The St. Louis office diversity committee actively recognizes and participates in organizations such as the Washington University Summer Training Program for first-year law students and Lambda Legal.
In addition, the office supports numerous organizations by sponsoring dinners, providing speakers and hosting receptions. Some of these groups include the Mound City Bar Association's annual Scovel Richardson Scholarship Awards Dinner, the annual Woodie Awards & Auction, the Unity Dinner, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the BLSA Chapter of the University of Missouri-Columbia annual Lloyd L. Gaines Scholarship Banquet, the MOKAN annual Awards Dinner, the NAACP Freedom Dinner and the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Dinner.
The St. Louis office is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse attorneys and staff. In keeping with this pledge, we participate in the local Minority Clerkship Program, which recruits first-year law students from local universities to participate in our summer associate program.
The St. Louis office actively supports and participates in the following organizations:
Washington University Summer Training Program for first-year law students
In August 2006, the St. Louis office implemented a summer training program exclusively for first-year students entering Washington University School of Law. The program, which was offered at no cost, was designed to help students who have experienced socio-economic challenges prepare for the rigors of law school. Approximately 15 students attended the intensive two-week program, which taught students how to prepare for class discussions, master the Socratic method, draft study outlines, and take final exams. In addition, Sonnenschein attorneys addressed the students on such topics as legal writing, pro bono activities, and job interviews.
Lambda Legal
The St. Louis office hosted a reception in November 2005 for Lambda Legal, an organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. Camilla Taylor, a staff attorney in the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda Legal, was the featured speaker. She discussed ground-breaking cases Lambda Legal has handled. Approximately 50 local attorneys and law school students and faculty attended the event. Members of the Outlaw student organizations from Washington University School of Law and Saint Louis University School of Law attended. The next day, Camilla gave a CLE presentation to diversity committee members and other attorneys in the St. Louis office.
In addition, the St. Louis office supports the following organizations by sponsoring dinners, providing speakers, and hosting receptions:
- Mound City Bar Association's Annual Scovel Richardson Scholarship Awards Dinner: Proceeds from the dinner support scholarships, community outreach programs, and the acquisition of a building to serve as administrative offices and a community resource center. Sonnenschein attorneys are members of the Mound City Bar Association and serve on the committee that plans the annual dinner.
- Annual Woodie Awards & Auction: Proceeds from the St. Louis Black Repertory Company's Annual Woodie Awards & Auction support the Community Education and Professional Intern Program, which serves more than 60,000 young people annually. The St. Louis Black Repertory Company is the number one professional Black Theatre in the U.S.
- Unity Dinner: Missouri Asian Bar Association and Mound City Bar Association host an annual dinner. Sonnenschein attorneys are members of both organizations.
- Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: The firm is a member of this organization, and the St. Louis office has hosted one of the group’s monthly business meetings.
- BLSA Chapter of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Annual Lloyd L. Gaines Scholarship Banquet: A fundraiser to raise scholarship funds for the university's BLSA students
- MOKAN Annual Awards Dinner: MOKAN's goal is to increase the number of qualified minority and women contractors and to increase the public as well as private dollars spent with these firms. Proceeds from the dinner provide scholarships for minority students pursuing careers in engineering. Sonnenschein partner Joe Colagiovanni has been honored at the dinner in prior years, along with firm clients. Joe was awarded MOKAN's "Creating Partnerships for Growth and Outstanding Public Service Award," which is presented to an individual for exemplary and dedicated service in promoting diversity and supporting programs that increase the participation of African Americans and other minorities, especially in the construction industry.
- NAACP Freedom Dinner: Monies raised at the event enable the St. Louis City NAACP to continue to undertake local programs that include voter education, housing, prison reform, and the furthering of equal employment and educational opportunities.
- Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Dinner: Organized by the Criminal Defense Bars of the Southern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of Missouri.
Recruiting
The St. Louis office is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse attorneys and staff. Since 2002, the St. Louis office has participated in the local Minority Clerkship Program, which recruits first-year law students from Washington University, Saint Louis University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. The students interview in the spring for positions in the St. Louis office’s summer associate program. The firm hires one or two students every year through the program, most of whom later join the firm as attorneys.
