Congratulations to Barry Law Dean Leticia M. Diaz for receiving the distinguished “Woman of the Year Award” from the Women’s Executive Council at the 47th Annual Women’s Achievement Awards in October.
For the second time in a month, Dean Diaz was the recipient of a prestigious award. In October, Dean Diaz also received 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.
“It was such an honor to receive this award from such a great organization and be in a room with so many inspiring women who are making a positive impact here in Orlando,” said Dean Diaz. “We’re happy that our Barry Law school has been a vehicle for so many local women who have not only fulfilled their dream of becoming a lawyer, but given back to this community as well.”
The Women’s Executive Council started in 1972 order to involve the executive and professional women working in the downtown Orlando area with the Downtown Orlando Partnership. The council has been empowering women in Central Florida for decades through community service, career development and scholarships. Since their inception, the Women's Executive Council has awarded over $350,000 to women and local non-profit organizations in Central Florida. The organization's first annual "Women's Achievement Awards" was held in 1972 and continues today they honor outstanding women in arts, business, community service, education, government, technology, and communications and media.
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.”
For more information, please contact:
Angelo Milone
Director of Marketing and Media Relations
amilone@barry.edu
321.206.5722