Lawyers from Proskauer’s Boston office recently met with a group of students from , an organization that helps first-generation-to-college students from low-income backgrounds get to and through college. Bottom Line works with students from their senior year in high school through college to advise and ensure the students are set up to succeed in college and life.
Through the Firm’s CSR education initiatives, we strive to harness the talents and expertise of our employees to create lasting impact with the students we serve. In addition to Bottom Line, we work with a number of different schools through our Adopt-a-School program, where we help high school students explore and better understand college, career opportunities and the soft skills to achieve success in the workplace. For many of our school and non-profit partners, we also offer a wide range of social justice workshops, which help create a connection between careers in law and social justice.
We had the privilege of being introduced to Bottom Line by a former associate who is an alumna of the program. Bottom Line carefully matches their students with corporate sponsors aligned with the students’ career interests. The students assigned to us were motivated, smart and ambitious, and were curious about careers in a law firm.
One of our volunteers, Szeman Lam, an associate in our Corporate Department and Private Credit Group said, “As an immigrant and the first in my family to embark on a more traditional path to college and law school, I really enjoyed sharing my own experience and advice with the students to help demystify the law school application process and to encourage them that a career in law is attainable and within their reach. To me, speaking on the panel at the Bottom Line event was a way for me to help move the needle when it comes to improving equity, justice, and inclusion in our community. I was honored by the opportunity, and it was truly rewarding and the highlight of my day!”
Litigation associate Jim Anderson noted that he was, “Extremely impressed by the accomplished backgrounds of the Bottom Line students and even more so by their insightful questions during the program.” He also added, “I was grateful for the opportunity to share a little bit about my own experiences in the Firm’s pro bono efforts specifically aimed at helping underserved communities and listening to the Bottom Line students’ experiences doing the same through their own jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. Sharing these experiences as a group is one of the best ways to foster and grow a culture of giving back both among those at Proskauer and students who are taking the next step in their professional careers.”
Bill Silverman, the Firm’s pro bono partner, who co-moderated the panel, observed, “This effort is a great example of why it’s so important for us to embrace public service beyond conventional pro bono work. Providing career guidance along with mentoring and networking opportunities is incredibly impactful work.”