ACC CHICAGO CHAPTER

DIVERSITY SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Students - 2012 Application! Press Here

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 Diversity Summer Internship Program? 

The Diversity Summer Internship Program places top law students with diverse backgrounds from select Illinois law schools in internships in Chicagoland corporate legal departments.  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 Diversity 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 and networking events hosted by the Chicago Chapter and participating legal departments.  These seminars 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 seeks diverse students who are eager to learn and are capable of thriving in a corporate environment. 

From which schools will the students be selected?

For 2012, the Chicago Chapter will invite applications from students at the following law schools: Chicago-Kent, University of Chicago, DePaul, John Marshall, Loyola, Northern Illinois, Southern 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, Discover, Empire Today LLC, Exelon Corporation, Federal Reserve Board of Chicago, Heidrick & Struggles, Illinois Tool Works, Infor, Kaplan Higher Education, Kraft Foods, McDonald's Corporation, Mead Nutrition, Navistar, PepsiAmericas, Square D Company, Kraft, Verizon Wireless and Walgreens.

What is the application process?

2012 applications are to be postmarked by February 1, 2012.  They must be sent electronically to ACCChicagoDiversityIntern@acc.com.  A committee comprised of Chicago Chapter board members reviews the applications and recommends finalists who will be invited to interview with the committee.  Finalist interviews will be conducted the first week of March of 2012.  Application, writing skills, professionalism, career interests, academic success and overall interview are 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 during the summer.

Is this a paid internship?

Yes. In 2011 students were paid $6,000 for the summer. 

Who can be contacted for further information?

Ahmed A. Elganzouri, Senior Counsel, American Dental Association Inc., Chair Diversity Committee, ACC – Chicago Chapter, email: aelganzo@gmail.com