SDCBA & ACC San Diego Diversity Fellowship Program

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SDCBA/ACC Diversity Fellowship Program

What is the program?

The San Diego County Bar Association & the Association of Corporate Counsel created the San Diego Diversity Fellowship Program in response to the low number of diverse attorneys practicing law in San Diego County law firms and corporate legal departments. The Program is modeled after similar initiatives in Sacramento, Puget Sound/Seattle, Cleveland, St. Louis, Columbus, Atlanta, and the Bay Area. The main objectives of the Program are:

To increase the number of diverse attorneys practicing in San Diego County law firms and corporate legal departments by providing first year law students with an opportunity to develop their skills and make professional contacts through fellowship opportunities at law firms and corporate legal departments;
To assist San Diego County law firms and corporate legal departments in their efforts to recruit competent diverse attorneys by introducing them to qualified, diverse law students who may not have been identified by the firm or legal department through traditional summer programs. In addition, employment of these students provides a diversity of ideas which enhance the quality of legal services that participating employers may provide their clients.

Employers interested in participating:

If you are a law firm or corporate legal department interested in participating in the Program, please reach out to Bhashini Weerasinghe, DFP Director, at 619-352-0519 or email at bw@bhashinilaw.com.

For more information please read the following:

1. DFP Overview for Employers

2. DFP Employer Frequently Asked Questions

3. DFP Employer Agreement

4. 2020 DFP Timeline

Law Students interested in participating:

If you are a law student interested in participating in the Program, please read/attend the following:

1. Please join us for a presentation at your local law school:

Cal Western: November 12, 2019 (2:20pm - 3:50pm, Room LH2)
Thomas Jefferson: November 14, 2019 (2:00pm-2:45pm, Room 228)
USD: November 19, 2019 (12:00pm - 1:00pm, Warren Hall)

2. DFP Overview for Law Students

3. DFP Law Student Frequently Asked Questions

4. 2020 DFP Timeline

5. ** Applications for the 2020 program opens December 2, 2019 and close at 9:00 AM PST February 10th, 2020.

When does the program take place?

The Program takes place once a year during the summer (typically May - August) and lasts for 8-10 weeks.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Bhashini Weerasinghe, DFP Director, at 619-352-0519 or email at bw@bhashinilaw.com.

Thank You to Our 2020 Participating DFP Employers

Andrews Lagasse Branch & Bell, LLP
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Cozen O’Connor
District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County
Duane Morris, LLP
Ferris & Britton, APC
Fisher Phillips
Haeggquist and Eck, LLP
Higgs Fletcher & Mack, LLP
Klinedinst, PC
LPL Financial
Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton, LLP
Perez Vaughn & Feasby, Inc.
Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP
Public Defender Office, San Diego County
Sempra Energy
Smith Steiner Vanderpool
Sony Electronics
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Wilson Turner Kosmo, LLP
Wingert Grebing