is a legal profession in which lawyers and judges reflect the backgrounds and perspectives of the populations they serve.

Our Vision

A large group of diverse young people and adults gathered in a conference room, many wearing navy blue t-shirts with the slogan 'iLearn iLead iEmpower' in red text, posing for a group photo.
A professional setting with four women and one man. The women are smiling, and one is handing a paper or certificate to the man. The women are dressed in business attire, and the man is in a dark suit. The background is a plain gray wall.

Exposure

We provide exposure to a wide variety of legal careers and leaders. We believe you can become what you can see.

Education

We help our students build legal, professional, and leadership skills, and to employ those skills in legal environments, because you learn more when you do more.

Connection

We connect our students with our extraordinary networks – lawyers, judges, partners, and alumni who are committed to passing the torch by providing inspiration, encouragement, and support.

Our Values

Just The Beginning - A Piepeline Organization historical timeline
A graphic with large text reading 'Our History' and three black-and-white photos of Judge George Leighton, an African American man, at different points in his career. The background features a blurred group of people.

Meet Our Board

Judicial Advisory Committee

  • Judge Alfred H. Bennett

    United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

  • Judge Ruben Castillo (Ret.)

    United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  • Judge Edmond E. Chang

    United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  • Judge Pamela K. Chen

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

  • Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman

    United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  • Judge Jacqueline Cox

    United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  • Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel

    United States District Court for the Southern District of California

  • Judge Bernice B. Donald

    United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

  • Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner

    United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

  • Judge Vanessa Gilmore (Ret.)

    United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

  • Judge Donald Graham

    United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

  • Judge Marcia M. Henry

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

  • Judge LaShonda A. Hunt

    United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  • Judge Brian Jackson

    United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana

  • Judge Richard A. Jones

    United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

  • Judge Nancy Joseph

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

  • Judge Peggy Kuo

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

  • Judge Gerald Bruce Lee (Ret.)

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

  • Judge Tana Lin

    United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

  • Judge Brian Miller

    United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

  • Judge Doris A. Smith-Ribner (Ret.)

    Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania

  • Judge Ann Claire Williams (Ret.)

    United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Associate Board

  • Jaylin McClinton

    President

    Senior Advisor, Novel Messaging

  • Afaaf Amatullah

    Vice President

    J.D. Candidate, University of Illinois College of Law

  • Jo Gbujama

    Treasurer

    Attorney, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP

  • Jamaal Lockings

    Secretary

    Attorney, Alliance for Justice

  • Jolianne Alexander

    Parliamentarian

    Attorney, JSL Law, LLC

  • James Akinleye

    Member

    Associate, Sidley Austin LLP

  • Samir Cadavid

    Member

    Associate, Troutman Pepper Locke

  • Kimberly Cioffi

    Member

    Judicial Law Clerk, Maryland Judiciary

  • Christopher Dean

    Member

    Attorney, Burris, Nisenbaum, Curry & Lacy

  • Zakiyah Dillard

    Member

    Associate, Wilkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

  • Hugh Ebb

    Member

    Corporate Associate, Moore & Van Allen PLLC

  • Natalie Ellis

    Member

    Associate, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP

  • Annabelle Emuze

    Member

    Attorney, Hausfeld LLP

  • Richard Garzola Jr.

    Member

    Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

  • Taylor Glover

    Member

    Associate, Clifford Chance LLP

  • Nicholas Haley

    Member

    Associate, Sinars Slowikowski

  • Danielle Hamilton

    Member

    Assistant Clinical Professor of Law,

    Northwestern University School of Law

  • Drew Harper

    Member

    Law Clerk, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

  • Jimmie Herring

    Member

    Attorney Advisor, U.S. Department of Justice

  • Anisha Hindocha

    Member

    Oversight Attorney, Democracy Forward

  • Armani Madison

    Member

    Associate, Williams & Connolly LLP

  • Jasmine Marchbanks-Owens

    Member

    Judicial Law Clerk, Mississippi Court of Appeals

  • Cassandra Marlow

    Member

    Associate, Arnoux Sharma Standeford, LLC

  • Mila Marshall

    Member

    Clean Water Advocate, Sierra Club Illinois Chapter

  • Carlos Martinez

    Member

    Associate, Keker Van Nest & Peters LLP

  • Shil Mehta

    Member

    Associate, Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP

  • Kendrick Peterson

    Member

    Associate, Baker McKenzie

  • Nicholas Reinberg

    Member

    Associate, Winston & Strawn LLP

  • Carletta Sanders-Chavers

    Member

    Legal Career Specialist, James E. Rogers College of Law

  • Lee Smith III

    Member

    Special Legal Assistant, Chicago Treasurer’s Office

  • Kendall Wharton

    Member

    Associate, Quarles & Brady LLP

  • Taryn Wilkins

    Member

    Attorney, Cooley LLP

  • Marica Wright

    Member

    Attorney, Law Offices of Carlissa Shaw, Esq.

  • Jasmine Felder

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, Michigan State University College of Law

  • Trevor Ivy

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, Northern Illinois University College of Law

  • Gabriella Pettijohn

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, Chicago-Kent College of Law

  • Julie Rodriguez

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, University of Illinois College of Law

  • Jake Schultz

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

  • Contessa Gibson Williams

    Law School Member

    Senior Paralegal, Legal Aid Chicago

  • Kimberly Wilson

    Law School Member

    J.D. Candidate, University of Illinois College of Law

Meet Our Staff

  • Antonette N. Smith, CNP

    Antonette N. Smith, CNP

    Executive Director

    Read Bio
  • Cristina Figueroa, J.D.

    Cristina Figueroa, J.D.

    Program Director

    Read Bio
  • Missy O. Jeje, M.Ed.

    Missy O. Jeje, M.Ed.

    Program Director

    Read Bio
  • Professional headshot of Ceree Wilkerson in a black blazer on a gray background

    Ceree Wilkerson

    Development Manager

    Read Bio
  • Nyah Washington

    Nyah Washington

    Marketing & Operations Associate

    Read Bio

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