Summary of a new pipeline program dedicated to promoting diversity, creating access and feeding the pipeline in the legal industry in Tampa Bay, Florida.

1. GEORGE EDGECOMB BAR ASSOCIATION
DIVERSITY ACCESS PIPELINE (DAP) PILOT PROGRAM (2018-2019)

2. WHAT IS DAP?
A.
Handshaking, pound
hugging, fist pounding,
or chest- or fist
bumping.
B.
Acronym for “dignity
and pride” or
“deserving all props.”
C.A program designed
to take third-year law
students from local
law schools through
rigorous preparation
for legal practice in
competitive and
prestigious positions,
including law firms,
federal clerkships, and
government agencies.
D.
All of the above.

3. COMMITTEE CHAIR:
JOSELINE JEAN-LOUIS HARDRICK, ESQ.
DAP
An intensive, year-long program
designed to prepare diverse
third-year law students and to:
Support career-building
internships, partnerships, and
entry level positions at law firms
and judicial clerkships
Promote diversity and leadership
Address the lack of diversity in law
by infusing the pipeline with highly-
qualified, diverse law students who
have undergone intensive training
and professional development
Grant received from the Florida Bar Voluntary Bar Diversity Grant
Grant received from the Middle District of Florida Bench Bar Fund
Partnership sought with the Hillsborough County Bar Association

4. WHY DAP?
Maintaining
diversity is
still an issue
in the legal
industry
March 2016
• American Bar
Association
Journal:
Minority
women are
disappearing
from BigLaw-
-and here’s
why
June 2018
• Florida Bar
Journal: Rx
Warning:
Quitting
Diversity Efforts
Too Soon May
Result in
Harmful Relapse
June 2018
• The Nation:
Law Schools
Are Failing
Students of
Color
July 2018
• Law360:
Minority
Lawyers on
WhyThey
Left BigLaw
July 2018
• Schools are
Very
Diverse, So
Why Aren’t
Law Firms?
August
2018
• The Atlantic:
What It
Takes to Be
a Trial
Lawyer If
You’re Not
a Man

5. RESEARCH BACKED STRATEGIES
Break down institutional
barriers, such as low test
scores and poor
preparation
•Build student motivation
through recognition
Provide academic support
to students
•Focus on rigorous and
relevant content
Develop mentoring and
networking opportunities
•Develop strong mentor
connections
Collaboration between
programs
• including K-12
education,
undergraduate
education, law schools,
and transition into
professional practice
Establish strong goals
•focus on early and intensive
approaches
Document progress
•Record program activities
and results
“Diversity Pipeline Programs in Legal Education Context, Research, and a Path Forward” by
Alisa Cunningham and Patricia Steele, Ph.D., May 2015 available at https://www.accesslex.org/diversity-pipeline-programs-legal-
education-context-research-and-path-forward recommends the following for successful legal diversity pipeline programs:

6. CURRENT LEGAL PIPELINE PROGRAMS - A SAMPLE
State Bar ofWisconsin Diversity Clerkship Program
• The State Bar’s Diversity Clerkship Program is a limited-term, summer employment opportunity that affords first-year
Marquette University Law School and University ofWisconsin Law School students with diverse backgrounds the
opportunity to build legal practice skills and knowledge.It is an employer-student assignment program where students
are assigned to private law firms, corporate legal departments and governmental agencies. Student clerks gain practical
legal experience, and participating employers obtain valuable legal support.
https://www.wisbar.org/aboutus/forlawstudents/pages/diversity-program.aspx
JustThe Beginning A Pipeline Organization (JTB-APO)
• For many students, particularly students of color and those from low-income backgrounds, the path to law school or a
successful legal career is not always clear. JTB works to illuminate that path by lighting the spark of recognition that it is
possible to become a lawyer and a leader.That spark is “just the beginning” for our scholars and leaders. http://jtb.org/
The Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP)
A non-profit corporation that to diversify the legal profession by expanding opportunities for women of color law
students to secure summer positions at law firms and corporations following their first year of law school.Students who
work in law firms following their first year of law school are more likely to obtain summer associate positions and secure
offers of employment following law school. DAPP’s primary goal is to infuse the pipeline to big law jobs with talented,
highly qualified women of color in order to combat and increase the dismal statistics surrounding the number of women
of color who are hired, retained and promoted at large law firms across the nation. https://dapprogram.org/about-dapp/

7. PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL LAW SCHOOLS
Applications for DAP will be accepted from students at the following law schools:

8. EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment is a large component of the
program
DAP scholars will be empowered to:
• successfully transition from law school to the legal profession;
• take an active role in diversity efforts by volunteering with the
program;
• speak to pre-law students in middle and high, school and college
and mentor other law students.

9. QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMITMENT
Applicants must be
members of racial
and ethnic groups or
populations that
have been
historically
underrepresented in
the legal profession.
Scholars must
commit to:
an in-person
interview
attendance at all
events and
completion of all
modules (with
exceptions on an
as needed basis)
completion of an
article for
submission to a
voluntary bar
publication
end of year
presentations at
graduation
service on one of
GEBA's
committees.

10. DAP SCHOLARS
Each scholar
will receive:
• a mentor
• a bar prep scholarship
•free admission to affiliate-
sponsored writing, mock
interview and other professional
development workshops and
seminars
Each scholar
must commit
to:
• promoting diversity and
inclusion in the legal
profession
• community service
• leadership
DAP will be
dedicated to:
• providing a strong academic
and professional foundation
• Networking and references
• Bar prep and writing course

11. LONG TERM GOAL
DEVELOP AND PREPARETHE NEXT GENERATION OF DIVERSE ATTORNEYSTO ENTER AND REMAIN IN THE PIPELINEWHILE
GIVINGTHEMTHETOOLS, NETWORK,AND COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERSTO HELPTHEM SUCCEED.

12. MENTORING
The program model pairs law
students with law school and
attorney mentors who serve as
resources to the scholars.
Mentors assist DAP scholars with
the transition to legal employment,
developing time-management skills
and understanding substantive
content.
The peer-to-peer and attorney
mentoring relationships are critical
to the DAP scholars’ success
because they begin building
professional networks and
relationships well before they begin
practicing law and in turn have more
access to opportunities, resources,
and other intangibles that set them
up for success.
Scholars will also act
as mentors to the
students at the
Franklin and Ferrell
Middle Schools.

13. LEADERSHIP
Through an anticipated partnership with the Hillsborough
County Bar Association, DAP scholars will attend select modules
and social events with the Bar Leadership Institute to learn more
about the Tampa business community and the leaders who run
them.
DAP scholars must also join a GEBA committee and actively
participate in one of GEBA’s annual events, including, but not
limited to, the Annual Membership Luncheon, the Black History
Month Judicial Reception, the Annual Scholarship Banquet, the
Continuing Legal Education Programs, and the Legal Redress
Workshop.

14. COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ENGAGEMENT
The scholars will coordinate a
community service project to
complete before the year is over,
which will incorporate the work
GEBA already does in the
community while bringing a new
and fresh perspective to
community service.
The committee chair will supervise
and approve the project.

15. ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Scholars will attend
quarterly academic
support sessions.The
goal of this academic
support is to defy the
correlation between
lower LSAT scores
and class rank.
Writing Workshop- to transition from law
school writing to practical writing under a
deadline including real time feedback.
Bar Prep Workshop- to ensure bar passage;
taught by individuals who have drafted and
graded essay and multiple choice questions for
the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
Bar Prep Scholarship- to ensure the
scholars do not have to work during bar exam
study.

