Summer Associate: Diversity in Patent Law Fellowship

The Chicago based firm of McAndrews, Held & Malloy recently announced the “McAndrews Diversity in Patent Law Fellowship.”  The law firm will award a $5,000 fellowship and a paid summer clerkship position to a qualified first-year law student of a diverse background who is committed to pursuing a career in patent law.  The $5,000 fellowship for law school tuition and expenses will be awarded on or about Sept. 1, 2008, upon completion of the 10- to 12-week summer clerkship at the Chicago-based firm.  The Diversity Fellow also will have the opportunity to receive an offer to return for a second summer.  The fellowship was created to further the firm’s goal of promoting diversity in intellectual property law. 

To be eligible for the fellowship, an applicant must be a first-year law student at an ABA-accredited law school, have a diverse background that, in the firm’s view, would help to improve diversity in the field of intellectual property law, possess a degree in science or engineering, and intend to practice patent law in Chicago.  Applications are being accepted through Jan. 7, 2008.  In-person interviews with finalists are being conducted on a rolling basis through Jan. 27, 2008.  Any fellowship awarded will be announced on or about Jan. 27, 2008.  Applications must include the following components:

  • Resume, including description of science or engineering educational credentials;
  • Undergraduate transcript (with GPA);
  • Legal writing sample;
  • At least one letter of recommendation; and
  • A 500-word personal statement including information about why the candidate wishes to pursue a career in patent law, why he or she is interested in the McAndrews firm as a place to work, and how the candidate’s background and/or life experiences would improve diversity in the field of intellectual property law.

The fellowship position will be administered as part of McAndrews’ Summer Clerkship program.  As a summer associate in the McAndrews office, the Diversity Fellow will gain experience in a wide range of intellectual property law and be mentored by a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee while establishing relationships with other members of the firm. 

To access the application and other fellowship information, visit the McAndrews’ Web site at www.mcandrews-ip.com/diversity_fellowship.

14 thoughts on “Summer Associate: Diversity in Patent Law Fellowship

  1. 14

    The world hates people with real brains… regardless of their ethnic background, sex, or sexual background.

  2. 13

    I believe that “duh-versity” programs are a total insult to all of us high achieving PolkaDotGiraffes that made it where we are on the merits.

    No really.

  3. 12

    Al Sharpton, what are you screamin’ about? I’m a heterosexual white male but I’m gonna apply because I have a very diverse background – I’ve lived in trailer parks in 12 different states, been incarcerated in three of ’em, and sodomized in two. I’ll bet they ain’t got no applicants with that kind of diverse background!

  4. 10

    You can’t possibly be serious. You really think that the words “diverse background” are code words for “heterosexual white makes need not apply”? You are truly clueless about the world around you.

  5. 9

    “The law firm will award a $5,000 fellowship and a paid summer clerkship position to a qualified first-year law student of a DIVERSE background who is committed to pursuing a career in patent law” (emphasis added).

    Code for “heterosexual white males need not apply”. Affirmative discrimination rears its ugly head once again.

  6. 8

    I am offended by MHM’s program. I believe people should be judged by what they have control over, that is, what they do and how well they do it. I would like to think that in an ideal world we would not make an effort to single out a specific “race, gender or ethnicity.”

    At the bottom of MHM’s fellowship page, a PR firm is identified. This smells like a marketing campaign, not some noble effort at encouraging “diversity.” Instead of encouraging “diversity in patent law,” they are only cherry-picking from the existing pool of “diverse” students.

  7. 7

    The firm’s website seems to indicate an unhealthy pre-occupation with “diversity”, as evidenced by that sycophantic list of adoration meandering down the left side of the page.

  8. 6

    I’ve never understood the benefit and purpose of singling out “diverse” candidates. I am a minority in this field and all I want is to be treated like I am no different than the majority, which would make special programs a accommodations a total insult.

  9. 5

    Crouch, there was another post earlier that opined on the subtle racism inherent in the ad’s “diverse background” language. It wasn’t obscene, and it made a valid point about the hypocrisy in some of these fellowships. Why did you delete that post?

    [DDC Comment: The web offers ample opportunity for venting if you can’t get by Patently-O Spam filters.]

  10. 3

    Dennis,

    How much were you paid to advertise MHM? How does this relate to current issues in patent law?

    Sincerely,

    Poo.

  11. 1

    I should point out the above it merely an opinion (bit of a knee jerk one) based solely upon the article and my personal reactions to “diversity” claims.
    It isn’t anything personal or special to McAndrews, Held & Malloy.
    Who I suspect fell into the trap of competing political views on “diversity”.
    I obliviously have a strong view on that subject.

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