Ruthe Catolico Ashley is a retired lawyer and Founder of California Legal Pathways Collaborative (CLPC), which focuses on supporting the high school law academies diversity pipeline program started by Ashley in 2010. Working with 25 high school law academies, CLPC introduces students to law and law-related careers through a 3-year law-focused curriculum. Originally housed at the State Bar of California, CLPC is now housed with the California Lawyers Foundation ensuring the high school academies have its roots in a legal organization. Several young diverse lawyers are
proud to receive their start in our law academy family.

Ashley is considered the Diversity Pipeline Guru for the legal profession in California. As a member of the State Bar of California’s Board of Governors, she chaired the Diversity Pipeline Task Force in 2007, which jump-started the diversity pipeline work in this state. This Task Force held the first Judicial Diversity Summit starting the work for judicial diversity in California. Ashley founded and created the Council on Access and Fairness with the State Bar of California – now a leader in legal diversity across the nation.

She was also the first President/CEO of California ALL, and the Founder/Executive Director of California LAW, two non-profit organizations with a mission to diversify the legal profession through the educational pipeline. Ashley’s first career was as a nurse and nursing professor. A 1988 graduate of Pacific McGeorge School of Law, she became a lawyer at the age of 41 and was a litigator for 15 years before returning to her alma mater as the Assistant Dean for Career Services. She created the role of Chief Diversity O􀆯icer for CalPERS to help build a pipeline into law and financial services. Ashley has had numerous leadership roles including being past president of the 1) Asian Pacific Bar of Sacramento, 2) National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and 3) Legal Services of Northern California. She was a member of the American Bar Association’s Board of Governors and chaired the Public Service and Diversity Committee of the BOG. She led the restructuring of the Goal III Diversity entities. She also chaired the Women of Color Committee for the Commission on Women and chaired the Council on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline. She chaired the ABA’s Public Education Committee with programs including the National Civics and Law Academy, Law Day, Silver Gavel Awards and other projects for teachers and students. Currently, she is a member of the ABA’s Fund for Justice and Education, Retirement Fund Board. She chairs the Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress leading the 2026 – 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence projects.