NJSBA Diversity Summit:
Resetting, Renewing and Reframing DEI to Meet the Moment
Location: New Jersey Law Center or Webcast
Jan 28, 2025 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
NJSBA Diversity Summit: Resetting, Renewing and Reframing DEI to Meet the Moment
$125 per person (members);
$225 per person (non-members)*
* Includes a complimentary 12-month NJSBA membership for eligible attorneys who have not been members in the past two years.
Note: Complimentary membership can be declined but cannot be exchanged for discounts or applied to renewals and/or other NJSBA products or services. Please allow one week processing time for membership to take effect.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The New Jersey State Bar Association’s popular annual event focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession returns on January 28 with a day filled with in-depth, practical conversations, inspiration and collegiality. With much of the recent national conversation focused on how DEI is disappearing in America, the 2025 NJSBA Diversity Summit goes back to basics: putting the moment in historic context and examining the challenges ahead. For those who choose to attend in-person, the day will include breakfast, lunch and a networking reception.
Presented in cooperation with: Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA-NJ) Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey (ABWL-NJ), Garden State Bar Association (GSBA), Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBANJ), Jewish Bar Association of New Jersey (JBAR), New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association (NJMLA), New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey (SABA-NJ).
Sponsored by
NJSBA Diversity Committee Co-Chairs
Valerie A. Jackson, Esq. Deputy Director of Legal, Compliance and Diversity at New Jersey Department of Treasury, Trenton
Leonard V. Jones, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, Newark
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, New Jersey State Legislature
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, New Jersey Legislature
Paulette Brown, Esq., Past President, American Bar Association & National Bar Association
Past Chair, NJSBA Labor & Employment Law Section
Jackie Caban, Esq., Senior Assistant Prosecutor, Gloucester County Prosecutors Office
Rasmeet Chahil, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP; Vice President, Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey
Craig Dashiell, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP
Clifford D. Dawkins, Esq., Assistant Dean & Director, Minority Student Program (MSP), Rutgers Law School
Lora L. Fong, Esq., Assistant Attorney General & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Office of Attorney General, Trenton
Lloyd Freeman, Esq., Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney, PC
Robert Johnson, Esq., Chief Diversity Officer, Gibbons PC, Newark
Galit Kierkut, Esq., Greenberg Traurig LLP
Cristal Lambert, Esq., Assistant General Counsel, ETS; President-Elect, Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey
James A. Lewis V, Esq., Chief DEI Officer, Cole Schotz, Hackensack; Immediate Past President, Garden State Bar Association
Jessica Lewis Kelly, Esq., Special Assistant to the Administrative Director, Administrative Office of the Courts
Brenda Maneri, Esq., First Assistant Prosecutor, Burlington County Prosecutors Office
Prema Roddam, Esq., Fragomen; Immediate Past President, South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey
Nick Samedi, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP
Kenya Tyson, Esq., Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, Dartmouth University; President, Garden State Bar Association
Beth P. Zoller, Esq., KSBranigan Law P.C., Montclair
(Additional speakers coming soon!)
| 8:30 a.m. | Check-in and Breakfast |
| 9 -10:15 a.m. |
Reset, Renew, Reframe Valerie Jackson, Esq., Co-Chair, NJSBA Diversity Committee; Deputy Director of Legal, Compliance and Diversity at New Jersey Department of Treasury, Trenton; James A. Lewis V, Chief DEI Officer, Cole Schotz, Hackensack; Immediate Past President, Garden State Bar Association; Kenya Tyson, Esq., Dartmouth University; President, Garden State Bar Association; Beth P. Zoller, Esq., KSBranigan Law P.C., Montclair |
| 10:25-11:55 a.m. | Navigating Underrepresented Talent Recruiting Barriers Paulette Brown, Esq., Past President, American Bar Association & National Bar Association; Rasmeet Chahil, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP; Vice President, Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey; Craig Dashiell, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP; Clifford D. Dawkins, Esq. Dean & Director, Minority Student Program (MSP), Rutgers Law School |
| 11:55 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Grab lunch and come back for our next panel |
| 12:15-1:30 p.m. | Lunchtime Panel Discussion: The Local Picture
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, New Jersey Legislature; Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, New Jersey Legislature; Leonard V. Jones, Esq., Co-Chair, NJSBA Diversity Committee; Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, Newark; Lora L. Fong, Esq., Assistant Attorney General & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Office of Attorney General, Trenton; Robert Johnson, Chief Diversity Officer, Gibbons PC |
| 1:40-2:55 p.m. |
Building Belonging: Examining the Role and Power of Employee Resource Groups and “Belonging” initiatives Brenda Maneri, Esq., First Assistant Prosecutor, Burlington County Prosecutors Office; Jackie Caban, Esq., Senior Assistant Prosecutor, Gloucester County Prosecutors Office; Cristal Lambert, Esq., Assistant General Counsel, ETS; President-Elect, Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey; Nick Samedi, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, LLP |
| 3 – 4:15 p.m. |
Building Inclusive Spaces Through Policy and Practice Lloyd Freeman, Esq., Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Buchanan Ingersoll; Jessica Lewis Kelly, Esq., Special Assistant to the Administrative Director, Administrative Office of the Courts; Galit Kierkut, Esq., Greenberg Traurig; Prema Roddam, Esq., Fragomen, Immediate Past President, South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey |
| 4:30 p.m. | Networking Reception |
CLE Credits: |
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| NJ CLE: | NJ CLE information: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 7.4 hours of total CLE credit, including 7.4 in Diversity (Full Credits Available: NJ Advanced Diversity: 7.4).. |
| NY CLE: | NY Diversity Non-Transitional: 7.0 |
| PA CLE: | PA Ethics Credit: 6.0 New: No PACLE fee is required for this program. To earn PA CLE credits, a valid PA Bar ID number must be entered into the CLE form provided after attending the program. |
Important Information About Our Events, Meetings, and More:
To secure your spot and receive important updates about our events, meetings, and other gatherings, such as schedule changes, remember to register in advance.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you need to cancel your registration and are not transferring to another program or date, please submit a written request to us at least three business days before the event, meeting, or gathering. You will receive a refund minus a $20.00 cancellation fee. No refunds or registration changes will be issued within three business days of the event, meeting, or gathering.
Stay Informed:
Registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For updates regarding inclement weather, please check your email or visit NJSBA.com.
Media Consent:
By participating in our events, meetings, or other gatherings, you agree to be photographed and/or recorded. Additionally, all media content captured during these gatherings will become the property of NJSBA. This content, including your image and name, may be used in our future promotional materials without additional consent or compensation.
Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy:
Read our Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy and submit an Application here: https://njsba.com/njicle/cle-programs/scholarship/