With degrees in labor relations and public policy, Bennett Cicoski-Sherr ’27 came to Fordham Law determined to turn his passion for workers’ rights into a career working for labor unions. This summer, Cicoski-Sherr, who is also a Stein Scholar for Public Interest and Ethics, is taking a major step toward realizing his dream by serving as a Peggy Browning Fellow with the United Steelworkers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The highly competitive legal fellowship provides funded externship opportunities for law students interested in working on the union side of labor law and “advancing the cause of workers’ rights.”
What is your hometown?
I grew up in West Windsor, New Jersey.
Where did you study before Fordham Law?
I received a B.S. in industrial and labor relations with a minor in LGBT studies from Cornell University and an M.Sc. in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
What is your degree program?
I am a rising 2L in the J.D. program.
What are your areas of interest in the law?
My primary interest is in litigation, with a focus on labor and employment law, antitrust, appellate advocacy, and administrative law.
What about this summer externship opportunity stood out to you?
Having a background in labor and employment, I reached out to several former professors at Cornell for recommendations as to any opportunities I should be on the lookout for in this space. I was almost uniformly pointed in the direction of the Peggy Browning Fellowship, which is an extremely competitive legal fellowship that pairs law students interested in labor law with partnering unions, legal service organizations, and law firms. All of my former professors spoke very highly of the program, the hands-on experience that I would receive, and the networking opportunities afforded to Peggy Browning Fellows.
I have always been interested in working in-house and working for a labor union, so I am most excited to get a taste of what this environment looks like to see if this is really the kind of work that I want to devote my career to.
What are you doing in this role?
The externship is primarily focused on legal research and drafting. I have a good mix of theoretical exercises and issues currently facing the union. So far I have advised attorneys within the union on issues pertaining to the application of the unilateral change doctrine on grievance procedures. In addition, I am working with attorneys at the union to advise staff representatives on the kinds of questions and statements to be raised during the collective bargaining process. Finally, I wrote a position statement to the National Labor Relations Board pertaining to a duty of fair representation charge against the union, which got the charge dismissed before any hearing or adjudication.
What has been your favorite part of the experience so far?
My favorite part of the role thus far has been getting to work with exceptional attorneys on issues as they arise in real time. For instance, I have had the opportunity to join calls with staff reps to receive updates pertaining to bargaining negotiations and work with the attorneys to provide the representative with advice ahead of their next meeting. Further, I have had the opportunity to draft the position statement regarding a duty of fair representation charge against the union, and in doing this, I have gotten to have a direct impact on the case crafting process. I have unbelievable access to high quality labor attorneys to whom I can ask questions and bounce ideas off of. It feels like I am working with these attorneys on these issues as opposed to for these attorneys.
How do you think this summer experience will help you when you return to Fordham Law and/or your career?
I am grateful to have the opportunity to get real experience in labor law. I am immersing myself in different types of legal research, gaining an understanding of the unique environment offered in an in-house environment, developing stronger legal writing skills, and building my confidence as a legal practitioner and scholar.
This summer, hundreds of rising 2Ls and 3Ls from Fordham Law are gaining hands-on experience across the country and around the globe. Whether working as summer associates, judicial interns, or fellows, they’re building professional networks, sharpening their legal skills, and exploring their areas of interest through meaningful, real-world engagement. Follow @fordhamlawnyc to read more stories about Fordham Law students’ summer experiences in our #futurefordhamlawyers series.