Briaunna Buckner Durhal | Diversifying Appellate Practice and The Appellate Project (TAP)
Listen to TAP Alum Briaunna Buckner Durhal to discuss appellate practice and mentorship on Journey to Esquire The Podcast.
Hon. Gia Kim
“Representation heightens the public perception of fairness and improves decisionmaking by ensuring that diverse experiences are taken into account.”
Roger Tejada
“Go into law school without overly committing to your conception of the kind of lawyer you want to be. Having an open mind has been extremely helpful to me finding my passion.”
Indiana Garcia
“Increasing exposure to the diversity of appellate careers in law school and beyond would ensure that our highest courts are representative of all our communities.”
Hon. Anna Blackburne-Rigsby
“Appellate law in particular has tremendous potential to impact legal precedent.”
White, male lawyers dominate oral arguments before Colorado’s appellate courts
TAP founder Juvaria Khan, underscores the consequences of a lack of diversity on the courts for The Colorado Springs Gazette.
Hon. Zainab Chaudhry
“Prioritize excelling academically and strengthening your writing skills. That will always serve you well, no matter what field of law you choose to go into.”
Simone Marstiller
“While you’re in law school, work on strengthening your research and writing skills—especially writing.“
Hon. Melissa A. Long
“We must all be more purposeful about building communities that include people who have different experiences from us so that we better appreciate our shared humanity.”
Paths to Becoming an Appellate Lawyer
A panel of appellate advocates on the How I Lawyer podcast.
Justin Lam
TAP Board Chair Justin Lam currently serves as counsel in the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Supreme Court more diverse than lawyers who argue for it
AP News covers the appellate advocacy that TAP is working to change.
Historically diverse Supreme Court hears disproportionately from White lawyers
TAP Founder & CEO Juvaria S. Khan speaks to The Washington Post on how limited networks exclude attorneys from underrepresented groups from appellate-level pathways.
Melody McCoy
“Indigenous appellate attorneys know a lot about the law and a lot about life. Both are needed for effective advocacy.”
Hon. Rebeca C. Martinez
“Earn the experience you need to do the job well. Take chances in yourself. Be open to mentorship.”
Hon. Luis Felipe Restrepo
“Follow a path that makes sense for you from a personal and professional perspective understanding circumstances will change both personally and professionally over the course of your career. “
D&I Judicial Spotlight – Hon. Mimi Tsankov
TAP alum Mimi Tsankov, President of the National Association of Immigration Judges, highlights why representation matters in the judiciary.
What Judge Jackson's Historic Nomination Means to Our Students
We applaud the news of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic nomination, which shows our future appellate leaders that they too can serve on this country’s highest court.
32 Inspiring Nonprofit Leaders Who Will Impact the World in 2022
CauseArtist identifies Juvaria Khan as one of 32 nonprofit leaders who will impact the world.
It’s not just the Supreme Court bench: Lower courts with ‘incredible sway’ are not diverse enough
USA Today spotlights The Appellate Project amid coverage of efforts to diversify the federal judiciary, noting our role in mentoring and training students of color aiming for careers in appellate law.

