Attracting diverse talent is important not only to Thompson Hine, but also to our clients and the legal profession as a whole. We embrace our responsibility to create and promote initiatives to fuel the pipeline of diverse lawyers.

We established our Diversity Externship Program in Washington, D.C. to provide law students with rewarding educational opportunities and practical work experience and to pave the way for diverse lawyers as they enter the profession. The program also underscores for future lawyers the importance of pro bono services. It is designed to give students a “real life” education that complements what they learn in the classroom while they also pursue opportunities in community service or public interest work.

Participants learn and practice essential skills that will greatly benefit them as they begin their legal careers. They also have the valuable opportunity to observe our junior and experienced lawyers in their day-to-day practices, as well as to collaborate and network with other legal professionals outside the firm. Each student is assigned at least one mentor, a licensed attorney in the Washington, D.C. office who is responsible for ensuring the student receives substantive law-related work and the opportunity to become involved in rewarding pro bono matters.

Students will have the chance to participate in substantive pro bono work covering a broad range of practice areas at Thompson Hine. The work and experiences will vary from externship to externship depending on the pro bono legal cases being handled by the firm at that time. Past participants have assisted in advocating on behalf of the homeless and provided support in the representation of asylum applicants from various countries.

Our firm is committed to making this diversity externship program a rewarding and successful experience for law students who can contribute to the diversity of the firm. We invite you to complete an application by clicking here and filter the results for 'Student Positions' or contact Aleia Hornsby for more information.