The University of Chicago Law School’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) honored Judge Raymond A. Jackson of the Eastern District of Virginia at the annual James B. Parsons Legacy Dinner on Tuesday, February 28.

Judge Jackson works with an organization called Just the Beginning, which provides a pipeline for students of color and those from underrepresented communities into legal careers. He has spearheaded a clerkship program aimed at increasing diversity among the clerks of federal judges.

Judge Jackson with his wife, the Hon. Gwendolyn J. Jackson, a retired Norfolk General District Court judge; his son-in-law, Eric Akiwumi; and his daughter, the Hon. Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, of the Seventh Circuit.

Dean Thomas J. Miles and Professor Richard McAdams spoke with Meighan Parker, Bigelow Fellow.

Judge Jackson spoke with Daniel Echeverri, a former clerk for the judge, and Professor William Hubbard, who is on the Law School’s clerkship committee.

Law School students posed for a photo.

Professor Emily Buss and Gabrielle Bozarth, ’25, spoke with each other at the event.

Judge Jackson posed with his award and Professor Herschella Conyers.

Judge Jackson spoke with Caleb Jeffreys, ’24, and former clerks of the judge, Daniel Echeverri and Christian Plummer.

Judge Jackson posed with his award and the Parsons family: John, Grace, and Mary Helen. John Parsons is Judge James B. Parsons’ grandson.

Sydney Chapman, ’24, BLSA’s president, welcomed guests to the evening’s program.

Dean Miles provided opening remarks for the evening.

Caleb Jeffreys, ’24, spoke of Judge Jackson’s career before presenting him with the James B. Parson Legacy Award.

Grace Parsons spoke of her great-grandfather’s legacy in her closing remarks.

Judge Jackson and all current BLSA members partook in what has become tradition to take a big group photo with the honoree.

The University of Chicago Law School’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) honored Judge Raymond A. Jackson of the Eastern District of Virginia at the annual James B. Parsons Legacy Dinner on Tuesday, February 28. Judge Jackson works with an organization called Just the Beginning, which provides a pipeline for students of color and those from underrepresented communities into legal careers. He has spearheaded a clerkship program aimed at increasing diversity among the clerks of federal judges.

Previous honorees include now-retired Judge Ann Claire Williams of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (honored in 2018); now-retired Judge Bernice Donald of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (2019); Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, now Associate Justice for the US Supreme Court (2020), U. W. Clemmon of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (retired) (2021); and Judge Eleanor L. Ross of the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (2022).