ACC Chicago Chapter

Minority Law Student Summer Internship Program

What is the ACC?   

The Association of Corporate Counsel is the preeminent bar association of in-house lawyers.  The organization has been in existence for 25 years and has over 25,000 members.  The Chicago Chapter is one of the largest and most active chapters of the ACC.  Its membership consists of in-house attorneys, including some of the largest and most renowned corporations in the Chicago area.

What is the Minority Law Student Summer Internship Program? 

The Minority Law Student Summer Internship Program places top minority law students from law schools in the Chicagoland area in internships in corporate legal departments in the Chicagoland area.  The internships expose the students to in-house practices and career possibilities in corporate legal departments.

This program is vastly different from any other program available to Chicagoland law students.  Most corporate legal departments do not have a summer internship program for law students.  In fact, most corporations do not hire attorneys directly from law school.  The Minority Law Student Summer Internship Program provides law students who have completed their first year of law school with a unique opportunity to get an inside look at the life of an in-house attorney.

Selected law students work in the legal department of a Chicagoland company for a minimum of ten (10) weeks during the summer.  The students are assigned a mentor in the company who is responsible for directing their workload and ensuring that the students have a positive learning experience.  In addition to their day-to-day work, the interns are also assigned a mentor from the ACC Chicago Chapter and will attend seminars hosted by the Chicago Chapter and participating legal departments.  These seminars highlight the complex legal issues corporate counsel face in a variety of different industries and offer the students helpful tips on topics such as networking, interviewing and resume writing.  All in all, this program offers the student interns an opportunity to obtain unparalleled, first-hand experience with the practice of law for in-house attorneys.

What kind of student is the Program designed to attract?

The Chicago Chapter is looking for students from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession.  Additionally, the Chapter wants exceptional students who are eager to learn and capable of thriving in a corporate environment.

From which schools will the students be selected?

In 2010, the Chicago Chapter will be inviting applications from students at the following law schools: Chicago-Kent, University of Chicago, DePaul, John Marshall, Loyola, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, and the University of Illinois.

What corporations have participated in the program in past years?

Since the beginning of the program, the following corporations have hosted interns: Accenture, ADP, Alliant Credit Union, Ariel Capital Management, Career Education Corp, Danaher, Empire Today LLC, Exelon Corporation, Heidrick & Struggles, Illinois Tool Works, McDonald’s Corporation, Navistar, PepsiAmericas, Square D Company, Kraft, Verizon Wireless and Walgreens.

What is the application process?

All applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2010.  They should be sent to Jason L. Brown, PepsiAmericas, Inc. 1475 E. Woodfield Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173.  A committee comprised of Chicago Chapter board members will review the applications and recommend finalists who will be invited to interview with the committee.  Finalist interviews will be conducted in March of 2010.  The committee will then select the members of the 2010 summer class and issue offers soon thereafter.  Application, writing skills, professionalism, career interests, academic success and overall interview will be considered in the selection process.

When does the internship begin and how long should it last?

Students and corporations are allowed to mutually agree on a specific start date.  However, the internship must last a minimum of ten (10) weeks.

Is this a paid internship?

Yes. Students will be paid $6,000 for the summer.

Who can be contacted for further information?

Jason Brown, Director of Legal, PepsiAmericas Inc.

Chair of Diversity & Community Outreach Committee, ACC – Chicago Chapter

(847) 598-2951

Jason.Brown@pepsiamericas.com