Barry Law Dean Leticia Diaz wins Lifetime Achievement Award for Diversity
Barry Law Dean Leticia M. Diaz was the recent recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Diversity at the Orlando Business Journal's Diversity in Business Awards ceremony for her work diversifying the student body as well as the faculty and staff at the law school.
The ceremony took place on October 11 at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando. In honor of winning the award, the Dean was featured in a two-page centerfold article in the Orlando Business Journal's latest issue.
The award is the second this month for Dean Diaz; she has also been selected as Woman of the Year by the Women's Executive Council and will receive the award later this month at the awards ceremony.
"I believe the law school has benefited in that law students learn in an environment where all are represented and all views are respected," Dean Diaz was quoted in the article. "This inclusive and diverse environment allows for more robust conversations inside and outside the class, and provides a safe space for all students. For us, diversity is embraced and welcomed, not only accepted or tolerated."
Diaz is one of the founding faculty of Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law and was appointed dean in 2007. During her tenure as dean, the law school has emerged as a leader in legal education in Florida, featuring nationally recognized Moot Court and Trial Team programs, a growing faculty, and a multi-million dollar expansion of its campus with two new buildings. Diaz is the first Cuban-American female to hold the position of dean at an ABA-accredited law school in the United States.
Under Diaz’s leadership, Barry Law School’s minority student enrollment has increased substantially. Recognition for this growth in diversity stems from several national publications, including U.S. News & World Report, who ranked Barry Law 8th nationally among law schools for diversity. More recently, preLaw Magazine gave the law school an A+ ranking for its diversity in 2019, and identified the law school as one of the “Most Diverse Law Schools.”
In addition to this award, Diaz was previously honored by the Orlando Business Journal in 2014 as one of the Business Executives of the Year in the Women Who Mean Business issue.
For more information, please contact:
Angelo Milone
Director, Marketing & Public Relations
321.206.5722
amilone@barry.edu