Wiley Rein Hosts Legal Career Program for Students from Academies at Anacostia for Third Consecutive Year

April 27, 2016

Washington, DC—Yesterday, Wiley Rein welcomed a group of more than 30 high school students from The Academies at Anacostia in Washington, DC, to its offices to learn first-hand what it means to be a lawyer. The firm has organized this special on-site program for three years in a row through its involvement with the National Association for Law Placement (NALP)/Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program, which encourages high school students of all backgrounds to pursue careers in the law.

“We are extremely proud to be a part of the Legal Diversity Pipeline Program effort and to share this experience with the students in the Washington, DC area,” said Managing Partner Peter D. Shields. “It’s an honor for our attorneys and staff to meet and get to know all of the students, and we hope they enjoyed the day as much as we did.”

Thirteen Wiley Rein lawyers joined together to lead workshops enabling the Academies’ students to delve into contracts law and a moot court case involving the Fourth Amendment. The students also attended a lunch with Wiley Rein lawyers and the firm’s professional and administrative staff. The lunch provided the students with an opportunity to learn about legal careers and talk candidly to attorneys and staff about their career paths and backgrounds. 

Yesterday’s program was preceded by classroom visits at the school last week, in which students were also taught by Wiley Rein attorneys who prepared them for the in-depth and interactive learning program held at the firm.

The program, created by NALP and Street Law Inc., pairs law firms with high schools in their communities. Attorney volunteers work with a diverse group of talented young people, teaching them about legal concepts, offering social support, and introducing them to career paths in the field of law.

Wiley Rein’s involvement with NALP/Street Law builds upon the firm’s commitment to promoting diversity in the legal profession and its long history of helping attorneys share their knowledge with local students who are interested in pursuing legal careers. For the past 13 years, Wiley Rein also has hosted a Summer Law Day event for students from Thurgood Marshall Academy, a public charter high school in Washington, DC.