2008 Lloyd M. Johnson Jr. Award Recipients Announced
2008 was a historic year for MCCA’s Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr., Scholarship Program (Scholarship Program), in which its first class of scholars matriculated through law school and graduated. MCCA has every confidence that these bright young minds will help reshape the legal profession.
The success of the first class of legal scholars provides encouragement for our newest class of scholars. These 19 law students making up the Class of 2011 earned undergraduate degrees from a wide variety of institutions, and will study in prestigious law schools throughout the country with financial support from MCCA.
The Scholarship Program has committed more than $410,000 to its fourth class of scholars. Eleven corporate fellows will receive $10,000 per year for each of their three years of law school, and eight other students will receive a one-time scholarship award of $10,000. In addition, all 19 students will receive ongoing professional development support and opportunities for paid internships in leading corporate law departments.
These law students, and the organizations that sponsor them, are committed to diversifying the legal profession. MCCA sincerely thanks the sponsoring organizations for making the scholarships possible.
FELLOWS
Baker Botts L.L.P. Fellow
STUDENT: Ana Lucia Hurtado, Harvard Law School
law school: Harvard Law School
Undergraduate School: University of Texas at Austin
Undergraduate GPA: 4.00Ana Lucia Hurtado graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Psychology. Ms. Hurtado is a first-generation Peruvian whose parents escaped the rebel guerilla forces and fled to the United States when she was only four years old. Her interest in law arose when she interned at The University of Texas School of Law’s Children’s Rights Clinic and at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. Ms. Hertado is a first-year law student at Harvard Law School, and is interested in providing legal counsel in the areas of employment, health, and immigration law. She is the proud mother of a four-year-old son.
Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP Fellow
STUDENT: Lori Taylor
law school: Northwestern University School of Law
Undergraduate School: University of Missouri
Undergraduate GPA: 3.95Lori Taylor currently is a first-year student at the Northwestern University School of Law. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri in 2003 with a B.J. in Journalism. She has worked as a television reporter, anchor, and producer for KOMU News in Columbia, Missouri. She also was a top-10 finalist of a Writer’s Digest contest for her play “Grand’s Great Plan.” Ms. Taylor developed an interest in law because she wanted to learn how to protect her artistic works.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Fellow
STUDENT: Bryant Hall
law school: Yale Law School
Undergraduate School: Yale University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.64Bryant Hall graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Political Science. He has spent the past two years working as a paralegal at civil-rights law firm Relman & Dane PLLC in Washington, DC. Mr. Hall staffed a number of cases, including a two-month trial alleging discrimination in the provision of water services. Mr. Hall helped his team secure an $11 million plaintiffs’ verdict. Enjoying his work in litigation, Mr. Hall has decided to seek a law degree, and is now a first-year student at Yale Law School.
Dickstein Shapiro LLP Fellow
STUDENT: Joshua Johnson
law school: University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Undergraduate School: Loyola Marymount University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.70Joshua Johnson is currently a first-year law student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He received a B.A. in Spanish & Humanities magna cum laude from Loyola Marymount University in 2006. After completing two community service trips to the Dominican Republic and working as an intern at civil-rights law firm Litt, Estuar, Harrison, & Kitson, LLP, Mr. Johnson developed an interest in legal advocacy.
Dreier LLP Fellow
STUDENT: Sakisha Jackson
law school: Harvard Law School
Undergraduate School: University of Maryland
Undergraduate GPA: 3.89Sakisha Jackson graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Information Systems and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland. Passionate about public service and education, she has been a volunteer, mentor, and tutor preparing disadvantaged youth for higher education. Her volunteer activities include participating in the Higher Achievement Program. Ms. Jackson is currently a first-year student at Harvard Law School, and would like to use her law degree to serve disadvantaged populations.
DuPont Company Fellow
STUDENT: Carmen Jo Ponce
law school: Duke University School of Law
Undergraduate School: Columbia University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.67Carmen Jo Ponce is the first in her family to graduate from college. She received a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University. From an early age, she has dreamed of becoming an attorney. Faced with many obstacles along the way, her dream is now becoming a reality. Ms. Ponce is now a first-year student at Duke University School of Law. She plans to concentrate in international and human rights law.
Microsoft Corporation Fellows
STUDENT: Nakeena Covington
law school: Northwestern University School of Law
Undergraduate School: New York University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.80Nakeena Covington currently is a first-year law student at Northwestern University School of Law. She graduated from the Gallatin School at New York University with a B.A. in Individualized Study in May 2003. She completed an M.A. degree in Media Ecology at New York University’s Steinhardt School in May 2007. Having already spent time after college working in the communications and recording industries, she hopes to return to the media and entertainment industry and specialize in entertainment or intellectual property law. As a legal professional, Ms. Covington would like to influence legal reform in copyright law, and be an advocate for diversifying legal education and practice.
Microsoft Corporation Fellow
STUDENT: Jeffrey Peterson
law school: Stanford Law School
Undergraduate School: University of California, Berkeley
Undergraduate GPA: 3.73Jeffrey Peterson currently is in his first year at Stanford Law School. Mr. Peterson graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Economics and History in 2000. He worked for three years as a research and financial analyst at Morgan Stanley. Dissatisfied with investment banking and wanting to serve his country, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and graduated from Officer Candidate School. After having spent a tour of duty in Iraq, Mr. Peterson hopes to positively impact peoples’ lives in a different way through law.
