News

Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter is proud to announce the recipients of our annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship. Each year, this program highlights law students who exemplify academic excellence, leadership, and a passion for advancing diversity in the legal profession. This year's honorees, Patsy Carolan and Darren Williams, represent the next generation of attorneys committed to creating meaningful change.

Patsy, a first-year law student at The Ohio State University (OSU) Moritz College of Law, brings a strong record of academic excellence and community involvement. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and minors in Spanish and Sports Administration. Patsy served as secretary of the Women’s Club Lacrosse team and was active in Delta Delta Delta and USPORT, a sport administration club. She is also an Eminent Scholar Award recipient and participates in the Sports and Entertainment Law Association and Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Darren, also a first-year law student at The Ohio State University (OSU) Moritz College of Law, graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He earned multiple honors, including membership in Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Phi Sigma. Darren’s leadership experience spans roles as a 1L Student Bar Association Senator and Black Law Students Association 1L Representative, where he advocates for student concerns and diversity initiatives. He also volunteers with Legal Aid of Southeastern and Central Ohio, assisting with client intake and observing attorney-client interactions.

Commitment to Diversity

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to building a stronger legal profession,” said Makiah Harper, DEI Committee co-chair. “Our scholarship program reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for talented individuals from all backgrounds to thrive and lead.”

Our Diversity Scholarship program, now in its twenty-third year, awards scholarships to first-year law students of up to $15,000, reaffirming the firm’s dedication to nurturing diverse legal talent and fostering an inclusive environment.

Kegler Brown maintains an internal Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Committee to formalize and further the firm’s commitment to achieving diversity at all levels of the organization. In addition to our long-standing Women’s Collaborative, we are proud to have achieved Mansfield Certification Plus, which reflects the structural changes and steps taken over the past year to ensure transparent and accessible paths to leadership for all qualified lawyers.

We are excited to welcome Patsy and Darren into this tradition and look forward to the impact they will make in the years ahead.

Learn more about our Diversity Scholarship program here.