Keller Rohrback L.L.P.’s Post

A Message from the Office of Communications & Marketing Keeping YOU in the Loop. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Read on, about how two Thurgood Law students continue to shine bright in the legal community.

Race and the Law in South Carolina From Slavery to Jim Crow - OA PDF: https://lnkd.in/gGEfpcpE and the Law in South Carolina carefully reconstructs the social history behind six legal disputes heard in the South Carolina courts between the 1840s and the 1940s. The book uses these case studies to probe the complex relationship between race and the law in the American South during a century that included slavery, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow. Throughout most of the period covered in the book, the South Carolina legal system obsessively drew racial lines, always to the detriment of nonwhite people. Occasionally, however, the legal system also provided a public forum—perhaps the region’s best—within which racism could openly be challenged. The book emphasizes how dramatically the degree of legal oppressiveness experienced by Black South Carolinians varied during the century under study, based largely on the degree of Black access to political and legal power. During the era of slavery, both enslaved and nominally “free” Black South Carolinians suffered extreme legal disenfranchisement. They had no political voice and precious little access to legal redress. They could not vote, serve in public office, sit on juries, or testify in court against whites. There were no Black lawyers. Black South Carolinians had essentially no claims-making ability, resulting, unsurprisingly, in a deeply oppressive, thoroughly racialized system. Most of these antebellum legal disenfranchisements were overturned during the post-Civil War era of Reconstruction. In the wake of abolition, Reconstruction-era reformers in South Carolina erased one racial distinction after another from state law. For a time, Black men voted and Black jurors sat in rough proportion to their share of the state’s population. The state’s first Black lawyers and officeholders appeared. Among them was an attorney from Pennsylvania named Jonathan Jasper Wright, who ascended to the South Carolina Supreme Court in 1870, becoming the nation’s first Black appellate justice. By the turn of the twentieth century, however, an explicitly white supremacist movement had rolled back many of the egalitarian gains of the Reconstruction era and reimposed a legalized racial hierarchy in South Carolina. The book explores three prominent features of the resulting Jim Crow system (segregated schools, racially skewed juries, and lynching) and documents the commitment of both elite and non-elite whites to using legal and quasi-legal tools to establish hierarchical racial distinctions. It also shows how Black lawyers and others used the law to combat some of Jim Crow’s worst excesses. #race #law #slavery #JimCrow #Reconstruction #SocialHistory #SouthCarolina #emancipation #segregation

You are proof that dreams and possibilities are endless when you believe in yourself.

Aspiring Lawyers, Lawyers, and Friends! Please Share and Repost! ***SAVE THE DATES: Plan to join us in New York City, New York as we celebrate the 20th anniversary (2005-2024) of The National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair - the nation's premier information-sharing and networking event for aspiring Black lawyers!*** We have very special programming planned including honoring all of the lawyers, judges, deans, law school administrators, sponsors, partners, and others who have participated and supported us in reaching this milestone year. In addition, we will be spotlighting success stories of now lawyers who attended the event as pre-law students and benefitted from the ways we have continued to serve our Black pre-law community. This will be a phenomenal event in a dynamic city - and a celebration you won't want to miss! As always, registration remains completely free of charge and everyone is welcome. More information and details to come! Registration opening soon! #nbplc20 #blackprelawconference #prelaw #blackprelaw #futureblacklawyers #aspiringblacklawyers #blacklawyers #descendants #diaspora #20years #twodecades #legacy #lawyers #legaleducation #unapologeticallyblack #rolemodels #mentors #informationsharing #networking #empowerment #resources #connections #representationmatters #historymatters #blackperspectives #blackexperiences #impact #lawstudents #prelawstudents #blacklawstudents #honors #givingback #eachonereachone #pouringintoeachother #wegotus #ifwedontdoitwhowill #service #sankofa #service #payingitforward

Check out this excellent, quick read by Jordan Freeman, Esq., Chair of Young Lawyers Division - Philadelphia Bar Association on the benefits of collaboration with lawyers of different generations: - “To be the best lawyers for our clients, we must be the best version of ourselves.” - “Mentorship can be the key to unlocking the potential of young associates, while also enlightening to seasoned attorneys who have their quibbles with the next generation of attorneys.” - “We are all in this together. The profession and purpose is bigger than us individually.” #collaboration #lawyers #mentoring

