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Mission

The mission of the Minority Bar Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (hereinafter PBA) is to assure full and equal participation of minorities in the PBA, the legal profession, and the justice system in general. In order to achieve this mission, the Minority Bar Committee will:

  • Identify and promote opportunities that allow minorities within the legal profession to participate fully in the work, responsibilities, and rewards of the PBA and the legal profession in general. Included in this objective are matters relating to the advancement of minorities within law firms and other professional and business entities, job opportunities for minorities, elimination of racial discrimination in the legal profession and within the broader community, and effective avenues for minority lawyers and judges to avail themselves of opportunities within the PBA to address issues of special interest to minority lawyers.
  • Monitor the current status of minorities in the legal profession and the justice system in general, identify their career paths and goals, and actively promote their advancement and achievement.
  • Develop educational programs in the way of seminars and surveys, among other measures, to address discrimination against minorities within the legal profession, and the justice system in general.
  • Make recommendations to the PBA Board of Governors and House of Delegates for action on issues affecting minorities within the legal profession and the justice system in general.
  • Make recommendations to the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government, and other groups within the justice system on issues affecting racial minorities and their communities in accordance with the PBA Bylaws.

Featured Member: Voci Ravenell Bennett

Voci Ravenell Bennett is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard where he advises the organization on various issues from military discipline to labor and employment law. He has been in military service for nearly 3 decades in both the Active Air Force and the Army National Guard with several overseas tours in both components.

Prior to full time service with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Voci worked at Keller and Goggin (now Goggin and Duckworth) for 13 years representing injured railroad workers.

Voci is a Philadelphia native. He grew up in North Philadelphia and attended Northeast High School. He worked at the old Sears Roebuck warehouse which was located on Roosevelt Boulevard before joining the Air Force. He is an alum of Temple University where he received his bachelor’s degree in 2002 and law degree in 2005. Voci maintains licensure in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. He is married and has two children.

Past Featured Members

Antoinette Hubbard

Verdell Dean

Samuel G. Encarnacion

Judge Carolyn H. Nichols

Jasmine Butler

Tsiwen Law

Kristine L. Calalang

Tyesha C. Miley

Jada Greenhowe

Obinna I. Abara

Morgan M. Bonekovic

Jacqueline B. Martinez

J. Lynette Carter

LaToya Winfield Bellamy

Arlene Marshall-Hockensmith

Su Ming Yeh

Anthony D. Cox Jr.

Trent Hargrove

Judge Cheryl Lynne Austin

Philip Yoon

Gina M. Thomas

Nigel Scott

Judge Stephanie Domitrovich

Ana Paulina Gomez

Judge Nicola Henry Taylor