DIVERSITY IN LAW 2023: Hon. Doris L. Pryor

(IL photo/Eric Learned)

7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2003

Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?

Before the era of social media and its impact on how we shape norms and develop opinions, I was influenced and guided by those in my local community — those the local newspapers heralded as small-town heroes. These people were family members, schoolteachers, pastors, social workers, lawyers, elected officials and community leaders. I watched influencers give voice to the voiceless, give a little more volume to the unheard and give some visibility to the unseen. So the idea that I would go into the profession of the law and use my career to serve was really birthed at a young age.

What does “diversity, equity and inclusion” mean to you?

For me, diversity, equity and inclusion is a lifestyle that has manifested itself in different ways throughout my life. Coming from a large family, we regularly had big Sunday dinners where everyone “knew” what they were supposed to bring. And when we would set the table and put out the main dishes, my grandmother would always stress the importance of leaving space on the table. Almost like clockwork, before we sat down to enjoy the meal, an “unexpected” guest would show up and my grandmother would place the guest’s dish in the center of the table. By watching my grandmother do that, our guest knew, even though they might have gotten their invitation a little late, they were valued at the table and we were willing to move things around to make space for them. I continue to strive to carry these table manners with me in whatever setting I find myself in. For me, diversity, equity and inclusion means leaving space for new ideas and innovative thinking, demonstrating an openness to shift when the need arises and showing a willingness to add another chair at the table.

How did you get involved in DEI work, and why have you stuck with it?

I truly believe DEI got stuck with me before I got stuck with it. Throughout my career, I have frequently been in spaces where I was the only one, and this was never sufficient for me. For the past several years, I have been a part of Just The Beginning — A Pipeline Organization, which is designed to increase diversity by exposing underrepresented students to careers and leadership opportunities in the law. As a host for JTB students in the courthouse, I am able to foster the federal judiciary’s recruitment goals of creating a diverse pipeline of candidates for various career opportunities offered by the federal courts.

What would you say to someone who perceives “DEI” as a business “buzzword”?

America was founded on the ideal that from many, we are one — a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. I am reminded of this every time I have the honor of presiding over a naturalization ceremony and swearing in new citizens from across the world. DEI will only become a “buzzword” if we, as a nation, allow it to be one.

What is the most significant change you’ve seen in the legal profession since you began your career?

Since beginning my career in public service, I have watched the federal judiciary become more and more diverse. When Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt became the first Black federal judge in Indiana history in 2010, it was the first time that I saw myself reflected in my workspace. Less than a year later, in 2011, Magistrate Judge Denise LaRue, now deceased, was also appointed to the Southern District of Indiana. In appointing judges with different talents and backgrounds, President Biden has continued to diversify the bench across the country. Following the Senate confirmation of Circuit Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi in 2021, I was honored to join her as the first Black jurist from the state of Indiana to serve on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t waste your seat at the table.

How do you spend your free time?

Spending time with family, reading books and volunteering in my community.

What was your favorite — and least favorite — class in law school?

Favorite: Criminal Procedure I. Least favorite: Criminal Procedure II.

How do you promote DEI from the bench?

Public trust and confidence are enhanced when the judiciary’s workforce — judges, law clerks and employees — broadly reflects the diversity of the public it serves. While the judiciary has no control over the appointment of Article III judges, I truly believe that my previous federal clerkships played a significant role in my elevation to the bench. For that reason, I have been intentional about participating in pipeline programs and outreach efforts focused on attracting, recruiting and retaining diverse talent. Through the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Diversity Job Fair, I have been able to host, for several years, law students in unpaid internship positions within my chambers. Many of those selected have been first-generation law students or first-generation college students. Also, I have been able to utilize my network of law school administrators, professors, judges and legal professionals to identify and recruit highly-qualified diverse law clerks to serve with me in chambers for one- or two-year term positions.

You’ve been heavily involved in reentry efforts. How do you view that work as contributing to DEI efforts?

Prior to my judicial appointment, while serving with the Department of Justice, I was selected to represent the United States Attorney’s Office in our district’s efforts in 2007 to develop a program that would assist formerly incarcerated individuals’ successful reintegration into society upon their release from the federal Bureau of Prisons. In my role as the assistant United States attorney assigned to the Re-Entry and Community Help (REACH) reentry court, I assisted the district court in reducing the number of returning citizens who would have failed to successfully transition to life outside of prison. We did so by providing alternative sanctions for participants who violated their conditions of release, identifying motivational speakers for monthly court hearings, encouraging employers to hire returning citizens, securing medical services and basic necessities for participants and their families, organizing city-wide reentry job fairs, and coordinating with community leaders to provide holistic reentry services.

In 2015, I was able to facilitate an innovative collaborative effort between the United States Attorney’s Office, the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and REACH. Through my role on the court, REACH expanded its varied resources to reduce recidivism and future victimization, enhance public safety, and improve the lives of communities, victims and returning citizens.

In addition, I continue to volunteer my time and resources to supporting pipeline efforts toward increasing diversity and inclusion in the Indianapolis legal community. As a member of the Indianapolis Steering Committee of Just The Beginning, I have hosted the Southern District of Indiana Federal Courts Day, which provided Indiana high school students from underrepresented communities with an opportunity to visit the federal court, speak with judges and court personnel, and participate in mock criminal proceedings.

Read more Diversity in Law profiles.