The Membership Committee is pleased to recognize Tonya Rhodes Jupiter as our June Member of the Month. Tonya is an Adjunct Professor of Law and Associate Director for Pro Bono and Advocacy Programs at Tulane Law School. She has been instrumental in assisting with our annual Pathways and Pipelines to Success Program, and we are more than appreciative of her continued support. Congratulations Tonya!
1. Tell us about yourself.
Tonya Rhodes Jupiter is the Associate Director of Pro Bono and Advocacy Programs at Tulane Law School and a faculty supervisor for experiential learning opportunities. She grew up in Shreveport and attended Stanford University where she received her B.A. in Political Science in 1989. Ms. Jupiter is a 1994 graduate of Tulane Law School, where she was a member of the Black Law Students Association, earned an Environmental Law Certificate, and participated in the Environmental Law Clinic. Upon graduation, she joined the firm of Bryan, Jupiter, Lewis and Blanson, at the time, one of the largest minority owned law firms in the Southeast.
Prior to joining Tulane Law School in 2016, her legal career included work with various private firms where she concentrated on civil defense litigation, including toxic torts, general casualty, commercial and personal injury litigation. Ms. Jupiter also clerked with the Hon. Michael G. Bagneris at Civil District Court.
She and her husband, Hon. Steven Jupiter, have been married for 22 years and are the proud parents of Celeste Jupiter (sophomore at Stanford University) and Kali Jupiter (attending Yale University in the fall).
2. Why did you choose to become an attorney?
As a first generation law student, I had no specific connection to the legal community or what lawyers did on a daily basis. My parents were high school teachers who emphasized the importance of commitment to community and academic excellence. I admired the impact, bravery and brilliance of African-American lawyers in the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. I gained context by working for two years after college as a paralegal with the Law Offices of Melvin Belli, a San Francisco personal injury firm. I learned that lawyers are a diverse community with varying levels of skill, professionalism and legal acumen and that I, too, could become a member of the bar.
3. What are the benefits of being a member of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society?
Martinet is a collection of amazing professionals who are civic-minded and laser focused on improving access to the legal profession and opportunities for African-American lawyers and law students. It was the first professional organization I joined after graduating from Tulane. This venerable organization continues to have demonstrable impact on the Louisiana legal community in fulfillment of its mission — balancing justice, effecting change.
4. What is your favorite Martinet event and why?
In a state which is often touted for being near the bottom in socio-economic benchmarks and whose historical roots gave birth to the “Separate but Equal” doctrine, the Martinet Society, has been and remains an innovative force throughout Louisiana in its charge to balance justice, effectuate change, and promote the welfare of African Americans in the legal profession and in our communities. One of my favorite Martinet events that builds upon this vision is the Annual Pathways and Pipelines to Success program. This is a full day professional development seminar uniquely created to assist minority law students from all four Louisiana law schools hone their networking and career-building strategies through interactions with distinguished lawyers and judges. At the end of the day, students walk away with a sense of the possible trajectories of their career path and are armed with the practical steps and tools to chart their individual path knowing they have the support of a responsive network of diverse attorneys.
5. Tell us about other organizations you are involved in and other causes you support, and why?
In addition to serving as a faculty advisor to the Tulane BLSA, I am active in the Tulane Inn of Court where I sit on the Executive Board. Both organizations keep me connected with the next generation of lawyers and programming to improve diversity and inclusion efforts within the profession. Civic organizations include the NAACP, Independent Women’s Organization (IWO) and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. – New Orleans Chapter.