ND Law connects students and law firms at Meet the Employers Diversity Fellowship event

Notre Dame Law School held its first Meet the Employers Diversity Fellowship event on October 25. Thirty-seven law firms from across the country participated in the networking event, beginning with small-group lunch meetings with students. The event culminated with a networking reception, where law firm representatives, including many ND Law alumni, engaged with students and discussed their diversity initiatives and fellowships.

The Law School’s director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Max Gaston, said, “We know many firms are highly committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Our goal is to give those firms that have an active diversity initiative in place an opportunity to engage with our students in advance of the diversity fellowship recruiting season.”

Notre Dame Law School is committed to educating exceptional students of all backgrounds. The Class of 2025, which enrolled this year, is the Law School’s most diverse class to date and boasts the highest median LSAT score and GPA of any incoming class in ND Law history. Approximately 42% of students in the class are people of color or identify with groups traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, including military veterans and first-generation professionals.

The students who attended the event on October 25 benefited from the personal connections they made during the event.

“I was thrilled to see Max Gaston and the Career Development Office create an opportunity for diverse individuals like me to benefit from Notre Dame’s extensive network with large law firms from across the U.S.,” said first-year law student Sudeep Kalkunte. “I enjoyed meeting numerous potential employers and look forward to additional opportunities to engage with them after initially breaking the ice at the event.”

Second-year law student Will Irvin said, “It is great to know that law firms engage with and advocate for minority law students. Personally, DEI events like the Meet the Employers reception have served as a kickstarter in honing my networking skills of creating meaningful connections. Down the road, I know these connections will positively influence my legal education and career.”

First-year law student Sarah Brown said, “The networking receptions are the type of opportunity that influenced my decision to attend ND Law. The firm exposure was beneficial for multiple reasons. I learned about areas of law that I didn’t already know about and met associates and partners who have offered to connect with me in the future. The event also gave me the opportunity to learn about specific summer programs and how the programs vary among the different employers.”

The firms participating in the Meet the Employers Diversity Fellowship event included: Barnes & Thornburg, Bricker & Eckler LLP, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Chapman & Cutler, Dentons, DLA Piper, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, Foley & Lardner LLP, Frost Brown Todd, Goodwin, Haynes Boone, Husch Blackwell LLP, Ice Miller, Jackson Walker, Jenner & Block, Jones Day, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Locke Lord, McDermott Will & Emery, McGuireWoods, Miller Johnson, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Paul Hastings LLP, Perkins Coie, Polsinelli, Quarles & Brady LLP, Reed Smith LLP, Richards, Layton & Finger, Ropes & Gray, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, Sidley Austin LLP-Dallas, Snell & Wilmer, Taft Law, Warner Norcross + Judd, and White & Case LLP.