Kurt Tunnell Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Sponsor Award

Previous Award Recipients:

2016 | Anthony Sharett, Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP
2017 | James (Jim) Johnson, Founder, Summer Work Experience in Law
2018 | Kurt Tunnell, Bricker & Eckler
2019 | Bill Nolan, Barnes & Thornburg
2021 | Kimberly Amrine, Frost Brown Todd
2022 | Jeffrey B. Jones, Littler Mendelson
2023 | Marilyn McClure Demers, Nationwide 

Description/Criteria:

The Ohio Women’s Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee seeks to recognize an individual who has demonstrated an individual commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the profession, particularly through support and sponsorship of diverse attorneys. All Nominees must be current members of the OWBA/OWBF.  The Committee will consider an individual’s efforts in one or more of the following ways: 

  1. Innovative Initiatives.  For example: being a thought leader in creating innovative DEI programs or initiatives that have had a positive impact; developing or leading efforts that advance unique and thoughtful DEI practices.
  2. Leadership and Advocacy. For example: demonstrating leadership in promoting DEI initiatives within an organization and/or community; creating/leading policy changes and/or educational programs to promote diverse representation in all substantive work/programming/leadership; and advocacy for diversity-related issues and the advancement of diverse individuals.
  3. Mentorship, Allyship and Support. For example: supporting and encouraging diverse individuals to reach their legal career and personal goals; ensuring opportunities for the advancement of diverse attorneys through direct mentorship and sponsorship; and demonstrating allyship to marginalized groups on a local or national level.
  4. Community Engagement. For example: participating in or supporting the Ohio Women’s Bar Association or other diverse bar associations; and contributing to the broader community in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the state.

For purposes of this award, diverse is defined as lawyers who are women, Person of Color (POC), lawyers with disabilities, and/or LGBTQ+ community members.

Application Questions:

  1. A supporting statement of no longer than 500 words, describing:
    Your reasons for nominating the individual, including first-hand experiences and observations; and information that relates to the above criteria and other details.
  2. Optional: While not required, the committee will consider supporting letters from other legal professionals inside or outside your organization who aware of the individual’s contributions to the profession and support the individual’s nomination.
 

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