HARRISBURG (March 5, 1999) -- The Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Bar Committee, in conjunction with the Harrisburg Black Attorney Association, today sponsored the 3rd annual Minority Law Day for the region�s minority high school and law school students and practicing attorneys. Celebrations commemorating Minority Law Day were held throughout the greater Harrisburg area at local high schools and at the Hilton Hotel and Towers in downtown Harrisburg.

Minority Law Day was conceived by the PBA Minority Bar Committee in an effort to educate minority students about the legal profession and provide a forum in which minority attorneys can discuss the issues facing them and their practices in central Pennsylvania. Events taking place on Law Day are designed to highlight these objectives.

�Minority Law Day serves as a tool to focus upon and celebrate or emphasize the achievements of minority attorneys in the practice of law,� noted Gladys Brown, co-chair of Minority Law Day and member of the PBA Minority Bar Committee. �It further allows the minority legal community both to encourage high school students to pursue a law degree and provide law students with direction as they prepare to meet the challenges of practicing law.�

The 1999 Minority Law Day featured presentations by area minority attorneys and mock trial demonstrations at local high schools; a luncheon for program participants and volunteers at PBA headquarters; a panel discussion entitled, �Opportunities for Minorities in the Legal Profession,� held at the Harrisburg Hilton; the presentation of the HBAA Chief Justice Robert N.C. Nix, Jr. Scholarship Award; and a closing reception.

To kick-off the Law Day festivities, teams of area minority attorneys talked with students at Bishop McDevitt, Central Dauphin, Central Dauphin East, Harrisburg and Susquehanna high schools about the changing legal profession and career opportunities for minorities in law. In addition, the teams, each composed of three attorneys, presented mock trial scenarios for students giving them greater insight into the workings of the legal system.

Following the luncheon at PBA headquarters, a panel discussion on opportunities for minorities in the legal profession was held at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers. Featuring minority attorney panelists from large and small law firms, city and state government and publicly held companies, the discussion focused on such issues as opportunities for minorities and women in the legal profession, barriers in the profession and ways to overcome them, mentoring, the role of the bar association and the advantages of practicing law in central Pennsylvania.

�The PBA Minority Bar Committee and the HBAA have worked diligently to provide support mechanisms and networking opportunities for minority attorneys throughout the region,� noted PBA President Leslie Anne Miller when she opened the panel discussion. �I believe that the legal profession must continue the committee�s work in establishing a more level playing field for all lawyers in Pennsylvania.�

The highlight of the evening�s programs was the presentation of the Harrisburg Black Attorney Association�s Chief Justice Robert N. C. Nix, Jr. Scholarship Award. Given to two second or third year law students, one from Dickinson School of Law and one from Widener School of Law, this award was created to help outstanding minority law students defray a portion of their law school expenses. The winners of this year�s award were Jeannie I. Rivera, a third year law student at Dickinson School of Law, and Joanne Springer-Messick, a second year student at Widener School of Law. The presentation of the $750 scholarships was made by HBAA President and Harrisburg lawyer Robin M. Lewis at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel and Towers.

�The HBAA is proud of its ability to aid young people who have worked hard to successfully complete a substantial part of their law school education,� Lewis said. �This award, named in honor of Chief Justice, Emeritus Robert N.C. Nix, Jr., was made possible through donations from annual fundraising events.�

The Harrisburg Black Attorney Association was established to enable black attorneys working in the Harrisburg area to exchange ideas, enhance their knowledge of the law and serve as advisers to young attorneys. The membership includes practitioners and government attorneys.