This #MotivationalMonday, we are excited to feature appellate superstar & TAP Mentor Dena Robinson, Senior Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section. Q: What's your favorite food? A: Curry chicken with macaroni and cheese. Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring appellate attorney? A: Remember your purpose (your WHY) and the outcomes you hope to achieve as an appellate attorney. Q: What is one of the most important pieces of legal writing advice you've learned or received? A: From 2017-2019, I clerked for the Honorable Alexander Wright, Jr. on the Appellate Court of Maryland. He always exclaimed, 'I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time,' which has been attributed to John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, and Woodrow Wilson, among others. Judge Wright urged his law clerks to take the time necessary to write a clear and concise shorter letter. Q: What advice would you give to a law student of color struggling with their confidence or imposter syndrome? A: Whenever I feel doubt or imposter syndrome, I remember that I occupy spaces and positions of power that people who look like me (those whom are Black, immigrant, and/or queer/LGBTQIA+) were historically and systematically excluded from. For law students of color struggling with your confidence or imposter syndrome, remember this: You made it, despite the odds. You stand on the shoulders of those who came before you, and you walk with the strength of 10,000 ancestors at your back. You are powerful beyond measure. #MondayMotivation #WritingTips #AppellateLinkedIn

You know when you discover someone who completely blows your mind with their work, influence, their beyond remarkable leadership? I recently got introduced to #SherrilynIfill. 😲 👏 👏 👏 🏋🏾 👁 I don't even know where to begin with this dynamic, accomplished lawyer and longtime activist who has led the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. for over a decade. Check out her bio below. Ms. Ifill Esq. has done more to fight insane legal battles over #votingrights, #civilrights, and has taught probably thousands of aspiring lawyers that you CANNOT STOP. None of us can. As Ms. Ifill says, "Leave no power on the table." She is bold, brilliant, and really, I wish she would consider running for president. Just saying. ❤️ Black History Month is, for everyone, ESPECIALLY white people, to learn the what/why/when/where/hows of the present problems of racism in this country. HOW we can make changes, the solutions, to close these generations-old disparities that effectively harm us all. Ms. Ifill's interviews, writings, book (a new one coming out in '24 BTW) are full of insight, inspiration and action. Oh, and how did I discover Ms. Ifill? Amanda Seales' podcast, Small Doses! It's sooooo good. Amanda and Ms. Ifill have a 2-part conversation about the state of Civil Rights in the U.S. Go listen and LEARN. I'll add it in the comments here since LinkedIn still hasn't figured out how to share multiple links in one post (go get this one, AI! 😂 ). And please share this with others. We need Sherrilyn Ifill more than ever.

We so admire #PDSDC alumni Kristin Henning, Blume professor of law and director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law, and Stephen Bright, visiting professor at Yale and Georgetown law schools and former director and president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, for their leadership on the issues that impact our clients and our communities. This conversation is certain to be enlightening.   https://lnkd.in/grG37Ebi

Championing Justice: A Lawyer's Commitment Every day as a lawyer, I have the honor of standing for justice, advocating tirelessly for my clients' rights, and navigating the intricate paths of the law. It's a responsibility I embrace wholeheartedly because I believe in the power of legal advocacy to bring about positive change in our society. As legal professionals, we are not just interpreters of laws but also guardians of fairness and equality. We ensure that every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to justice and a voice in the legal system. This commitment drives me to work diligently, whether in negotiating fair settlements, litigating complex cases, or advising clients on their legal rights. Beyond the courtroom, I strive to foster meaningful connections within our community, offering guidance and support to those in need. It's about making a difference beyond legal proceedings, shaping a more just and inclusive society for everyone. I am proud to be part of a profession that plays such a pivotal role in safeguarding rights, promoting the rule of law, and advocating for those who seek justice. Together, let's continue to uphold the integrity of our legal system and work towards a brighter future where justice prevails. #LawyerLife #LegalAdvocate #Justice #Equality #CommunityImpact #LegalProfession

🎉 Big congratulations to our Managing Partner, Austin Bodnar, for being named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® for the second consecutive year! 🏆 Inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America is determined through a comprehensive peer-review survey, which asks legal practitioners who are the top professionals earlier in their career. For the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, more than 4 million votes were analyzed. #bestlawyers #america