APPROVED FOR 2 CLE CREDITS
Our Panel will include:
LaQunya Baker, Baker Simpson Law LLP
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LaQunya Baker was raised in South Carolina where she attended the College of Charleston. During her time at CofC, LaQunya studied Communications and African American Studies. While in undergrad LaQunya worked alongside the then United States House of Representatives Majority Whip, Jim Clyburn, as a community organizer in South Carolina
After undergrad LaQunya attended Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte North Carolina. LaQunya completed judicial clerkships for Federal District Court Judge Margaret Seymour for the District of South Carolina and the Honorable Judge Michael McCarthy for D.C. Superior Court while in law school.
LaQunya served as a Deputy State Public Defender in Jefferson County Colorado from 2016 to 2018. After her time as a Deputy State Public Defender, LaQunya went into private practice in both state in federal court, representing clients in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, The United States District Court for the District of Colorado, and the District of Arizona. While LaQunya enjoys civil practice, her heart belongs to indigent defense. In 2019, LaQunya started her law firm, Baker Simpson Law LLC, with the majority of her practice dedicated to indigent defense.
Sgt. Carla Havard, President of the Black Police Officers Organization
Sgt Carla Havard is a 23 year veteran of the Denver Police Department who currently supervises the newly formed Citywide Impact team. This team is a community engagement, precision focused unit with an emphasis on crisis mitigation and trauma sensitive community resources. Sgt Havard is also the President of the Black Police Officers Organization which exists to address any inequities within the department and to foster better relationships between police and communities of color. Sgt Havard comes from a family of service providers with siblings serving as firefighters, nurses, correction officers and her father as a Chief of Police in the 1960's in the South.
Although she has a degree in Drafting and Design Technology, Sgt Havard was "called" to this profession after witnessing inequalities and bias treatment and feeling compelled to become part of the solution. She has continually strived to be a courageous voice for legitimate change and fairness in her professional. Her organizational relationships include the Human Rights Campaign, One Colorado, Donor Alliance and several support and advocacy organizations. When she has time for hobbies, they include cooking(grilling), fishing and enjoying the outdoors.
Qusair Mohamedbhai, Partner, Rathod Mohamedbhai, LLC
Qusair graduated from the University of Wyoming School of Law, Laramie, Wyoming in 2003. He received his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta in 2000. Qusair is admitted to practice law in Colorado, Wyoming, the United States District Court, Districts of Colorado and Wyoming, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Qusair is a partner at Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC. His practice is exclusively in the areas of plaintiff’s employment discrimination and constitutional civil rights litigation. He advocates for the rights of employees in the workplace, and for the civil rights of all individuals against governmental and institutional abuses of power.
Moderated by: April Jones, Founder & CEO of Jones Law Firm, President of the Sam Cary Bar Association; Sara Scott, CEO of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness
