Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, a full-service business law firm with offices throughout New York, announced that it has awarded two scholarships to first-year law school students (1L), Matthew Atewe and Gabrielle T. Reid, as part of the firm’s annual Diversity Scholarship Program. The scholarships, which have been awarded annually to outstanding law student recipients since 2005, include a $7,500 award to be applied to the recipient’s law school tuition and a paid summer associate position at the firm.
“Our Diversity Scholarship Program continues to be a critically important part of our hiring efforts. This year, we identified two exceptional candidates in Matthew and Gabrielle. We are thrilled to welcome them both into the HSE family and look forward to working with them,” said Jeffrey A. Wadsworth, Harter Secrest & Emery’s Hiring Partner.
“HSE values its culture of inclusion and equity. We believe that it is critical for HSE to reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve. With these scholarships, HSE hopes to increase diversity in the legal industry by not only heightening awareness, but also driving change.” added Craig S. Wittlin, Firm Managing Partner. “This begins with our summer associate hiring program, so we are very pleased to welcome Matthew and Gabrielle.”
Atewe, a student at St. John’s University School of Law, is the recipient of the Ron Brown Scholarship (full tuition), a Theodore T. Jones, Jr. Fellow, member of Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Entertainment and Sports Law Society (EASL), and the Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS). He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington, where he was captain of the Men’s Basketball team. He received his M.A. in Education from Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology and was awarded a Bronze Honor from the West Coast Conference Commissioner for achieving a G.P.A. greater than 3.0 while participating as a student-athlete. Before starting law school, Atewe was a legal assistant at the Law Office of Stacy D. Heard, PLLC, in Seattle, WA.
Reid, a student at Syracuse University College of Law, is a Student Ambassador, member of the Black Law Students Association, and a Procedural Advisor. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from Hampton University where she was an Evershed Sutherland, LLP Scholars recipient, a member and president of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, and an International Honors Recipient. Before law school, Reid was a Help Center/Consumer Law Paralegal at JustCause (Formerly, Volunteer Legal Services Project) in Rochester, NY, and a litigation legal assistant at Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP in Rochester, NY.
Since 2005, Harter Secrest & Emery has awarded a scholarship annually to first-year law students based on their academic record, work experience, and additional personal and professional attributes that demonstrate great promise for a successful career in the legal profession. Several scholarship winners have joined Harter Secrest & Emery after completing law school.