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A Kentucky State University alumnus recently received accolades from the Kentucky Bar Association’s (KBA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD).

Patrick J. Carrington with the Administrative Office of the Courts was selected by the KBA YLD to receive their Nathaniel R. Harper Award for 2020, according to a news release from the KBA.

“Through the Nathaniel R. Harper Award, the KBA’s Young Lawyers Division seeks to recognize those individuals or organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to changing the face of the Bar in Kentucky by promoting full and equal participation in the legal profession through the encouragement and inclusion of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community and/or other underrepresented groups,” according to the news release.

Carrington is the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator at the Administrative Office of the Courts, where he creates new programs and initiatives to increase the amount of diversity in the Kentucky Court of Justice.

According to the release, Carrington began his career in diversity and inclusion when he accepted an opportunity to work for the Office of Diversity, Equality, and Training within the Personnel Cabinet of Kentucky state government. Carrington served as the lead program coordinator, taking on various tasks including developing initiatives to increase retention rates, creating programs to foster a more inclusive work environment, and assisting in the coordination of the Executive Branches’ Equal Employment Opportunity Conference held annually in Louisville.

According to the release, Carrington also played a key role in providing outreach to organizations outside of state government. He served as a liaison between the Personnel Cabinet and various colleges and universities; recruiting at career fairs and sourcing diverse candidates for connection to use and internship opportunities.

Carrington graduated from Kentucky State University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in social work.