Fordham Law students Amora Haynes ’27 and Jessie Lopez-Garay ’27 have been selected for the highly competitive New York City Bar Association (NYCBA) Diversity Fellowship Program, which provides summer internship opportunities to first-year law students who have encountered barriers on their path to a legal career.
“I am thrilled that two of our students have been selected for this distinguished fellowship. The selection process was incredibly competitive this year, making their achievement even more impressive,” said Bryna Beckler-Knoll, Esq., director of career planning and diversity at the Law School’s Career Planning Center.
Fellows have the opportunity to gain experience at leading law firms and legal departments in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. Previous Fordham Law fellows have interned at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), Morgan Stanley, and many other firms and organizations. Fordham Law has been exceptionally successful in placing students in the program, with 117 students selected to date.
“This program plays an important role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession by providing talented and committed future lawyers with exceptional opportunities to grow, learn, and contribute in meaningful ways,” Beckler-Knoll added. “I have no doubt Jessie and Amora will make the most of this opportunity, bringing their intellect, leadership, and passion to their summer placements and beyond as they continue building their legal careers.”
Name: Amora Haynes ’27
Hometown: Woodland Hills, California
Previous education: Double major, B.A. in political science and B.A. in communication studies, UCLA
Placed with: New York Life
Co-curricular activities: REAL Scholar; Dispute Resolution Society 1L member; 1L representative for the Fordham Business and Law Association; 1L representative for the Fashion Law Society; member of the Black Law Student Association, First Generation Students, and Fordham Law Women
What are you looking forward to as a City Bar Diversity Fellow?: I am honored to join and connect with the distinguished network of NYCBA Fellows, a community of legal professionals making significant contributions across the legal field. This opportunity represents an important step in the development of my corporate law career as I gain in-house experience at a Fortune 500 company. Through this internship, I look forward to developing integral skill sets and engaging with complex legal matters, from contract formation and compliance review to negotiation strategy.
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: I am incredibly grateful for such an unparalleled opportunity. As a first-generation lawyer in my family and a Black woman, access to these career opportunities is often inaccessible. Through such a rigorous application and interview process, the NYCBA recognized my abilities and offered me an opportunity to prove what I am capable of. I cannot wait to continue this pursuit of equity and representation through my career in the legal field.
Name: Jessie Lopez-Garay ’27
Hometown: New York City
Previous education: B.F.A. in advertising, School of Visual Arts
Placed with: Labaton Keller Sucharow
Co-curricular activities: REAL Scholar, 1L representative for Fordham OutLaws, and ATLS translation volunteer
What are you looking forward to as a City Bar Diversity Fellow?: I’m looking forward to putting my legal research and writing skills to the test. Litigation was the farthest thing from my mind when I pictured myself as a lawyer. That being said, I really enjoyed my Civil Procedure class last semester and began to think that litigation might be my future. I believe being a fellow and placing at such a renowned securities litigation firm like Labaton Keller Sucharow will give me that first glimpse into what litigation is like in real life. I can’t wait to get started.
How do you feel about being selected as a fellow?: I am a first-generation everything, so I’m thrilled to have been selected. It truly is such an honor to get to join and form a community with such a select group of people. Yes, there are other opportunities for 1Ls—even directly through firms. However, the NYCBA Diversity Fellowship has a decades-long track record of being committed to advancing inclusion in the legal field. My hope is that this, and other programs like it, get to continue so that I may pay it forward.
