Crowell & Moring Establishes New Endowed Scholarship at UCI Law
IRVINE, Calif. (October 15, 2020) — The University of California, Irvine School of Law (UCI Law) is pleased to announce the generous creation of the Crowell & Moring LLP Diversity Scholarship in the amount of $200,000. This is the second endowed diversity scholarship donated by Crowell & Moring to UCI Law -- the first was established in 2014, and was UCI Law’s first endowed scholarship.
“Our continued partnership with UCI Law shows how deeply committed we are to making sure that the legal profession is diverse both now and in future generations,” said Chahira Solh, Managing Partner of Crowell & Moring’s Orange County office. “This scholarship will help students focus on their academic studies at one of the leading law schools in the country.”
“We are incredibly grateful for Crowell & Moring’s important gift and steadfast partnership with UCI Law,” said L. Song Richardson, Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law at UCI Law. “This new scholarship will enable us to expand our already deep commitment to tackling the lack of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.”
Crowell & Moring has been committed to, and is consistently recognized for, its diversity and inclusion. The firm recently achieved Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certification status for affirmatively considered women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers and/or lawyers with disabilities — at least 30 percent of the candidate pool — for significant leadership and governance roles and client pitch teams, as well as promotions to equity partner and senior lateral hiring decisions. Valuing and respecting differences, it has received a 100 percent ranking on the Human Rights Campaign's (HCR) Corporate Equality Index, and has been named one of the “Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother and the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Flex Time Lawyers for the ninth consecutive year.
“The reckoning our society is going through with respect to diversity is a stark reminder that every step we make toward building a more inclusive community is only a fraction of the lengths we still have to go,” said Solh. “At Crowell & Moring, we prioritize diversity and inclusion efforts because there is no more important role for a law firm to take when looking toward the future than supporting young lawyers of historically underrepresented backgrounds and identities.”
UCI Law shares in that commitment to diversity and inclusion, and in fostering an environment where students – regardless of background, race, nationality, religion, gender identity, or any other dimensions of our lived identities – feel welcomed and fully included. Since its inception, UCI Law has consistently been listed as one of the best law schools for diversity in preLaw Magazine and ranked No. 9 in the U.S. News & World Report diversity index, and the No. 1 law school out of the top 30 law schools (2021 ranking).
“At UCI Law we believe that a culture of inclusion inspires innovation, encourages teamwork, and will in turn build stronger lawyers. We are proud to promote these values and believe a significant part of academic success comes from being surrounded by diverse ideas and people,” said Dean Richardson.
About Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 550 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels. Visit the firm at www.crowell.com.
About the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is a visionary law school and provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, prioritizes public service, and demonstrates a commitment to diversity within the legal profession. UCI Law students have completed more than 100,000 hours of pro bono work in the past decade. Forty-eight percent of UCI Law’s graduates are students of color. At UCI Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UCI Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters. More information on UCI Law is available here. Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ucilaw.
Media Contact:
UCI Law
Mojgan Sherkat
949-824-7937
msherkat@law.uci.edu