In Photos: ELITE Program Pathway for Law
Sarah Kent - 30 August 2023
On August 16 and 17, the ELITE Program Pathway for Law brought together students and legal professionals as part of a new initiative to inspire Black students to pursue a future in law.
The two-day event featured an information session, a career panel and a networking reception at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. It was made possible through a collaboration between Professor Ubaka Ogbogu and Ellen Doty, assistant dean development, of the Faculty of Law and Professor André McDonald, the director of the ELITE Program.
With over 40 people in attendance on both days, participants included high school students, parents, undergraduate students, faculty, staff and international visiting students. Mentors included members of the Black legal community in Edmonton, law professors and upper-year law students.
The panel provided expert advice on managing and overcoming challenges in the legal profession. Moderated by Ogbogu, the panel featured Claire Brown, a lawyer with the Government of Alberta; Assistant Professor Godwin Dzah of the Faculty of Law; Omolara Oladipo, a civil litigation attorney; Stephen Parker, who leads the Saskatchewan Government Insurance’s regional legal team in Alberta and British Columbia; and third-year law student Kayla Lee Pong, who is completing the combined JD/MBA program at the U of A.
The event was made possible thanks to financial support from the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Branch and the U of A Faculty of Law.
The organizers hope to expand the offerings to meet the expressed need for mentoring and community connection. Those interested in future programming can contact lawelite@ualberta.ca to join the mailing list.