1L Summer Associate Diversity Fellowship |About the Fellowship:
Sterne Kessler is committed to embodying a diverse and inclusive workplace and culture. We are always looking for ways to add new talent to our firm from diverse backgrounds and experiences. In line with that vision, we offer 1L Summer Associate Diversity Fellowship positions to 1L students interested in the intellectual property law profession who identify as a member of historically underrepresented groups. This includes but is not limited to BIPOC students, students who identify as LGBTQ+, women, veterans, and students with disabilities.
During this paid summer program, 1L Fellows will work alongside our attorneys and legal professionals to develop a stronger understanding of intellectual property law and law firm life. Fellows are paired with Sterne Kessler attorneys for mentoring. Fellows will have opportunities to work and train with our 2L Summer Associates through participation in an in- depth training program and hands-on legal work. In addition, Fellows will receive substantive feedback on their assignments, culminating in a formal review process with the possibility of receiving a return offer for a 2L summer position at the Firm. Fellows may also have the opportunity to be paired with a Sterne Kessler client for mentoring from the in-house perspective. 1L Fellows will be compensated at the same rate as our Summer Associates: $41,350 for a 10-week program (prorated at $4,135 per week if the 1L Fellow is not able to attend the full 10-week program).
Requirements:
• Currently enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school.
• An interest in intellectual property law and working at a law firm.
• Ability to participate in the 10-week summer program from May 22, 2023 – July 28, 2023 in person in Washington, DC.
• Strong academic credentials.
• Patent Bar eligibility is preferred, but not required.
To Apply:
• Application must be submitted by 5:00 pm EST on January 31, 2023.
• Interviews are expected to be held in February.
• Offers are expected to be made in March.
• Complete a formal application located on the Careers page of our website.
• For consideration, please submit the following documents with your application:
- Personal Statement: Your personal statement should help us learn more about you, as a supplement to your impressive application materials. Please submit a 2- part personal statement in lieu of a cover letter, which should include:
- 150-250 words sharing something you would like us to know about you that is not on your resume.
- 500-800 words that reflect your interest in intellectual property law. You may choose to write about the importance of protecting innovation, or about your own journey with intellectual property law.
- Transcripts: law, undergraduate, and graduate (if applicable). We accept unofficial transcripts.
- Resume
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be accepted until the positions are filled. We encourage you to apply early. Please contact Cassandra Kowal, Legal Recruiting Manager, at ckowal@sternekessler.com or 202-772-8830 with any questions.
Sterne Kessler
is an equal opportunity
employer that is committed
to diversity and inclusion
in
the workplace. We celebrate diversity and are
committed to creating an inclusive environment
for all employees. The firm is currently participating in the Mansfield
Rule Certification Process in an effort to broaden the
pool of talent that we
consider for Associate and leadership positions within the firm. To
help in our efforts to satisfactorily meet
the Mansfield Rule
milestones and meet the firm’s commitment to diversity, we ask each applicant
to voluntarily self-identify their
demographic information during the application process. You can find out more
about the Mansfield Rule Certification
process and how this data is
used, here.