Four first-year Carolina law students will spend their summer working as clerks in private law firms and corporate legal departments in Charlotte as part of the Charlotte Diversity Legal Clerkship program organized by the Mecklenberg County Bar. The four students are Christian Murphy, Andrew Tamayo, Liana Rebollo and Melody Chen.
"In addition to being the right thing to do, the importance of diversifying the legal profession goes to the very heart of what we do as lawyers," says UNC alumna Kristi Walters, director of professional development and diversity at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, one of the Charlotte law firms participating in the summer program. "We are in the business of solving client problems. Diversity leads to better problem-solving and decision-making.
People of different backgrounds bring different perspectives and ideas to problems and arrive at better, more creative solutions and decisions. These students, who will soon join the ranks of practicing attorneys, will help the legal profession serve its clients more effectively through their own unique backgrounds and approaches."
Filling four of six available slots in the face of stiff competition from top first year legal students across the country is a significant achievement for the UNC students, says Lynn Boone, a career counselor at the law school. Boone noted that she and Maria Mangano, director of career services, worked with all of these students in varying degrees, including providing them with detailed feedback relating to their interviewing techniques.
"The purpose of the program is to increase minority representation in law firms and corporations," says Boone. As part of the application process, the students were challenged to submit a one-page essay explaining how they would enhance diversity in legal practice in the Charlotte area.
The program also offers an element that is difficult for first-year law students to achieve - work experience in a corporate legal department. Corporate partners include Wachovia, Bank of America, Compass Group, Duke Energy, TIAA CREF and Goodrich. Participating law firms are Moore & Van Allen, Mayer Brown, Hunton & Williams, K&L Gates, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson, and Womble Carlyle.
"The corporations and law firms that participate are incredibly committed to giving our students a comprehensive professional experience," says Boone, who anticipates that the students will be able to flex their research and writing skills during the 12-week program. Boone says all four students have strong academic track records as well as relevant work experience and a demonstrated commitment to diversity. "They are an excellent representative group from our diverse and talented student body."
"We look forward to having them in Charlotte as part of the Mecklenburg County Bar this summer," says Walters.