Written by Jackson State University
Jackson State University’s Bob Owens Pre-Law Center and Tougaloo College’s Reuben V. Anderson Pre-Law Society are collaborating with Jackson-based law firm Forman Watkins & Krutz’s (FWK) Diversity Pipeline Program to help underrepresented students from Mississippi’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) confidently apply for law school and pursue careers as civil defense litigators.
“The mission of the Forman Watkins & Krutz Diversity Pipeline Program is to expose diverse students to the legal environment so they can see a path to life as a civil defense litigator,” said Malissa Wilson, partner. “If we want to see more diversity, equity and inclusion in our legal profession, and specifically at civil defense firms, programs like these are critical in creating a pathway for diverse students to become lawyers.”
Initiated in 2021, the FWK Diversity Pipeline Program is a product of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee. The program includes two phases of development: the pre-law program and the law school program. The pre-law program is curated to provide students with the information and preparation needed to make their law school experience more manageable and less stressful. Students who attend the pre-law program are eligible to transition to the second phase — the law school program.
The law school phase begins with a summer boot camp before students attend law school. The program fosters mentor relationships with firm attorneys as they matriculate through law school. It offers a host of professional development opportunities geared toward preparing them for their legal career upon graduation, including a mini-clerkship during their December holiday break. Students who complete the law school program will be considered for a summer associate position with the firm.
The firm recently concluded its third pre-law program with eight student participants, including JSU political science scholars Kennadie Boykin, Naya Singleton and Alexandria Williams.
“We are delighted that three from our Bob Owens Pre-Law Center cohort were afforded the opportunity to experience the Forman, Watkins & Krutz Diversity Pipeline. Thinking about the future of the practice of law, diversity, equity, and inclusion makes the profession much stronger,” said Charles Irvin, JD, Ph.D., director of the Center at JSU.
Irvin added that the Center’s mission is to provide exposure, preparation and mentorship toward success in law and life. “The diversity pipeline is integral for our students to demonstrate their potential as future civil defense litigators,” he said.
The student participants were provided an overview of “firm life,” encompassing education about civil defense litigation and the firm’s practice areas, along with learning about the firm’s pro bono, recruiting, and diversity and inclusion committees. Students also heard from the firm’s junior associates about preparations for law school and from diverse in-house counsel who work with civil defense firms, including JSU alum Tiffanee Wade-Henderson, associate general counsel – chief ethics & compliance officer and litigation at International Paper; Romika Wells, director of Organization Development and Training at Wayne-Sanderson Farms, Inc.; Bobby Owens, general counsel at OCI Americas; and Reginald Paige, associate general counsel at Sylvamo North America. Executive coach Candie Simmons, president of CL Simmons Consulting, LLC, also led a professional development presentation.
“This program provides a platform of support and a foundation of encouragement to do better, to propel and move forward toward law school. Each session had so much information, and there were so many interactions with attorneys, hearing their experiences. It gives me hope that one day, I’ll share those same experiences. It was so inspiring as I begin this journey,” said Singleton, a senior. Over the program’s history, 21 students have participated in the pre-law and law school programs, with 12 currently enrolled in law school and eight preparing to apply. Students who completed the pre-law and law school programs in 2021 and 2022 are currently enrolled at top law schools, including George Washington University, University of Alabama, Vermont University, Washburn University, Drake University and Suffolk University.