Association, Associate Dean for Trial Advocacy/Professor at George Washington Law, and representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.

Dean Robinson will be one of 19 members who will review airline policies, procedures, and practices to prevent discrimination against air travelers based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, ancestry, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and to make recommendations as to best practices to the Department of Transportation.

Congratulations to Dr. Walter L. Sutton Jr., Chair of the National Bar Institute, Past President of the National Bar Association, and long-standing champion of diversity and equity in the legal profession. Dr. Sutton received the Cora T. Walker Award given to an NBA member with a longstanding history of supporting the National Bar Association Commercial Law Section. In addition, Dr. Sutton is a mentor to black law students and lawyers across the country and serves as Chairman of the Wiley College Board of Trustees.

Cora T. Walker was a legal pioneer admitted to the New York State Bar in 1947 at a time when very few women and very few Blacks were practicing attorneys. On top of an inspiring legal career spanning over 50+ years, Dr. Sutton serves the community and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.

In August 2022, the National Bar Institute Board of Directors selected six (6) students from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as the latest Cohorts. The NBI Law Scholars Program was designed to assist a student at the beginning of his or her second year of law school. When a student completes his or her third year, the NBI will provide support as the student prepares to take the bar exam. Each student will receive a grant that will help cover the cost of a bar review course and the bar application fees.

This year’s Law Scholars represent schools located in Florida, California, Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C. These Scholars have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to pursuing the legal profession and a desire to serve their communities. They will complete their studies in 2024.

The Board extends its heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for a successful law school year!

The remaining six students received a one-time scholarship in the amount of $1,000. They are as follows:

• Amber Dean
  Thurgood Marshal School of Law
• Darryl Harris
  Florida A &M University College of Law
• Destiny Montemayor
  Southern University Law Center
• Favour Okhuevbie
  Howard University School of Law
• Grace Dunnehoff
  University of the District of Columbia
  David A. Clarke School of Law
• Janee’ Baldwin
  North Carolina Central University School of Law

Over the years, the NBI has awarded more than $360,000 to 76 outstanding law students with impressive grade point averages and service to their communities. This is the last class of the Fellowship Program which will be replaced by a newly created program that will focus on scholarship awards to a select group of students and assistance with bar review preparations to a larger group of students. An announcement about the new program will be forthcoming within the next few weeks.

Sponsored by Amazon, this national survey, will be the largest of its kind to gain a national scope on the future of the legal profession and how to address making the workplace more equitable. If you are interested in participating, please click on the link below. Please share this survey with your legal network in order to reach as many lawyers and law students as possible. The survey takes about 15 minutes. Responses are completely anonymous.

It was a beautiful day for golf when National Bar members boarded the bus at the Sheraton hotel to take the thirty-minute ride down to the Tunica Nation Golf and Tennis facility. There they were met with a hot breakfast and bag handlers to get them started on the way. The NBA members played alongside local golfers on a well maintained and laid out golf course.

The NBI Championship flight winners were the team of Will Dorse, Fred Dorse, NBA past president Mike Rosier and Richard Gaines. The Open Championship Flight winners were the team of Penny Hardaway, celebrity golfer and basketball coach at University of Memphis, Don Holmes, Charles Ewing and Thurman Glass.

Although the Memphis heat kept some golfers away this year, we are anticipating a great turnout next year in Minneapolis.

​In April, NBI Board Director Alfreda Robinson was honored by the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) with the establishment of “The Dean Alfreda Robinson Oral Advocacy Award.” Dean Robinson is Associate Dean for Trial Advocacy at George Washington University Law School.  A BLSA member excelling in oral advocacy competitions will be selected to receive the award at BLSA’s annual Patricia Roberts Harris Awards Dinner. The graduation dinner was founded by Dean Robinson in 1978, when she was a third-year law student at George Washington.

The inaugural award recipient is Chidima Osuchukwu, who will be joining Morgan Lewis law firm upon her graduation.  Among several honors, she is a scholar of the Morgan Lewis Foundation and Notes Editor for the George Washington International Law Review.

Congratulations to Dean Robinson and Ms. Osuchukwu!

Over the years, the National Bar Institute (NBI) has awarded more than $290,000 to approximately 67 outstanding students with impressive grade rankings and service to their communities. The fellowships range from $1,000 to $10,000. During the 2021 Annual Meeting, the NBI Board of Directors approved the award of fellowships to eight students representing several law schools. In August 2021, each student received a fellowship to assist with law school expenses during the final academic year of 2021-2022. The Board determined the students had demonstrated an impressive commitment to complete their studies and it is anticipated they will have a positive impact on improving their communities.

In September 2021, the National Bar Institute (NBI) Board of Directors selected the first law student cohort to participate in the newly launched NBI Law Scholars Program. Twelve students, who completed their first year of law school in May 2021, were nominated by the Deans of six historically black law schools. The following six students were selected by the Board’s Grants Committee, with each Scholar to receive monetary awards each year during their three-year law school tenure.

• Tamsin Wooley,
  Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law
• Songo Wawa,
  University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law
• Jori Opara,
  Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Law
• Lucinda Iheaso,
  Southern University Law Center
• Adia Craig,
  North Carolina Central University School of Law
• Terrance Brown,
  Howard University School of Law

The remaining six students received a one-time scholarship in the amount of $1,000. They are as follows:

• Edrius Stagg,
  Southern University Law Center
• Amari Roberts,
  Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Law
• Lorraine Olutu,
  Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law
• Shante Mays,
  North Carolina Central University School of Law
• Keria Hicks,
  University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law
• Erica Herrera,
  Howard University School of Law

The ENDOWMENT 2000 campaign was established during the 1994 – 1995 bar year to provide: 1) resources for capital expenditures and special needs related to the objectives of the National Bar Institute (NBI) and 2) support for facilities and support for programs of the NBI, National Bar Association and other related organizations. The goal of raising $1,000,000 was reached in 2021.

A management committee has been appointed by the NBI Chair to develop the guidelines for grantmaking.

In 1994, under the leadership of National Bar Institute (NBI) Chair Ernestine Sapp, the NBI launched the Jacob Lawrence Art Project working with renowned artist Jacob Lawrence. Lawrence produced “Lawyers and Clients”, a limited-edition work that generated proceeds from the sale of serigraphs, prints, posters and note cards until 2020. Proceeds benefit the NBI’s programs.

Since Lawrence’s death in 2000, his art, including “Lawyers and Clients”, has increased significantly in value. He is recognized as a major figure in American art. He was a talented artist who believed that the “Negro struggle is a symbol of the struggle of all mankind.” Lawrence often drew American experience in his boldly colored works to invoke the human experience in a way which transcends race and gender. Lawrence gained national recognition in 1941 when he became the first black artist to exhibit in a major New York gallery and consequently, was the first to receive national press coverage (including a profile in ART news in 1944).

From his early training as an artist in Central Harlem to his retirement from teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle, Jacob Lawrence approached the creative process the way he approached his life — with honesty and emotional integrity matched by few artists of his generation. He believed firmly that art can affect change without being pedantic; and that beauty resides equally in forms as in content. For him harmony was both an aesthetic and a social concept.