Each year, McAndrews offers a $15,000 fellowship together with a paid summer clerkship to a qualified first-year law student who is committed to meaningfully contributing to diversity and inclusion in the field of intellectual property law, possesses a degree in science or engineering, and intends to pursue a career in patent law in Chicago.
As a summer associate, the Diversity Fellow will gain experience in a wide range of intellectual property law and will be eligible to receive an offer to return for a second summer. To facilitate the individual’s professional growth and learning, a member of the McAndrews Diversity Committee (such as myself) will serve as a mentor and resource to them.
Applications for the 2023 fellowship will be accepted through January 15, 2023. Here is a link (https://www.mcandrews-ip.com/working-here/diversity-fellowship) that provides further details, as well as the online application. I have also attached a PDF of the application as a guide, and a copy of the McAndrews Diversity Report. The latter features some extraordinary attorneys who have won the fellowship, such as:
- Our first fellowship winner, Malaika Tyson, is today a McAndrews shareholder. She was also recently named an American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Woman to Watch, and elected to serve as both President of the Chicago Chapter of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law and as board member for the national organization in 2021.
- Manuela Cabal, a new McAndrews partner, was recently selected as one of the On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers Award honorees by the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.
- McAndrews’ two-time summer associate Dorien Clark recently won the AIPLA Past Presidents Award, a merit-based scholarship award recognizing a diverse law student who has excelled in the study of intellectual property law.