Benesch is proud of its commitment to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive legal profession and seeks to hire individuals who share that same commitment.
To foster diversity, equality, and inclusion in the legal profession, the 1L Diversity Fellowship Program invites all 1L law students with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to apply. A demonstrated commitment to enhance diversity, equality, and inclusion can include but is not limited to efforts and commitments to support members of populations that have been historically underrepresented in the legal profession, namely racial, ethnic, and gender minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, veterans, and allies. This is a paid position, and we have openings in our Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA offices as fully integrated positions within our Summer Associate Program. The 1L Diversity Fellowship also includes participation in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) 1L Scholars Program, a professional development program which takes place virtually throughout the summer.
Required application materials
Candidates may apply to and be considered for only one Benesch office. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. To apply, please click here to submit the following materials:
- Resume
- First semester transcripts (if you do not have your transcripts at the time of your application, please return to submit them once you receive them)
- Personal statement (500 words or less) which includes the following elements:
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- Describe your interest in Benesch,
- Describe your academic and leadership achievements,
- Describe your demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession and/or community (which may include any personal experiences you may have had relating to diversity and inclusion)
- If your ties to the geographic location in which you are applying are not evident from your resume, please describe your interest in working there long term, which may include any ties you might have to the area
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- Completion of the Suited candidate assessment (more information can be found here). A link with instructions to request a reasonable accommodation for the assessment can be found here.
Criteria
Candidates must be full-time first year law students or part time law students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, with an expected graduation date of December 2025 or May 2026. Requirements for application include:
- Exceptional academic performance
- Outstanding leadership abilities
- A demonstrated commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Strong interpersonal skills
- An interest in working in private practice
- A desire to work in the selected geographic location long term
- Permanent authorization to work in the United States
- Completion of the Suited candidate assessment within three days of application submission
What to Expect
Our exploratory 1L Diversity Fellowship program provides an excellent opportunity to gain an understanding of how law firms work, including client interaction, business deals, involvement in strategy and negotiation sessions, courtroom activities, and teamwork with Benesch Attorneys. Our comprehensive professional development sessions and simulated training programs, such as our mock negotiations and mock depositions, go hand-in-hand with the direct work experience you will receive. You will participate in the firm’s regular operations such as department meetings and specially planned events, as well as those designed exclusively for our summer program, including our Summer Associate Retreat, Summer Foundations Professional Development Series, and practice group overviews.
Fellows will receive a variety of work, both in terms of substantive areas of law and in the types of projects assigned. We review each fellow’s work on an individual basis and work to include assignments which go beyond standard research projects, although such projects are important in developing your skills and enabling us to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses. Each Fellow will have both a dedicated partner mentor and an associate buddy to provide career advice, make internal connections, and help navigate the firm.
Please contact Brittany Vozar, Senior Law School Recruiting Manager, with questions at bvozar@beneschlaw.com.