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Grand Rapids Bar Association and Floyd Skinner Bar Association: 2018 Minority Clerkship Program

January 09, 2018

Dear Sir or Madam:

 

The Grand Rapids Bar Association and Floyd Skinner Bar Association are pleased to announce their 2018 Minority Clerkship Program, for first-year minority law students. We are writing, today, to invite your school to participate.

The Minority Clerkship Program represents a collaborative effort between the Grand Rapids Bar Association and Floyd Skinner Bar Association, to increase the number of minority attorneys within the legal community of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  By facilitating the placement of first-year minority law students in various law firms, corporations, and public interest clerkships; we hope to augment the representation of diverse constituencies, to further enrich the cultural landscape of West Michigan’s legal community.

The Minority Clerkship Program’s ultimate goal is to provide qualified minority law students with professional development opportunities and practical legal experiences that will assist them in becoming successful law practitioners. Program participants are given real legal assignments, opportunities to meet with clients and access to the professional experience of full-time associates and partners, practicing law.  The program is open to first-year minority law students who have an interest in exploring professional possibilities and opportunities, in West Michigan.

A prerequisite, for interested applicants, is completed course work in legal writing. Completed course work in legal writing is important, because much of the student’s work product will involve written assignments.  Students who are currently in their second year of law school or have completed more than 30 credits, prior to the start of the clerkship, are not eligible to participate.  Deference will also be given to those students who have an interest in cultivating a connection with the West Michigan legal community. 

As with any summer associate position, successful participants will be expected to fully participate in the professional activities of the law firm, corporation or public interest agency. This will also include social outings, as well as balancing the demands of producing quality legal work.

The program application is available by clicking here. Details related to the application process are included on the application form.

Interested candidates must submit the completed application, resume, cover letter, a short introductory video (no longer than five minutes) and first semester transcripts by Friday, February 9, 2018:

Via mail to:

Grand Rapids Bar Association

161 Ottawa Ave NW, Ste 203-B

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

 

Or via email to:

kimc@grbar.org

 

Please Note: In order to facilitate submission of applications by the above mentioned deadline, we will accept electronic copies of transcripts. However, an official copy must follow, by mail.

Students who submit the application, along with their resumes, cover letters, transcripts and introductory video, will be contacted for interviews by the Selection Committee. Interviews will be held at the Grand Rapids Campus of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Interviews will be held on a first-come first-interviewed basis and will last approximately 20-30 minutes.   In the event of an increased number of applicants, interviews may be scheduled at the discretion of program administrators.  

Alternatively, for students attending school outside of Michigan who are unable to come to Michigan on the above mentioned date; arrangements may be made to conduct an interview via video conference (please note that it will be the responsibility of the applicant to set up video conference capabilities at his or her location).

Offers for summer clerkship positions will be extended, beginning March 6, 2018.  Students will be expected to commit to program participation, 48 hours after an offer has been extended. 

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Grand Rapids Bar Association’s executive director, Kimberly Coleman, by email at kimc@grbar.org.

Sincerely,

 

Kimberly Coleman

Executive Director

Grand Rapids Bar Association