Diversifying Appellate World Means Starting at the Beginning

Increasing diversity among appellate lawyers and judges requires building the pipeline during law school, says the head of a new organization aiming to change the face of the appellate bar.

The opportunity and information barriers to appellate practice for attorneys of color begin in law school, said Juvaria Khan, a former Patterson Belknap Webb & Taylor associate who founded The Appellate Project.

Because attorneys of color are more likely to be the first in their families to go to law school, there can be a lack of mentors, networks, and even a basic understanding of what an appellate lawyer ...