20th Annual Diversity Symposium Dinner
Theme
Professional Allyship
About the Dinner
The Diversity Symposium Dinner is an opportunity for Rhode Island High School, College, and Law School students to interact and engage with members in the legal profession that include lawyers, judges, and members of the legislature. Please join us for an evening of discussion around issues of diversity and the law.
Panelists
Cecily Banks, Celina Andrade L'21, Collin Bailey L'08, and Crystal Peralta L'20
Registration
Kindly RSVP by March 18, 2024
Meet the Moderator
The Hon. Braxton Howard Cloutier L'19 (he/him/his/él) is a trial attorney and immigration law practitioner from Chapel Hill, NC. An avid runner, he has always been invested in advocacy and community building, whether through fitness, arts, or the pursuit of justice. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages (Spanish) at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, he completed two years of AmeriCorps service. During his time at RWU Law, Braxton was President of the Student Bar Association, a CALI Award winner in Trial Advocacy, a member of the Trial Team, and the 2019 Public Interest Award recipient. Additionally, he was a student attorney at the Roger Williams University School of Law Criminal Defense Clinic and interned at several Public Defender offices.
Before joining BDV Solutions, Attorney Cloutier honed his legal skills as a Public Defender in Colorado and as a staff attorney for the Immigrant Coalition of Rhode Island. Braxton focuses his practice on connecting folks from around the world with US-based employers who have hiring needs. He also represents asylum seekers and other folks on their journey to become lawful permanent residents or citizens of the US.
When Braxton is not in court, he volunteers with several organizations committed to uplifting and supporting the Black and Latino community, including Progreso Latino and YouthBuild Providence. In 2022, Braxton was elected to the Barrington Town Council for a 4-year term. He is the first Black elected official in Barrington, RI, where he lives with his husband Randy and their twin sons Seth and Jacob.