16. VIRTUAL MEETINGS
Virtual panel
discussions
and meetings
Maximize time
and effort,
minimize
costs,
participate
from
anywhere
Collaboration
between
Pinellas and
Hillsborough
Counties, and
across
campuses

17. ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
August
31-
Deadline
to apply
Aug-Sept-
interviews
and final
selections
September-
GEBA
Membership
Luncheon
introduce
DAP Pilot
Program
October-
GEBA CLE,
Speed
mentoring
event, federal
clerkship
module and
panel, Stetson
Survival of the
Fittest
November-
GEBA CLE,
leadership
module
and panel
December-
GEBA
Holiday
Party,
mentoring
mixer, bar
prep
workshop
January-
Project
Proposal
due,
wellness
module
and
panel
February-
GEBA
Black
History
Month
Judicial
Reception,
writing
workshop,
mentor
meetings
March-
Completion
of group
project, End
of Year
Presentations
April- GEBA
Annual
Scholarship
Banquet-
presentation
of Bar
Scholarships
Ongoing –
voluntary
bar
activities
throughout
the year,
workshops,
panel
discussions,
and test
prep

18. HOW CANYOU HELP?
Want to support a scholar?
Email: DiversityAccessPipeline@gmail.com
DAP needs the following:
Time
mentor a scholar, attend a panel
discussion, conduct mock and
informational interviews, invite
scholars to an event at your
organization
Talent
review resumes and writing
samples, invite scholars to shadow
you for a day particularly in trial
and motion practice and client
meetings
Treasure
contribute to the GEBA bar
scholarship fund, (each scholar
receives $1,500 bar prep
scholarship), sponsor luncheons,
receptions, speakers, etc.

19. MEET THE DIVERSITY ACCESS PIPELINE TEAM
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAMWORK!

20. JOSELINE JEAN-LOUIS HARDRICK, ESQ.
 Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick is a judicial law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the
Middle District of Florida. She was previously an associate at Bush Ross, P.A. where she
focused primarily on commercial litigation involving real estate, employment,
collections, and bankruptcy matters. She is also a Barrister in theWm. Reece Smith, Jr.
Litigation Inn, American Inns of Court. She is a recent graduate of the Hillsborough
County Bar Association Bar Leadership Institute.
 Mrs. Hardrick received her B.A. in African and African-American Studies from Fordham
University and her J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law, both with
honors. She is admitted to practice withThe Florida Bar, the Middle District of Florida,
the Southern District of Florida and the United States Supreme Court. Mrs. Hardrick is
a native of Brooklyn, N.Y.

21. SUMAYYA SALEH, ESQ.
Sumayya Saleh is an Assistant Public Defender at theThirteenth Judicial Circuit’s Public
Defender’s Office. She transitioned there from the Legal Department at theThirteenth
Judicial Circuit Court, where she served as a Judicial Staff Attorney to Circuit Criminal
judges, assisting them with the resolution of pending cases by researching nuanced legal
issues and drafting proposed orders. Sumayya currently serves on the Florida Bar's
Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, as well as on the Board of Directors of the
Hillsborough Association ofWomen Lawyers. She is a recent graduate of the Hillsborough
County Bar Association Bar Leadership Institute and is an Associate in theWm. Reece
Smith, Jr. Litigation Inn of Court.
Sumayya graduated magna cum laude from WMU Cooley Law School, and earned a
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology summa cum laude from the University of South Florida.
Although she was born inTampa, Sumayya's family originally hails from Syria, and her
identity as a Muslim-American woman has undeniably shaped her career trajectory.

22. ANA LLEONART
Ana Lleonart is a current 2L at Stetson University College of Law. Prior to law school, she
worked for a non-profit foundation whose mission is to provide education opportunities
for adolescents in Latin America. She also worked with Major League Baseball, where she
created and managed content on all of the Major League Baseball Spanish social media
accounts.After completing law school, she plans to secure a federal or state clerkship.The
areas that she plans to focus on while practicing law are corporate finance, federal litigation,
and appellate litigation.
Ms. Lleonart earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and her minor in
International Affairs from the Florida State University. She also completed a Marketing
Research and Analysis certification program at Florida International University.An avid
traveler and sports fan, she enjoys learning about different cultures and cheering for the
New England Patriots on Sundays.