Partnership Will Offer Private Sector Internships and Formal Mentoring Program for the Ronald H. Brown Center Students
NEW YORK, June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic Development (Ronald H. Brown Center) at St. John's University School of Law announced today that it has partnered with AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company and Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP (Hughes Hubbard) to offer internships to students and graduates of the Ronald H. Brown Center's Summer Law School Preparatory Program (Prep Program). This marks the first time the Ronald H. Brown Center students and graduates will have private sector legal internships.
Professor Baynes, the director of the Ronald H. Brown Center, said, 'These internships are invaluable for the students. They will give them a chance to see what lawyers in the private sector do and then determine whether they want to pursue corporate work as a career. Having this experience after their sophomore year at college will enable the students to make an early decision about their career paths that will allow them to better plan their academic careers.'
The goal of the Prep Program is to increase participation of first-generation, low-income students from underrepresented groups in law schools by identifying them in their college years and providing early exposure to the study of law. The Prep Program prepares students for the challenges of law school through courses taught by the St. John's Law School faculty, internships with judges and lawyers and a comprehensively designed LSAT exam prep course.
'AXA Equitable embraces diversity through our culture of inclusion and the goals of the Prep Program are closely aligned with our goals of attracting, developing and retaining talent from all backgrounds,' said Dick Silver, executive vice president and general counsel for AXA Equitable. 'We are excited about our partnership and our mentors look forward to providing students of the Prep Program with guidance and advice. We hope that sharing our personal stories about entering and thriving in the legal profession will encourage them to pursue a career in law.'
'As a firm that has always been at the forefront of advancing diversity in the profession, Hughes Hubbard is pleased to support this very important initiative. By helping to develop a pipeline of talented, diverse attorneys, the Prep Program will make a difference in the lives of these students and in the profession,' said Candace Beinecke, chair of Hughes Hubbard.
Additionally, AXA Equitable has partnered with the Ronald H. Brown Center to establish a formal mentoring program for Prep Program students.
