Our Mission
The Philadelphia Diversity Law Group (PDLG) is committed to fostering participation of lawyers of varied backgrounds and life experiences in the practice of law in the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond to make our legal profession stronger, more collaborative, and more responsive. To fulfill this mission, PDLG creates innovative programs to enhance recruitment, retention, advancement, and promotion of lawyers by law firms and corporate law departments and to build community and connections.
✓ Committed to fostering inclusion and participation at all levels
✓ Making the legal profession stronger and more productive
✓ Supporting and encouraging lawyers with varied backgrounds and life experiences
Congratulations
2025 Program Fellows
Key Events
Advocates & Protégés Program
Advocates/Protégés Program
The PDLG Advocate/Protégé Program encourages retention of lawyers of varied backgrounds and life experiences by helping them navigate a path to law firm partnership. PDLG will assist its member law firms in creating and implementing program of partner (Advocates) support and advocacy for participating senior-level associates (Protégés). After the program, Protégés should have a clearer insight on the path to partnership, an advocate to help guide them, and valuable business development/relationship skills that will strengthen and lengthen their careers at their firms.
2025 Fellows Program
2025 Fellows Program
The PDLG Fellows Program offers first-year law students of varied backgrounds and life experiences a route to summer employment at outstanding law firms and legal departments. It also provides the PDLG Fellows with a series of seminars and programs designed to enhance their skills and increase their knowledge of the Philadelphia legal community.
2025 Boot Camp
2025 Law School Boot Camp
Each year, PDLG presents its Law School Boot Camp to help demystify law school for entering law students. Open to all incoming 1Ls, Boot Camp is especially useful for those who do not have friends or family members who are lawyers or law students. Boot Camp provides a taste of the first year law courses (taught by professors who teach those courses), guidelines on doing law school well and a panel discussion of the many careers are open to those with law degrees.
Events Spotlight
2024 PDLG Symposium
In January 2024, PDLG presented a symposium at the National Constitution Center open to the Philadelphia area legal community. To start the day, in addition to the main breakfast, alumni of the PDLG Fellows Program had an opportunity to reconnect. The program continued with a remembrance of Temple University President JoAnne Epps and three panel discussions by lawyers of different experience levels at law firms and law departments. The day concluded with the presentation of PDLG’s Inspiration Award to Dechert partner Vernon Francis and featured University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law Professor Cara McClellan as the lunchtime keynote speaker.
2024 Boot Camp
In August, PDLG’s 15th annual Law School Boot Camp helped prepare incoming law students from area law schools by providing a taste of first-year law school classes, guidance on succeeding in law school, and an introduction to law school alumni with varied careers.
"Thank you so much for organizing such a robust and knowledge-filled boot camp."
"I cannot thank you enough."
"I feel significantly more prepared than I did one week ago."
Our Members
