ICLEO program designed to promote diversity in Indiana’s legal field
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Allen Superior Court Judge Wendy W. Davis has been appointed to a new term on the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity (ICLEO) Advisory Committee.
The committee, appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court, works to promote diversity in Indiana’s legal profession through the ICLEO program. ICLEO assists minority, low income or educationally disadvantaged college graduates in pursuing a law degree and a career in the Indiana legal community.
Judge Davis, who has served on the advisory committee since 2013, was re-appointed to serve through Aug. 31, 2022. She has been active in the program and has hosted a summer law clerk, funded through a grant from the ICLEO program, since 2015.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, attorneys nationwide are predominantly Caucasian males. Just 34 percent are women, less than 5 percent are African-American and less than 4 percent are Hispanic. ICLEO works to broaden diversity in law through opportunities such as clerkships and the ICLEO Summer Institute.
“The diversity of our community is one of the things that makes Allen County special,” Judge Davis said. “It’s the foundation of who we are, and people rightfully expect to see that diversity when they enter the courtroom. ICLEO is doing important work to open doors and provide opportunity in a profession that matters to everyone.”
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