Five Fordham Law students—Justin Chaljub ’25, Raissa Ebeh ’25, Hira Mustafa ’25, Maya Rodgers ’25, and Cristian Vega ’25— were selected as fellowship recipients for the 2023 New York City Bar Association Diversity Fellowship Program.
The fellowship provides first-year law students from underrepresented populations within the legal profession the chance to spend a summer in one of New York’s leading law firms and corporate law departments.
“I am absolutely thrilled that all five of the Fordham Law School student finalists who moved to the last round in a very rigorous process were selected for this prestigious fellowship,” said Bryna Beckler-Knoll, Esq., director of career planning and diversity at the Law School’s Career Planning Center. “It is a powerful statement about the quality, character, and commitment of Fordham students.”
“It is incredible to have so many Fordham Law students selected for these opportunities,” said Atinuke Adediran, an associate professor at Fordham Law and a member of the screening committee. “These students are some of the brightest in the city and bring with them interesting experiences that would be invaluable to any law firm or company.”
Fordham Law has a well-established track record of success with the program. Past Fordham Law recipients have been placed at Paul Weiss, TIAA, Viacom, BNY Mellon, Goldman Sachs, and Apple Bank.
Name: Hira Mustafa
Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa (originally from Pakistan)
Previous education: B.A., Ethics and Public Policy/Business Studies, University of Iowa
Placed with: Davis + Gilbert LLP
What are you looking forward to as a NYCBA Diversity Fellow?: “The NYC Bar did a phenomenal job placing me with a firm that aligns with my interests. I have a content creation and advertising business, and was placed with a firm that focuses on advertising law and cases involving TikTok, which is a platform I use. I could not be more excited to learn from attorneys working on cases I am personally invested in and eager to learn about.”
How you feel about being selected as a fellow?: “As the first lawyer in my family, I feel honored and grateful to get a head start working in the legal field. This fellowship gives me an opportunity to gain confidence in my skills as a member of a legal team.”
Name: Cristian Vega
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Previous education: B.A., Political Science, Binghamton University
Placed with: Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
What are you looking forward to as a New York City Bar Diversity Fellow?: “I’m looking forward to fostering relationships with colleagues this summer, learning from talented attorneys, and participating in the firm’s pro bono initiatives. Before law school, I was a paralegal at Bloomberg and I was able to learn tremendously from attorneys working in the transactional space. At Patterson, I’m excited to delve into litigation.”
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: “I’m very grateful for my selection and excited to represent Fordham Law as a fellow. I can’t wait to use all of the tools that I have acquired over the course of 1L and continue my professional journey at the firm.”
Name: Maya Rodgers
Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.
Previous Education: B.A., Criminal Justice, University of Alabama
Placed with: Labaton Sucharow LLP
What are you looking forward to as a New York City Bar Diversity Fellow?: “I am looking forward to the opportunity to meet others within the NYCBA Diversity Fellowship network, past and present. The chance to meet other lawyers who are devoted to increasing diversity within the legal profession will aid me tremendously as I begin my career.”
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: “I am so grateful to have been selected as a fellow this year. Everyone at Fordham Law has worked so hard in this process and to have been selected alongside the other talented and hardworking fellows is an amazing opportunity. I am eternally grateful to the staff at Fordham and the NYCBA for believing in me and the future of my career.”
Name: Justin Chaljub
Hometown: North Palm Beach, Fla.
Previous education: B.A, Public Policy, University of Chicago; M.B.A., Georgetown University
Placed with: Morgan Stanley
What are you looking forward to as a NYCBA Diversity Fellow?: “I am most looking forward to access to a community of diverse attorneys, mentorship opportunities, and substantive work with top firms and in-house departments.”
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: “It means everything to me and my family. It is a culmination of the ‘books, books, books’ mentality instilled by my abuelo since I was two years old. Always seek opportunity amidst adversity.”
Name: Raissa Ebeh
Hometown: Yaoundé, Cameroon
Previous education: B.A., Psychology and Political Science, City College of New York
Placed with: Locke Lord LLP
What are you looking forward to as a NYCBA Diversity Fellow?: “I am looking forward to working at a large firm where I can connect with distinguished attorneys and accomplished peers from other law schools. Moreover, I am excited to apply the skills and knowledge that I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world cases and clients.”
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: “As a first-generation college and law school student, this is a big deal for me and my family. I am truly humbled, honored, excited and looking forward to the summer.”