Judicial Externship Program to aid minority law students

By Debra Talcott Legal News Thanks to the efforts of the Wolverine Bar Foundation, 13 law school students from a variety of Michigan law schools will be chosen to participate in a judicial externship program with 13 U.S. District Court judges in the coming year. The externships will provide a period of supervised practice away from the students' respective law schools with leaders in the legal community, according to officials with the Wolverine Bar Foundation. The students who are selected as this year's participants will receive stipends of $1,800 apiece to cover living expenses while they take part in the program. These stipends are important because students may not pursue other employment during the summer term of their externships. U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts, Eastern District of Michigan, is the driving force behind the Federal Judicial Externship program. Roberts started the program in 2001 to expand federal clerkship opportunities for minority students. Students gain firsthand experience in federal practice, court proceedings, and conferences between judges and attorneys. They also assist the judges to whom they are assigned with legal research and writing projects. This year's fund-raising goal is $23,400, with 100 percent of the money directly going toward the stipends, with no administrative fees. "This program is important because it provides a federal clerkship to a student who might not otherwise have the opportunity for such a wonderful experience" says Chris Johnson, director of Cooley's L.L.M program in Corporate Law and Finance. "After participating in the program, these students will be better positioned to compete in the very tough job market. Judge Roberts and her colleagues on the Eastern District bench are to be congratulated for providing this opportunity." Nussbaumer and Johnson will be contacting law schools and law firms in the coming weeks to generate financial support for this worthwhile program. "I am prayerful that the Detroit legal community will continue to step up, even in these difficult times, so that we can continue to finance the program," says Johnson, former vice president and general counsel at General Motors. All donors will be recognized at the annual Wolverine Bar Association President's reception in June. The WBA and the Association of Black Judges of Michigan will jointly host the event. Anyone wishing to donate to the Judicial Externship Program may send a check made payable to "Wolverine Bar Foundation - Judicial Externship Program." Donations should be mailed to the WBA at 645 Griswold, Suite 961, Detroit, 48226-4017. Published: Wed, Feb 3, 2010

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