Hire a Local Teen this Summer!
CCIE has partnered with both Goodwill Industries and the City of Denver in 2010 to recruit a talented and diverse future workforce.  You can participate by hiring a student as a summer intern.  Help give students interested in the law the hands-on professional experience they need. 

Read more about the Goodwill program and who to contact, by clicking here.  

Read more about the City of Denver's Bridges to Work program by clicking here.

CCIE is campaigning to achieve the Vision of the Deans' Diversity Council through the following initiatives:

Pipeline Initiative:
Identifying and defining reasons underlying the declining rate of law school applications among historically underrepresented students, and mobilizing the legal community to inspire the next generation of diverse students to choose the law as a career.

The Pipeline Working Group is analyzing the reasons underlying the declining rate of law school applications among minority students and mobilizing the legal community to engage in activities that will encourage young diverse students to choose law as a career.  The Pipeline Working Group is chaired by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen Mix and First Assistant Attorney General This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Pipeline Working Group has also studied the issue of why other professions are attracting more minority students. Read Mike Nosler's memo regarding minority students and reasons why they are not choosing law.

The Pipeline Working Group sponsors an annual reception welcoming diverse first year students from the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  The 2009 reception was hosted by Reilly Pozner LLP. 

The Denver Bar Association has a new program for attorneys to volunteer as substitute teachers in Denver Public Schools classrooms.  For information about the program, open the Classroom Information and The Docket article.

Dream Teams

More than 75 attorneys, law students, and legal professionals have joined six teams anchored by federal and state judges -- Colorado Supreme Court Justice Alex Martinez, Chief U. S. District Court Judge Wiley Daniel, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen Mix, U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Watanabe, and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Gilbert Román. The Dream Teams are visiting colleges and universities on the Front Range and have "adopted" one of the Denver Public high schools that are implementing Urban Debate League Teams. Dream Teams have plans to reach out to younger students as well.

If you are interested in joining a "Dream Team" to engage in pipeline activities 3-4 times a year (i.e. going into schools to talk about careers in law, participating in workshops or classes with students, advising mock trial or Urban Debate League Teams), please contact Kathleen Nalty at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . A Dream Team flier and Activities brochure are available.  If you have further questions, please contact Meg Satrom, CCIE Communications Director at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Denver Urban Debate League

The Dream Teams are supporting DPS High Schools that are participating in the Denver Urban Debate League.  Over 60 diverse high school students are participating in policy debate tournaments each month that culminate with a state championship in March 2010 at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  In 2009, The two top teams competed at the national tournament in Chicago. 

• Pictures of the November 2010 tournament at Thomas Jefferson High School, sponsored by Baker & Hostetler LLP.
• Pictures of the December 2009 tournament at Thomas Jefferson High School, sponsored by Kilmer Lane Newman LLP,   click here.
• Pictures of the February 2009 tournament at West High School, sponsored by Qwest, click here.
• DUDL Brochure
• DUDL Newsletter
• DUDL Sponsorship
• Volunteer opportunities --DUDL_Sponsor_Volunteer_Descriptions 

Recruitment Initiative:
Defining a new paradigm for hiring that emphasizes factors which truly lead to success in the profession while taking a critical look at traditional hiring criteria (grades & law school).

The Recruiting Working Group has redefined hiring criteria so that legal organizations can adopt more inclusive recruiting practices. Read a draft of its recommendations -- Inclusive Excellence in Recruiting. The Recruiting Working Group also held a Boot Camp for diverse 1L summer associates at the federal courthouse on June 4, 2009.  For information, contact Recruiting Working Group Chair  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Retention Initiative:
Defining and publishing best practices for long-term advancement, retention, and promotion of diverse attorneys within Colorado legal organizations.

The Retention Working Group held workshops on September 24, 2009 featuring corporate general counsel and diverse associates in CCIE law firms as well as managing partners of those firms.  The Retention Working Group plans to hold bi-annual workshops and meetings to address retention in law firms and law departments.  The next meeting is March 16, 2010 in conjunction with the 2010 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  For information, contact Co-Chairs This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP,  or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.

Featured General Counsel: 

Rich Baer, Qwest Communications
Michael Connelly, Xcel Energy Inc.
Kevin MacCary, United Launch Alliance
Annita Menogan, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
Karen Ripley, MillerCoors
Steve Smith, Lockheed Martin  

To volunteer with any of these efforts, contact CCIE Executive Director Kathleen Nalty at 303.892.7401 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .