Make an Impact
The PLDIC prides itself on being a volunteer-driven organization. There are a variety of ways to get involved in the Coalition’s work and make a direct impact on the Pittsburgh legal community.
We are only going to move the needle in Pittsburgh with YOUR help.
Sign up to be informed when we have a volunteer opportunity*:
PLDIC Volunteer Opportunities signup
*Please note that we do not facilitate student internship opportunities.
Leadership Opportunities
PLDIC Board Member: The PLDIC Board is governing body of the PLDIC. Board elections take place at the Annual Meeting every November. Board seats are reserved for individuals serving in an executive position at a PLDIC Member organization.
Young Professional Advisory Board: The Young Professional Advisory Board (YPAB) members are attorneys who have practiced for 10 or less years and are employed by a member organization. YPAB Members will serve a three-year term and will hold board meetings on an at least quarterly basis. The main responsibilities of the YPAB are to provide advice and suggestions to PLDIC committees and working groups on issues of particular interest to new attorneys to help inform the development of programming and resources.
Member Roles
PLDIC Ambassador*: The PLDIC Ambassador acts as an internal champion within their member organization to help promote PLDIC events, programs, committees, working groups, and other initiatives.
Job Board Manager*: The member employee responsible for posting job opportunities at your organization on the PLDIC’s Job Board.
*Your organization may already have someone assigned to these roles, so please check with us if you are interested.
Standing Committees
Recruitment Committee: The Recruitment Committee develops and implements strategies to (1) attract diverse legal talent to Pittsburgh from elsewhere; (2) retain in Pittsburgh diverse law students graduating from Pittsburgh and other area law schools; and (3) maximize opportunities for diverse lawyers currently practicing in Pittsburgh to obtain employment that matches their aspirations and abilities. The Committee also plans programs and initiatives to assist members with their own recruitment efforts.
Retention Committee: The Retention Committee is charged with offering programs and a shared infrastructure to enhance opportunities for the growth, development, and advancement of diverse lawyers. It also seeks to educate our members on the latest research and to provide them with skills and best practices relating to the retention of diverse lawyers.
Community Building Committee: The Community Building Committee develops and implements programs and initiatives to provide opportunities for diverse lawyers to develop a sense of community with other diverse, as well as non-diverse lawyers and other professionals in the area; and to make sure that spouses and families of diverse lawyers have the resources and opportunities they need to feel at home in Pittsburgh, too.
Roundtables
Corporate Roundtable: The Corporate Roundtable is for our in-house legal department members (“Corporate Members”). During these roundtable meetings, in-house counsel and legal professionals from our Corporate Members hold collaborative discussions and make presentations about best practices, tools, and programs to source diverse outside counsel and to enhance the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of our law firm members, and in turn, the Corporate Members’ own legal departments.
Law Firm Roundtable: The Law Firm Roundtable Collaboration Program brings together like-sized law firms in a series of facilitator-led, cohort-based roundtable discussions on DEI strategies and solutions.
Law Student Support
Law Student Support Working Group: The working group meets monthly to determine programming and initiatives to recruit, retain, and include diverse law students in our Pittsburgh legal community.
Law Student Support Volunteer: Volunteers work with and advise law students through our mentoring program, panel events, and other interactions with the law schools.
Legal Career Pathways Program
Legal Career Pathways Program Working Group: The working group meets monthly to design and develop programming for Pittsburgh-area youth to encourage them to learn about pathways to the legal profession from our diverse legal community.
Legal Career Pathways Program Volunteer: Volunteers work with Pittsburgh-area youth through our events and programs with local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western PA, Casa San Jose, and the Pittsburgh Promise.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship: We are always looking for PLDIC member organizations willing to support our mission by hosting a PLDIC event and providing the venue, covering the cost of food and drink, or procuring CLE credits. Contact Ena Lebel for more information.
If you have an idea or a program that isn’t listed: