KAPPA NEWS: LAW AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Guide Right Relationship Leads to a Life of Shared Service to the Community, Mentee: Karl O. Riley The Journal interviews a Regional Director of the NBA who is an alumnus of the Las Vegas (NV) Alumni Chapter Guide Right Program
way, and I am eternally grateful to my parents for my childhood. Q: What motivated you to attend Northwestern?/ Discuss the impor- tance of education in your life? While learning about law school, I re- ceived consistent advice to go to the best law school that you are accept- ed. Northwestern University School of Law was it. Not to mention, it had one of the best trial advocacy programs in the country. I was sold. Education is extremely important to one’s success, but it seems to be getting more expensive. I hope that students do not forgo the importance of obtain- ing education to increase one’s place in society. Q: You made a commitment to be a leader in the NBA. What about the NBA inspired you to take on progres- sively responsible roles? I have always taken leadership roles in any organization that I participate. My involvement with the National Bar Association started as the Midwest Region Chair of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), where I also served on the national board. From there, the transition was natural. I want to take part in the advancement of the African-American lawyer and African- Americans in general. This organization allows me to be on the front line of the topics affecting both, and I am happy and proud to be a party of this organiza- tion. Charles Hamilton Houston said “A lawyer can either be a social engineer or a parasite on the community.” I believe not only do lawyers have responsibility to their clients, but also to their commu- nity. We should provide pro bono work and help people without a voice. As a
member of the NBA, the largest and oldest organization of African-American attorneys, I have a duty to ensure that the African-American community is adequately represented in the media and court system. Shout out to the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar As- sociation, Young Lawyers Division of the NBA, Region IX of the NBA, President Judd, Executive Director Perry, the entire NBA, and all my mentors therein (too many to name). Thank you for your support. Q: What are your current responsibili- ties? I serve on my firm’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, where we work on recruiting and retaining diverse at- torneys. Locally, I am the President of the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association (LVNBA). I run all the programming for the organization, and this is the final year of my term. I am also on the executive board of the Young Lawyer Section of the Nevada State Bar. Here, I help run social and legal programming. I was named the Young Lawyer of the Year for the State Bar of Nevada for 2017. I serve on the Urban Chamber of Commerce as the Secre- tary. I also sit on the Supreme Court of Nevada’s Bench-Bar Committee. The Bench-Bar Committee provides a forum for ongoing study of the court’s rules and internal operating procedures, including: proposing rule changes and comment- ing on changes received or proposed by the court; providing comment on court processes and internal operating procedures; and assisting the court with outreach programs to educate the bar and public on the court and its work, practices and procedures. The Bench- Bar committee is composed of the chief justice and associate justices of the
Q: What was your childhood like?
This is where I get to recognize the skills and discipline my parents instilled in me. I didn’t know this at the time, but my parents placed me in a number of activities that would prepare me for my future. I started playing piano at 4, and French horn and trumpet in junior high school. I continued playing these instru- ments through high school. I always was involved in a number of organiza- tions inside and outside of school, like student council, national honor society, youth group at my church, the Las Vegas Kappa Leadership League, as well as various community organizations. I also studied Spanish and Japanese in high school and played varsity tennis all four years in high school. With being Salutatorian of my high school class, this allowed me to present well-rounded college and scholarship applications. At the time, I wanted all the new gear and was pretty frustrated when my parents could not afford it. I didn’t see the money they were shelling out for all the lessons (tennis, piano, French horn, and trumpet lessons); constant repairs for the instruments and purchase of tennis gear; band, tennis, and leadership camps; and other things. In retrospect, I would not have grown up any other
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