b'A DIVERSITY PIPELINE PROGRAMI got the guidance I needed. Everyone wasreally great lawyers. Its a critical piece, but willing to be a source of support, a sourceit is one piece of a larger diversity platform of information. thatthefirmisimplementing.Ithinkits Q:In what ways was the scholarshipimportant that we think about diversity and program valuable and meaningful to you? inclusion starting from before a candidate is even hired as a law student and throughout Rachel:Forsomeonelikemewhodoesan attorneys legal career. not have corporate lawyers in my family inDiversityscholarships,inparticular,signal myimmediatecircleofaccess,thiswasaboth to the applicants and to the broader veryearlyopportunitytounderstandhowcommunitythatthisissomethingthats a corporate law firm works, from a culturalimportant to Mintz and that this is something standpoint,fromaworkstandpoint,andMintz is focused on improving.what the actual work looks like in a way that I dont think you really get that exposure inQ:Why are programs of this type important law school. By the time youre going throughfor Mintz and the legal profession?OCI [on-campus interviews], youre going inRachel: Early exposure to a law firm helps blind. Youre going in without understandingthe applicant better understand what goes what it means and what is being asked ofinto working at a law firm, what goes into you,sohavingthatopportunitytohaveafirmcultureandfirmprocesses,sothe summer associateship to get that experienceapplicantisabletobetterjudgeandfind and exposure early, to talk to attorneys aboutthe right fit. From the employer side, from whattheylikeabouttheirjobs,whattheyMintzs side, I think that early contact also dont like about their jobs, and get hands-ongivesMintzabetteropportunitytofully experience in a variety of practices helpedevaluateacandidatebeyondwhatson mebetternavigatethatOCIprocess,andpaper. It helps to limit some of the inherent alsohelpedmeultimatelymaketherightbiasesthatsometimesariseinhiring choiceaboutwhereIwantedtostartmyprocesses generally. legal career. IbenefittedgreatlyfromgoingthroughRachel Gholston is currently an associate in the this program. I think it has produced someCorporate section in Boston.WOMEN IN LAW EMPOWERMENT FORUMGold Standard Certification 2020Thisdesignationisbasedonthenumberof womenafirmhasamongitsequitypartners, in leadership roles, and among its most highly compensated partners.p. 23'