Our Purpose
Why Bar None Exists
Bar None is an equity centered initiative committed to expanding access, representation, and belonging for aspiring and early career attorneys of color. We provide culturally responsive support, mentorship, and career guidance so that future attorneys have the clarity, tools, and community they need to thrive from early exploration through the first years of legal practice. Bar None was created to close long standing access gaps and to ensure that students are supported academically, emotionally, and professionally as they enter a field where many have historically been excluded.
Meet the Founder
Nicole Harris-Crest, Esq.
Nicole Harris-Crest is an attorney and nonprofit executive who has built her career advancing equity through education, justice, and workforce pathways. She founded Bar None to close the access and support gaps she personally witnessed and experienced within the legal profession.
Nicole’s path into law was deeply personal. After losing her father to gun violence in Baltimore, she committed herself to pursuing justice and structural change—principles that continue to guide every chapter of her work. She earned her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she developed a passion for mentorship and access that became foundational to her leadership.
Nicole began her legal career in private practice, where she experienced the isolation and lack of sponsorship that many attorneys of color face. Despite the presence of other women of color, true advocacy, guidance, and belonging were rare. Those lived experiences revealed an enduring truth: representation alone is not enough. Belonging requires intentional community, access, and support.
Nicole later led nonprofit and public-sector teams across education, justice reform, and workforce development, including the External Affairs Division of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office. Over the past decade, she has built and led programs serving youth, families, and early-career professionals, secured philanthropic partnerships, and strengthened opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Bar None is a culmination of her legal training, nonprofit leadership, and unwavering commitment to creating pathways for future attorneys of color. Under her leadership, Bar None provides structured support from LSAT preparation and admissions guidance to mentorship, professional development, and early-career navigation.