Microsoft Corporation Fellow
STUDENT: Brenda Robles
law school: American University, Washington College of Law
Undergraduate School: Northeastern University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.76Brenda Robles is a first-year law student at American University, Washington College of Law. Although she learned English at age twelve, Ms. Robles graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from Northeastern University in 2008, where she founded Northeastern University Teaching English Language and Literacy Skills (NU T.L.L.S.), a group of volunteer tutors who teach English to Northeastern’s food service employees. She also helped found Spreading Education to End Discrimination (SEED) to educate people about discrimination law.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Fellow
STUDENT: Feather Moy-Welsh
law school: UCLA School of Law
Undergraduate School: Boston University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.43Feather Moy-Welsh is a first-year law student at UCLA School of Law. He graduated cum laude from Boston University with a B.A. in International Relations. Among his many accomplishments during college, Mr. Moy-Welsh established an organization that promoted interest in Native American culture. He is planning to pursue a legal career in international trade and development.
Xerox Corporation Fellow
STUDENT: David Hao
law school: Boston College Law School
Undergraduate School: Baylor University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.70David Hao graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration from Baylor University where he served as Senior Class President. He currently is in his first year of law school at Boston College Law School. Mr. Hao’s long-term goals include practicing as a litigator and working with the International Justice Mission, a nonprofit human rights advocacy group.
SCHOLARS
Arnold & Porter LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Carly Eastman Beane
law school: University of Minnesota Law School
Undergraduate School: University of Minnesota
Undergraduate GPA: 3.84Carly Eastman Beane graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in American Indian Studies and a B.A. in History in 2006 from the University of Minnesota. A Dakota Sioux native, she desires to work as an advocate for American Indians by using her knowledge of American Indian cultural traditions and philosophy. Ms. Beane is currently a first-year law student at the University of Minnesota Law School.
Bryan Cave LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Uchenna Ibekwe
law school: Columbia Law School
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.80Uchenna Ibekwe earned a M.A. in Sociology and a B.A. in International Relations during four years of study at Stanford University. She lived and traveled through South America while studying international political systems, economics, and development. Ms. Ibekwe is currently a first-year student at Columbia Law School, and hopes to study and practice law abroad. Her ultimate goal is to create an organization that focuses on economic development in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
Crowell & Morning LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Fathia Touray
law school: Howard University School of Law
Undergraduate School: New York University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.67Fathia Touray graduated with honors from New York University with a B.A. in Journalism and Africana Studies. She also received a M.A. in Secondary Education from Brooklyn College in 2007. After graduating from Brooklyn College, Ms. Touray became a high-school teacher because she wanted to enrich the lives of children. She also has a passion for promoting human rights for women, and aspires to create policies that will improve human rights for all. She is currently a first-year student at the Howard University School of Law.
King & Spalding LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Tam Mai Ma
law school: University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Undergraduate School: University of California, Berkeley
Undergraduate GPA: 3.52Tam Mai Ma received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where she currently is a first-year law student. Ms. Ma spent six years managing legislation for California state senator Sheila Kuehl, who helped make California the first state to fund critical medical and social services for immigrant survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. She is the past president of My Sister’s House, a shelter for Asian and Pacific Islander victims of domestic violence.
Patton Boggs LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Alexander Simpson
law school: Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington
Undergraduate School: Eastern Michigan University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.90Alexander Simpson graduated magna cum laude from Eastern Michigan University with a B.S. in Social Work in 2007. He also completed a M.S.W. degree from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in 2008, where he studied Community Organization and Management of Human Services. Mr. Simpson aspires to be a successful corporate attorney; he also plans to create a nonprofit child-welfare agency helping children in foster care. He is currently a first-year law student at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington.
Robert Half Legal Scholar
STUDENT: Annery Pulgar
law school: University of Miami School of Law
Undergraduate School: University of Miami
Undergraduate GPA: 3.79Annery Pulgar graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology and English Literature from the University of Miami. After immigrating to the United States from Cuba, she developed an interest in helping individuals who cannot afford legal representation. Ms. Pulgar is a first-year law student at the University of Miami School of Law.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Scholar
STUDENT: Ryan Chapoteau
law school: Boston University School of Law
Undergraduate School: Muhlenberg College
Undergraduate GPA: 3.60Ryan Chapoteau graduated cum laude from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in Political Science. He developed an interest in child advocacy as a result of his experiences mentoring inner-city students throughout his undergraduate years. During the summer of 2008, he interned in a company’s legal department and focused on environmental health, safety, and social responsibility issues. Mr. Chapoteau currently is in his first year at the Boston University School of Law.
Wheeler Trigg & Kennedy LLP Scholar
STUDENT: Cesar Juarez
law school: University of South Dakota School of Law
Undergraduate School: Mount Marty College
Undergraduate GPA: 3.90Cesar Juarez graduated with honors and received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Mount Marty College. Among his many undergraduate activities, Mr. Juarez served as a soccer team captain and a tutor. He also worked with Habitat for Humanity. He is currently a first-year student at the University of South Dakota School of Law. As an attorney, Mr. Juarez would like to represent people who have difficulty communicating in the English language.
From the January/February 2009 issue of Diversity & The Bar®