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Cozen Family Makes Gift in Support of Voting Rights
The timing of this fellowship is important as there is a growing need for advocacy to increase voter participation, access, and protection at the federal and state legislative levels, particularly as some states attempt to subvert voter protection mechanisms and Congress attempts to pass new and expansive federal voting legislation.
“Establishing this fellowship provides an important opportunity for our graduates to use their degrees to work in the critical areas of voter participation, access, and protection — in which there is currently much effort to restrict,” said Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law Ted Ruger. “The generosity and vision of the Cozens to help meet this moment ensures the Law School’s continued commitment to access to justice for all, including protecting the ability and right to vote.”
Co-Founder and Chairman of Cozen O’Connor
“Sandy and I strongly believe that our democracy and its institutions and norms, including the rule of law, are being challenged as never before by legislative attempts to restrict or deny the right to vote,” said Cozen, who is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s Board of Advisors and has previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the Law School. “That basic right, we believe, is the cornerstone of our democracy and we will do anything we can to help preserve that right in a fully unencumbered fashion.”
The fellowship will be open to applicants every other year beginning this summer. Third-year Penn Law students and alumni who have graduated within the last seven years who can demonstrate that they have the commitment and skills to engage in this work are eligible to apply.
Steve Cozen is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Cozen O’Connor, a Philadelphia-based law firm that began in 1970 with just four attorneys and now operates with more than 775 attorneys across 30 offices throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. His firm established the Stephen A. Cozen Professorship of Law at the Law School in 2004.
Morgan Lewis Funds Anti-Racism Program at the Law School
“We embrace the responsibility to focus the strength, dedication, and resources of our firm on meaningful and sustained impact toward a racially just society,” said Morgan Lewis Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “The Morgan Lewis Impact Fund for Racial Justice will support anti-racism programming in teaching, pro bono work, and student enrichment … Supporting these initiatives for law students provides great impact as they prepare to enter the profession and will support change in our communities now and far into the future. We are very excited to launch this effort with an institution that shares that commitment.”
The Law School has prioritized institutional changes that foster a more supportive and inclusive educational environment, significantly expanding its curriculum, administrative structure, and student support resources. These ongoing efforts, spearheaded by the Law School’s Office of Equity & Inclusion, aim to direct attention and resources to examining critical issues of race and to better equip students, staff, and faculty with the knowledge and skills to address the far-reaching manifestation and impacts of systemic racism.
“This generous gift comes during a year in which the challenges of the pandemic and a nationwide reckoning with racial injustice revealed just how far our society and its institutions are from achieving the ideals of equity,” said Ted Ruger, Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law. “The Morgan Lewis Impact Fund for Racial Justice is an exciting opportunity for the Law School to expand our racial justice programming and continue our ongoing institutional work toward building an anti-racist future.”
Over the past five years, the Law School has added over 15 new courses that address matters of equity and inclusion, including five new courses on racial and social justice and civil rights offered for the Spring 2021 semester. All incoming students examine bias and systemic racism as part of the Law School’s Orientation programming, and several programs address the unique challenges BIPOC students may face. Numerous groups at the Law School have participated in anti-bias training over the past several years, and the diversity of the Law School’s student body, staff, and faculty is consistently increasing.
And in February, the Law School established the Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander Scholarships, three new scholarships for incoming Fall 2021 students whose education, experience, and professional commitments advance racial justice and honor the work and legacy of Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander L’27, the first Black woman to graduate from the Law School.
Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
“As a law school, we take seriously our role in acknowledging and addressing the longstanding impacts of systemic racism,” said Arlene Rivera Finkelstein, the Law School’s inaugural Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. “We have been steadfast in our efforts — expanding educational programs and increasing resources and support for BIPOC, but there is much more work to be done. As we continue to strive towards becoming an anti-racist institution, the generosity of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius will support new initiatives to advance racial justice in our communities and in the legal profession.”