2023 Fellows Opportunity Catalog

The Fellows Education and Program Committee (FEPC) supports activities and programs addressing matters concerning the legal profession, the administration of justice, and the role of law in society. In this capacity, FEPC functions as a steering committee, coordinator, and sounding board, overseeing all of the Fellows programming. The committee meets approximately four times a year to review current programs, and discuss ideas for new content. The committee is comprised of representatives from all CBF Fellows committees and programs, as well as any Fellows interested in helping guide the direction of Fellows projects. Please consider joining us for a meeting to learn more - FEPC's final meeting of the 2022-2023 season will take place over Zoom on May 9, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.

Roundtables are virtual or in-person events, usually a dinner, held throughout the year that offer topic-focused discussions with other Fellows; they cover a broad range of topics, driven by the Fellow who hosts the event. Attendance is limited to facilitate meaningful and open dialogue. In addition to attending any Roundtable, consider joining the Knights of the Roundtable - the group that oversees topic selection - or let us help you plan a Roundtable on a topic of interest to you.

This nationally-recognized series was established by the Connecticut Bar Association and Connecticut Bar Foundation as an ongoing forum for the Connecticut legal community to explore issues of racial inequality and systemic racism. It is named in honor of civil rights trailblazer Judge Constance Baker Motley, with the goal of supporting and fostering renewed commitment to advancing civil rights and social justice. Events in this program run throughout the year.

In 2012, the Connecticut Bar Foundation established this ongoing symposium series in memory, and to celebrate the legacy, of U.S. District Court Judge Mark R. Kravitz, an extraordinary lawyer and judge. We have begun planning for the next event in the series, scheduled for October 13, 2023, and are looking for members to join the steering committee.

This series, created by the Fellows in collaboration with the Office of the Probate Court Administrator and the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., capitalizes on the timeliness of issues surrounding conservatorships. Events will address the concept of conservatorship, the evolution of relevant statutes over time, and the potential for further reform, all while incorporating the perspectives and lived experiences of various stakeholders, including those subject to conservatorships and their loved ones. The series kicked off in December 2021, and there are plans for several additional events in the future.

Presented jointly by the Connecticut Bar Foundation, the Connecticut Bar Association’s Committee on Human Trafficking, and Quinnipiac’s Human Trafficking Prevention Project, this ongoing series explores the interactions between trafficking victims and the legal system—starting with the criminal justice system—and delves into continuing debates at the state and federal level about what reforms are needed to assist victims in escaping trafficking, rebuilding their lives after they have escaped, and preventing trafficking in the first instance.

A symposium delving into “The Law of Hate” is scheduled for November 17, 2023, hosted by the University of Connecticut School of Law. The goal of this event is to explore the report of the CT Hate Crimes Advisory Council, and to create a forum to address related issues. In addition to discussion about the Council’s report, we will hear from victims of hate crimes, dive into the history of hate crimes and hateful acts, explore the impact of hate crimes on communities, investigate the concept of restorative justice, and provide resources to members of the community.

This committee works to highlight, preserve, and celebrate the rich history of attorneys of color in Connecticut, and to inspire future generations. The committee meets throughout the year; current projects include capturing the stories of attorneys of color on video, publicizing their work on social media, and sharing the updated historical timeline created for their 2022 symposium. They welcome new members to help with these dynamic and diverse projects.

In 1999, this committee initiated the Oral History of Connecticut Women in the Legal Profession Project, to create a permanent video, audio, and photographic historical record of milestone achievements of women as they have become more visible and achieved prominence in the field of law. Through its first two phases, the project produced 58 oral history interviews with outstanding female attorneys and 118 portraits of women in the Connecticut judiciary (the "Women in Black" project). Now entering its third phase, the committee plans to grow the number of stories captured in the archive, develop new ways to share these stories, and continue to highlight the achievements of female lawyers and the barriers to their full participation that persist in the legal profession today. This committee runs year round, and is in the process of conducting new interviews to add to the oral history project.

The mission of the Singer Fellowship program is to have a long term impact on access to justice in Connecticut by funding and supporting the placement of talented new lawyers with legal services organizations within the state. The application and selection process runs annually from fall through late winter. Committee members participate in reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and ultimately selecting the recipients of the Fellowship.

Fellows have the unique opportunity to serve as mentors to students identified by Hartford Promise, a local nonprofit founded to address the extremely low percentage of Hartford public high school students going to and graduating from college. This program has been on pause during the pandemic, but plans are in the works to get started again.

Join this committee to help craft the essay topic fact pattern in late summer/early fall; student essays are submitted until late winter, at which time all Fellows, including committee members, may participate as contest judges. Winners are recognized at an awards ceremony held at the Connecticut Supreme Court in June. With a modest time commitment, committee involvement is especially attractive for those interested in current events with legal overtones of interest to teenagers and young adults.

"Following the Fellows" premiered in 2022, with plans to be published quarterly. This digital newsletter takes a deep dive into topics of past programs, features some of our talented Fellows and their work outside the Foundation, and highlights CBF's grantees. Fellows are welcome to come on board to help plan and edit the newsletter, solicit articles, or pen one themselves!

Calling all in-house counsel! This new committee aims to create a space for in-house attorneys, both CBF Fellows as well as non-Fellows, to “gather” together. Events will allow discussion of issues unique to this particular practice of law and provide a networking opportunity. The inaugural event is scheduled for April 20, 2023, and the group hopes to hold more events going forward - please come help us shape the future of this program!