Recent News

February 20, 2009

Minority Clerkship a Continuing Success

This year marks twenty-three for the pipeline program with the number of summer positions and employers remaining stable in spite of the current economic downturn. Thirty-eight clerkships for first and second year minority law students will be provided by 29 legal employers including 21 firms, six public or government sector offices and two corporate legal departments.

Since the inception of the program in 1987 employers have generously contributed more than 4.8 million in salaries to employ more than 500 summer clerks. Carlile Patchen & Murphy, Crabbe Brown & James, Kegler Brown Hill & Ritter, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn, Squire Sanders & Dempsey, and Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease have been part of the MCP since its beginning.

What is the impact? While the clerkship program cannot claim total credit it has served as an important tool helping to nearly double the number of minority attorneys in Central Ohio firms that are part of the Columbus Bar’s Managing Partners Diversity Initiative. As evidence of the growing success of the program, five of the eight attorneys who presented valuable information to the 2008 clerks during their orientation were alumni of the MCP and all eight were attorneys of color.

Two board members of the Columbus Bar, Dawn Hays and Anthony Sharett, have benefited from their clerkship experience, and Anthony had this to say: “The MCP continues to be a nationally recognized opportunity program for outstanding Law students. And, the MCP continues to thrive with the vital support of the participating employers who have endeavored to ensure that the program is a continued success.”

To participate in the clerkship program, first and second-year minority students from the Moritz College of Law and Capital Law School are scored on the basis of their writing and interview skills. First-year students with the highest combined scores are randomly assigned to participating law firms. First or second year students are matched with government agencies and corporate legal departments. For more information about the MCP, contact Annette Hudson-Clay at annette@cbalaw.org.