Timaura Barfield, Sarah Rozek and David Wheaton - members of Elon Law’s Class of 2018 - accepted distinguished work placements as part of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Minorities in the Profession 1L Summer Associate Program.
Three Elon University School of Law students were selected for top internship opportunities this summer through a North Carolina Bar Association program that promotes an increased presence of minorities in the legal profession.
Timaura Barfield, Sarah Rozek and David Wheaton will participate in the NCBA’s Minorities in the Profession 1L Summer Associate Program, which is coordinated through the association’s Minorities in the Profession Committee.
The summer associate program “provides corporate legal departments and major law firms in North Carolina with a recruiting vehicle through which to interview and offer summer internship positions to 1L minority law students from each of North Carolina’s law schools.”
Timaura Barfield
Placement: Local Government Federal Credit Union (Raleigh)
B.A., High Point University
Certificate in Paralegal Studies, Georgetown University
“I pursued the Minorities in the Profession Summer Associate Program because I wanted to have the opportunity to work with an employer who I knew was aware of the lack of diversity in the legal field and who was intentional about creating a diverse culture and work environment.”
Sarah Rozek
Placement: Smith Moore Leatherwood (Greensboro)
B.A., Ain Shams University
Certificate in Paralegal Studies, Duke University
“I pursued this opportunity with the NCBA because of my belief in the program’s core mission to build a more diverse and inclusive legal community in North Carolina. As a first-year law student, I had the opportunity to interview with some of the biggest and most successful businesses and law firms in North Carolina. This was a very unique opportunity, which I wouldn’t otherwise have if it weren’t for the NCBA Summer Associate Program.”
David Wheaton
Placement: GlaxoSmithKline (Research Triangle Park)
B.A., Guilford College
“I can grow professionally from this experience by engaging different topics that we have yet to cover in school and mastering concepts I have been taught in class. This program gives minority law students an opportunity to master our legal skills at some of the most influential companies and firms in North Carolina.”
The NCBA Minorities in the Profession Committee solicits applications from all North Carolina law schools. Schools invite students who identify as a minority to submit an application, which consists of a resume, transcript, writing sample and a diversity statement concerning how the applicant will contribute to diversification of the North Carolina State Bar.
An Elon Law panel selected the three students to take part in an NCBA interview day at Smith Anderson in Raleigh. Each student interviewed with each potential employer in a day of round robin interviews. At the conclusion of the interview program, each employer selects one or more candidates to work as a summer associate.
“This is one of the most valuable programs offered for North Carolina law students,” said Melissa Duncan ’06 L’09, director of Elon Law’s Office of Career & Student Development. “We are proud of our three students who exceled in the interview process and who will gain valuable experience this summer while providing exceptional contributions to their summer employers.”
Elon Law students with an interest in similar internship opportunities can find more information in the Office of Career & Student Development.