Membership has privileges!

Our member organizations are some of Connecticut’s leading corporations, public sector entities, law firms, law schools, and affinity groups. This phenomenal consortium has the privilege of being changemakers. Together, we are positioning Connecticut as a prime location for a diverse population to study and practice law, enhance their professional networks, and advance their careers. Currently, our network comprises 44 core organizations, and we are excited to welcome more! 

The Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity welcomes new members who are interested in being part of an organization dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Members of LCD are part of a dynamic group looking for ways to promote diversity and inclusion in the Connecticut legal community. LCD’s successes are reflected in innumerable attorneys in law firms, corporate law departments, and government agencies who have benefited from and credited LCD’s programs for helping with their career progression. LCD plans to continue to help develop future generations of lawyers and to assist its members in creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

Dues are assessed annually based on the size of each member’s legal department or law firm’s Connecticut lawyer count.

LCD brings together diverse groups of people covering a variety of backgrounds, ideas, and personalities whose purpose is to create a diverse and inclusive environment for future generations of Connecticut lawyers. This collaborative consortium is the most significant benefit of LCD membership.

For a complete list of our Member Organizations, go to the About Us page.

If your organization is ready to join our consortium of changemakers or to discuss the many benefits of membership, click HERE to contact our Executive Director, Joelle Murchison.

Mentoring And Internships

Mentoring and internships are critical components of bridging the diversity gap. They provide guidance and work experience to young professionals during their most formative years, which can shape the course of their careers for years to come.

LCD, through its members, offers a wide range of opportunities for aspiring lawyers to obtain work experience and mentors. Below are just a few examples of our many initiatives.

Become A Mentor

LCD’s Student Mentor Program matches law students of color from participating law schools in Connecticut with successful lawyers in LCD’s member organization network. Matching mentors and mentees begins with a solid profile of all participants. Pairing may be based on development goals, interests, or background. While the current program focuses on law students, many of the relationships formed continue informally for years. This program has been called “life-changing” by past participants and brings unparalleled value to both the mentor and the mentee.

Click HERE to fill out a mentor application

Sponsor an Intern

The LCD College Pipeline Summer Internship Program provides college students with paid summer work experience, weekly seminars, and local visits (COVID permitting) to a courthouse, law schools, and other locations. In addition to exposing students to the daily responsibilities of working in a legal office, the program includes a summer-long mock trial program that culminates in every student participating in the mock trial, which is presided over by a judge of the Connecticut Superior Court. Many of our member organizations host one or more college interns. Our goal is to build the pipeline of future lawyers of color in Connecticut by inspiring and guiding these aspiring lawyers.

In addition, we have several corporate-law firm collaborations amongst our members, offering split summer work experience to law students either studying in the state and/or Connecticut residents studying law out of state but intending to return to practice in Connecticut. LCD encourages its members to form these collaborations and can co-sponsor or facilitate the recruiting process as needed.

Networking and Professional Development

Professional events that bring us together are equally critical to building a more diverse and inclusive profession. Whether it is to learn from experts, celebrate the accomplishments of our peers, or create space for all of us to expand the diversity of our own personal network, LCD co-sponsors events with one or more member organizations throughout the year. Co-sponsoring these events is an important way for member organizations to contribute to the cohesiveness of our diverse community, as they are very often one of the few spaces in which attorneys meet with so many others that they would not ordinarily see in their day-to-day experiences.