​Engaging the Bay Area legal community to support a crucial intervention in the legal pipeline: a debate program that trains hundreds of underserved youth to research, prepare briefs, and advocate positions on complex policy issues.

March 28–April 4, 2025
BATTLE between law firms, ADVANCING Bay Area youth ​

Join the challenge

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

The challenge is a 1-week fundraising competition, with all proceeds supporting Bay Area youth through BAUDL's debate programming. 

BAUDL develops and supports debate teams and competitions for talented students, the majority students of color, who attend schools in low-income Bay Area communities. Through debate, students confront world issues, gain skill sets and self- confidence, and prepare for competitive school and career pathways. 

Firms are split into two divisions:
Elite Division, firms with less than 60 Bay Area attorneys
Grand Division, firms with 60+ Bay Area attorneys.

The top three firms in each division will be recognized for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes, with their names to be added to the Champions of Diversity trophies.

​WHAT does PARTICIPATION LOOK LIKE?

Be a champion for BAUDL for the week. Each day, we’ll share more about a component of our work and the extraordinary impact we’re having. We’re asking YOU to reach out to colleagues and community to join you in donating to support our important work – not to mention, help your firm become the winning champion.

If interested, coordinate with BAUDL staff for a meet and greet with BAUDL students interested in learning more about law. Champions of Diversity occurs during school district spring break, and, every year, a team of our students choose to spend part of their break learning about law as a future career pathway. Several participating law firms, maybe including yours, have a meet and greet with our students.

HELP US RAISE $75,000 FOR STUDENT LEADERS

WHY PARTICIPATE?

• Help diversify the legal pipeline. BAUDL serves over 300 students at 15 schools across 5 Bay Area districts. We partner with schools that wouldn’t have a debate team without us, and raise funds to ensure our students can attend national debate camps and tournaments historically only accessible to wealthy students. Approximately 80% of BAUDL students are people of color, and 100% of them hail from under-resourced public schools. Many BAUDL students want to go on to practice law, and debate is preparing them to do so.

• Increase graduation rates. Debate education is proven to increase high school graduation rates and academic achievement in both middle and high school including literacy, analytical and critical thinking skills, and educational success. Debate students are 17% more likely to graduate high school and 38% more likely to enroll in a 4-year college than their peers.

 

• Connect directly with young, aspiring lawyers. The challenge affords youth the chance to connect with professionals like you, and it’s a powerful way for you to support their growth and development. Youth present online and make in- person visits during the course of the challenge.

 

• Claim bragging rights. You have a shot at joining the illustrious ranks of past winning firms, including champions Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger–2022 Elite Division and Morrison & Foerster–2022 Grand Division.

Join the ranks!
RSVP to executive director mya whitaker: [email protected]

Can't participate? become a sponsor:
 Email [email protected] with your sponsorship: ​$500–$5,000

RSVP

​Debate taught me skills in analysis, research and public speaking. Debaters spend a year intensively researching a complex topic and developing sophisticated arguments about it. Debate also teaches invaluable life lessons, perhaps most profoundly about dealing with victory and defeat…Not a day goes by that I do not use the skills and lessons I learned in debate in my teaching, my writing and my advocacy in courts. The problem, though, is that debate programs require money, for coaches and for attending and organizing tournaments. Financially strapped inner-city schools rarely have been able to provide these resources… Urban Debate Leagues were created to rectify this."

- Erwin Chemerinsky

PAST CHAMPIONS!

We want to thank everyone for making the 2024 Champions of Diversity a resounding success. ​While we want to thank all our competing law firms, we want to shout out our winners!!

1st Place:
O'Melveny & Myers

2nd Place:
MoFo (Morrison Foerster)

3rd Place:
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP

Additional competitors include: Alto Litigation | Fox Rothschild LLP | Munger, Tolles & Olson | Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
We invite you to join us. Contact [email protected] if you are—or know of—an interested firm.