Potential Employer Participants
1. Why should my law firm or legal department join the Colorado Pledge to Diversity or participate in the Summer Clerkship Program?
The Colorado Pledge to Diversity aims to introduce its members—various legal employers in the Denver metro area—to talented law students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Becoming a member allows you to participate in the Pledge’s flagship Summer Clerkship Program that connects its members with diverse 1L law school students from University of Colorado, University of Denver, and University of Wyoming for the opportunity of a paid summer clerkship. Participation in the Pledge will allow your organization to widen its traditional recruitment net and further its goals to improve diversity and inclusion in our legal community.
If you are interested in joining the Pledge, please email coloradopledgetodiversity@gmail.com and a member from our Executive Committee will be in touch!
2. What responsibilities does a Pledge to Diversity Summer Clerkship employer have?
A Pledge employer must hire, pay, train, and supervise a Pledge law clerk over a ten- to twelve- week summer clerkship. (The employer is not required to offer any further employment to the Pledge law clerk after the summer clerkship. However, if there is interest from both the student and employer, additional employment can be pursued.) The structure of the clerkship is up to the employer, including the salary paid to the law clerk and the type of projects on which the law clerk works.
The hiring process also requires active participation from all member employers. Employers are expected to participate in a “draft” to select candidates to interview, interview at least three Pledge candidates in callback interviews, and rank all interviewees in the “match” process.
3. How much does it cost to join the Pledge to Diversity?
Employers that join the Pledge to Diversity pay an annual membership fee of $500 for-profit employers and $100 for non-profit employers.
If your organization is also a Center for Legal Inclusiveness (“CLI”) member, you will receive a $500 credit to your membership dues in CLI.
4. How much are Pledge employers expected to pay Pledge law clerks?
Each employer is responsible for setting the salary for its law clerk. Typically employers will pay their standard intern or summer associate rate or salary.
5. How should I structure the law clerk’s summer experience?
While this is solely up to the employer, having an appointed mentor or supervisor for the law clerk to report to is often an effective approach. The supervisor can ensure that meaningful work is flowing to the law clerk and that the law clerk’s work product is meeting expectations. The supervisor can also be responsible for helping the law clerk network internally and externally. We suggest that attorneys provide timely feedback to the law clerk and that the law clerk be evaluated at the conclusion of his/her summer experience; the Summer Clerkship Program is primarily an educational experience.
6. What if we experience issues or have concerns about our summer law clerk or the selection process?
Please reach out to the Pledge Co-Presidents and/or the 1L Summer Program Co-Chairs. Current contact information for these positions can be found on the Colorado Pledge to Diversity website.
7. What if I love our law clerk—can I bring him/her back?
There is no expectation for continued employment past the ten to twelve week summer clerkship. However, if you wish to bring your law clerk back, we encourage you discuss those opportunities directly with the law student.