The Collaborative Judicial Bootcamp consists of four hour programs developed alongside affinity bar organizations in Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota. They include tracks for people at different stages of their legal career; recognize the important role of recruitment in changing the perceptions of who is qualified to sit on the bench; use personal outreach to potential participants and decision-makers; encourage individuals and organizations to think carefully and “outside the box” about future judicial talent; and involve judicial decision-makers as session leaders to give them direct experience with a deeper, more robust candidate pool.

Through the bootcamp format, under-represented individuals receive coaching and mentoring from individuals that influence selection processes directly or indirectly. After years of feeling left out of the process, a reality affirmed by many of the judges of color who served as facilitators, participants felt like they were finally getting the same kind of information that white men have always been privy to through association with the types of “power brokers” leading the workshops. One participant said “it is all so democratic!”

The Infinity Project Collaborative Bootcamp model covers a half day and includes three tracks:

(1) lawyers with less than ten years of experience that may serve on the bench sometime in the future;

(2) lawyers with more than 10 years of experience that may be interested in service on the state district court bench; and

(3) sitting judges and others with significant experience that may be considering state appellate or federal courts.

For sample agendas, please contact Julie Morrison.

Personal invitations to potential participants and decision-maker facilitators are a key part of the Collaborative Bootcamp model. Affinity bar partners can use this exercise to think deeply about the talent in their community and a personal invitation has the potential to change the perceptions of under-represented lawyers about their qualifications to serve. Involvement of key judicial decision-makers as session leaders gives them an opportunity to see first hand the talent pool from under-represented communities and question processes that do not include that talent. Example invitations are available upon request.

We have developed a My Journey to the Bench planning tool that potential applicants can use to plot short and long term strategies in a variety of categories, such as Information Gathering, Relationship Building, Building a Resume, Developing a Story/Brand, and Keeping Track of Information you will need to apply in the future. Request a copy of the plan from Julie Morrison.