Ithaca College

Students interested in careers in law, politics, social justice, and other fields are invited to attend a panel on Friday, January 27 from 1-2 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge titled “Is Law of Grad School Right for You? Admissions, Scholarships, and Careers.” All members of the Ithaca College community are welcome to attend. 

The panel features Keith Watters ’76, former Ithaca College Trustee and founder of Keith Watters & Associates; Kevin Judd, current president of the National Bar Association (NBA), the oldest and largest national voluntary legal association with a network of over 66,000 predominantly black lawyers, judges, educators and law students; and Isabelle Ramos, the Associate Director of Admissions at Cornell University Law School. 

The panelists will focus on:

• Career paths and opportunities
• LSAT preparation
• Getting into and choosing the right school
• How grants can greatly lower the cost of tuition

Prior to the panel, there will be a Q&A and Meet and Greet session with Keith Watters, Kevin Judd, and Isabelle Ramos from noon- 1 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge. 

About the Panelists:

Keith Watters ’76 has been licensed to practice law for over 36 years, having founded the firm Keith Watters & Associates in 1980. Throughout his life, he has continually devoted himself to the legal profession and the welfare of his community. Watters graduated with honors from Ithaca College in 1976. While a student at Ithaca, he was employed as a journalist and published numerous articles on the women's rights movement, the Central Intelligence Agency, workers' rights, and civil rights issues. He then received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1979. He served as a member of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees from 2000-2010. During his tenure as trustee, he forcefully advocated for a diversified college and greater financial aid, among other things.

Watters has also received awards from organizations such as the National Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Washington Bar Association, and the Bar Association of the District of Columbia and was voted Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2010. He has received more than 11 awards from the National Bar Association, including the Gertrude E. Rush Award in 2014. This award is given to those who demonstrate leadership in human and civil rights, legal education, public policy, and social activism. Mr. Watters is also a Life Sustaining Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, in which membership is limited to 1% of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction who demonstrate outstanding dedication to their community and the legal profession.

Mr. Watters served as president of the Washington Bar Association (1988-1990), the National Bar Association (1995-1996), and the Bar Association of the District of Columbia (2006-2007). He is currently the president of the Foundation of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. He also served on a number of American Bar Association committees throughout the years, including Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Professional Discipline, and Medical Professional Liability.

In addition to his leadership roles, Mr. Watters is a frequent legal commentator on CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNBC, and many more.

Kevin D. Judd is the President of the National Bar Association (“NBA”), the oldest and largest national voluntary legal association with a network of over 66,000 predominantly black lawyers, judges, educators and law students. He received one of the NBA’s highest award, the Ronald Harmon Brown Award of International Distinction. In addition to Kevin’s commitment to the NBA, he has demonstrated stellar leadership through his affiliation with a number of other professional organizations. Kevin is currently serving on the Local Rules Advisory Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia. He served as President for the Washington Bar Association, National President of Howard University Law Alumni Association, President of the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association; Board Member of the National Council of the Federal Bar Association; Grand Chief Justice of Sigma Delta Tau Legal Fraternity, Inc.; Member of the Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland; and Member of the American Bar Association. All the organizations he has served as President, Kevin has left them in a better place than when he started as their President. He improved their infrastructure and operations, while improving their financial posture. Likewise as President, Kevin looks forward to improving the NBA’s internal operations, building membership and enhancing its national and international voice on significant legal matters affecting communities of African-Descent. 

Kevin is a graduate of Howard University School of Law and is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, the State of New York and in Maryland Federal Courts.

Isabelle M. Ramos is the Associate Director of Admissions at Cornell University Law School. She was born in Lubbock, TX and moved to the northeast in order to attend Wells College (B.A., 2005) and Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 2008). Throughout her studies, Isabelle focused on social justice issues and completed internships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, civil rights organizations and elected officials. In 2010, Isabelle was admitted to the New York State Bar and began her career in the admissions profession. Isabelle has balanced her work in admissions with her interest in public policy by serving as Chair of the City of Ithaca’s Second Ward Democratic Committee and staying active in local politics.

At Cornell Law, Isabelle counsels students on the law school admissions process and helps them prepare to make informed steps on their journey. By working with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), DiscoverLaw.Org administrators and current law students, she has helped to create programs designed to prepare underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students to be competitive in the law school admissions process.

To view event calendar listings, click here for the panel and here for the meet and greet session.  

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Kirk Harbinger at kharbinger@ithaca.edu.. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.