A special thank you to Nelson Legal Staffing and Kearney • Boyle & Associates, Inc. for their generous sponsorship of the Chapter's Diversity program and Diversity Scholarship.

The primary objective of the Golden Gate Chapter's Diversity Committee is to increase the diversity amongst Non-Lawyer Professionals within law firms. Our goal is to raise the awareness of students and young professionals on the various career paths that can be found in today's 21st century law firm. Through a combination of outreach, education and partnership we feel that diversity can be achieved.

OUTREACH

In collaboration with the City College of San Francisco's College of Business, our plan is to introduce our Diversity Initiative specifically to students enrolled in Legal Studies, Accounting, Business Management or Office Technology programs.

EDUCATION

Part of ALA's Diversity Initiative is to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the differences among our workforce, and to advance the concepts of inclusiveness and acceptance.

Throughout the year the Golden Gate Chapter will present Diversity themed sessions covering gender, generational, race and sexual orientation issues. Check the calendar for upcoming topics.

Additional information and resources can be found at the Association of Legal Administrators website (http://www.alanet.org/diversity/default.aspx).

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The ALA's Diversity Internship Program is designed to expose diverse college and university students to the business side of law firms and the many career opportunities within the legal industry. The program places interns in law firms of various sizes and practices. Students will be exposed to a variety of functional and operational departments, with the intention of providing the student with real world work experiences that will assist them with building their resumes in this field.

This program serves two purposes:
(1) Diverse college students gain exposure to and experience in the legal field.
(2) Participating firms have the opportunity to meet promising young people who might choose to work in the field.

Internships are offered during the summer (12 weeks, full-time) and fall/spring semesters (16 weeks, part-time). The Diversity Internship Program is focused on four career tracks, which are typically found in most major law firms:

1. Human Resources (support staff & attorney)
   
2. Finance & Billing
   
3. Information Systems and Office Technology
   
4. Office Services & Facilities

ALA Diversity Internship Program FAQ Sheet

How to get started

If your firm would be interested in hosting an intern, or would like additional information on the ALA Diversity Internship Program please contact:

Ron Avenida at 415-984-6440 or Krista Mencarelli at 415-420-9170.